Ulrika needs to leave Neualtenburg

Sorry for being so blunt, but I wanted to make sure it was very clear how I feel about this.

Ulrika, I don't really know you, so I'm coming to this decision without any notions, pre-conceived or not, about you .

Your threats, ultimatums, and insults have gone so far past the line that I think you've forgoten what the line looks like.

You need to leave Neualtenburg. Figure out how to fairly transfer everything you have a rightful claim to, and get out.

I speak only for myself here, but just about everyone I've talked to about this agrees with me. I think it'd be best for everyone to do it without all the drama that could very easily arise.

Having been a forum observer for a year I've formed the opinion that this sort of discussion should take place in-game. When the discussion occurs in a public forum like this opposing sides become entrenched, and people get backed into a corner. It's much harder to build bridges, mend fences, and come to a compromise that lets each participant contribute without stepping on the toes of others.

Normally, I would agree with you, but I think this situation has extenuating circumstances that require a public statement. I won't go into those circumstances-- as public as this statement is, I am hoping we can avoid a big dramafest.

On the other hand, Traxx, part of the philosophy of the city is to do as much as possible in public, in the light of day - no backroom deals.

Well said, Aliasi. I don't know all the participants, being just an observer interested in the Neualt experiment. My impression *at this point in time* is that a strong position taken by Sudane would push this issue past the tipping point.

Effective immediately I am leaving both N'burg and SL permanently. Due to life changes, including the birth of my daughter, I feel I need to refocus my creativity to better serve my family and community. Some of the cause is economic. Due to the truly crushing cost of raising a child in San Francisco, we are finding that we can no longer afford monthly gaming fees, high-bandwidth internet, and multiple domain names. Some of the cause is temporal. With only so much of me to go around, I find that contribution to SL invariably takes time away from my work and my family. Some of the cause is emotional. Difficulties in the virtual world are adversely affecting my RL personal relationships.

As evidence, after a stunning night out in Istanbul, having the time of my life with my family, my mood altered radically when I saw the posts in this forum. A RL argument with familiar topics followed. In the end it we finally agreed as a family that the economic, temporal, and emotional costs of this game have exceeded my family's threshold and, as a caring partner and parent, I must walk away. Quit cold turkey. Hit submit and never look back. It's the only way I'll be able to stay away.

Given that my fame came from my controversial posts in SL, I thought it was more than fitting to use a thread that was against forum guidelines (naming names) to write my epitaph. I couldn't have asked for a better vehicle.

In regards to N'burg, the website will remain up until we return from Istanbul on the 28th. I am accepting the balance of the city treasury L$19k as payment for the bond money still owed to me by the city (US$146). I will leave all virtual-world objects in place as they are.


I, Ulrika Zugzwang, having recognized that the economic, temporal, and emotional costs associated with my participation in SL have exceeded my family's threshold, swear upon hitting the "Submit Reply" button to walk away from SL (and similar virtual worlds), its forums, and email permanently.

Ulrika Zugzwang has left the building.

~Ulrika~

Happy now?

It might be wise for someone to promptly archive that intellectual property that is owned by Neaultenburg, or in which Neualtenburg owns an interest. That might include the out-of world website HTML code and copies of builds and textures.

I suggest this with respect to all content and IP, by whomever created, as an appropriate measure in keeping with good procedure, against the possibility that community content might be inadvertently lost through misadventure.

Been done.

I will gladly host the city's website on one of my servers, as a donated service with no compensation needed or expected. It's something I do for non-profit organizations and startups anyway, and I would like to extend that offer to the city. They are modern Linux servers using WHM/Cpanel.

Ulrika, it's always a pity when RL issues interfere with the enjoyment of SL, and I'm sorry to hear about that. This always reminds me of one SL resident I know (which I won't name) that didn't have a job for several months and that had to pawn his own computer to pay for the bus fare to go to an interview. All these stories remind us of the humanity of people behind the pretty pixellated avatars.

(For the sake of argument, yes, this particular guy did get his job, is immensely happy now, rejoined SL, and is now an active Live Helper and otherwise engaged in the SL community — and has even visited N'burg )

I only find it sad that RL issues forced you to resort to aggressiveness and insults towards a personal friend, before leaving and closing the door behind you. I can understand the reasons why, but that doesn't mean I approve them. Somehow, something was lost in this process: respect.

Still, life goes on. Thanks to the other posters in this thread for kind offers of help in Web space and/or in helping to rebuild things. Seriously, we already went through so many similar ruptures in the past, and what seems to always be the case is a new-found enthusiasm in going ahead. I personally have known of at least 5 people offering web space or even their work for free (as you know, we have "outruled" that — work is to be paid for, since last summer), as well as at least two people willing to do a new voting system, or a new in-world "official" vendor system, as well as several builders promptly and spontaneously wishing to join the Guild and help the redesign of the City according to proposals under discussion. I think that this time it will be more a question of picking the "best" choices, instead of sticking with the first ones. All of a sudden, an energy of inspiration seems to be gathering around Neualtenburg again. We'll have to channel all these new enthusiasms and concentrate on turning them into productive projects

Personally, although I was already expecting big changes for 2006, I'm actually amazed at so many enthusiastic offers for help/support/growth Thanks to all for your support; I hope that we can address your suggestions/ideas/projects as quickly as possible without delays — and that you all, in your eagerness, also have some patience with us as we try to address all of those ideas in turn...

Oh dear, drama in Neualtenburg. I am... uneasy. Not that Ive been around much but i still consider it my unofficial home in SL, being a bum.

Thanks for posting!