The Download On Second Life's Meltdown

umm beggin yer pardon....no :/. to make such a blanket statement like that makes you just as bad as that "reporter". true, the market for it is huge, but i don't believe as many are participating in it as much as you think.

Gambling is gone because there's a U.S. federal law that forbids U.S. citizens and companies from facilitating online wagering. AFAIK, there is no U.S. federal law yet that forbids the viewing of cartoon pixel sex.

This one is for mah fellow Americans:

Instead of complaining to Linden Lab about the gambling ban (in numerous redundant posts), maybe you should consider writing your Representatives and Senators urging them to change the law. LL is only covering their asses on the issue and (in my opinion) they are not the bad guys this time.

Agreed. If the law is disagreeable to you, let them know.

They are operating a business to make money, just like every other business in the world. Why should LL be any different?

Can you cite a source for your 90% of people pay with Pay Pal? or it just a number you pulled out of your ass to support your "Be EVIL" and "The sky is falling" mantras?

I wonder how much Blizzard paid him to plug WoW.

They gave him that spiffy ensemble he wore to the interview.

That's right. It will be better as there will be less people in it. All those who are just interested in a quick buck or a quick f**k will leave, and only those of us who are interested in building and creating will be left. LL will make a bit less money, but they'll survive.

Infact, business might improve. Getting rid of the gamblers/casino owners will allow them to return to the way things used to be, thus giving them a second chance to start again and get it right this time. It'll be Second Life 2, and some lessons will have been learned hopefully.

I don't have any figures to support this, but my gut tells me that it's the creators and people who just want to "hang out" that put the most real life money into SL, and the casino owners who take the most away from it. I don't know anyone who ever used real life money to gamble with in SL personally - only people who played SLingo with money ther made in SL itself.

Pity they didn't pay to sort out his bad teeth then.

How would a Linden delete a video on Forbes.com?

Anyway, it's a nice video. Contains some truths, slightly exaggerated but nonetheless true. And great advertising too: The words "cybersex" and "sex" were mentioned all over. Every publicity...

Who cares i cant see it anyways

Finally watched the video today.

On Corporations
===========
I think the girl had more points the Dave did. Coporate failings in SL are the corporation's own fault because they ahve no clue what they are doing in SL. LL doesn't help that as THEY have no idea what is going on in SL anymore.

Instead of whining and pulling out, those corporations should be going to the right spot for advice and consultation....the successful Resident buisnesses. Try asking Anshe Chung how to to run a buisiness. Or Luc Aubret, or Timeless Prototype, or Compulsion Overdrive, Or Francis Chung, Or, Siggy (owner of Siggy's Waterworks), Or Misbehavin Neva, or, or or...

NOTE: Notice not ONE of those listed is into gambling or cybersex, Dave.

On Gambling
========
Did the pull out of the casino operators hurt the SL economy? Of course it did. Anyone that thinks this was a big revelation to LL is an idiot.

However, like Dave actually said in his "review", LL had legal concerns on this issue. They took the loss to prevent a bigger loss in the future. What does this say to me? This says that LL is playing the bigger, long-term game. Apparently, LL is concerned enough about legal recourses to take such a loss of profit in the short term, and a company the size of LL only does such if they think they can recoup such losses in the future of the buisness.

The "bank" failing may, or may not, be related to ban on wagering. Personally, I feel it had a big impact, but was only a single factor. I shied away from such banks in SL because in my buisiness mindset, I thought such a venture was on very shakey ground. I still feel that way. Running a bank in SL would be akin to "playing" on the Stock Market. Too low a value for too high a risk. Add to the fact that banks in SL must play the dual-economy of both SL and RL. SL economy for the trust and actual revenue, and RL for the investments to make such a venture profitable. Even if succesful, such ventures are going to run the razored edge line between success/failure. In this type of market there is no middle ground. Either you make it, or you break it.

On Cybersex
========
Is it a big part of SL? Ummm...one word, Dave....DUH!!!

