Some thoughts and question on SL

Note to Mod: I am not sure of where this thread should go, so I'll leave it to you to decide. Thanks.

I have been doing some serious digging around about Second Life. I have yet to go inworld. What I am learning is quite amazing! I can't help but notice the potentials for both good and bad. Here are some thoughts and questions.

1. I have read about Second Life's potentials for use as a basis for a 3D Internet, ala OpenSIM and etc. I've also came across Elliot Eldrich's suggestion for LL to turn SL into a franchise and sell it to 3rd party groups and let them set up their own virtual world. What is the latest with this? I happen to like Elliot's ideas and do have some concerns. Namely, it has to do with currency. I know Linden has to make $$ to stay in business; however I don't like the idea of turning them into the next Microsoft.

2. I can't help but wonder what else is coming down the pipeline, as Linden Lab is seeking to reach out to larger audience.

3. I have been forewarned by some friends about the potential for trouble in Second Life. I am referring to the adult escort service. Yes, I know the avatar is not real; however, you are still playing with fire. What is Linden Lab doing about the potentials for pornography, and "virtual prostitution" <- Not sure if this is the right term.

Personally, I'd say "Put them in their own virtual world". If someone wants to go there, let them. It just doesn't have to be in broad daylight, so to speak. I'd have taken a strict conservative Christian POV, but that would be unrealistic.

First off- you must have at least logged on once or you would not be able to post. Secondly- why ask so much? Dive in and draw your own conclusions. As for "Put them in their own virtual world" it's been done- it's called RedLight or some such.

Your comment about "It just doesn't have to be in broad daylight, so to speak." states, not even implies, shame- you are ascribing your sense of morals on a very broad community. If you are easily offended, I suggest you stay out of SL - it really isn't bubble gum and cherry drops. From Walking Dead to sexual situations, it is most definitely not G-Rated. Not everyone participates and most live and let live.

"Troubles" are where you find them- seek your own road and don't look for sign posts- if you cannot see them for yourself, asking strangers won't make your way any easier. Good luck.

Aside from the business end of things ... SL isn't going to do *anything* about pr0n. The grid is for people over the age of 18. I'm not sure about what lies down legal roads for "virtual prostitution", but pornography is likely here to stay, as are a host of other genres of adult entertainment. There are HUNDREDS of places in SL that have nothing to do with sex and sexuality, if it's not your bag, but I think it's safe to say that LL isn't going to do anything about anything unless pressed by legal or PR issues.

A strict conservative Christian POV is very appropriate within a strict Christian sim, of which there are many. Perhaps you should spend your SL time in PG and/or Christian sims.

It's all about choices, Nick. Your phrase "Put them in their own virtual world" is a little disturbing. I am glad that LL is not under any delusion that they can "put" anyone anywhere. They, or anyone, could create a porn-only virtual world, and people then would choose whether or not to visit it. (Indeed, other companies have already done so).

If, while you are in a PG sim buying clothes or building or whatever, you find yourself disturbed by the fact that somewhere ELSE in SL people are watching strippers, then perhaps SL is not for you.

But then, perhaps RL is not either, if your sensibilites are that delicate.
.

QFT

you have PG area's and you have areas that are called Mature..
if you wish to avoid the more mature content then it would be wise to stay in the PG areas.
people pay for their islands and sims here..
they have the rights to do pretty much what they wish with them..within the rules..

it's a virtual world and just like the real world there are gonna be places you don't go and places you do for whatever reasons..

i would sure learn about it myself instead of going off of word of mouth.because you could ask 10 different people what second life is about and get 10 different responses to the question

Lord Phil looked down at the interwebs and said let there be a grid...and created sl.

He looked at the empty grid and said let there be residents to create this sl and turn it into something of beauty.

The residents looked at the empty grid and said "let us make poseballs" and to store those poseballs, "let us make houses" and to beautify those houses the residents made the trees and the water and the animals.

So without these poseballs, sl wouldn't exist.

I'm fairly sure the poseballs didn't come first.

Could you perhaps give a link to whatever you've read about Elliot Eldrich's views? Not that we'd want to discuss them as his views here, where he's not representing them himself, but I'm just not clear to what you're referring (and Google hits seem... dated and irrelevant).

In general, yes, there is such a thing as Open Sim and there are little commercial and non-commercial grids of them around for the exploring. Some have (their own) currencies, but I understand that all use of currencies in Open Sim grids is kind of "bleeding edge" still. I'm pretty sure none of them use the L$ internally (at least not the "real" L$) but some allow L$s to be used to buy--uh, I'm not sure what: their own currencies? or "land" in their grid? maybe both? (It's very unlikely that the L$ can ever be transferable back and forth between grids because an Open Sim grid operator can just mint their currency at will.)

