New Users are the real Feted Inner Core

I love how the lifetimers come out of the woodwork to defend their status as "equal with everyone else", just a bit more equal than some. Good job guys, you are the ones who stand to loose the most if the strife continues unabated. Whether a joke or not, Phillip Linden himself is a member of the group 'Oldbie Conspiracy'. This means to me he is obviously aware of the division and not only has chosen a side but also to mock it dismissively. Sadly he would not comment on the situation so I have no way to know his true intentions. Maybe he will share them with us.

How do you know? Ever since the Linden's changed over to the player-based support system things have changed. I remember when I first started the game I could search for a Linden and know I would get plenty of them that were not only active but would also probably take the time to respond to any query I had since they didn't have liasons to shirk the responsibility off onto. Now a msg can easily fall on deaf ears and entry into their little social club is restricted heavily by that. Im not sure if it is accurate or not to say that new players today have the same kind of access to build relationships and communicate with power as those that were here 1+ year(s) ago. This is especially true if the Linden's choose not to participate beyond their circle of old friends.

Edit Note: Torley! Harrison Bergeron! Thanks for that reminder!

It is a guess, one that is seems, at least to me, is apparently becoming more accurate as time goes on, and we grind the same wheat over and over and over again.

Are you saying you have been ignored by Lindens? Examples please, before I give your post full consideration.

Lindens are people, not automatons. It's natural that they develop friendships. The real question is: Are they fair? They are.

No, I wasn't specifically talking about myself but my experiences with other, newer players as I have travelled the lands as well as comments in this thread and others. As always, I am just exploring the idea's merits through debate since it has come up yet again and obviously is driven by something.

Although... I did try to ask phillip for a comment on this and he quickly signed off or went invisible. Its likely he just doesn't like me personally though (or is even... working?! *gasp*). =P

There are two kinds of people. Those who divide human beings into groups, and those who don't. Oh dang it...

Well there are a few exceptions to that, Chase.


-Jeff is an automaton from the future. I am like him in that we are both time-travellers, and I am partially of mechanical origin.

-Pathfinder is powered by mana and necromancer's spells

-Vektor is a... uh... I'll take a pass on that. He's GREEEEEN!

-Chris, in probe-droid form, is definitely an automaton

-Babbage has a mechanical arm, so he's cybernetic.


^kidding of course.

I am not going to debate hearsay.

Hearsay? I gave you one example right there. Can you prove that Linden's have not ignored people based on familiarity? I don't think you can.

Just yesturday I was standing in waterhead chatting with other residents and the current Liason on duty, Nicole. Everyone was cordial when one resident decided they needed help. Their way of getting Nicole's attention was, "Hey Linden". While it's her job to render assistance to new and old residents alike, when you treat someone as if they are not deserving of even the most basic courtesy, you should not be suprize when they do not go out of their way to make the best of friends with you.

So are you trying to say all new players are rude, or that you don't feel that particular person deserved friendly chitchat? I agree completely with the latter. I just think it would be better that they don't socialize (keyword: socialize) at all with players if they can't handle spreading their time out over a comprehensive group of changing citizens. Of course I probably wouldn't let linden's play alts that likely effect the community and economy either, so I doubt my views prevail among many in that circle.

What example? that Phillip may in fact be working? Nothing like trying to contact the CEO when trying to prove a point.

I asked Phillip a question when the preview grid was first announced, in general chat. He seemed to become a little curt with me about it. It was an honest, non-negative context question about why they decided to use QT. Maybe I should've come to the forums and screamed bloody murder.

Er, he responded to you. What else do you expect exactly? I would have much appreciated a response from him on the topic, whether a "little curt" or not. I am glad you pointed that out because older members expect a lot - and usually get it. You just perfectly illustrated my point by contrasting our two situations.

So where is any proof that this is actually a psychological trauma within the minds of newbies? I'm very interested in that theory.

The Lindens are an ancient tribe in Second Life with roots dating back far beyond the period of Beta.

The Lindens are a relatively small tribe that seem difficult to find in the world. Typically, one can, with a little patience, observe a Linden or two near the Welcome Area welcoming new citizens of many different tribes.

The tribe lives simply, refusing the current fashion excesses we take for granted such as hoochie hair and bling. Though, there has been rumor of a Linden secretly coveting 21" spinners. They hide away under dim lighting and work endless hours to craft new worlds for all tribes to enjoy.

Socially, the Linden tribe is warm and extremely helpful when not under pressures from the elusive grid monkey or fabled replicating fish. When one encounters a Linden, be cheerful and inquire about thier day. Lindens are appreciative of people from other tribes and are always willing to lend a hand. Take great precautions if your native tongue is l33t or you have a propensity for 4-letter words.

