2009's November Surprise?

I would say "recession" rather than "depression"....they are leagues apart. Some countries are now officially out of recession, the problem is the time lag of existing unemployment and the re-creation of new jobs.......it's a market confidence thing!. They say usually employment lags behind by 18mths or so. That's how long the "feel good" factor might need before people start opening their wallets again to previous levels!

SL is unique because of it's low entry level.....anyone can join, create and sell, anyone through a bit of hard work & creativity can become successful.....monetary on non-monetary. It's that aspect that makes SL pretty unique. Yes, I agree Blue Mars shot themselves in the foot for now!

If a company out there is smart enough they would take all the successful parts of the SL platform (maybe better tech to begin with!) and learn from all the LL mistakes made through bad policies or lack of customer service or not listening to it's userbase. That's the advantage of not being the pioneer or guinea pig in a new market.

Hmmh...you might be right.

SL is many things, it also serves as a large dating site! There are literally 1000's of SL couples that end up renting land and setting up home together....I don't see SL policies really effecting this section of users as their goals in SL are somewhat different. They just need a 3D platform...doesn't matter where....these are the types that could easily migrate to Blue Mars and set up home there. (if their computers can take the extra load!)



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Would that make Mainland anymore appealing? What would happen to LL premium subscriptions? Mainland prices are rock bottom right now....yet still there are lots of "Yellow" and "Purple" plots dotted all around the Mainland continents. If i was a mega Land Baron.....i wouldn't touch it with a bargepole.....ok tiers might be 100 USD cheaper, but lands are still not selling!
Most of the large Estate barons have a ton of old grandfathered full sims, which are effectively the same tiers as Mainland.




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THOSE are precisely the type of people to whom many of the changes to SL seem designed to appeal. I suspect they won't have to go anywhere: LL may be on the road to customizing SL as a glorified social network for them.

Yep. AOL/Facebook/EHarmony all rolled into one, in 3D. There is nothing wrong this being ONE way to use SL, but it seems LL is looking for the to Be THE way they want it used along with corporate business. It may be LL's plan B if the corps don't come a calling.

Yep, this is very true.

I thought SL was already a social network.

It can be. And I have no problem with that. But it is also so much more. And my concern is that changes to the platform or even to the way that SL is marketed, will lead to a squeezing out of the other things -- building, role playing, experiments with identity -- that SL currently excels at.

In other words, I worry that SL is moving from being an enormously flexible app that can be used in many ways, to a largely one-dimensional beast that becomes little more than an animated version of Facebook.

If i were a betting man...the Corporation pipe dream that LL aspires to, is just that...a dream!
Most of LL policies seem to be "trail and error" types and not properly thought out imo. Sooner or later RL Corporations will have several options if they want to get involved into 3D internet environments.....hell even Blue Mars are marketing it! There are some benefits for Corporations to participate in this new world.

LL wants SL to grow, that's only natural. Growth means more profit and they are in the business of making profit. In the beginning perhaps, with Phil at the helm, profit WAS secondary. The idea was to create this "thing" make it successful from an operational standpoint, and if it makes money, great. Almost like what a lot of SL business owners and creators do.But any of that idealism is gone with Phil's exodus. LL is officially a business and LL is their product.

Growing your business is fine, that's what it is about. But there are different types of growth. LL seems intent on growing SL in numbers and users only, strictly focusing on revenue. They are not looking at growing SL, the virtual world itself, in my opinion. They are improving it technically, but SL's heart has been the residents who make it worth visiting, through their creations. I'm just tepidly stepping into that pool, but it is a great asset that I can be inworld, and start making stuff fairly easy with the basic tools which are pretty easy to figure out rather quickly. I can see it as I build it, inworld, without having to go in and out, I don't have to learn any complicated external programs to get started, and I can easily show my creations to others inworld for critique and suggestions.

How many of SL's best vreators today, started with no experience at all in 3d modeling. Probably quite a few. The casual builder who can improve as they use their creations inworld is important to SL's growth.

It took me almost 3 years to get an interest in building and creating. I'm not a techno geek by any stretch, but I pretty much "get" SL. They types of peple SL seems to be aiming for probably won't "get" Sl like we do. They aren't interested in building and creating. They aren't interestng in RPing or Adventuring or any of the other abstract ideas in SL. If LL creates a climate where they are catered to at the expense of the other groups, creativity will suffer. SL will become bland because no one will be interested in anything edgy or unique. They will want the same derivative, cookie cutter garbage we get in RL. And any creators staying will have to produce it in order to stay in business.