It also is in WoW (which is probably what Dave is doing in WoW when he plays it in his parents basement), and in RL. Sex is one of humanity's overriding foces. Why do we go to clubs, dances, parties, bars, movies, dinners in RL? To meet the opposite sex. Any single person is usually out looking for a mate. Those with mates are out doing things with them. All other times are the small %.

How much sex impacts a person in SL depends on that person. Some do so a lot, some a moderate amount, and some, not at all. Same as in RL. Some go to work, come home and never leave the bedroom. Som lead a balanced life, and some are either focused on work, or still looking for that special someone.

So yes, cybersex is a major part of SL. Mainly because of how much SL mirrors RL.

Closing
=====

Personal opinion. Forbes should concider getting Dave some training in journalism and on how to investigate aspects fully. He should definately be pulled from journalism reguarding economics because he has demonstrated a complete lack of knowledge in this field, focusing instead on the "sensationalism" of the report.

In short, Forbes lost credibility with me by even allowing that clib to be aired without going over the facts.

Simple statement that I've said before and will state again: SL is huge and anything you want you can find. Your World. Your Imagination. If all you look for is sex, that is all you will find. Want to find something else? Stop looking for sex and look for something else.

~Jessy

It is rather unfortunate that some people only think of money when they think of SL. Of course what do you expect from this dweeb at Forbes who most likely sold his mother years ago to get to where he is in the rat race. If he thinks I am nothing but a loser since I choose to come here to explore the virtual world of SL, well he probably thought I was already a loser to begin with since I do not worship the almighty dollar like he does. He can have his villa in the Hamptons. His world does not interest me.

SL means many things to many people. If all that SL means to some of you is sex, gambling and setting up some mall to sell sell sell. Well so be it. Nothing I say will ever change you. But that is not what SL means to me. To me SL is about meeting new people from all over the world, making friends, spending time with these friends, dancing, watching live SL musicians, exploring and just getting away from the troubles of RL. Plus while I am not a disabled person, how cool is SL for the disabled community. Tell me where in RL can a wheel chair bound person be able to just explore, go dancing or skydiving? Did this money hungry shark from Forbes ever stop to think about what SL means to the disabled community?

I am currently checking out the 911 Twin Tower rebuild memorial site sim (Foresta 133,65,21 and it is quite surreal to be here. I have also checked out some great cultural sims (like a recent addition which models the city of Venice), some of the great gardens such as the Botanical Gardens and Svarga. OMG I discovered that I can ride a chain lift and go snowboarding yesterday (Alpine Executive Center) and I also discovered another mountain resort with some romantic get away cabins we can rent (Wolf Mountain) and it was funny there I was in the middle of RL summer getting dressed in my cute sweater and getting into doing some winter activities like skiing and skating.

No I am actually sorry for all these people who only view SL as a place for gambling, sex and endless pursuit of the almighty dollar. I may be a loser in the eyes of that dweeb from Forbes. But I am a loser who is discovering a new world where doing things here is much more easy in SL than I can do out there in RL. This girl is happy exploring the world of SL and she knows she has a few quality friends all with their own unique talents beyond the pursuit of the almighty dollar here in SL as well.

Odd that I've found so much to occupy my time with in SL without having sex in SL ever, and while hanging around with many others in similar shoes.

Is there a lot of it? Ya. Is it a big part of the SL economy? Sure. Is SL "about" sex? Hardly.



Ya, I've noticed dat too. Never really an understanding of the world as a whole. The reporters basically remain at the same stage as many who come to these forums and post "I'm bored, hat should I do now?" threads.

The problem is that SL is objective-less, and allows you to do (mostly) anything. You have to think and create what you want to do, essentially. This is not easy to report on in any simple fashion. An these reporters want a simple piece.



Ya, it's like the web in 1997, when companies started to take to it - then could not understand why no one was surfing their one page, static advertising image website.

