Some months ago I used the Linden Labs ("LL"
search capability to look for some land on which to build a house. I found a lovely island lot on this page, visited it, purchased it, and built. This weekend the SIM on which I had purchased my land disappeared. My land, my house, all my objects gone.
When I couldn’t log in, I contacted support. The first answer I received was that the reason I couldn’t get to my home was some "maintenance activities". As the weekend progressed it became apparent the SIM was gone. It started to disappear from the map. Worse, the person I bought the land from has disappeared! I can’t IM then because search cant find them. LL has sent me a wonderful message saying that "they cannot be involved in Resident to Resident transactions. Please contact the resident directly". The term for my situtation is "screwed".
Right now I have strong feelings about all this. But I want to express a couple of things:
1. Linden labs shows land from islands in their Land Search page along with mainland land. As a land purchaser, they is no warnings posted that the land purchased on islands is "not guaranteed". It is shows along with the mainland, and as it is presented there is no indication that the transaction of purchasing the land is any less secure. Having purchased the land, I was listed in the SL page as being the "owner". The same status as some one from the mainland.
My assertion from all this is that Linden labs are misleading residents about the status of their purchase of island land.
2. Disappearing SIMs & "Second class" Resident's property rights
Being a listed land owner of a parcel, I find it disturbing that LL didnt provide warnings about the termination of the SIM on which I lived. Clearly they knew that I and the other land owners had parcels on the SIM. There was no notification from LL that the SIM was being removed providing the owners of land the chance to contact the SIM owner and work something out prior to the SIM being removed. No return of the residents property prior to the SIM closure. Although I have no personal experience with land being returned or abandoned on the mainland, but I would guess that the contents are returned as a matter of course.
Differences in handling of land communications and owners properties highlights that island land is "second class" and that owners of island land are similarly "second class".
LL needs to look at their handling of island land. At the present, it - and residents who purchase there - as second class.
Well that's my rant. Buyer beware.