Skybox Protection

Actually, considering that the highest normal altitude you can get to to actually build appears to be 768m in the Z axis, 'half a mile high club' would perhaps be a more accurate description.

Lewis

Skyboxes are so last year. Basements for the win!

If I really want privacy, I turn off access to my plot. It's big enough.

My takes on Skybox security:

1) don't tell anyone about it unless they are close friends.

2) Get a security device set to a light push or return home if they get a little too close (25 - 50m depending on your land size and need for privacy) and set it up to act as a ban list for those you don't want near or only allow those in an authorized list.

3) Put it at an uncommon height. Most people fly between 50 - 500m with the occasional 1000m. Putting it somewhere between 600 - 700m up is a good choice.

4) Don't use obvious teleporters. Put them inside odd ball stuff like a rock, tree, blade of grass, etc. on the ground. Optionally you can make your teleporter cloaked, hidden within a rezzer object (example, have a rock rez a Cubey Terra Mark III teleporter beam with temporary on rez or modified to derez itself apon arrival at the destination), use an alternative to teleporters like a hidden elevator or push rings. Alternatively you could just use a landmark or map now that TP reconizes the Z axis.

EDIT: 5) try to modify your skybox to try and match the skyline's color a bit. Usually a dull white or light grey with shiny enabled works.

Basicly the less obvious it is the less likely you'll have unwanted visitors.

Don't use a push - that'll get you reported. Eject instead.
Dump your teleporters now that P2P is here, use a landmark.

No, use a really light push like as if they hit red lines on the ground. Ejecting from land is just as bad as a "normal" push sometimes.

No, the P2P report doesnt show up for an eject - any push, even one not strong enough to move an av, shows up in the P2P report.

I've been round and round on this one with a few Lindens - trust me, using llPushObject is not worth it.

I've developed a home security script that seems to be becoming popular with skyboxes of those I've got on my beta team. It keeps an access list both for allowed and administrators. Variable range, and variable interval for scanning. It also has a passive mode to turn the scanner off and just kick someone that's being a pain while you're home. It uses the llTeleportAgentHome function, because the previous kick was a push object and was either ineffective, or TOO effective.


It gives plenty of warning to vacate, too, so people just flying through will have no trouble from it. It's in a single, modable, prim ball. I designed it so it can have a poseball script dropped into the prim to run in parallel. Having it in a poseball doesn't hurt the functionality any.

Lets all get into the Christmas spirit!

(singing to the tune of chestnuts on an open fire)

Platforms littering the open skies.....
Filled with balls that make you pose....
Shrouded by clouds, so they're harder to find...
A discreet place for avatars to go...

Everybody knows our Avies are so incomplete...
No cocks or 'ginas for fucks sake....
So if your planning for nookie tonight....
Go and buy one, from Green Fate......

(just a taste from this Sundays show)

What if your neighbor wanted to build a skybox right next to yours... would you be constantly infringing on their ability to play the game, with your constant shouting? Sounds like a TOS violation.

Privacy seems to be a surprisingly controversial subject for some.

On the one hand, we're supposed to be a community, and its supposed to be your world to explore. For some, the whole world is a commons, and privacy is a tragedy.

On the other hand, behind every AV is a person, and the majority of us were raised in cultures that value private space. Many believe our world is big enough now that commons and privacy don't need to be mutually exclusive.

Unfortunately, Linden's concept of privacy in SL seems to have been formed long ago, when our community was much smaller, and people were more likely to know each other. That shows itself in the limited toolset we have today: chat mute, and crude ban lines that a simple camera pan can get around.

I think help is on the way, however - If I'm not mistaken, improved mute tools and better land parcel tools are already on the to-do list for Linden in the first quarter of '06. I only hope that the Mainland isn't forsaken when they're finally implemented.

I've been to the skybox in question.

Let's just say there is no possibility of a skybox being close enough.

If we aren't bright enough to adjust our sensors and detection routine to NOT be a pest to our neighbors then we'd deserve the abuse reports.

As it stands, no it wouldn't, as it only activates when someone comes within our property _and_ within the radius of our sky box, both of which aren't within 'shout' distance of our neighbors or any structure.

As Ali says. ^.^

Anyone who can fly up to my skybox(es), is allowed in. What's the point of protecting it? I made it for the public to see. If I need room for privacy, I'll close an area off with a locked door, same as I would do with a groundbox.

Er, I mean house.

Anyway, my teleporter only lets in those on the list. Everyone else has to fly to get there. That's enough deterrent to do my laundry.

Good topic, Aimee.

Not to toot my own horn TOO much, but for Xmas, I've been handing out a little privacy thingy I've made. Basically, when you're online, you can configured it to IM you every "X" number of seconds - or, only when a change happens to the scan - of "Who's Around."

If you place this in your skybox / store / home, you can get constant updates on who's around, or, only be updated when "Who's Around" changes.

Its been a pretty big hit so far, and although I didn't plan too, I think I'll make it available for sale. What I'd REALLY like to do it create a logging system so you can see who's around when you're NOT there; but the implications of creating such a system require a lot more thought (obviously).

The system takes NO agressive action - no bans, teleports, or pushes; it merely reports to the owner. What other systems are out there?

Regards,

-Flip

The sad truth is, a skybox does not equal privacy.

