Events must be posted 30 minutes in advance -- and report to moderator button

As part of our effort to keep the events calendar (and events icons on the map) functional, we plan to require that events be posted at least 30 minutes in advance. This allows Lindens so time to review events and should help minimize the posting of non-event advertisements.

We also plan to add a button on the events page of the website that will allow residents to alert moderators of an inappropriate event.

The rules for posting events rules are here.

We realize that the use of the events calendar to advertise non-events stems largely from the fact that we don't offer enough alternatives for advertising. We hope to create a robust directory feature and appreciate any ideas you might have about how best to do it.

How will this work during the times when a liasion is not in world? Will they have to queue up until they can be reviewed?

What I really hate about it is that LL states that some events are non-events. From my viewpoint, its especially the vendor events. Others have different viewpoints. I'll try to explain what I mean.

I think it smells. It smells of favoritism.

As a merchant, Im always looking for new spots to put out my vendors. What is the reasoning of not letting the mall owners tell me they have free space? Is it better if they spam all merchants personally? Because that is where it will be going.

You are telling the mall owners to post vendor spots in a forum just a fraction of the population reads. Might as well tell them to get their merchants by shouting out the window.

The last month, Ive also become mall owner myself, and I filled my mall in one day, using the event calendar. Yes, I posted three events in one day. But I was there every time, to help and assist anyway I could. I had a marathon day.

And these are the only events I've ever hosted. This is an event as much as any other. Maybe I should call it grand opening or reopening for every expansion like someone else do. Or even Euro grand opening and US grand opening? Yes, I've seen it, allowed after the new event rules came.

The fact that you are forcing a person to spread out his events over the week, instead of having a marathon day, really gets to me. This isn't freedom.

I believe residents are able to filter themselves. I NEVER choose to go to a lag fest and win L$20, when I can set up a new vendor instead. Just like all other hard working merchants on their way up.

Setting restrictions like these, will only make people hide the real goal of the event, and dillute the event calendar even more, because the events arent about what it says.

My opinion is that these rules hinder competition, and clearly gives preference to already established malls, and more experienced players. I also think that this policy slows down the economy and growth of SL, because it limits the creators (especially new ones) ability to get value back for their work.

All established malls are already full, and a newbie will have a hard time finding good places to sell his stuff. This policy makes it even worse for them.

I understand the reasoning for SOME of the rules, but I think the problems is a result of your dwell system. Forcing people to hide their event motives, well... what kind of policy is that?

Thats basicly it. My feedback.

Other than that, SL is the best game ever.
But this really annoys me, daily.

The "EVENT CALENDAR" is not a code name for "VENDOR ADVERTISEMENTS"--period.

What an argument. Period?
Is that how you do all your discussions?

> We realize that the use of the events calendar to advertise non-events stems largely from the fact that we don't offer enough alternatives for advertising. We hope to create a robust directory feature and appreciate any ideas you might have about how best to do it.

This is pretty insightful. I'm not supporting advertising in Events calendar *at all*, but I do think it would rock to have a comprehensively searchable item db.

As a first approximation, maybe bolt onto something like Google or Yahoo? (eg Sourceforge bolts onto Yahoo since yesterday; gamedev.net bolts onto Google).

It would be nice to be able to purchase directly from the directory, though I understand there are political ramifications with this (ie changes land-usage patterns).

As a second phase, it could be really neat to be able to display a copy of each object in a window, rotate it and so on. Obviously the object would be displayed with "noscripts" activated.

Azelda

I've posted a -lot- in the past about my feelings on non-events in the event calendar, and at this point I don't want to dilute anything I say because it's been said before. Sorry for my short and quick attitude about this.

Well, if you dont want to discuss, I suggest you shut up, instead of trying to "period" people. What attitude some people have.

You've had your share of whining and crying about people not coming to your events. Now let me whine about my griefs.

You're turning this into something far more aggressive than it has to be and I'm going to tactfully decline dealing with you any longer after this. You need to understand that people who are actually passionate about hosting events are sick and tired of people using the events tab as an advertising peice. Learn to get your message out some other way rather than using our event announcements. And learn some compassion; the game was a lot better when we didn't have nine million crappy advertisements on the event calendar, thank YOU very much.

fin

Thanks! But you asked for it.

[/B]Oh, so your passion is more important than mine. I see. Advertising is advertising, even if its mentor events.


