Open letter to Philip and the residents of Second Life

I understand that LL is in a better position to provide "ease of use".
Being easy to use and accessible is not everything. You have an IE icon on every desktop, yet millions still choose to use Firefox. I'm sure Prokofy could rant at great length about life under communist regimes, where state-provided monopoly products greatly lacked in quality, etc.
In capitalist america, however, a couple of college kids once decided to make a search engine out of a computer they literally pieced together with lego bricks, despite the fact there already were established monopolist portals with billions in the bank and fancy VC backing. Where are they now?
I donno. Mosey on over to www.google.com and find out.

There is nothing wrong with posting against HTML.

And https get call is just as secure and stable as an XML RPC call or anything else. Anyone thinks it is not technically sound does not understand the first thing about engineering.

XML APIs can be changed as much as HTML ones can. Just try to use the eBay API for example

The problem here has nothing to do with the technology. The problem is that GOM has been disintermediated by SL.

And therefore, yes, this will happen to you as well.

Moral of the story? Long, complex projects are impossible to do in SecondLife.

Anything significantly profitable and core will be killed by Philip - even if it does nothing to help the economy.

And let me tell you - letting most everyone *sell* L$ does not help the economy one bit.

I don't think you've been paying a lot of attention, IMHO the whole point of SL is that we are working WITH the lindens to build this world, and if they buy you out or mimic your functionality, then you shall have won.

See You jamie it is sad

then why does it seem like we are working for them ....and paying for the honor of doing so?

I always wondered why GOM didn't deal in other game currency as well, to spread the risk of loss. If SL were to close down tomorrow GOM would be out of business too. IGE, on the other hand, deals in several currencies.

After considering all the posts I've read on this topic, I have to agree with GOM, 40,000 sellers in SL trump one single trading company. I think an offer of stock is rather generous, considering LL could offer nothing legally speaking.

As a new user, it was difficult to find access to $L. I saw an IGE sign near a mall and bought a lot of $L. If I could have bought that $L at any store, or even bought things at the store with my credit card, I would have. When I joined I thought it strange there was no function in world to buy money.

This change will create a massive influx of real money into the pockets of those who sell in SL. If you ever wanted to make a real life business in SL, this is the catalyst that will make it possible. Creators will spend more time creating cool new stuff because people can buy freely without regard to a lack of $L.

When the car was made popular by Ford, many horse and buggy sellers lost their shirts. The whip making companies suffered greatly, but in the end we all benefited by better transportation.

I do hope GOM gets a fair deal, but I know they will be wonderful in whatever they do, and they will prosper.

Jamie, I hope that you'll reconsider. I can understand your disappointment, but I can also understand LL's reasoning behind the choice they've made. I for one intend to keep on using GOM for as long as it remains viable to do so. Whatever eventually becomes of it, one thing is certain... GOM has been a godsend for all of us who've used it since you started dealing in L$. Thank you for all that you've done for the SL community, and for the excellent service you've given to me and countless others. Your contributions have been truly revolutionary. You will be missed!

oh what have i got to lose? nada

This is BULLSHIT.

----

Jamie I always liked working with GOM, I will continue to use GOM until there is no more GOM. I don't care for the idea of LL sharing my cc info with SQUAT or EVER or FOR ANY REASON WHAT SO EVER.

Yeah I said this was coming, no one believed me. I more than anyone am sorry ppl didn't listen perhaps things could of been headed off. How many times have we been lied to now? I don't know if I should laugh or cry about it.

Crist I realy wish we could roll back time. Hugz Jamie

Linden Lab is not sharing your credit card number - they are the ones billing the transaction. You certainly have no problem providing Paypal information attached to your bank account to other players, eh?

Jamie,

You are obviously someone driven very much by your passion, above all else. I can respect that, as someone driven by my own passion. I am sorry to see you giving up hope here and throwing in the towel. I hope you will reconsider. GOM is a vibrant and important part of SL, and that does not stop because of LL's new marketplace. I know it is frustrating and demoralizing to feel like your work is in vain, but yours isn't. GOM should and can remain innovative and successful.

