Do Lindeners use different Linden accounts on purpose?

I wonder if sometimes when executive lindens don't want to fully commit the company to something that they use a particular 'linden' account on purpose.

For example, I find that "Ben Linden" often answers questions which might be a bit sensitive and if they were to respond with a Robin linden or a Philip Linden then they would be comitting themselves to something they aren't sure they yet want to commit to.

Or Cory logs on as "Exposition Linden" because he doesn't want to be quoted as "Cory Linden", VP of development.

For example:



I just find this an amusing act of subtlety on the parts of the Lindens.

It's probably pretty necessary. Anything Philip says is immediately written down, logged, analyzed, and then revered as Holy Law by 99% of the people that play SL. Same goes for Robin and Cory. And then any slight type of vagueness or ambiguity or backtracking is immediately shown as a "lack of trust" between the lindens and the playerbase, or "unprofessional" behavior, or whatever.

LF

Yeah, I do agree. I find it a fascinating aspect of the virtual self.. we can, as individuals, reply to questions and ideas with different levels of authority by using different 'alts' of our digital self without having to evoke a human middle man to do it for us.

Even more fascinating that there could be an implicit understanding by our audience that this is what we're doing.

I would think that if you wanna take this a step further, one could say that a Linden would also have a "player alt". I mean, the only way to sometimes find what is up in a game is to PLAY it. Either way, I think it's a pretty safe bet to say that they do realize we know, and have guidelines in place to deal with it.

Besides, as was said, if PHIL says something will happen, then by all that is sacred we will DEMAND that he follows through with it!!!

Oh, by the way, is this an admission that YOU are a Linden in desguise? j/k!!!

Many Linden employees came from the community of SL members (yes, I did use the "C" word,) before becoming LL employees.

Yeah, I view this as a significant problem in this system, as it would be in any system.

I think the Linden alts are shills on these forums sometimes and also go on walkabouts in world to poke around and take the pulse and check up on stuff. Has to be.

They walk among us!

Seriously though, I think it's a nice touch to use each Linden (account's) strengths differently. It's also helpful to get multiple views on issues, from Robin's more PR-related town halls to Cory's no-nonsense, occasionally haphazard view to Philip's "Written in the Book of Rage" reverence.

And let's not forget Pathfinder's informal followups.

Although, I wish they'd steal Sanya Thomas from Mythic Entertainment.

oooOOOooo I got quotes around my name! Does that mean I'm a suspected alt of some other linden? Soooo meta.

I like to answer whatever questions I can, it's a holdover from my old liaison days. I still consider myself as a junior employee though, so I shy away from the "hard questions" - what if I get it wrong? That being said, there is no official "who answers what" list - just who has time and the inclanation. I like to answer the fun ones

ben

And I would say Linden alts rarely, if ever, poke their noses in controversial forum issues (that is to say, no, they don't shill). They have many ways to take the pulse of the community at large, but when they walk the grid as mortals they are just enjoying the game like you or I.

Not that you or I would ever know for sure.

But Aimee, you occasional take up one side or the other in forum opinionfests, and you are Philip's alt....

Ok, I'll admit it. I'm really the Governor. Jeska is my alt.

*Mother bird to Sparrow...acquire target...*

There are also those that are friends of Linden Labs, or employees too new to use a Linden name.

I find it kind of humorous how some residents treat other people like crap only to find out later that it was a Linden or psuedo-Linden or friend of Linden they were talking to.

Some of these people will at the same time turn into obsequious jellyfish at the sight of the "holy" last name.

You truly dont know who you are talking to most of the time in this game and it pays to treat everyone with the same basic human respect.

OMG i thought i was the only one foolish enough to buy that book.

does the govenor need a makeover as well?