Automatic Logging

I would like it if we could set our client to log all text to disk. I like to be able to save important conversations (I would think most would lament it later in life if thier first conversation with a significant other was lost when it could so easily have been saved.)

For instance: I have a conversation with Foo Bar, and he gives me some useful information that I want to keep (An excellent explanation of llSomeRandomFuction, or the like). The idea is to have it be so that if the "Automatic logging" option is checked, the conversation would be written to the default directory from the very first message on. When the IM is closed, the log would be ended, and the next messages would start a new log. It would best be just a checkbox in the options menu - no need for fancy options.

I think naming conventions would best go:
(Other Person's Name)_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.txt
Console_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.txt


Before anybody mentions privacy: Copy and paste is already here, this just makes it more convenient. It's no added risk. If somebody does something outright abusive over text, a log would provide what was said for the report - it's no less vulnerable to falsification than copy and paste, it just makes it easier to save a copy.

Yes, I heavily endorse this.

I've been wanting a chat logging ability for a long time now.

I would also like the ability to log Chat History automaticly.

So maybe an option for IM's only and for chat history which would include IM's.

I, personally, feel this would be the most rewarding feature for the time spent to impliment it.

An auto log system would be a wonderful feat. What an asset to the game!

How many times has one held an affair, or been to an instructional event and had to cut and paste the entire selection in order to retain the important bits of information?


Please except my kudos for an exceptional idea. I hope the Lindens decide to implement it!

I'd code it for the lindens if they want, but I'm afraid it'd be a tad hard for LSL - yaknow, since scripts can't see your IMs and access you hard-drive and all.

What you could do is write a script for an object that records the conversation, then sends it out in an e-mail or something, or just saves it to the object.

Actually your on *very* thin ice doing this.

It's a very easy way to get yourself banned due to TOS violations.

A TOS violation in this situation would be based on the community standard that residents may not break applicable real-life laws. Unfortunately, the legal precedent is not cut and dried. Recording online conversations has been directly addressed in several cases, but is very dependent on state law, some of which require consent by both parties before a conversation may be recorded. However, in two dual-consent state cases, one record was thrown out, and another was kept. I'll explain.

The evidence retained was a log of an ICQ conversation, submitted in a Washington case (State v. Townsend, 147 Wn.2d 666 (Sup. Ct. Wash. 2002)). Since ICQ logs messenging, the court ruled that use of the program implied consent by both parties, and the recording was perfectly legal. However, when a video recording of an AIM conversation (no joke) was submitted to a New Hampshire court in a similar case, it was thrown out since there was no logging function in place (copy-paste doesn't count).

The way this applies to our situation: if the Lindens implement a chat log function in Second Life, then anyone using the Second Life client is consenting to recording of any and all communications in Second Life. It is VERY IMPORTANT to note that California is a dual-consent standard state - I suspect that a resident-created automated recorder would not be kosher. Linden Lab itself is permitted to record anything they like due to so-called "provider" law.

Legal precedent changes every day. I highly recommend that anyone interested in the specifics of this issue do the research -- I could be and might be totally wrong, especially since LL knows better, since they have an attorney, which I am not.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled drama.

EDIT: I forgot to mention -- this is a great idea and I'd love to have text messages logged by SL! This is another one of those things I loved about There that really nag me about SL. I can't count the number of times that I've failed to remember the name of someone I chatted with about some very specific subject a week ago, or even the previous day. The world is too fast-paced to write down every little thing that might be important later.