From: Domitan Redenblack
1. I see lots of "must use RLV viewer" for collars etc.
I don't. I've seen lots that say you need to use RLV to enable the collar's full functionality, but I don't think any depend on RLV
From: someone
Is there a way for a collar to inform the assigned owner that the sub is using a non-RLV viewer? Which collars do this?
Amethyst's, Dari's and the Open Collar certainly do. Can't remember if this happens all the time or only if the collar's locked.
From: someone
2. Is there an "emergency" override to unlock or remove a collar while in an RLV viewer? Or must the sub use a non-RLV viewer to remove that collar.
As has been said, most have a safeword. Alternatively, if the sub is using RLVa (which is the flavour used by Emerald and most other third party viewers), there's a couple of settings on the viewer that sub could use temporarily to disable some features as an emergency measure and then relog in order to escape nasty situations without having to use a separate viewer or disable RLV altogether.
From: someone
3. What are "keys" ? Are they the same as the Lock/Unlock commands?
Depends on the context, but most often this refers to a specific locking functionality -- which I've never been able to get my head round -- in some of Marine Kelly's own products and ones that use a specific plug-in. It's not part of the general RLV api. Ask in the Real Restraints group in-world about this -- there are people there who understand it.
From: someone
5. Is there any way for an expensive collar to revert to the ownership of the buyer? Can a collar be "assigned" to a sub somehow? Leased or rented?
Not really, though the phenomenally expensive Omega collar supposedly has some feature to stop the sub running off with the collar (or, as I recall, your unlocking it and giving it to someone else, though I might be wrong) unless you pay the maker even more money.
From: someone
(This seems like a good reason not to buy a collar of any value)
I have to say that BDSM relationships in both RL and SL is about, among other things, trust. It is something it has in common with most other RL and SL relationships, of course. And this particularly the case with RLV and SL because you're giving so much power and control to your Master.
So, while it's by no means unusual for the SL sub to pay for his or her own collar -- I did, too --if you're in two minds about whether your sub is going to run off if you give her a sufficiently expensive collar you might want to question whether you and she are right for each other. Trust goes both ways.