I hope that when some of the emotion and anger over all of this wears off, cooler heads can prevail and GOM can get back to the business of providing a much needed service for the community. Yes, you have to evolve, and diversify, but in the end, that can only make you stronger. Thank you for all that you and Tom have done. GOM is one of a handful of things that changed Second Life for the better, and I hope it continues on.

PS - I have never forgotten the simple kindness of you giving me a pair of There goggles to give out for a There Refugees event I hosted - I still have them in my inventory. Good luck in what ever you decide to do.

someone has a little bit of something brown and stinky on his nose... hands him a wet nap

You have an odd scatalogical fixation.

Unfortunately, I agree.

If Jamie had not taken this public, would any of this ever come up? Would LL have had that town hall? Would we have known in advance of this change?

I agree. I am all for ALL information being taken public! The things we don't hear about are the scariest, and Jamie is explaining to us his feelings. I very much respect and appreciate his right to do so.

I don't have a problem providing my pay pal info? Oh realy and how would you know this old wise Oz? I don't think giving someone my yahoo email addy is exactly the same thing.

nic knee im shoo.

btw I TOLD YOU SO. ha see LL in the L$ business now.

should of listened to the little bitch after all huh.

You posted about how much you love and support GOM, so I would assume you have been a customer of theirs at some point, thus having to give them your Paypal information. Paypal is hardly the epitome of security (nor is Yahoo email lol). Paypal accounts get hacked and stolen rather frequently. Unlike credit cards, which have strong no-liability policies in the event of fraud, Paypal has very few protections against fraud. and is very uncooperative when it does occur.

Additionally, which would you rather have happen - someone run up a credit card, or withdraw funds from your bank account? My point was that you were saying how unwilling you are to share your credit card, but Paypal is no more secure, and is in fact, more dangerous to share. Check out http://www.paypalsucks.com for a wide variety of reasons not to use Paypal.

As far as LL entering the L$ business, they have been talking about it for more than a year, so you were hardly clairvoyant. I have no problem with what they are proposing - I think it will be good for SL's growth.

Damn I was all set to agree with you today till i read your last sentence. Other than the last sentence your right Cristiano I stand corrected. The security with pay pal or any online service is anything but completley secure.



Cat

Good Guys Finish Last

innovate?

because GOM is an example that innovation is rewarded?

I'm bummed.

if it hadn't been for GOM, i wouldn't be who i am today in SL.

because of GOM, i was ableto afford my first large tract of land. after moving several times, i had enough to get a good chunk of the land in Miramare. i'm down to 1 plot now (at one time i had 4), but now i've had the money to donate to relief funds or to throw a new resident some spending cash.

and i agree with many others, GOM need not fade out. it can keep running fairly the same and will still have a strong customer base.. even if out of pure loyalty. but also due to the options available, as put forth earlier in this thread. not to mention, if GOM ends up extending it's services in any direction, that customer base will grow past it's current use.

i know this may be too little, too late, but i'm rooting for GOM to stay open. it just wouldn't be the same SL without it. it goes beyond transferrance of currency.. it's history, friendships, sentimentality.. and yeah, some of it has to do with financial resources.

Sorry to hear this is happening to GOM

Don't just be bummed.

Join a group and have your united voices heard.

Join Metaverse Justice Watch. (Course that group is currently paralyzed, being used as a playground by a number of people who just want to belittle the group, paralyze the group, lie about the officers in the group, and so forth.)

Or join Concerned Citizens.

Or join Resident Action Committee (though they seem to be more about fixing techy problems and not very concerned with any issues like these).

Or join all three, as I did. We DO have power. Without us, there would BE no SL.

coco

Jaimie...

coco..







ROFLMFAO!!!!!!!!! funniest thing Ive read today. Thanks for the side splitting laugh!!