Solutions Against Junkyards

If you have never seen a brand new Linden SIM then you probably won't understand. But being a few years old I have seen them. They do spend a fair amount of time landscaping and terraforming, installing roads and setting limits on the terraforms so that the new owners cannot disrupt the natural shapes of the continents to extremes. But once they get bought and sold a few times the parcels get joined, cut, things go crazy. Neighbors move in and decide that they want to raise the land several meters, put in a pool, that sort. But at one time the public continents did look nice. You could go to the huge Governer Linden SIM's. There's a nice one just above Takalo, forget the name, used to live in Takalo. But there is a whole snowed in mountain range complete with the Linden ski course spanning several SIMs. Which is all locked down and can't be sold or terraformed, last I checked anyway, lol

I think this is a very interesting thread.

I have to say, IMHO, that when making the choice to live on the mainland (I know we could argue about the real "choices" involved in choosing the mainland over estate/island/etc) you must acknowledge that people are going to have differing views of what is pleasing, or even acceptable, in terms of building and landscaping. In my opinion the visual aesthetics issue really isn't about the decor or taste of your neighbors (neighbors tend to change, as does their taste) it's about the rampant abuse of visual advertising.

The one thing that would have the biggest impact on the mainland (where the majority of residents, um, reside) would be the control of advertising. Please place some parameters around size, height, mass, etc! It has become an arm's race for the advertisers to try to figure out how to demand the greatest visual attention, to the detriment of the entire environment. How many spinning "For Sale" signs blight our landscape? How many 2000+sqm parcels filled with 30x30m blocks advertising the most remarkable store/club/etc (In neon pink and yellow).

My belief is that if LL created some controls around advertising (an acceptable use policy with a system in place to evaluate and respond to policy violations) it would have a huge impact on land availability, livability, creativity, and community.

The number one visual issue in my opinion.

If I ever sell my land, I'm going to write 'For Sale' on the gruond in giant prim letters, just a few meters tall.. that way its not hideous (I hope) and can be seen from the map, as well as flying over and such...

EDIT:: Btw nice 9-day resurrection lol

Cannot implement
breaks existing content.

RESOLVED

Nevermore those that wish to destroy,
the underlying structure of Second Life,
be allowed to implement their toy
opinions upon the rest of the masses
that huddle a-fearing in their tiny glasses.

Nevermore!
It is the Core!
They will be dissolved.
It is Resolved.

You should re-think your bias against islands. A good estate owner will have many of the land-planning and zoning controls that you're in favor of. And, if they own several islands, you can sail or swim between them, just like you want to do. I'm very happy with my "rented" home in the FairChang Islands.

If you just can't get over your uneasiness about "renting" vs. "owning"...buy your own estate, and set your own rules. Get some like-minded tenants to help with the tier, and to recover your investment costs.

Mainland: Blissful anarchy.
Estate Land: Lots less "junkishness".

Take your pick.