While a preview grid does exist to help weed out issues before they get into the mainstream grid, I honestly do not think it does enough the way it is used. Sure, we will get announcements to come over for a pile-up but that doesn't seem to do much good as that doesn't draw in enough visitors to draw stress on the preview grid and it's interactions with it's asset server. I have a proposal for this.
A resident sponsored Log/Lag - a - thon on the preview grid. I know that one was performed for the main grid where eligable residents were given a special object called a Benshee (really cute "pet", if any new residents haven't seen one, let me know in world and I will show you) and that even offered them a chance to win some cool prizes such as a special "charter" account and some SL swag. I am thinking of an event for the preview grid where resident sponsors would be providing the prizes (in my case an airplane/heli exclusive to this contest with a special edition texture set) and LL could handle the prize handouts and verifying permissions on the hand out items, the benshee was no mod so it could stand that a resident sponsored item could be as well or have a different permission set requested by the sponsor. These prizes would be handed out on the main grid. I can understand that this would take time but if it could help eliminate some bugs/exploits before they get transferred over it may pay off because the main grid wouldn't have as many issues moved over to it. Perhaps have different levels of contests where they could be "Attach as many prims to yourself as possible before you crash" or "Find an exploit and win!" or "Rez Madness! Kill the sim by over rezzing!" even "Set a server on fire and win!"
I know setitng a server on fire would not be good but I think it is safe to say that if the bugs/exploits/annoyances were caught before they moved over to the main grid perhaps sacrificing a preview server is worth it
The preview grid would work if there were enough residents logging in to test things and server load and unfortunatly many need an incentive to do so. So knowing an incentive is needed. I shall offer a special edition Jet Airplane with exclusive textures and design that will be named Jet Lagg (pun intended) that will only be available for this preview lag-a-thon, this aircraft would not be sold or handed out for any other occasion and I would have a different design for the next competition.
To get a more stable and reliable SL I am willing to ante up and try to do something about it, all I would need is either A: The assistance of LL to help with determining valid participents and valid winners and then distribute the prize or B: Some assitance by residents in working out a way to register and track the winners. I would prefer LL involvment though considering LL has access to login and log out times and a DB query could search and find the info needed as an in-world object has the potential of being hacked (considering that is one of the possible contests)
Side note-could this thread be cross-posted for resident discussion? I don't want to cross-post without knowing if it is ok for an answers thread.
Thanks
