Second Life Forums Archive - GOV (Gathering of Volunteers) 11 March 2006

GOV (Gathering of Volunteers) 11 March 2006
Tateru Nino Girl Genius Join date: 13 Sep 2005 Posts: 312	03-08-2006 21:09 The next GOV meeting will be at 3am Saturday March 11 SLT. As usual it will be at the Pooley auditorium. Send me your agenda and discussion items. Logs will be appended to this thread to minimise the thread count. Hope to see you there! _____________________
The Sojourner Registered User Join date: 18 Aug 2004 Posts: 66	03-11-2006 09:03 darn, I knew I should have gotten out of bed when I woke up.. What all was discussed?
Fairge Kinsella Gravity isn't so serious! Join date: 23 Oct 2004 Posts: 158	And the log... 03-16-2006 14:14 Tateru Nino: Gathering of Volunteers. A weekly, unofficial meeting where we try to keep each-other informed, bring up stuff that's bugging us, be heard and communicate. Tateru Nino: Okay. As a note, the logs and meeting announcements are posted in the volunteers section of the forums, every week. Meeting times are also posted in the help island staffroom. Tateru Nino: Not all of the meetings are at times that are good for everyone. No time is good for everyone. Tateru Nino: We'll probably get a few more folks in a bit who slept in. Midnite Rambler: this time is great for me, usally still on before heading to bed Tateru Nino: Our basic rules are. Respect other people's turn to speak. Tat is chairing. She tells you to hush or pipe down, please do so. That way we all get a chance to have a say. Tateru Nino: I've got an agenda of items to cover. Notices at the front, discussion items at the end. Then we can descend happily into chatty rabble Tateru Nino: First item today. Thankyou all for coming I realise that meetings don't directly help new residents, and it takes some of your time. Thankyou. Tateru Nino: Second item. The Greeter selector on Help Island that is intended to replace the web-based greeter selection system.... Tateru Nino: It's probably no surprise that it's still seriously busted. Attempts to repair it have been....unsuccessful. Midnite Rambler: so are new Greeters being put on? Tateru Nino sighs. So we're still on the web-based greeter-selection system, which isn't very effective, but slightly better than nothing. Tateru Nino: For three weeks, no. We're still at 127 greeters. Midnite Rambler: just curious as I applied to be a Greeter well before I did a Mentor Midnite Rambler: roughly 5 months ago now Tateru Nino: There's a large backlog, and greeters and mentors are largely put on on an as-need basis, as I understand it. That means mentors are being taken on much faster (602 right now, average 25-30/week) Tateru Nino: About that mentor intake, I've got a couple things to say in a minute. Tateru Nino: Suffice to say the greeter intake is stalled. Few greeters are selected at registration time on the website, and only a few percent of the people that do ever link up with their greeter. Tateru Nino: Not optimal. Tateru Nino: The inworld system is supposed to fix most of the problems...if only it actually /worked/ Midnite Rambler: possibly the name? Midnite Rambler: Greeter just doesn't sound all that friendly, more like an official hi Tateru Nino: I'd prefer Guide, myself, due to the changed role of Mentors and Greeters since HI went into operation. Personal taste. Tateru Nino: Third item....The HI performance experiment from the long weekend. Tateru Nino: For those of you who didn't follow it, 50% of newbies were sent direct from Orientation Islands to the WA without choice. The other 50% were sent directly to Help Island. Tateru Nino: This was to measure the efficacy of help island and demonstrate it's worth and potential for expansion. Tateru Nino: Due to absences from the LL offices, we have no experimental results yet. Obviously we're hoping for a clear edge....but until then, we stay out of the kitchen. It'll be ready when it's ready. Tateru Nino: Now, I've got something more positive to talk about. A group of volunteers stepped up to the line to provide a unified set of information that we could all use as a base for educating new residents... Tateru Nino: They've been at it for about a month now, and have decided to use a wiki as a base, shovelling all the combined wisdom they can get into it, planning to distill portions of it down to useable notecards. Tateru Nino: As wikis go, it's a worthwhile project in itself, and you are all invited to contribute. Tateru Nino: http://sl-help.game-host.org/HomePage Tateru Nino: If you have any questions about that project, speak