Show Offline option at Log-In

Would like an option to be given at the login screen to choose whether I want to appear online to seleted friends in friends list (that are already marked in friends list at last log-out) or to log in and appear offline to everyone on friends list during that session.
Sometimes I just want to get work done and not be bothered AT ALL for a while.
Also have the option in friends list to revert to default previously checked list.

Sounds good huh?!

this also goes hand in hand with having IM chat window present a message of being offline and storing message till later when someone who you have marked (to appear offline to) sends IM when youre hiding. Because as soon as they send IM they know youre hiding and tend to get pretty offended. Regardless of the reason.

I'd like that as well, and showing offline to mean thtat . Not that someone can map me in world or out.

As I said before, being invisible on the friendlist and offline messages on IM's are not enough.

As long there are devices that can check directly if you are online or not, all above has not that much use. Meaning if someone really wants to know if you are online or not, there are more then those (common) ways to Rome...

And once again... I have my friends on my friendslist, people I like enough that they may see when I am online or not.
For people I want to remember and alike, I use calling cards.

If I don't want to be disturb, I switch to "busy". That takes care of the IM's. The (funny) busy-message I have entered in my preferences is explaining enough.

Morwen.

Makes note to send Morwen IM's as to be able to read the funny messages...

While not a bad idea , no matter what you do there will be ways to track your online status

Basically all they have to do is get close enough one time to scan you - then they can use a scripted opbect to tell if your online from there on out.

Perhaps if this option disabled that feature as well?

It wasnt until fairly recently that we could turn off our online visibiliity to freinds. BEfore they always knew when you were on. And could Always map you. SO I dont see they adjusting this idea more as an impossibility.


Whats really needed though is a big lesson in online manners for about 25% of the SL population.

I agree with Morwen for the most part. If there where an option to appear offline prior to loggin on, it has to also impact the possibility to check on the secondlife.com website to see which one of your friends is online. Also, as it works right now, if you appear offline and someone sends you an IM, it will report that you are online as soon as the IM is sent.
For now the busy option is the best one to choose. Combined with 'dismap' it works well for me.
I think if everyone has the option to fully appear offline, it would hurt the community. I rather be honest and tell friends and everyone IM'ing me that I am busy.

Personally I don't think I would want anyone on my friends list that would feel the need to go so far as to use tools to track me. But appearing offline to ALL before logging in would be really helpful. I just hate getting blasted with messages and having to spend so much time replying and dealing with that when I just wanted a bit of time to myself, undisturbed, by anyone. People tend to get hurt feelings if I go into busy mode, they know I'm there and not talking to them. They take it personally.
I think this offline option would help solve this, just a bit.


It was brought to my attention that maybe have it set so only partners can see you online, which would take fear from worrying that partner is *cheating* or abusing the option.

Is curious if Brenda ever found out what the funny message from Morwen was.

Impossible.... I have not been in SL today yet....

OMG..... *starts to tremble and shake all over* addiction suddenly strickes hard....

M.

You could just use /busy or whatever it is which will block all IM's

I agree with Felinity. I don't need a bulletproof method for complete invisibility with no way to detect my presence. I just want to be able to go ingame and get some work done without my friends feeling neglected. I would turn on Busy too, for anyone who sent me an IM assuming I actually am offline. (The web online page should match the ingame results, of course.)

Of course, first they need to fix the bug so that the friends list actually works reliably.

"Busy" is still your friend. Nothing more is needed. If you explain in your "busy"-message that you are doing some work a real friend would not feel hurted or neglected.

I think it is worse that people think that they have to hide from people they consider friends to get some work done, at least that would give me more of a bad feeling.

Personally I never had one bad remark from someone when I was on "busy".

Morwen.

Busy is broken, because it autorejects asset transfers and so can cost you real money.

I have problems with "busy" as well, just doesnt work sometimes and there are always the people who seem to think you are NEVER too busy to talk to them, and that they deserve special preference. Sometimes I just wanna be alone...without anyone feeling like I am avoiding them or some such thing.