There should be an outcry about the removal of the forums

I've been on Second Life for about two years now. I've watched this software go from a brilliant exercise in creativity and originality to a shell of what it used to be. I watched Second Life go from a world of amazing creations to the same repetition of nightclubs and sex shops sprawled out acre upon acre, a monster of lag and particle abuse. I watched this beautiful place, championed by the paying users into things we were proud to make and have, turn into a greedy piece of crap owned by land barons who paid tiers substantially less than the prices they turned around and gouged out of everyone else.

I watched all of this happen and it made me very, very sad, moreso because I realized that Linden Labs wasn't interested in disrupting the unfriendly activity of the land barons like (the) Anshe Chung(s) and certainly weren't interested in disrupting the activities of anyone who brought traffic into their network-- despite the fact, I should add, that they lack the infrastructure to support what traffic they already have. It made me sad, and then it made me disgusted.

Customer service has never been their forte, as they don't even have the respect to bother responding to the complaints of their customers. Silence is the status quo, and long ago I decided to stop supporting it and let my premium account expire. I came back a week ago wondering if anything was any different and it saddens me to realize that it's not.

The removal of the forums is the removal of the one sure location where those of us fed up can vent. It always has been this, and their bogus excuse of staff and manpower is pathetic and see-through. It's not about moderators, it's not about content. It's because they're taking away our space to get any points made that are counter to Linden Labs' wishes. I'll be doing the only thing I can after this; Linden Labs will never get another dollar from me until they learn that without the users they have nothing, and it's their job to appease and appreciate us first and foremost. They have failed this duty for years now and I don't see it ever changing. I will not pay any more subscription fees, I have no land now to pay for and I will put none of my cash into their currency exchange. And ultimately I say the only way they'll ever care is if those of you who feel similarly also cut them off financially.

But it's up to you. As in every loss of liberty, part of the reason they're able to make this move is because you users don't stand up to them. Give that some thought.

How is having a forum a right? Can't you just make your own to appease yourself?

It's not having the forum that's a right, it's having an outlet for expression. If all communication is controlled through the LL blog's comments, how can that be considered an open exchange?

By "outcry about the removal of the forums" do you mean a "party celebrating the removal of the forums"?

If so, then yes, I agree.

No, I don't.

Maybe they aren't interested in communication. I still don't see how having a forum helps. If anything it is taking away resources from Linden.

what the fuck gave you the idea they were interested in open exchange?

I think it's safe to say that there *has* been an outcry about the removal of the forums.

i have to agree that the forums lately are,just people griefing,its plain useless right now
and,what do you have against anshe chung?some personal envy or what?
jesus

Really? I don't really think so. At least not enough of one then.

Miss out on the fun. See if I care.

There'll be cake, booze, and an in world mock up of the forums burning in effigy.


Oh God...it'll be beautiful.

I bet you will see, no, I know you will see better communities spawn because of this descision. In the other game I play the company did the same thing. Now we have several forums that have WAY more features that make for a much better foruming experience.

The forum isn't the real issue. The real issue is the splintering of the community, which will be interesting to witness.

He believed the bullshit

I'll come! That is, if I spot your announcement among the endless threads of outcrying.

What would you have us do?

It's the same thing I ask people who look askance at Americans about our out-of-control government: what would you have us do? Nothing we say will have any real impact. We have no real voice, whether we choose to recognize it or not. The same reasoning applies more or less equally to both.

LL will do what LL will do, and as we are powerless, so we shall be swept along regardless of whether we do or don't make noise. The only thing that could really (possibly) pull the plug on LL would be a massive exodus of all or nearly all content creators, and then, even if that somehow happened, where would that leave us? With no SL at all.

It isn't as though we haven't been trying to make ourselves heard. In fact, a lot of us believe that's why the forums are going away ...

In case you missed some of the outcry the first time around...

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Like I said, stop paying for it if your money's going to support something you don't approve of.

A more salient question: If they can't properly maintain a simple forum, how can we expect them to properly maintain an entire world system?

i'd just like to rephrase my statement. What i'm trying to say all boils down to one simple thing...

gee your hair smells terrific

*i knew i had a point

Of course not. I am just saying I have seen this before, and it actually turned out for the better in that case from a user standpoint.

you just know any post ending like this is chock full of well-thought-out ideas.

You and me both. We seem to have both started our second lives at the same time aswel from the looks of your join date. We both witnessed the same thing. When i first came to SL i saw it as a magical world where i could be anything i wan't and have fun. My creativity branched out in many directions. But as i look at it now all i see is 1 huge friggin scam! :/

The reason for that is the unverified accounts. Call me out if you wan't but thats my story and i'm sticking to it.