Admission Charge

I suspect that Linden Lab does not want to pay the people that pay it. I suspect Linden Lab would prefer that we pay each other. That is a lot more scalable than Linden Lab collecting money from a million people and doling it back out to part of them according to a formula which is inescapably an arbitrary formula. I say a million people because the company produces statements to that effect.

I didn't say I thought people would stay home with their friends. People who want to do elaborate builds but get recompensed or even make a profit off them would need to build what people would pay to see. Individual suppliers of settings and events doing the best they can to judge and satisfy demand as determined by what people are willing to pay is a fair and efficient method of allocating resources. If the best efforts of the suppliers are judged to be valueless by consumers and the consumers would prefer to stay in their virtual homes and chat who are we to override their decision of what to do with own money and lives?

I thought you said, "I have to eat you NOW!"

I thought that was a bit extreme.

Scripting would be a great way to solve the 'permissions' problem. It's something that works in Sims Online so I don't see why someone with scripting skills couldn't implement it.

Take a look at their guide at http://sims.stratics.com/content/gameplay/build_guides/Permissions/ to see how "Pay Doors" and "Door Permissions" work. Adding a "Pay" script to, for example, a teleport function so that when you paid an item you get entry into the place, would work well. I know I'm not explaining it well but I'm not a good scripter

Sadly, most people WANT something rather than being willing to GIVE something in reward for what they've created. Sure, if it's a copycat lagfest mall or club that offers nothing special, I don't see that they're necessarily deserving of anything, but I went to a museum in SL last night that had a L$10 'entry fee' jar at the entrance. I could have just wandered in without paying but I paid anyway. I have a 'tip jar' at my club, and when I run tours or whatever, I don't ask for money but people give it anyway in appreciation for my services. People also like my club because it's entirely original - apart from a couple of freebie scripts and a dance machine I bought, it's all my own creations. People tip me for my originality too.

It's a shame that there is much of today's "take" culture in SL as well, and people aren't very forthcoming in their giving towards good effort.

Lewis

Products are now emerging to fill this need.

One I've found (not to endorse it, but to start a list -- add yours please) is:
Kingsland Security's "Pay-to-Enter" Doors and Gates
they can be set to allow an avatar to pass through for X Lindens per Y minutes.
I do not know how secure they are from hacking.
For sale at Philudoria and findable by searching for "Pay-to-Enter"

These would probably have to be combined with an enclosed space or walled city in a "no-fly" zone. I doubt it would prevent "camera flying" through walls, but would exclude one from entering and participating.

One might also wish to disenable avis from offering direct TP in for their friends, the equivalent of one going into the movie and opening the exit door for her buddies to come in free.

Any other products already on the market?

Well, um, actually, they do.

Well, actually, doling lindens out according to a formula based on the way money flows in the real economy is very scalable.

Yep, but people pay for the things they see in many ways. And even real world attractions that charge money don't always get enough from ticket sales to pay for the attarction... and yet they stay in business. How is this?

Concessions are an incredibly profitable business, and pay for all kinds of development in the real world. People spend money for food, drinks, gas, parking, all kinds of things avatars that don't eat or drink and can keep an infinitely fueled airplane in their back pockets don't need. THAT is where dwell comes in. THAT is the scalable real world concept that would be missing from SL if dwell went away.

It would also have to be no-build to avoid an exploit which can bypass the vast majority of doors.

No-build and no-script. Whoops, that would cause some problems, wouldn't it?

OK, build a toroidal "no script" zone around the "no build" zone. We'll need to add "no edit" zones, as well.

I don't think putting builds inside fortress walls is going to lead to the kind of SL experience Linden Labs is aiming for.