Why the (seemingly arbitrary) limit on alts?

So, I have three SL usernames so far. Not too long ago, when a new batch of new last names rolled in, I tried registering a fourth one with the last name of Cookie. The name was for sentimental reasons, so I was disappointed that, at the end of the process, I was denied the name since I was already at my limit.

When I tried using a friend's CC (with their permission, of course) to try to secure the name, the reg system told me the name I wanted was now unavailable. Seems that once someone unsuccessfully tries to register a new alt, the system locks that alt's name away for good...so even if I tried any other method (PayPal, SMS messaging, whatever), that sentimental name is lost to me, and pretty much everyone else, forever.

I called LL a bit ago to see if they'd have mercy on me and let me have my silly alt name, and was told that the limit is 3 per CC, five per household. I only have one CC to my name. My roomie also plays SL and has two alts. :-/

Maybe I'm missing something, but is there really a good reason for LL to limit accounts like that? Is there some exploit that they're trying to curb by doing this? I'm really wondering why they'd want to turn down that ten bucks I want so earnestly to give them.

Multiple Alts = Greifing, in most cases. Hence the limit.

I am glad there is a limit.

Eesh. Well, that kinda sucks for those who don't grief with their many alts, now don't it?

Any particular reason why?

i think one of the inputs into the decision to limit alts was strange economic effects unlimited alts have on the economy: referral bonuses, first land, free stipend, etc.

Yes. Limits (but does not exclude) potential greifing. It had already been said so I didn't elaborate on my comment before.

Ah, now that makes sense to me. Thanks for the insight.

Honest/well-behaved people being inconvenienced because of a relatively few but attention-drawing sphincterboys is hardly new to SL, or even the internet in general.

(Think, for example, about how many laws exist just because a few turd-brains are unwilling or unable to play nicely with others. Not necessarily fair, but a fact of life.)

That much is obvious. Still stinks, though.

I think the 5 alt limit is kind of silly. It's like saying, "The house limit is 5 do-overs."

That's plenty of griefing for $40.

The fact is, ever since LL went to the "free first lifetime account", there are plenty of zombie accounts out there. That's where griefers are getting their accounts from.

Ever wonder how the same griefers come back to SL after being banned? They get accounts from people who've tried SL, and given up on it. And there's an endless supply of those.

As a security measure, it's vaguely equivalent to "preventing honest people from getting work done."

I think the 5 account limit should go.

Why don;t you just make your roomy name a new account? then mooch off his alts

Do you have any evidence of this?

Are you thinking these are people who know each other outside of SL?

If they are just acquiring avatar names and passwords from others, wouldn't that give them the ability to purchase land which would get charged to the previous user's credit card?

You do know that if you've got a good reason to need more accounts you can contact support and ask for them?

Isn't that the point? Eryn has 3 accounts, the roomie has 2, so they already have their maximum of 5 accounts per household.

Assuming that I understand the household thing correctly. This seems ridiculous. Does that mean that if 4 college students share a house, then only one of them can have an alt?

I must be missing something.

I say limit to two! and have the alt in a constant one way profile relationship with the original avatar.. everyone knows who you are

i agree.

but i think many things... most of which aren't going to happen.

Is there something you want to do that requires more than 5, and if so what is it?

This is not a challenge to the idea, just want to know what good can come to a person from having more than five accounts?

I have my main avatar, one I use for business, one for fundraising, and one for exploring. There are seven people in my household. That's at least 10 accounts, and that doesn't allow for anyone else in my household to have more then one avatar.

The problem with the 5 per household thing is that a household has a variable number of people.

I think every person should be able to have at least one alt for the purpose of privacy because there's no other way to get away from IMs once you've developed friendships or gotten a business going.

There's also the oddness that LL requires 3 accounts to make a group. So if you want to experiment with groups, you'll need 2 alts. If you've got the one alt for privacy and you own land, then you probably want the 2nd alt for a group so that your alt has permission to control the land.

That puts us at 3 per person, minimum. So a household of 3 would need 9 accounts.

A couple of more alts are just fun.

The household rule should go or be replaced with something more reasonable.

Eryn had a good reason and contacted support and was denied.

Can I ask what the good reason was? In the OP it says Eryn wanted one for a particular name...

Who's to say what is and isn't a good reason. Eryn thought it was important.

I understand what you're saying, but I'm not sure that I trust LL enough to believe that they'd break the rule even for a really good reason.

Any rule that depends on something as subjective as "a good reason" is flawed. If they specify what the good reasons are then I might be with you.

When they started limiting accounts, they let everyone who had more than the limit prior to the limit being enacted keep all their accounts.

I looked up all the names I could remember - about 20 - for a guy (notorious griefer) who had more than 90 accounts back in 2003, and his accounts are all still active. Anybody know if LL is ever going to go back and cancel the extras, especially in the case of known alts of a known griefer?

Thank you. I thought it was pretty obvious that I had contacted support, y'know, from the content of my original post where I specifically said I contacted support.

As for a good reason, as I mentioned the alt name was purely for sentimental reasons; it's a sort of pet name a best friend calls me. Now, whether that's a good reason or not is totally subjective. I think it's a good reason...but LL didn't seem to be swayed by that. What constitutes a good reason, anyway, if not something as benign as this? Does it have to be for some kind of money-making technique, or something?

I'll probably give LL another call about it soon.