"Go Away/AFK When Idle" still broken -- how to vote for it to be fixed

Well, it looks like the "Go Away/AFK When Idle" is still broken even after a few updates. That is, when it was working, when unchecked in the "Client/Character/Character Tests" menu, it allowed one's avatar to never be "away" (even when the client window is minimized) and also to never be involuntarily logged out. Many find it useful for purposes besides camping, and eliminates the need to use an anti-idle device.

So, if you'd like to see this bug fixed sooner rather than later, here's how to add your vote -- if we get enough people here voting, the issue may be raised in priority:

1) Go to: https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/VWR-1406

This should bring up a bug report page entitled 'Unchecking "Go Away/AFK when idle" has no effect in 1.17.2.0'

2) On the left side, if not logged in already, login using your SL name.

3) If you want this bug fixed, click on "Vote For It" (on the left side)

Let's get this bug fixed! Vote for it!

What possible use does this have other than camping?

Why should you not be "away" when you are AFK?

So you don't get logged out. There are a variety of reasons why you may not want to get logged out every half hour if the window is minimized. A lot of shop owners and property managers like to keep the app running while they multi task.

That being said, I tested this, and do not get logged out with the window minimized after 30 minutes of being inactive.

You do have the ability to set how many minutes you have before becoming afk and logged out in the Preferences. Also set 'True' in the debug menu as default (which it is by default anyways, unless you altered it) if you want to be shown as AFK, or False, if you don't. Client, Debug Menu, It's right at the top of the list, click it and change the drop down option, then close the window. Alternatively, wear a anti-afk hud.

I'd vote for the opposite, a foolproof assurance that anyone not active for 30 minutes WOULD be booted.

I second that.

Agreed. I cannot think of any valid reason to be for more then 30 minutes inactive in SL. And if you get logged off, it is easy enough to log in again.

Morwen.

Translation = some people like to idle for long periods in order to increase their traffic count....

You guys are ludicrous. There are many reason why we shouldn't get booted for inactivity. Sometimes I'm working heavily in research, Max or Photoshop, and it's annoying to have to remember to come back in to quickly reestablish my activity.

Also, sometimes I'll sit at my desk in my studio as I run errands, this way it gives the impression that I'm in-world...it's a nice feature. I like to hang out in my studio while I'm AFK so the visitors that come by can see my avatar working at the computer--it's a nice touch.

And don't tell me this isn't necessary, because I could easily go into a huge Role Play discussion on why this makes my SL presence more immersive.

To reiterate my original message, there are two aspects to this issue, but unfortunately we are focusing on one of them while ignoring the other:

1) The av showing as "Away" when either minimizing the client window or when inactive for too long.

2) The av being automatically and involuntarily logged off for being "Away" for 30 minutes.

For #1, there are clearly times when one may be "playing" SL, such as following chat discussion but otherwise not touching the keyboard for a significant time. And there are times when one needs to minimize the client window temporarily to work on something supportive of an SL activity, such as doing image processing. (Minimizing the client window frees up a lot of the computer's resources.)

For these situations, the av will revert to "away" mode and the "Away" message is displayed to others. And, depending upon circumstances, the av will also go into an "away" pose (e.g. head bowed). This is annoying to others, especially if the av user is cycling between active and away, such as minimizing/maximizing the client window while working on supportive applications.

Thus, being able to disable "I am away" (done by unchecking the "Go Away/AFK when Idle" menu item) is a useful feature in SL. And a side effect of this is that the av will never be involuntarily logged out since it is always active.

And let's look at this another way. If this bug is not fixed, we'll see a great increase in users running anti-idle devices, which will suck up more SL resources. Unless Linden issues a TOS essentially disallowing anyone from using an anti-idle device, which would be quite a draconian move, fixing the "Go Away/AFK when Idle" menu item needs to be done.

One should not let their general distaste for campers lead to changes in the system that hurt clearly legitimate needs -- the law of unintended consequences.

(Btw, the default setting for "Go Away/AFK when Idle" has been checked for as long as I remember, meaning that the default for all av's is to show being away when the window is minimized or there's been inactivity for a period of time, and to be logged out when away for 30 minutes. Thus, a user has to take action to change this so as not to show as "away" nor to be logged out for inactivity -- not much different than installing an anti-idle device. I consider this a good compromise setting, and should be sufficient for those here who'd like to see the "bug" described in this thread to remain. To reiterate, if this bug is not fixed, then users will switch back to anti-idle scripts, and so we are all back to square one again -- those who believe that one must always show "away" when away and to be logged out for inactivity need to lobby Linden for a TOS ban on anti-idle scripts. Opposing fixing this bug does nothing, really.)

