Is Newbie Herding a Crime?

I think newbie herding is righteous.

I remember on my first day in, the first really awesome person I met gave me a folder of assorted clothes. "Do you want some clothes?" I was very pleased! At the same time, I wondered to myself whether giving out freebies at newbie areas was a business model. "What a neat idea," I thought.

This random person seemed very awesome, dancing with rave sticks while my friend and I talked to her.

To use my favorite technique of comparing the topic of discussion to something ridiculous: Imagine the "newbie herding" possibilities offered by use of the Registration API

ida know ...You can't make ppls buy stuff or go places,
maybe an initial look see, a few buys.
And then you know what? Most of go to the same major/main stream places anyway.
Most of the ppls I've met are already into their own ideas of how they want to dress, hang...basically.
I mean it's like, some furry minded newb meeting "helpful, nice" ppls that take them around to uh hum
*think think... random place* uh oh "gangster Cali style?" land and stores.
While the newb is taking in all the how tos,
I think they still either like what genres of who ever adopted them
or move on to their own thing?

Newbie Herding makes me think of WA/profile/join date predators,
that recruit for work staff, roles in theme sims or their own personal motives.

New one on me *shrugs*

Yes, well I need to get cannon fodder troops from somewhere, some of them who survive a suicidal charge or too, might even make it to lesser minion status

Oh so that's newbie herding!

No, it's not a crime. Did anyone think it was?

This is the first I've ever heard about herding. I must have been a free-range newbie.

Evidently. So how does it work? A new person shows up to a welcome area, someone gives him a list of places to buy stuff, and the newbie goes and does it? And if he likes the stuff he does it again.

It could be worse, someone could give the new person a New Resident Information kit, take them shopping, recommend fun stuff to do. The horror!

.

haha, in that case I have been newbie herded multiple times! Who do i report them to?


ahhh! Am I guilty? The business notecard could be classed as newbie herding lol.

If someone wants to waste hours helping a newb figure stuff out, I think they've earned the right to direct market a bit lol. That's not a very fun thing, I think, sitting around helping newbs all day.

That's why this is such a nonsensical question. I can't think of a reason why it would be a crime by even the wildest stretch.

Yes, but is nerf herding still okay?

Mari

Goddang LL nerfed my Level 20 Herding Cowboy again. His lasso of doom skill only does 23 damage now, and his pearl handled .45 revolvers are only .38's.

I swear, I should have made a Warrior Monk.

I don't know how many copies of Lucrezia Lamont's newbie info-kit I've given out, but it's a LOT. I've given all sorts of recommendations about where to go for whatever to new people. All jokes about giving them non-existent quests aside, I really enjoy talking to new people and showing them the ropes. I can't imagine that this would be a crime.

I guess you run into some ethical implications if you try to force them to go to places that are paying you to bring in newbs, but I don't see it as being an issue. You can't really make anyone do anything, and let's face it - most newbs are broke anyway. If I had a business, my business model would include finding a way to attract people with Lindens, not people straight off OI.

You've got to be kidding me, right? "Viral mentoring"? I know a lot of mentors and helpers, both official and unofficial, and I don't know a single one who's employed by someone to influence newcomers to buy their goods or services. Or for that matter, anyone who does it to sell their OWN goods or services.

Oh, I've seen people with things like "Want Free Lindens? Click Me!" titlers and such, but these are pretty blatant shills, not shills-disguised-as-mentors.

As others pointed out, it makes no sense to solicit business from newbies...they got no money!

Do I have favorite places that I send newbies to? Yes. Places where they can get FREE stuff and do fun things for FREE and learn things for FREE. None of these places benefits financially from the newbies I send there.

Businesses build up "armies of loyal followers" by selling great products and by providing great service. Not with a bunch of "viral mentors". What rubbish.

If it is a crime, do I have to release the dozen or so newbies I have locked in my dungeon? I worked soo hard to herd them all over there.

yes its bad!

Ban the noobie herding!

Heck ban welcome areas entirely.

Ban noobies, even better!

Then the problem is solve-ed.

Oh My! I believe I was apart of the herd, at one time.

Emuna runs to a corner in her SL house and holds herself. "I feel so violated . . . SNIFF"

"dozen or so"? You don't keep an accurate count of your newbies? How do you know none got loose, roaming free on the grid?

Sorry, my newbie tracker is in the shop. And they are sneaker critters. If you see any running loose, just send them back to me.

He brands them.

works for Gor

Oh no, don't work for gor, and don't brand. Some people collect coins, some collect stamps, I just collect newbies.

In the interest of the recent rash of Necro postings and because I was stalking the Prince of Darkness, People, I give u this fresh re-hash of a Necro post (It made me giggle- obviously still under the effects of last night i imagine ) Happy New Year

A crime? No. Perhaps unethical? yes.

newbies are soylent green

I keep 'em on a shelf in the dungeon.