Open letter to the owner of slstats.com

EDIT: Partial retraction on my part. Everything I said was accurate, but I just don't like being that forceful with my opinion over this in retrospect.

After a while, that database is going to be loaded with "useless information" and would be a very good purchase for advertisers.

Mark clearly states that the info on the site is completely useless. The subtitle of the site reads, "Second Life's premier useless statistics site!"

I think this is hilarious, given his position.

Callin Torley a liar? She said she was passing on what mark said. Its posted for all to see in answers.

As far as avi-key's that is public info IMO and LL is neglectful in not having a llName2Key function. You may think its the same thing I don't.

Whilst i agree with some of what u have said i took a look at the site and also in Search, I could not find the store in search but i found the link to the store on the website.

I TPd there found the optout box brought for 0L$ rezzd it and opted out so cool no harm done tho i might add that the SLstats owner should put the store in the Search Tab and also ensure that the fact u can opt out is clearly stated and im sure everyone will be happy

Tho Opt out is NOT a very good idea imho and shud be looked at by the owner but im sure if it breaches TOS then it will end up where it belongs, if not then just find ways to overcome the problem people and opt out first

Peace

oh they DO still track what you bought... dont believe that for a second! Pay with a debit/credit card? They know who you are... same with by check. Pay with cash, ya its less of a risk, but they still track what you bought - just dont associate it with anything

dont be so nieve

Just because it is not explicitly said so in the TOS doesn't mean that my wish to not be registerd is to be disrespected is it? I'm not debating the TOS because it is unclear in these matters and, if you read the link I provided my second post in this thread, the Linden is not stepping in.

What I am debating is that I don't want this, and as I have seen there are several out there who doesn't. Why do we have to explicitly say that we don't want this when common sense tells us to respect others wishes when it concerns their privacy.

I take it you fail to comprehend OPT-IN? Or does your local grocery store assign you a card and order you to use it?

I fail to see how Mark is insulting. He wrote a very thorough, thoughtful letter.

well if someone designed a powerful enough magnetic stripe reader.... one 'COULD' walk past you, see what cards you have, and exactly how much cash you have (yes even american cash is magnetically encoded by denomination)

at least in SL you cant get REAL person info, like how much L$'s you have

I don't get it. So he works full time and sounds to be busy but he dedicated so much to something utterly useless?

That just doesn't make sense to me Tyken. Thanks for the explaination though.

Oh man, would you PLEASE read what I said? I am fully aware that I am tracked when I use a credit/debit card. What I said is that MY credit card does not track random people I happen to pass on the street. I use my card, I consent to give my information. I do not consent to give information to this slstats database, especially since I believe it will ultimately be used for advertising.

I could give a fuck what he claims, I'm just stating what he's done. =P

So basically, you'd be pissed if I wrote scripts to gather the profiles of every single resident in SL and post them to a 3rd party site? It might be fun.

People do work hard on making even useless things, because in this case, it's fairly large scale, takes a lot of interesting work, and can potentially have a purpose or two added in. Just because you think something is useless doesn't mean others won't find it entertaining.

It is interesting to know that certain very nice Land Barons, who are not even in the same group and who would never scam anyone are the top users of this site. I wonder why this type of information would attract the attention of such kind folk. Oh lord bless the good Land Barons.

1. Opt out?
2. Online frequeces listed even if you opt out.
3. People contact/frequencies listed even if you opt out.
4. Profile data listed even if you opt out.
5. If you opt out you are no longer in charge of your data on the site. It would remain there gathered from other people.

Now what I think would be a hilarious invasion of privacy

Would be if the Xcite guys put up a statistical website of their users and who they were around.

Now THAT would be funny.

This whole thing however reminds me of the people who live on the main grid in a prefab house that put group access only banlines around their land.

Thorough inaccurate and NOT thoughtful.



The implication him and many of his supporters in this thread are making is that people who object don't understand technology.

I hope you're not insinuating that the land barons are in some evil conspiracy with Mark and his service. Think a little harder.

The reason such very nice land barons are the top users is because such land barons, who would never use vry nicer scripts that let them scan new plots for sale to swoop, would never ever let these scripts run all day and night. Because you know, they're normal people like you and me, and they sleep, right? Of course they do, they sleep. It's just by magic that they're logged in 168 hours per week. No swooping at all. Nope.

you need to read the edited post... because someone could get your information walking past you if it was easy enough. If it was possible to do easily... it would be done.

ok how's your stand on security cameras? They are recording you without your obvious consent. Well what if they do facial recognition, throw you into a database, and record what you buy for datamining at a later date? Thats without your consent, but done on a daily basis

and Tyken, its 158 hours (oh i idle in SL duh) and a script to find land for sale? ur kidding right? is there a llGetLandPriceForSale() function no one knows about?

You know, that may actually be the first thread to break vBulletin here. That's why it must be done.

I object. And I am a tech. Which is partially WHY I object - I hate spyware.

Mark has a light sense of humor. It's nice to see that the pitchforks and torches come out to such people.

As for that comment, he seems to be stating that people who object are unaware that the information collected on them is already available, innoculous in the first place, and their consent not required. Okay, so he's not stating that, that's just the fact of the situation. But the correlation with technology is indeed there.

Please, try to keep it serious. You disagree with me and the others who dislike what slstats.com is doing. Fine! But please, keep to the topic and refrain from insults.