On Indefinite Strike

Today I asked myself the following question: "If Linden Lab doesn't care about their clients at all, why should I?"

Nowadays I just can't tell people how awesome SL is. That would be lying. And even more in face of LL's last decisions. With that in mind, I find I can no longer act in behalf of the volunteer groups. I'm telling my RL friends to NOT join SL unless they are certain that they can obtain a net amount of money from it. If I'm telling my own friends that SL now is not worth losing money on it, why should I lie to complete strangers?

I trust that SL will improve in the future. Perhaps it is blind optimism, but if I didn't have it I would have left already. That's why I don't want to straight leave the volunteering. But until I see at least a single sign that LL gives a crap about their clients, I consider myself on strike.

After all, they are not paying me to do the job that they have refused to do...

Until last week I was a strong defender of Linden Labs. Circumstances have caused me to take a second look at Second Life, and, like you, I am disillusioned. There is no customer support. Several in the Second Life community had their accounts hacked over the holiday weekend. I cannot speak for others, but I can tell you that my experience with Customer Service and my hacked account leaves me feeling disgusted. You are right. Linden Labs as a whole cares little or nothing about their customers. They have their numbers and as long as the surface of the operation looks pristine, they don't care how dirty the underbelly is.


Like you, I no longer tell my friends from other programs to try SL. While other programs may not be as sophisticated as SL, I believe that they care more about their clients and are more supportive than Linden Labs. Too bad CBS News didn't see the customer service side of Second Life and talk to more of the clients..............might have been a different story.

Debbie, the circumstances of your account being hacked are currently under investigation. I cannot say more becuase i do not know any more.

Feel conceited now? Being a volunteer must carry some sort of value, in order for you to make the above statement. Otherwise, you would have no reason to hold-out for better times. What is the value of volunteering, to you?

Your last comment eludes to the fact that you feel you are doing a job, rather than volunteering your time. Since that's how you feel, why do you continue to call yourself a volunteer (albeit "on-strike"? I've noticed others take similar action (though not via a forum post), so I'm curious... what motivates a person to volunteer in SL, if they don't do it purely for the satisfaction of helping others? Is there some pot-of-gold which I'm unaware of that volunteers receive? Do volunteers get special treatment? Do volunteers get jobs at LL? Is there some self-serving ulterior motive driving the volunteers of SL?

At first it was a satisfactory activity. I joined the voluntary groups because I was already helping people, so I thought: why not make it "official"?

However, the activity has gone from "helping newbies" to "approaching a new member with fear of being shot at". Due to LL's incompetence and lust for more and more money many of the new members are either griefers or alts. I don't know about other people's experiences, since I usually mentor on the mainland instead of Help Islands, but in the last few months almost all my mentorings have been hellish.

Now it is no longer somthing I can do for satisfaction. Now it is a job, and it is something that LL will refuse to do on their own...

The forum closure is just the last drop in an ocean of bad decisions.

Sarg, I believe you should quit the Mentors. I say this with no disrespect. Satisfaction from Mentoring is something that must come from inside. A new mentor feels a feeling of pride and maybe some power. The power feeling quickly dissipates, after you find yourself powerless to get the first newbie to put on clothes at Help Island.

Feeling good about helping someone is what keeps me Mentoring. I have no illusions that Linden Labs isn’t using us. We aren’t paid. We have no ability to enforce anything, other than cajoling and requesting. Maybe, as a group they talk behind our backs and bounce off ideas on how they can get more from us? So what? I DO believe that people, such as Jeska, Torely and Lucy appreciate what we do. They say it often enough for me to believe they mean it.

As far as having connections. I tried to buy some land once that abuts mine and is owned by the Lindens. After three or four ignored IMs, Guy Linden told me I would have to bid on it, if and when it came up for auction. So much for volunteer connections. LOL

I have worked the Welcome area and Help Islands. I have had very little trouble. I had one guy yell at me because he said I was bumping him. I was only trying to walk between him and a wall. I apologized and we went on. Another women got upset because she said I ignored her. I never knew she was trying to talk to me until I hear “mentor” followed by something dissing. I got that straighten out in IM. I think that MOST people are willing to be decent. Sometimes we just have to ask them to do so.

I mentor for one reason, the good feeling I get in helping someone. The “thank you” and the virtual light that goes off in their avatar’s eyes is why I continue. I think that is the reason any good mentor does it. Any other reason will lead to a quick burn out. The day that I find mentoring to be a chore, is the day I will quit.

That is why I suggest you do quit. At least for a while. I also thank you for your service to us the residents of SL. As we all tell newbies, there is a real person with real feelings behind every avatar. That is who you are helping, not Linden Labs. I am sure you made life easier for a lot of SL residents.

Jen

Thats the great thing about life and Second life we all have the right to make choices If you feel as bad as you do then its the right thing to quit and follow your own path its pointless being a mentor when your hearts not in it.

To me LL has its faults but shit so do I, i like a challenge though and personally feel that i wanna ride this one out. Take care whatever you do

Peace