to Gwyneth Llewelyn or Fairge Kinsella. Tateru Nino: Please, don't be shy. There's a /lot/ of ground to cover and many hands make light work Tateru Nino: Now...that's all my boring notices. I have a discussion topic here. Tateru Nino: As I said before, we're taking in new mentors every week. 25-30. Tateru Nino: On average, only one in 30 or so actually lasts beyond their first week. They don't /quit/, but they stop mentoring. Why? Tateru Nino: Anyone want a crack at it? Tateru Nino: Go ahead, Midnite. Midnite Rambler: hmmm, not a lot of education on exactly what a Mentor is supposed to do Satu Moreau: Actually, I had a question there. Tateru Nino: OKay, Satu. You next, after Midnite's done. MyoKa Murakami: im curious as a mentor do we follow thru in world to chek on how theyr'e going? Midnite Rambler: a feeling of superfluousness when they go to HI and there is 15 Mentors all standing around doing not much, as happens at times Midnite Rambler: those would be my main two reasons Tateru Nino: Rarely do we have so many (and many times of day it is deserted) But a fair point. Tateru Nino: So the first is...that it's not what they expected, perhaps? Midnite Rambler: possibly Midnite Rambler: I know I mentor a lot, but most is done inworld, not at HI Satu Moreau: Ditto Tateru Nino nods. Satu Moreau: Though still at HI, sometimes people are looking for help. yankee Faulkner: it would be nice to have a welcome team Tateru Nino: Okay, Satu? You had something. Tateru Nino: And Myoka? No...there's no follow up. They get a notecard and an email and we let them loose. Satu Moreau: I wanted to know exactly, you know how in your account profile it has the options for volunteering? I was wondering, what is the difference between Mentor and Instructor? Tateru Nino: Instructors are paid L$500 per approved class that they teach, up to 2 classes per day, 14 per week. Tateru Nino: Mentors used to be required to teach at least one class per month to remain mentors. Tateru Nino: That's why you still get an instructor's email when you sign up. Satu Moreau: See, I was wondering because I was approved for that when they cut out funding for other functions. But it never came up in my account profile. Satu Moreau: I don't teach that often, but I still get paid when I do. Satu Moreau: And when I tried to ask Jeska about it, I ended up a mentor. Satu Moreau: Though still neither shows up in my account info in the volunteer part
Fairge Kinsella Gravity isn't so serious! Join date: 23 Oct 2004 Posts: 158	03-16-2006 14:15 Tateru Nino: As I understand it, Mentors can operate as instructors without having to volunteer separately as instructors. There's also a /tiny/ disparity in the information on the website and how you are actually signed up :/ Satu Moreau: Ah Tateru Nino: Either way, the information presented on the website is unclear at best. Satu Moreau nods. Tateru Nino: Anyone else want to venture an opinion? If not, I've got one of my own yankee Faulkner: well a team with names yankee Faulkner: of new ppl Tateru Nino: How's that, Yankee? yankee Faulkner: esica yankee Faulkner: could give a list yankee Faulkner: ? yankee Faulkner: and follow up from yankee Faulkner: a team or person yankee Faulkner: sorry Jesica Tateru Nino: Not a bad thought. I've got one or two names myself where I'm curious to find out. Alisa Honey: i check on al mine once a month for three months then i let them fly the coop and know im here if needed Alisa Honey: i think some r applying to be mentors for the wrong reason example to find them selves some sub missives Tateru Nino: It's quite possible that some are applying for ulterior motives. We know that the WA traditionally attracts people who would predate on new people. yankee Faulkner: yes but a fu would cure that yankee Faulkner: /u yankee Faulkner: f/u Midnite Rambler: i think that is quite probable, now that not so many fresh and totally naive newbs descend on the WA yankee Faulkner: talking and getting to know ppl Tateru Nino: Hmmm. yankee Faulkner: yes Tateru Nino: Certainly the better we get them prepared and socialised the better they adapt to mainland life. Not everyone sits still for that, and yes, we've had a few snakes in our garden from time to time. Satu Moreau: I was thinking that one thing might be, they feel overwhelmed, nervous maybe. I know it is kind of intimidating sometimes. Especially when you're faced with someone that can't seem to catch on at all, no matter how patient and prepared you are. Tateru Nino: Certainly they are confused when they land on HI. And confused all