To summarize, the Linden tribe is a caring and humble tribe with skills far beyond what we may currently know, but they don't take no $hit.

I didn't say the player was new. I have no idea at all how old they were, as I didn't take note of their date of birth.

From the way i've seen some Lindens treated by many many residents, I think that in general people are rude.They expect Lindens to be slaves to them, and then complain when that Linden is slaving themselves to someone else.

Should the Lindens socialize? I think they should, it makes them approchable to new residents. A Linden should always be courtious, and always respond to a user, but if you treat them like a person, you get a more social response. Is it wrong to be nice to someone just because it's their job to help you? Is "please" and "thank you" dead?

Who said newbies were traumatized?

As for the rest of your post, we were in general chat, in an area open to all SLers, with people NEW, old, and in between, asking questions about video, which Phillip and other Lindens were demonstrating and fielding questions about, ALL questions that were asked. You, on the other hand, IMed him out of the blue, to try and prove a point, and you most likely did, within your own mind.

It is pointless to debate with conspiracy theorists, so this is where I bow out.


Have fun. Buy stock in Johnson & Johnson. I hear they are selling a lot of gauze these days. Kimberly-Clark might be a good bet too.

Philip Linden is in the Oldbie Conspiracy? Sheesh. And I thought Will Wright giving Mia Wallace a balloon was over the top...ebil ebil...That's gotta stop. I can't imagine putting a Linden in a group, it's just over the top...



Hmm. Pathfinder, can you get me a TP to the new continent? I will return the Linden cards in exchange for the TP? Oh...could you raise my FSP back up in Alston again please? Can we get in a poker game? One week's rentals income in exchange for the best FPS you got there dude, let me deal you in.

You know, let me take this opportunity to mention that I have talked to...let's see...is it 4 Lindens in the six months or so I've been here? For a total of....hmmm...maybe 20 minutes, 5 per Linden lol?

No Lindens were ever contacted in the development of the Ravenglass community or the Alston community. No Lindens were harmed or exposed to toxic chemicals or kept in stifling cages, either. I'm proud to say. It's better if you can just get along without Lindens. They're nice people and build some nice things, I'm partial to their dams, railroads and Waterhead is pretty but damn hard on my head, but really, do we need to get sentimental about the Public Works Service here?

After my communities were all done and sold and rented, yes, I did call a Linden twice to the scene because everyone urged me to deal with really bad griefers, wars, and bouncer scripts. For this, I am hounded, pilloried, and scorned as trying to be "king of the sim" blah blah. *Shrugs*. Well, YOU go talk to the Lindens then. I just don't know. I don't really get the purpose of talking to Lindens. The problem is, they are hella busy doing bugs and really serious stuff like sims being sunk by nuclear boms, as PF said. And they have to do real stuff like keep the servers working. So...what's the point of talking to them when they can only say -- go write that to CS, take 2 aspirin, and don't call me in the morning.

Let's see...once a Linden came and fixed all the buggy group perms stuff on my lot in Refugio. It was golden. It never repeated. I mean, that fixing. The group perms bugs all came back LOL.

Another time, I saw a Linden. He was walking around. I said "hi". He was in IMs.

There's just one thing I want from the Lindens: servers. No, two. Servers and FPS. Well the two kinda go together. That's about it. It's like of like that government in Jackson Hole, Wyoming that the Libertarians talk about, that will only do roads, national AIDS awareness programs, and maybe a foreign war or two. That's it. We don't need them to be our close personal friends.

Pathfinder, I don't know whether this is just your own initiative or whether you've actually been summoned in, and given a kind of job description to improve the forums culture and "work on our communications skills". I don't know why that sort of role reminds me a bit of the late Mr. Rogers, or that teacher on Hey Arnold? You know the one I mean. Yes, that one. Class? Can't we all get in touch with our feelings and get along?

I have to say that when I saw your dark face and yellow googly scary eyes (like that famous children's book or like the Spy v. Spy cartoon which I think your character is taken from), I thought: this fellow is going to be kicking ass and taking names. That would be fine with me LOL. If you are dark and spooky looking but in fact friendly and communicative that's a good mix for SL too LOL.

Well, you did buddy. A phobia, you said. Semantics which I will definitally concede to you. Whether this phobia existed from birth or was caused by some external factor I most definitally can not say - as its your theory and you don't seem prepared to back it up with any fact. I will admit with more information our two situations w/ Phillip are not comparable.

Bye bye. Its pointless to "debate" when you make wild claims you know you can not back up in any way. I at least prefaced my comments with some form of fact.

