I wish the Lindens would help new builders.

I think about this every time I read about Linden Homes and I think about this every time I walk across the abandoned region of Odi Freddi. I became a premium member thirty one days after joining SL and I bought my 512 to which I'm very attached. I know a Linden Home would never have interested me. I remember struggling to build a quonset hut on the steps of NMC Campus which have since been zoned no-rezz and in some hapless private island owner's back yard. Yes, I cleaned up my mess, but I thought his beach was a great place to build.

I have always thought that a fair percentage of those willing to make an ongoing committment are builders or wannabe builders or something in between. Sure enough according to http://www.socialresearch.org (I'm not sure I can post the PDF to which they sent me access, but you can find your way to it and ask for it), half of all heavy users of Second Life code either HTML or some other language. Building is easier than coding, and even if pushing prims in a sandbox and digging around in the library for textures doesn't correlate with other types of computer savvy, budding builders make up a measurable minority of premium members. My guestimate is that we are 20% of all premium members.

Maybe Linden Labs figure that people like us will do as I did and buy a 512 somewhere and slap up a shelter or a platform. Three or four dollars is not a barrier once you agree to spend six dollars a month, some of which comes back in Lindens for those wonderful texture uploads.

Maybe Linden Labs thinks that builders will take care of their own just the way those in some of the more recognizeable and dark subcultures will.

Still, I wish Linden Lab would take some of the abandoned area, such as Odi Freddi, and carve out a dozen or so 512's, leaving the rest as roads or open space to allow walking around and keep the neighbors from being absolutely on top of eachother and then just give the land away (maybe with a no-resell stipulation) as blank pieces for those who would rather slap up their own house or plant their own trees, rather than have someone else' prefab.

Would this be difficult? Probably not.

Would I take advantage of it? I have my 512 and don't want to give it up, but home for me is an avacado wood platform and a kitty couch, and I wouldn't mind a bunch of neighbors, who think a purple lean to (Hey it doesn't fall down and the new builder painted it) and a particle machine in the yard is just perfect. Little builders make loyal customers.

And yes the whole Linden Homes thing makes me feel retroactively left out.

Next thing you know you will be looking to buy out your neighbors. Or looking at larger plots altogether somewhere else.

Actually, I am finding myself relinquishing a 2048. I gave four weeks notice. It was fun having the space but NOT worth the price. If I could do public works and landscaping and get paid for it, I'd be the first one lined up for the job, but monetization and the sensation of being nickel and dimed leaevs a very bad taste in my mouth.