Of course, the web was doomed to failure after that



The sad thing? He prob'ly has his job *because* of his ability to sensationalize.

Mari

Focusing on sensationlism in lieu of fully researching the facts and placing them in proper context to assure accuracy is a "hallmark" of Forbes journalistic "integrity." How do you think Ewalt got his job? Forbes has never had any credibility with me. Forbes is the business version of a tabloid dressed up in a fancy suit and just another example of the sad standards of American mainstream journalism.

I dont give a monkeys toss what this pompous git says.....I shall be here building and avoiding ppl like him for as long as I can

When a "business analyst" doesn't know the difference between a bank and a ponzi scheme, I'd take the rest of what he says with a grain of salt.

I speculate that he,Dave, was one of those noobs with the giant plastic penis' and the groovy jeans and sandles..I'm sure he didnt shop for clothes, hair, skin, accesories..and i can almost bet you my ham sandwich that he went LOOKING for sex related things, not actually looking for other things that actually go on in SL, maybe hanging in a biker sim, or a furry sim or a walk in central park..hmmm

You are my newst hero!

in my time here i have heard about at least 5 other online worlds that were gtoing to replace SL, i have heard on thye average of about every other month that a new policy, or invention, or bug, is teh death of SL...i dunno how many people who claim they don't bother to come inworld anymore go on and on about how SL was going to be a ghost town by this time next year, SL if FAR from perfect, i am haveing my own issues with some of LL's decsions but it is pretty simple, if you are not enjoying it, leave if you are enjoying it stay and enjoy!

I just listened to this clip and if I were this man I'd be embarrased. He made himself look like such a fool on so many levels its unbelievable. This man actually called himself a loser and did not even realize it.

He criticizes SL for being predominantly about sex and gambling and that nothing but losers play it, yet under the same breath he admitted he couldn't resist himself from coming back time and time again. He tried to take the high road however, by saying that he kept trying to give SL "a second chance." Rigggght!! lol.

He personifies one of these bitter SL residents who hate SL and LL for any of a number of business decisions made by LL, but instead of leaving quietly decides to hang around and bash LL at every given opportunity.

The loser is not he or she who logs on to their Second Life without fanfare, creating, spending time with friends, exploring and just finding interesting things to do. The loser is he or she who hangs around the Second Life platform and its community forum, endlessly criticizing the platform and its company, even though its apparent that the platform and its company makes them miserable.

But... but... to who have I to complain and let know that I disagree?

Oh wait a sec... I don't gamble online...

Morwen.

Disable your adblocker...

On the subject. I'm not sure where all the negative reporting is coming from. I'm assuming it's some kind of either 'it wasn't us' or guilt trip, from all those reporters who first overhyped the world, being clueless about it. Now all screaming... what we said earlier (which was not true), is not true! I actually find it kind of childish.

For once i would like one of the reporters to fess up and say. "Yes, i had no idea what i was talking about the first time i wrote an unfounded glamourous story about SL. And I was wrong in my reporting then. I actually have no clue about the inner workings, the social dynamics and the economic structures that play a role in a place like that."

Thank you. Seems to be worse then that. Because all other sites i can see vedio. But that site I can`t.

I keep trying thank you

Usagi

wow.. I'm somebody's hero

thats a first!

love,
imogen

Darn, I thought I had something to say, but after reading all of the above. The only thing I have to offer is people RUN..Run as fast as you can to your bank and withdraw everything.


I said RUN, because there won't be any banks left after they get done cutting and running themselves.

I talked today to what is now the biggest Bank and stock exchange on second life. I brought up that the companies weren't honoring the stock prices that were listed. not more the 10 minutes after are conversation it was announced that they are going to review their entire listed companies...


Did I say RUN

OBTW..this is a makeup world..so take this as a made-up person telling you made-up people to get your made-up money out of the made-up banks or your going to loose your made-up asses

The casino's have hurt and if you don't think so, then you need to take your made-up brain to a made-up shrink.