Is the end of stipends nearing ?

I agree.


Thank you for using business types That is a good happy medium!

Yes, I agree here also. LL has a real challenge on its hands. I believe that is why they are trying to get members involved in planning and visioning outside of the SL platform (I always use the term platform --which can be applied to a gaming environment just as well as a business development environment).

The link I listed in my first post in this thread briefly explains LL's "Second Life Views" initiative. Like issues in-world, there are many opinions on whether that idea is a good one!

I see plenty of new members at my store. Not sure what you are talking about.

Games = A Fad until something new comes along.

Platform = A Standarized base which everybody needs to run new products, games, etc..


Windows XP is a Platform
Age of Empires III is a Game

Which do you think would be the best business model to follow?


Me, I'll take the Platform Operating system...

All hail the future of Second Life.. A place where you can
make money online... Milk the socialists into the ground...

RD, could you provide where you get the 20-30k number from? I have seen you mention it a few times, and I have interest in the source.

I'd much rather make fun, interesting, and useful items, sell them for a fair price, and be a contributor rather than a predator.

Remember when Windows 95 was the thing to have? Then along came Windows 98 and most people upgraded to the better system. Same thing with XP.

Same with Second Life. People will be here until something better, more reliable, more interesting comes along - and they'll leave in droves. SL's main success is the fact that it is currently unique. Wait until the competition comes along - it may be a year or so - and then when SL has competition, LL had better wake up and wake up quickly otherwise they'll find they have nothing left.

Lewis

So SL is a platform, and those of us that are there for fun are in no position to complain about those who are there for Serious Business©.

I'm gonna go ahead and call bullsh*t on that right now.

SL is becoming far too commercialized for its own good! If stipend payments go, then the only benefit to paying 10 a month is land. And keep in mind that said 10$ may not end up going to LL, as well.


My choices:
512sqm as a newbie, in an area that will probably be overrun with clubs, casinos, bush signs, and overall laggyness and stupidity inside of a few months,

OR

Around 1024 for the same price on a place like Dreamland or Azure Islands. Well managed, no casinos, etc etc.
-

They'd be taking a hell of a business chance (LL). There are a lot of people who would probably go basic and either leave entirely or simply buy/rent their land from a developer instead of take their chances with first land.

Solution:

1. Remove basic acct stipends. 50$ a week is a pittance, not even really worth the trouble for the person getting it, but the combined effects of new folks coming in and picking up their initial funds plus 50 a week isn't helping the situation.

2. LL snaps up the money to pay for stipends on the LindeX, instead of just creating it out of thin air. New money needs to stop going into the economy! Basic economic theory, folks. Creating more money and flooding a free market with it = devaluation and = inflation. If there is not enough L for sale on the LindeX or the rate is too high, the stipend for that week becomes smaller. I can live with a variable rate.
-

Those that "play" SL for business purposes have no right to ruin the system for the sake of capitalism. It ruins Christmas, do you really want your second life ruined over MONEY?

Flame resistant clothes on, CHECK.

**edit

Advance apologies to those of you who run an SL buisness and aren't whining. This post was not directed at you.

Based on the average user logins at any given time,
factoring in variables like (Alts, Cronic Players, Time,
Dead Accounts never removed, etc)...

Because its obvious, 200,000+ users are not activately
using Second Life when the average at any given time
is around 3000-5000 accounts. (A meer: 2% of the population total).

Much the reason why I enjoy the Wealth that SL provides to
my wallet and you, the happy poor man chargin a fair price
and smiling..

Ah, so this isn't actually a statistic you read somewhere... it is a guess. Ok, thanks for answering

Maybe the competition will design a socialist SL.

They'll call it "Red SL," or "North SL" or something like that.

Then all of the socialist will go there...and,

...and they'll build a wall around it and ... well ...

You know the rest of the story

Never said I was poor. You don't have to be deceptive, manipulative, and conceited to earn a living. I do quite well for myself, and without taking advantage of people.

But I suppose, for some, it's too hard to have a concience.

I think at the end of the day the SL economy depends ultimately on its entertainment value.

Sure to land barons and "serious business people" making money is top on their list. However at the bottom level of the economical food chain are the consumers, and for now the only value SL offer to consumers is entertainment. Be it dressing up going to a club, roleplaying, shootting pop guns, or hiring out an escort... it all boils down to entertainment.

If SL stop being fun to these end consumers, SL will go away and be replaced.

Hahahah.... Socialists SL.. Where the place is awash in so
many Linden S Dollars that everybody is effectively poor
because of the hyper inflation.. They oughta love it...
A home for the workers and their welfare wages from the state.

Sounds like something a hippie would said....
A peace loving, pipe smoke'n, save the world,
globalization is evil, cant we all get along,
type of person...

And watch as the fun is sucked out of SL when those businesses who
are trying to make a dime to recoup their land tier fee, membership fee,
and LindenX fees are always in the Red because Linden Labs Economic Policy
is Anti-Business, decide to leave for greener pastures.

Then you'll see a mass exodus because SL has turned into boring world
full of empty land lots with spinning forsale signs...

Interesting pair of quotes... they speak volumes.

I'm curious RBD.

What exactly is your contribution to SL? I mean, your profile doesn't give any clues as to what you actually do apart from troll the forums.

Lewis

Good question Lewis, I've been relatively curious of that myself.

Nor will I give you the joy of knowing how much L$ you
really pay me.. No sense in creating a boycott when you
and your followers are pumping in tens of thousands of
Linden Dollars into my pockets through various business
operations.

Some Retail, Some Land Dealings... All of which end up
on LindenX 3/seconds after I receive my paycheck.

That's the answer I needed.

An alt created for the sole purpose of trolling.

Lewis

Trolling is a relative preception. What you don't like
and disagree with is labelled "trolling". Kinda of like the
Pot calling the Kettle Black. Since I can say the same
thing about you and your postings, "Lewis The Troll". Posts: 1,391

But since I can actually stand and debate you point for
point and argue the finer points of virtual economies, the
only thing left for you to say is that I'm a troll. Which only
goes to show that you've lost the arguement and have
decided to resort to name calling to try and generate
support for your dislike of being beaten down into the
socialist muck from where you came.

Actually you don't debate at all, you don't even really argue the 'finer points of virtual economies', because you have a one trick hand - end stipends - which you back up with no actual firm evidence to support it, nor does what you have to say bear any relevance to the vast majority of the player base.

You aren't even willing to share your experience, qualifications, or what you do in game to gain any respect.

Therefore, you get none.

Lewis

Post count does not reflect a forum troll. It's an indication of active forum participation.

I have yet to see you make a contribution to a forum thread RBD. You certainly complain about stipends, and insult people often. Other than that, what else do you do? I mean... I don't think Lewis is that far off the mark.

I have commented in the past that it might be more beneficial for you to offer suggestions rather than biting sarcasm and criticism. But, you seem to prefer the biting sarcasm.

Posting insults... complaining... not contributing to the quality of a thread... that is pretty much trolling.