[/B]This just goes to show you dont respect other people, by generalizing like that. Calling my doings in SL crappy. Whats wrong with your attitude? Can't you handle competition for attention?

The game has never been better. What SL do YOU live in? Just because you liked it better before doesnt mean it was better. Again, you are completely ignorant to what other people think.

---

This is why I hate posting on these boards. The attitude of some people is really horrid. Trying to shut me up, telling me what I do is crappy, completely ignoring my arguments.
Whats the point of posting your opinions here at all?

You are an arsehole.

There, happy? It's now a personal attack on you, so you can respond in kind.

Nice to meet you too.

Vendor ad != Event

Yes, there should be a way of advertising things in world that's better than the little boards on the sides of telehubs almost no one uses, but the events listing is not the place to do it.

I dont think he called your doings, explicitly, crappy. He called advertisments posted on the event board crappy.

The event calender is not the place for advertisments. What exactly do you feel that you need to post to the board? A store's grand opening isn't an ad, but "BUY MY LAND!" or "COME TO MY SHOP!" is an ad

==Chris, who would like to know more about this situation.

From www.secondlife.com:

...
Event Posting Rules

An event is defined as a special group activity that is led by a host Examples include discussions, group meetings, hosted dances, classes, tours, and competitions. Shopping, viewing parcels for sale, and other non-group activities are not appropriate to post on the events calendar. (Most of those notices are fine to list in the classified section of the Forums.)

Examples of opportunities that are NOT OK to post as events:
Visit my land for sale.
Visit my new store, half price sale.
Come see the vendor spots for rent.
Visit my building.
...

fen-

Whatever happened to having to post an event 24 hours in advance? 30 minutes? That's silly. If someone is putting any real effort into an event then 12 or 24 hours should be fine and cut down on the nonevents.

> Whatever happened to having to post an event 24 hours in advance? 30 minutes? That's silly. If someone is putting any real effort into an event then 12 or 24 hours should be fine and cut down on the nonevents.

This is to be susceptible for Linden funding.

If you're in Europe, 24 hours in advance of 12pm PST actually comes out to be two days beforehand which is a *llooonnnnggg* time ahead.

Azelda

Oops you are right (susceptible not withstanding ). Having to post an event by midnight pst for a Linden sponsored event is plenty of lead time. But doesn't it seem reasonable we should have to give 12 hours notice (no midnight thing) for an event? I don't think there are going to be many worthwhile events where someone just thought of the idea 30 minutes before.

I say...

1. Do away with Liaison event announcments
2. Add categories to the listings. Add extensive categories so there is room for Parties, Vendor Announcements, Stripper change times, Classes, Trivia Events, etc.
3. Allow people to post whatever they want, whenever they want. (Within TOS guidelines)
4. Add an abuse button for when people post their event in the wrong category, in a way that is abusive. Like posting their event in Linden Events when it is just the announcement of the next round of beers at the bar.

Then everyone is happy!

YAY!

I think you are far too young in this world to tell us that SL has never been better.

Since the uneven enforcement of the event posting rules, we have seen older, established venues rise dramatically in dwell. Take for instance Club Elite. Elite use to hover around the 16,000 mark for daily dwell. Now it is consistantly hovering around the 20,000 mark for daily dwell. That is a 25% increase, all since the new uneven enforcement of the event posting rules.

How does this help the newbie or the less established players? How does forcing new malls/entertainment venues/clubs to post on a forum board that maybe 10% of SecondLifers read, let alone fully know about or understand help? It doesn't. It harms us to no end.

Also, events are advertisements, no matter how you want think about it. A trivia event at Club Muko-biko is an advertisement for that club, even though it is a legitimate event.

Stop fooling yourselves and allowing the Lindens to fool you into thinking differently. Enact real changes that benefit everyone and not just the older established players through uneven enforcement (I have been a victim of this) and favortisim by the Lindens.

To those who wish to silence others on this particular board because they haven't been in the game for more than a few months: Get a life!

I believe that a marketplace event (grand opening, sale, etc.) is indeed an event. People involved in the economy--shoppers and sellers alike--are as interested in marketplace events as poets are interested in poetry contests. I might as well argue that the Events listing is not the place to do poetry classes just because I think poetry is stupid!

Bottom line: if the real world would have a marketplace event, so should SL.

But, but, but... that all makes too much sense, Hank!


Candie