Immersive for whom? You are AFK doing something else and if a vistor does come in and asks a question or otherwise attempts to engage your avatar it is clear that you are are not actually there. And if they don't attempt to engage they get simply ignored without even a "hello."

I guess I still don't get the issue. It's ALWAYS been an automatic log-out after 30 minutes of inactivity. Since when did it become a 'bug'? It's a good FEATURE.

Understandable.

As noted at the end of my prior message in this thread, the DEFAULT has always been this: when the window is minimized or there's been no activity for a time, the av will go into "Away" mode. If away for 30 minutes, the av will be involuntarily logged out.

However, the user could override this default by unchecking the "Go Away/AFK when Idle" menu item in Client/Character/Character_Tests. When unchecked, the av will never be away no matter what, and thus will also never be auto-logged-out.

The bug is that unchecking it no longer works. So the original DEFAULT is all there is.

My prior messages explain why I think this bug needs to be fixed. But this fix will not change the DEFAULT, but will give the user the ability to override the default for their particular needs.

Hope this makes sense.

What the rest of us don't understand is what particular needs one would have to override the default that do not involve camping or gaming the traffic system? Plenty of us minimize SL go cruise the forums or do stuff in photoshop, after 30 minutes the app starts to flash in the task bar to let you know you are about to be logged out. How hard is it to maximize your window for 20 seconds, click on something, and then minimize again back into photoshop or whatever? This is only a problem for someone who wants to remain logged in to SL when they are away from their computer for longer than 30 minutes - and you will be hard pressed to find much of anyone who supports this usage.

Several of us have given reasons why someone may wish to override the default.

So the question is, why should Linden NOT ALLOW anyone to override this default. What compelling benefit does it serve the SL community to disallow overriding the default?

And related to this, if Linden disables overriding the default via unchecking "Go Away/AFK When Idle", should Linden change its TOS to disallow the use of anti-idle devices? As a few of us have argued, these are comparable. If I can't override the default by unchecking "Go Away...", then I will get some sort of anti-idle device, and we are back to square one.

So, do you think Linden, in its TOS, should ban the use of anti-idle scripts and the like?

The bottom line: if you do not support Linden outright banning anti-idle technologies, then you should support fixing this bug. If you oppose fixing this bug, then you must also support Linden banning the use of anti-idle technologies in its TOS. There is no middle ground finesse here...

Let's take a vote. How many people think that anti-idle should be banned in SL?

Easy for who? You P4 users? I have a P3 (dual 1 ghz), and I always tend to have a browser, and photoshop open on top of SL (somtimes even Max)--do you know how long it takes my computer to think it's way back into SL, and then back to the other application? I rest my case.




Yes it is immersive, regardless whether I answer questions (or have a script say Hello!). My AV is sitting there working on a computer when they come in--it looks cool, and it let's them know that I'm around (researching, working on another app, etc).

What is your problem with me doing this in my own office? Am I hogging up bandwidth?

I understand the campers argument, but that doesn't apply to me. And I think there have been a handful of responses that give adequate resolve.

just don't minimize. problem solved.

I think a new thread and poll could be put up if you're serious about finding out...

What problem solved? My memory problem? Or all problems?

It would be nice if you could log off, and keep the program open. That way you are not on line, but can quickly log on without having to go through the tedious (and lengthy) process of re-opening the program.

LOL

if you don't minimize, then you are considered active, and you won't be logged off. THAT problem solved. still gotta have that AFK button unlicked tho.

As noted in the message that started this thread, if you believe the "Go Away/AFK while idle" bug should be fixed, do vote for the fix. There's no guarantee that voting will effect any change, but since voting is so easy, why not? Get your voice heard!

Voting is done by going to:

https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/VWR-1406

After logging in with your SL name, you can then vote (see the left side for the voting link/instructions.) If you have any difficulty in registering a vote, do not hesitate to contact me via SL IM.

Thanks!

I voted for it. Thanks Kell for making us aware of where we could help to get this fixed.

Could be like some of the older games where everyones AV just stays where they logged out perhaps, that would look cool 6.5M residents all standing around, Land would seel we could use Bulldozers to push them into piles or into terrain holes then prim them in