over again on the mainland. Divergent topic: (via Tateru Nino) What do you think would happen if the long-term plan came to fruition, and 100% of newbies landed at HI first? Tateru Nino: (aside from the HI sim filling up) Alisa Honey: i think it be a good improvement yankee Faulkner: wow Midnite Rambler: that would be good Alisa Honey: if we can actually get volunteers there without begging Midnite Rambler: i think tho then there may be a need for teams of rostered volunteers? Tateru Nino nods at Alisa. HI coverage is only about 85% right now. Midnite Rambler: how did you know some one needed help? Satu Moreau: Well, one thing I noticed at HI, mentors come and go. Though one thing, if I show up and no other mentors are there, I stay. Satu Moreau: If someone can't stay, they call in someone else and always that I've seen so far, people respond. Tateru Nino: Problems with Rostering, Midnite. US labour laws prohibit LL scheduling us. It's possible for us to schedule ourselves, of course, and we /almost/ do that. The usual is to call for replacements before leaving. Tateru Nino: Yes, Satu. Some volunteers do not do this. Tateru Nino: I logged on three times in 12 hours and found no volunteers on the island. Midnite Rambler: i didn't see anything i the mentor group asking for help, in fact little comes thru there at all Tateru Nino: Well, aside from staffing problems, and overflowing the sim (just as bad), we all see positive benefits. Can anyone think of a downside? Tateru Nino: (other downsides) Midnite Rambler: some just won't want to Tateru Nino: I have one. Who's got another Tateru Nino: Newbies or volunteers, Midnite? Midnite Rambler: some new resis just don't want to spend time in HI Tateru Nino: True, and they can leave virtually immediately. If they're patient enough to read the signs, that is... Tateru Nino: Satu? Satu Moreau: Also people with alts. If they already know how to use SL, how does that get filtered? Satu Moreau: So they can just leave if they already know the ropes? Tateru Nino nods. Thankfully most Alts choose not to prank us to waste our time. Tateru Nino: They say "I'm an alt. I'm okay." or a variation. Satu Moreau: Cool. I wasn't sure if there was something keeping them there a certain amount of time or not. Tateru Nino: No, in fact you can skip the whole shooting match by tp'ing out of OI or HI via the map. Midnite Rambler: which most alts would do? Tateru Nino: Most seem to come down and look around HI and say "I wish they had this when I started." Midnite Rambler: lol, that is exactly what i said first day i saw it Tateru Nino grins. Torley Linden: yes hehe that was my reaction too. Midnite Rambler: instead of a month here just figuring the basics Tateru Nino: Here's my downside, however....if 100% of newbies came into HI, and many left with greeters or were sent on to places /other/ than the WA (many of them /are/ sent elsewhere by volunteers for their first mainland experience)...Well, there's no... Tateru Nino: requirements on being a volunteer other than being 8 weeks old and having a relatively clean record... Tateru Nino: I would guess most of our WA predators would take a turn in the corps. And as volunteers we are resistant to AR'ing other volunteers even in cases of gross CS or TOS violations. Satu Moreau: Heh, my first day I had no trouble. The tutorial island was it for me and I was on my way. Midnite Rambler: that is true Tat Tateru Nino grimaces. Tateru Nino: That's my bit. Anyone else? Midnite Rambler: so maybe a more thorough vetting process? yankee Faulkner: true Midnite Rambler: a probationary period? Tateru Nino nods. I'm in favour of training programmes, and interview/vetting. But someone has to spend the time. Tateru Nino: Probationary period perhaps. But what criteria would be used to just suitability? yankee Faulkner: i thought some1 would look me up in world MyoKa Murakami: scuse me im a bit lost MyoKa Murakami: wht is wa etc? Tateru Nino: WA is the Ahern Welcome Area. HI is Help Island. yankee Faulkner: the team could write one Midnite Rambler: the cesspit of SL yankee Faulkner: write Tateru Nino: Sorry, I forget that not everyone is familiar with the slang. MyoKa Murakami: k ty MyoKa Murakami: as a mentor where are we supposed to take them? MyoKa Murakami: i made the mistake of taking someone in world without realising they cannot come back MyoKa Murakami: where is the starting point in world that we should show them first? Tateru Nino nods. Some slip away as well, and realise their error. Midnite Rambler: well as Mentors we don't actually have