I think Phil's exit will allow M and M to finally cut loose all ties to the early adopters. It will be "This is SL from now on. Take it or leave it."

Just my opinion. I could be wrong.

I thought it was already an animated version of Facebook.

Building, roleplaying, and experimenting with identity would appeal to a large percentage of people no matter where they came from, or what their original intent was. I dropped in to play Monopoly...... that changed. Why did you drop in?

Sure. Let them have their virtual office spaces and what not. Just don't bombard me with their advertising garbage and I'll be fine.

It can be, yes. But it seems it's owners may want that to be it's main focus now, perhaps exclusively.

I'm not so sure. Like I said above, a lot of "social" people may not ever want to build.They don't need it to use SL. They can buy whatever they need, and probably won't need much anyway. If that becomes a majority of user, it could just change the climate where builders and creators will look elsewhere.

What would be an alternative focus?

Multiple, like it is pretty much today.

So that would involve pulling in builders, creative types, roleplayers, entrepreneurs.....but you have all those people in the mix when you try to pull in the social networking crowd....they are in that population.

I have a hunch that there would be an uproar from the established merchants, if LL targetted directly toward creative entrepreneur styles.....an influx of people coming in to take away their established businesses or give too much competition. Or if they marketed SL blatantly as an income producing opportunity.....definite uproar there. Same might apply to the roleplayer crowd....new people coming in to mess up their community already in place.

There is not going to be a consensus from the existing population on "who" should be pulled in.

Exactly...but it appears that LL may be intending to "pull in" one demographic above all now. "More Predictable"tm) says a lot. And all things being equal, we have the fact that LL is so incompetent in business affairs that whatever plan they have will most likey be another clusterfrack.

I do know one thing...and it's important for many existing SL businesses too......we need user growth. That has been stagnant now for the last 2 quarters.

On the SL blogs i pointed out that SL grid has been reduced by 1300 sims since Oct 2008...so a contraction, which is kind of mirrored by user levels too.

If i had a choice, i would prefer an influx of Facebook users who could end up being my customers as opposed to RL businesses bombarding the grid with their advertising and what not.

This is true, IF they will be your customers. Will they be interested in what you sell?

ProtonMedia, Forterra, Teleplace (formerly Qwaq), ECS --- all providing 3D workspaces specifically for corporations and government. Some of the projects that have been done in the more mature offerings are quite impressive.

IBM, a leader in VW for corporations, has rolled 3D meeting facilities into their unified communication client as just another type of media. They have (wisely) positioned themselves so that they can offer OpenSim as easily as SL and Forterra.

Many corporations may prototype in SL or OpenSim, then when they have done their in-house proof of concept project, quietly move to a platform such as those above, some of which can be quite expensive.

If you watch the Facebookers, and how important it is for them to "fit in" and rise to the top, and stand out....they are going to want to have all the perks in SL to make that happen. Clothes, Crash Pad, and Land to set up on. I've got no problem with that.

They should do as they avatar related items. Usually new users spend money to doll their Avies up first and foremost with essential products (i.e Hair, skin, shapes, eyes, clothes, shoes/boots, AO poses & animations),

So yes, i think i would greatly benefit from an influx of new users.....even if they only decide to stay for a few months.

I'm going to put on my tinfoil hat and postulate that in an effort to improve the "More Predictable New User Experience" (patent pending), that LL wil give the new user a wider selection of goodies when they join up, allowing them to not waste time shopping or exploring or doing any of that silly passe stuff we all like to do. They will be ready to go, right out of the box, with all sorts of nifty items, perhaps created by a select few FOL's, perhaps even in league with some RL corps who will supply their logo's so that the new users can have the same trendy chic stuff they have in RL. They will have their Polo and Gucci and Nike...why would they want ReneWear? After all RL hooking up is all about the label on the bling. No Romance Without Finance.(tm)

Lol- if that were to happen, myself and many other SL businesses would be toast!

The only thing one could argue.... would those chosen FOL's be the best in their respective fields....i very much doubt it! Don't forget the Grid is already flooded with quality freebies, yet decent SL businesses still manage to be profitable and continue to sell. Not all of these Facebookers would want to be similar to others wearing this Gucci's or Nike stuff......i think a lot or people like to express their own individuality.......hence "Second Life"

I would also say that part of Second life's appeal or fun, is the actual shopping experience ....and enjoying all the wonderful creations made by small "Mom & Pop" stores right up to the large Branded stores. The variety is immense.

If everyone were given pre- made products for free upon signing-up.... that would take half the fun out of the platform.