The big hang-up about other grids is whether to support what kinds of transfer of in-world assets, because of the jeopardy that poses to intellectual property. Lots of discussion about that, so probably best not to belabor it here.

As to "adult" content in SL: yeah, right now it's very much like the web There are "PG" regions (and of course there's the Teen Grid, but only for teens). But generally speaking, the main grid has everything available, as does the web, or a real city. It's not impossible that LL could someday introduce a segregated "corporate only" environment devoid of challenging content, if they believe it appeals to enough of a market to be worth the trouble. (It's not obvious to me exactly how that would differ from what anybody can do now, by establishing a private Estate of sims all conforming to their personal standards of content and conduct.)

I find the above statement very puzzling. I have been in SL for a little over 2 years and although I read about it..I have never had any trouble with escort services. I spend time with friends, shop (when things are not gray) decorate, create and Relay for Life in SL. If I have met people that are involved with escort services, I did not know about it nor would I care as long as they didn't bother me. Actually, the only time I get really irritated by any type of people in SL are the ones that send me those dumb invites to bite my neck. I guess if you WANT to get involved with escort services you can always go look for it. But as a norm...at least for me...I never notice them and cannot figure out what you mean by "potential for trouble"?

No- Chicken Run did...

The OP might be tempted to have a virtual naughty-time session with an alluring avatar?

I can't see SL franchises in the near future. Too many problems with handling money, virtual property, and intellectual property. We have the possibility of taxes in the near future too. LL was talking with other companies about uniting all virtual worlds not splintering them.

Yes, me too.



Personally, I think similarly about strict conservative Christians, or any other strictly conservative religious type that want to make everyone else dance to their tune. That, to me, is more playing with fire than virtual escorts. Funny old world isn't it?
--
Aes

Your friends should have paid. Stiffing an escort is what makes it 'playing with fire', but still not as bad as doing it in Baltimore RL (where it becomes 'playing with knives' or 'playing with the really big guy on the corner'). I don't think LL needs to do much for the potentials for pornography - pornography seems to find all the potential it needs, anywhere it goes. I think all it needs is a bit of repression here and there and, bingo!

I do admit I had a 'friend' that went with an escort and his 'thing' fell off later. Lost his escort because he forgot where he laid her. On and on, nothing but trouble.

You can't really judge SL until you've taken the plunge and explored the world a bit.

i think we have been trolled lol

What became of that self righteous multi personality disorder we had roaming our halls recently? The one who one minute sounded like such a ditz and the nex, still off her rocker but with better constructed sentences (multiple personality or more than one typist).


I don't think this is strictly the case here--- although I do hope so- don't need another stick in the mud telling us what's good for us.

The same could be said about the strict conservative Christian folks.

Taken out of order:A lot of people who haven't used SL or are new believe that, only to quickly revise their opinion a week or two later when they develop feelings for another and realize we most certainly ARE real. SL is just a communication medium, with even greater ways to relate to others than letters and telephone and email.In checking your other posts, I see you read and were attracted to the "make real money" aspect of things.

While waiting for your SL-capable computer to arrive, maybe read about what you might do with alts?

Rest assured you may start your money making business AND enjoy yourself with escorts without the later negatively impacting the former.

Although if you read more about Anshe Chung, vice-versa might be more profitable?

You generally won't be judged here for those behaviors, most of us are mature adults who realize a private life does not preclude from positively contributing to society. That doesn't mean there aren't hypocrites, but no more than any other society."Them"? What "them"? At Burning Life two years ago, I met and had a wonderful discussion about a sculpture with someone, and shared photography and other cultural interests, the type I'd had many times at RL museums. It was an enlightening conversation, including the part that she retired from escorting because she was bored of teaching newbies how to use sex beds.

May I suggest although it's wonderful you are trying to learn about SL before you join, which I did too, read everything I could find (although the forums were not accessible back then), try not to prejudge so much?

The beauty of SL is what opportunities and delights it exposes you to, wonderful people, art, music, culture, innovation, creativity. Might you not miss much of what makes it wonderful if you close yourself off from those?

Very possibly - but sometimes it is still fun to play.

She vanished very shortly after Pep did.

Odd, that

Where IS Pep, anyway. Most inconsiderate of him to stop posting after I took him off Ignore.

LMAO

I noticed that he voted in the age thread. I suspect he went into hiding after his thorough and utter humiliation in the acronym thread.