Fact #1: Phillip is a member of a group mocking new player's feelings of exclusion.
Fact #2: No less than 3 claims of personal experiences with some form of inequality above in this thread.
Fact #3: Changes in the system since old users established themselves have restricted most newbies interactions with Linden's yet the Linden's habit of reaching out to those they know has not.

Where are your facts that prove the admitted differences in treatment don't negatively effect the community as a whole? Is there proof anywhere that a number of SL citizens actually have a phobia that restricts them from participating by no fault of the Linden's? (Lindenophobia?)

And the ironic statement of the day award goes to... That's what's funny about this issue whenever it comes up... how does any singular person know enough about what the Lindens do all day long to make generalized statements about who they do and do not talk to? People talk of this "divide" but I don't think it actually exists, at least nowhere near what you'd think from the amount of railing against it that goes on in the forum. It's a product of forum culture, not in world culture, and more of an urban myth than anything else. It's a shame that people like Blaze don't realize that they're doing far more to create social division than to fix it.

*looks around innocently*

That may be because it has risen to the point of being absurd after months of it. The group is a satire.
The words "fact" and "claims" shouldn't be in the same sentence together.
What changes? The only possible one I can see is simple growth. Do you want SL to be successful or to tend to the perceived wounds of wound lickers who haven't proven a thing other than there was a successful set of people that came before them when the world was smaller? I imagine that is how it was a couple of hundred years ago in New England, a lot of people knew the founding fathers or other statesmen of the day (Lindens) and as the country expanded, that became less and less the norm. If you wan't to fight the linearity of time, have at it, and good luck. My apologies in advance if you are not a US citizen, I mean no offense, it's just a simple analogy that could be applied to any successful country.


Where are your facts to the contrary? You are the accuser here. So far you have given me nothing but hyperbole. Look, I am not one of those folks who is bringing for the charges of favoritism to the forums EVERY SINGLE day. The burden of proof lies with you and others who feel as you do, not me, or others who feel similarly.

The onus is on the accusers to provide evidence. So, scolding me for a general impression I am getting, one which I never defined as a "theory" or as "traumatization", rather, I suspect that there are other issues at work here, which drive people to rant for months about a set of conditions that has never been proven to exist, excluding hearsay and wild interpretations of supposed occurences, especially one who admits to a personal crusade in TSO against a segment of the population there.

Aha! Proof!

Respect your Linden!

I hate to fuel these fires anymore, but I can't stand the guilt associated with being feted. Hopefully I wont get in trouble for posting a private chat log but I think you guys need to know about my first conversation with Philip:

Philip Linden: Aimee Weber HEAR ME O YOU MY PITIFUL SERVANT AND OBEY!

Aimee Weber: Philip? Is that really you?

Philip Linden: SILENCE! I have chosen you to be the mortal vessel of my enlightened will!

Aimee Weber: Me Philip?

Philip Linden: Through me, you will make clothing and earn a reputation in Second Life. I will grant you forum notoriety. I will be your muse that you may create cities, clubs, parks, skyscrapers...

Aimee Weber: But shouldn't I earn those things through hard work and...

Philip Linden: SILENCE YOU TALENTLESS HACK!! I will be your puppet master, guiding you to establish and maintain relationships with other users. I will make you helpful and considerate to the people around you. As my agent of inequity, you will gain the undeserved perks of being on people's minds when opportunities arise!

Aimee Weber: But why me?

Philip Linden: Because your nearly random apotheosis will complete my master plan of creating injustice in Second Life! And we Lindens have nothing better to do!


WOOOO. I know I am gonna pay dearly for that, but man..what a load off my chest.

Accuser? Burden of Proof? I'm not bringing them to court over the issue, merely exploring the facts of the situation and sharing my general impressions as I see them. I personally haven't spoken on this issue in months, so I'm not sure what you mean by 'every single day'.

If you had read my original posting you would have seen the changes in the system I was refering to are the addition of Liasons and Player LiveHelp. These are both very good additions in general and I applaud them but there have also been unintended consequences. Prior to these additions the Linden's were all friendly. They were required to be. After, they were allowed and possibly encouraged to tell people they were busy or ignore them entirely since it wasn't "their job".

You can claim your position is of some higher calibre that does not require any form of proof or factual basis, but if you want to be taken seriously I would disagree - Feel free to repeat it again though.

Aimee: Interesting impersonation. Do you impersonate Linden's often?

Do YOU mean to accuse me of fabricating that transcript? In effect calling me a LIAR? Well. I think I see where THIS conversation is going.

GOOD DAY TO YOU SIR!