to take them anywhere, that is a Greeters role Midnite Rambler: but if you wish too, ask them what they would like to see Midnite Rambler: I usually take them to Yadni’s, GNU and the Shelter yankee Faulkner: i use pathfinders picks MyoKa Murakami: most have left that up to me to decide :/ Tateru Nino: Suggestions? If I have to take someone to the mainland, because a greeter is unavailable or they want /me/ to do it, I go to the NCI or the Shelter, or Kei Mars' Japanese gardens. MyoKa Murakami: ok ty i have these lm's Tateru Nino: If they don't /want/ a greeter, I usually send them on to the Shelter if there are people there, or the NCI if not. Midnite Rambler: I also will take them to very beautiful places like L'Utopie, or Apollo yankee Faulkner: and show them how to use them Tateru Nino: Okay. We've rambled a bit Is there an issue or a problem, or a suggestion that someone would like to bring up? Otherwise we can close off and call this done Tateru Nino: Now's a great time to get something off your chest. Midnite Rambler: i have one, I was wondering why lately the group IM is virtually dead? Midnite Rambler: like last week, maybe more Tateru Nino: I have theories. Satu Moreau: Didn't seem dead tonight Tateru Nino: One, of course is that the folks on Help Island use the communicators to avoid spamming potentially 600 people on the group IM. Satu Moreau: Not entirely at least Midnite Rambler: communicators?? yankee Faulkner: yes
Fairge Kinsella Gravity isn't so serious! Join date: 23 Oct 2004 Posts: 158	03-16-2006 14:15 Tateru Nino: The other is that - well, I've had my head torn off more than once for calling for assistance. Satu Moreau: o.O Satu Moreau: How else are you supposed to? yankee Faulkner: aaww Torley Linden: hmmm... well if the group IM can't be used for that... WHAT can it be used for? o.O Midnite Rambler: thanks Tat, that is new?? Torley Linden: i think some of it is frustration over not having greater control over group tools, which i understand. Torley Linden: (generally speaking, with Resis who often get group IM messages and wish they could mute them.) Tateru Nino: We've been using them for a bit over a month now. They're available in the help island staffroom 80m above the sandbox. They auto update after version 2.2 so you'll always be sent a new one. Midnite Rambler: true, but Mentor ones are usually important, and if I am busy with some one just close it out yankee Faulkner: staff room? Midnite Rambler: that will teach me for not using the staff room Tateru Nino: There are two structures that float 80 metres above the Help Island sandbox. A small lesson area, and a 'staff room'. A convenient place to idle without looking rude. Torley Linden: wow those communicators sure have evolved. Tateru Nino: Live helpers often use it to keep out of the way. yankee Faulkner: cool yankee Faulkner: how do you get there Tateru Nino: Head out to the north end of the Help Island sandbox. Go straight up from there, and you'll bump your head on it yankee Faulkner: lol ok Tateru Nino: It's about 90m altitude, 80m above ground. Midnite Rambler: this is off topic, but who would one talk to about getting a similar setup on Teen Grid? Midnite Rambler: a Help Island, Mentors, etc Midnite Rambler: they are thrown totally in the deep end over there Tateru Nino: Jeska and Torley are a good place to start Torley Linden: hee hee Torley Linden: yup... as for Teen Grid i'd specifically ask Blue for sure. Torley Linden: Blue is master aviator of TG! Tateru Nino: Try Torley, she's handy access to route requests into LL. Torley Linden: hehehe sure yeah i'm right here. Midnite Rambler: ah ok, thanks Torley, I will. poor Blue Satu Moreau: Heh, I'm so curious of what the teen grid is like Torley Linden: OHHH! speaking of... while you guys are here.... Satu Moreau: Especially since a new friend is a graduate of there. Torley Linden: i wanted to get your opinions... what are some DARN frustrating bugs that plague new Resis that should be easy fixes? Torley Linden: stuff that comes up over and over again that you see Midnite Rambler: teen grid.........hmmmm, well Torley Linden: that wastes a lot of time Torley Linden: very redundant annoying bugs. Tateru Nino: Ooooo! I know! I know! Torley Linden: GO FOR IT Torley Linden: if anything comes to mind please say so, i want to be sure i'm on the pulse of these things, i will let the developers know. Tateru Nino: When a new resident starts, they start with a set of default gestures. Within their first 1-3 logons, those gestures are all deactivated, and they have to manually