People who believe it is are generaly having a big mistake. Yes, its easier to hide then a building on the ground in some cases, but having a room up above the clouds isnt going to make it any more private or secure then an underground chamber.

Trying to secure it with all sort of gadgets and patents is pretty much like trying to duct-tape a broken vase and declaring it whole.

The only real security and assurance of privacy in SecondLife would be a hidden sim with a restricted access list on the estate configuration. Anything else.. it doesnt matter how violant or polite you make your ejector - if someone really wants to get past it, they'll get past it. And those people who really want to get in are the ones you really want to keep out in the first place.

Originally I wanted to make a basement, but unfortunately the Sim I own land in doesn't support below 10m so I make due with a Skybox. Nothing is secure really in SL and anyone can fly up to my home wich I really don't care. My security orb acts mainly as a ban list for known griefers and people who I don't get along with. Only time I change it to actively remove anyone is when I want total privacy for me and my mate.

Is it really so difficult for SLers to have civil conversations with their neighbors and figure out a solution that would possibly work for BOTH?

Frankly, I don't like SL's "Libertarian" configuration. I'd be fine with limits on griefing much stronger than currently exist (the Anti-Bush signs - 'nuff said). The subdivisions which have stricter rules are more my style, I guess.

I've built both a basement (find the right parcel with the right amount of terraforming ability, and you can make something pretty large underground!) and a skybox. I've also scripted a security system that would be able to cover an area of any size (got 4 contiguous sims you want to protect? only want one security system? I have you covered. ). But, as someone mentioned, it's like duct tape on a Ming vase.

The real problem, as I see it, is lack of TOS enforcement or, possibly, a TOS that is too weak. That's where the problem lies. And it why I've stopped paying money to LL and don't come into SL often. I wish I could; I love the technology and the opportunity.

Frankly, I see SL as a perfect example of why Libertarianism wouldn't work; human nature will cause us to fight each other, even if we logically don't think it's a good idea.

Hrm...HEY! LL! Maybe you should create another grid or two, each with a different TOS. Leave this one the "Libertarian" one. Make another with stricter anti-griefing/anti-ugly-boxes/anti-attack protections. Make a third with a cohesive governmental model. Make them separate grids so people can't easily just flit from one to another without restarting SL. It's an idea...

Maybe I"d be better off in the politics forum.

I did that once a while back. It dont work to hide prim based avatars or objects laying around. Of course it is effective to hide avatar bodies. But anything that dont use a alpha texture will show up floating in midair.

The difference being, SL is not really very libertarian, big or little "L".

It's more like an anarchy with an absolute oligarchy on some points.

That's one thing TSO had that SL doesn't. You could get absolute and total privacy, with no one able to see or hear what you and your friends were doing, on TSO.

Except, of course, for the people who ran the game, who could go anywhere and everywhere invisibly. In that sense, there never is really any privacy in any online game.

Good thing for me I don't need any privacy. I've gotten into some pretty risque outloud conversations where I kept my eye out for any nearby green dots, though, lol. If I did want privacy, I'd be better off getting it in TSO, though.

This idea that people can set up ways to know who all comes on their property while they are or aren't there is kind of . . . distasteful. I'm sure you could sometimes learn some interesting things by seeing who is looking at your stuff or whatever while you aren't there. And it would be tempting to do so. But it kinda seems like cameras in bathrooms or something, to me.

coco

Cameras in bathrooms?

How is it at all like that? The home I live in RL has a camera system. You come on my property, I am going to know it, and have your pic. That's not got anything to do with the bathroom and everything to do with my right to know who is coming on my property when I am not about (or even if I AM about).

Also, there is a visitor counter and identifier object that was handed out for free by LL ages ago, which is still circulating. You simply place the counter on your land, and it does the rest. Quite simple and handy.

I see absolutely nothing wrong with keeping track of who has been around, and certainly don't see the practice as "distasteful".

Actually I like the idea of having a "security camera" in my home. I've been the target of griefing in the past to the point where someone walked into my home and left a proxcimity mine for me the moment I rez'd in or walk through the door. It'd been nice if I had something to tell me who was the last person to walk into my home at that time. Luckly I saw it at the last moment and backed out of its push range in time.

Security cameras in rl houses? I guess I don't know anyone who has any.

In TSO, no one could get ONTO your property if you weren't there, so there was no problem that way. And I didn't realize that in this game people would leave things to harm you on your property to get you when you come back to it.

coco

Agreed. The best analogy for my situation would be security cameras for private restricted business areas (a research facility, for example.)

I think you'd be surprised at just how many folks do - cc video systems aren't terribly costly nor highly noticeable these days, especially if installed with that in mind. Their use on private estates has been going on for decades among wealthy people.

Regardless, I don't see anything unethical about having video cameras on private property.

As far as TSO goes - SL is a continous world where we can walk, drive, or fly from one end to another, so that just wouldn't work here. Sure you can still TP... but... I like flying my airship around more or less unimpeded, and I imagine many others like vehicles too.

We DO need something done above privacy though. I am strongly for being able to set a preference to hide our green dot, showing us as offline in the find menu, friends list, calling cards, and in the IM list. I would stop short of being able to render yourself invisible as part of the package. Someone suggested that a couple of weeks ago, and I have problems with that.

A companion thought - it would be nice if we could have a button added to the friends window that allows whichever friends you choose, to be able to "see" you as online.