its really sad :(

We are loosing new people when they enter the Welcome Area. Something needs to be done. I sat there and watched a certain person actually convince a noob to cancel. This kind of behavior upsets me. This is seriously a problem.

I've said it many times before and I'll say it again, there needs to be a Linden stationed at the WA 24/7. Its the entry point for all users and should be treated sacred and guarded like a fault.

there was a linden there, and she tried her best.

Did you abuse report, Hikaru?

There are certain things SL should have zero patience for. It frightens me that they do not have the business acumen to see this.

but was it against the TOS?

It should be. It should be immediate perma banning with no review.

I dunno about that. I don't think stating an opinion like "SL isn't worth paying for." should be against the TOS. However it is rude. It's hard to defend against a bad opinion that you don't agree with if the person isn't breaking any obvious rules.

well i can try reporting. but i really doubt they will do anything since everything said really wasn't against the TOS.

Yeah, ok perma banned from the WA!

You know, this cind of crap keeps up and LL may have to restrict the WA to staff and Mentors/greeters/other trusted just to defend thier business interests.

And that idea got me thinking: What if there was a restricted WA, say replacing the "western town" in Oak Grove, but all new users had thier home automatically set to the current WA, maintaining it as an active social center. This would be in hopes of giving a new resident some time to get on his or her feet, as it were, before being exposed to SL at large.

Hikaru,

Please send me a PM / IM with the AV's name responsible for convincing the person to quiet SL.

...

We can only state it so many times how much something needs to be done. This is not an issue for players to go "Hey we need to put this up to a vote." No, this is something that Linden Lab needs to acknowlege as its primary marketing front, and action taken to protect it.

If there was an actual fact that came up that convinced that new person to leave, then I don't see it as anything meriting punishment of any kind.

If it was more along the lines of that person saying 'SL sucks' loudly and often in the welcome area, then that new person quite unfairly lost their chance to make up their own minds and perhaps enjoy SecondLife immensely. That's a real shame.

I would say there's more to lose from acting than there is from letting this jus happen, but nobody said we have total freedom of speech here. LL's pretty nice about it but if it affects their bottom line nobody can tell them not to do something about it.

Anyone that turns away newbies has no place in SecondLife.

Period, end of story.

Without new users, SL is nothing.

I know there are some among the older members who don't think that way, but trust me, they are dead dead wrong.

One option we still have until LL acts on WA griefers is to spend a little time there every day when we can and offset asses with positive noob experiences.

I think the WA has to have stricter rules than the rest of the world. The SL learning curve is pretty steep. The last thing you need to be greeted by is an ass trying to ruin your experience from the start.

Sadly, I see merit in this idea. How flattering for us.

Just booting people from the WA permanently should be enough. Restricting it makes no sense at all, because when you come in you want to see lots of people.

This is despicable. I can't believe that the Linden didn't at least send the idiot to their home point.

SL "isn't worth paying for" eh? Then wtf is the idiot doing in SL?

Restricting to groups puts people like me who are full on groups, can't take any more on, but yet still want to help, out of the whole thing. Which isn't good because you want everyone who wants to help to do so as much as possible.

Identifying worthless people who frequent the Welcome Area is not a difficult task. Why not simply maintain a nice and hearty ban list?

No good. Lindens don't do ban lists - it violates privacy of users.

The Live Helper meeting last week discussed this issue, LL is listening, albeit I would prefer they take some definitive action while they decide the permanent fix.

I proposed a "g" rating for sim, where not only can people not curse, but they must be friendly. This rating can be applied to Linden areas like the WA, and also maybe for Estate owners who want to have more ability to report and oust griefers.

Somebody slap me before I start liking this man.

Hika, you and I are friends so please don't take my posting in response to this in any way but a personal observation to your initial post...

No, I was not there. No, I did not witness the exchange between the noob and the other that disuaded the newcomer. Yet I see a lynch mob mentality forming yet again here on the forums. This has been happening since beta.

Does this kind of behavior upset me? YES! Is it a violation of TOS? No. This is a clear cut matter of freedom of speech. We all have it. LL has given this environment to us do with as we please within limits. However strongly we disagree, the person spouting off about the negativities of SL and why said noob should quit is sad but not out of bounds for the person saying it to do.

I don't like seeing negativity brought to a newborn in this world anymore than anyone else but "perma-banning" anyone for spewing their ugliness is not the answer.

I understand that my view will probably not be well taken and as such I ask that as I respect the views of others, others will respect my view on this as well.

Respectfully,

Trinity Serpentine

Eeeeeteresting. I think that would be very nice. And perfect for the WA.



I was thinking the same thing. It just goes to show: despite all our differences, most of us want the best for our little digital nation.

Trinity,

I don't think you could get away with standing in the entryway of Sears telling people that Sears' products "aren't worth paying for".

You would be escorted out by security, and possibly charged with a crime.

I feel compelled to beat the dead horse again, and state there is no free speech in SL. It is not the public square.

Nolan,

You're opinion, as always, is read and I respect it. I will not argue, I will only state that my opinion is my own. I thought that this is what the forums were for.

Respectfully,

Trinity