activate gestures to get them back. Tateru Nino: It appears to happen to every new resident since at least 1.6 Torley Linden: AHHHH THAT HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I STARTED SL! Torley Linden: i never figured out why that happens Satu Moreau: If they ever did make an HI for the teen grid, I'd love to help develop it. Midnite Rambler: it has always happened Torley Linden: that's reproducible for every new Resident? Tateru Nino: I don't know if anyone has ever reported it. And yes. Torley Linden: Satu: kewl! Tateru Nino: It happens to everyone. Torley Linden: those are the worst, bugs that don't go reported because they're just slippery... but they hit person after person Torley Linden: okay good to know that one. Midnite Rambler: one I know, is that there seems to be an intermittent issue where friends don't show up as being online in a friends list for new resis Satu Moreau: Heh, I'm a landscaper for hire in here, and I do fountains and such too, but something like that I'd just love to do if I could just get creative. Tateru Nino: I have not created enough alts (zero) to know quite if it always happens on the second log on, or at the third hour, or what. Torley Linden: hmmm yeah online status problems--Midnite, i think that should be fixed in 1.9... Torley Linden: i have seen that a number of times myself. Midnite Rambler: ahhhhh Torley Linden: even for me now, sometimes people... like the other day, i saw Don Linden as being ONLINE when he was really not! Torley Linden: those kinda glitches :\ and Status: (via Torley Linden) Unknown Torley Linden: someone asks "does that mean i can hide my online status?" Midnite Rambler: I know it seems to resolve itself after a certain time, but new resis have mentioned it a few times Torley Linden: THANKS Torley Linden: okay good one Torley Linden: okay GREAT so i'll make sure to investigate the Gestures one too--that irks! Satu Moreau: I noticed something sorta like that. In the find, people not coming up when you type in their name. Like they don't exist at all. Midnite Rambler: oh, and ruthing ever be fixed? Torley Linden: hmmm Satu if you see that again, let me know Satu Moreau: Like I typed in Linden the other day and Char didn't come up Midnite Rambler: that scares the crap out of new resis Torley Linden: Ruthing blows too... yeah, i don't know why that's still around. :\ Torley Linden: AHHH Satu Moreau: I think Torley too, that day, was it? Torley Linden: okay with Char--what happened was... Torley Linden: that one wasn't a glitch Torley Linden: it was intentional Satu Moreau: Ah, kk Torley Linden: Char was busy conducting interviews! yankee Faulkner: swiss will do that to Satu Moreau: I see Torley Linden: yeah =) Torley Linden: exactly, Swiss = human resources hehe Satu Moreau: Lol Satu Moreau: Whew, less to wonder about. yankee Faulkner: yes Torley Linden: it's easy to get distracted... i understand better privacy and status controls for all would be a boon Tateru Nino: Lindens can magically hide. But there is a bug I've reported where their online status is exposed. Satu Moreau: Lol Torley Linden: and i totally agree about the Ruthing... i'll ask further about that... because... it... just... sucks... so... much. Torley Linden: "I just TPed! why did my body change? i'm all ugly now!" Torley Linden: i hear that lots Satu Moreau: Lol Torley Linden: and i have to say "DON'T SAVE YOURSELF IN APPEARANCE!" Torley Linden: it makes absolutely no sense at all. Midnite Rambler: yep, and new resis often don't have there brand spanking hard worked on shape saved where they can easily find it Torley Linden: exactly! Torley Linden: that's totally counterproductive Torley Linden: adds to confusion too, i hate compound confusion Tateru Nino: You'll see these around HI. Torley Linden: nice thing is, sitting's going to get easier in a future version... 1.9.1 i think... Midnite Rambler: yep Torley Linden: ability to click on an object and insta-sit Midnite Rambler: oooh?? Torley Linden: instead of having to turn around, and right-click yadda yadda Satu Moreau: Lol yankee Faulkner: cool Midnite Rambler: i am so scared of 1.9, i just hope my poor old comp will still cut it Torley Linden: object actions--it was also in some of the 1.9 Previews BUT... bugs to work out Torley Linden: 1.9 should actually be faster Tateru Nino: Okay, official part of meeting is, I think over. Don't let me stop anyone though. Formatted and colorized with transcript.

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GOV (Gathering of Volunteers) 11 March 2006