Is Resident Answers Significant?

I've been here for a long time. I take January off from several anti-social habits I enjoy the rest of the year.

Pep (Posting that is, I was still lurking; but weren't the forums soooooo boring last month!)

PS And they are even worse now that everyone seems to think that they have permission to wallow in self-pity and nostalgia. Tears! Over a website. I've seen it all now . . .

I did that just last night - I'd found here in these forums the answer to getting voice to work for Emerald on a Mac, and passed it on to an acquaintance inworld, with instructions to pass it on to anyone she ran across with the same problem.

I've posted a few questions in my short time here - just coming up for a month, now - and I've received accurate, speedy, friendly answers every time.

Can't say as I'm filled with confidence that the new forum/blog/thing will be nearly as helpful.

Didn't realize how many times I sent "regular" people here, until this week, and have had to stop to explain to them to get here right away, it is closing.

There's no question in any of our minds whether it is "significant" or not. The "regular" people are immersed inworld, and having a ton of fun ....but we take info back to them, or we send them here to get tid-bits as they need them, so they can have a ton more fun.

Just in the last few days, I've encountered people who:

1) are starting a business, and need a free advertising plug asap . half a dozen people on this one

2) are looking for a good mall with real traffic - and what is "real" traffic? explanation on that

3) have questions on how to use the rental management devices

4) are looking for the best bathroom furniture

5) are looking for the best roleplay sims

6) are needing help on subdividing their land, with some group function stuff thrown in

7) are trying to find a list of infohubs

are looking for good landlords

There are more.

I always had the forum pulled up. A few quick clicks, and the page they needed was in their IM, within a few minutes. Someone tell us how the heck we can do that, with the new blogoramaforumthingy.

If anyone has one ounce of doubt as to the significance of this forum....that's going to be cleared up by late next week....it will hit you then. Sure it will be archived, but the info will not be timely. In 30 days or less, it will be out of date.

Of course the answer is "no". Once again, LL demonstrates that even though they sell a communications platform, they have no clue about communication. Even though they have a product that encourages the development of online communities, they have no clue about how online communities are created and nurtured.

The Lindens are the Gods of our little virtual world...and, just as in Real Life, the Gods are crazy.

And appear to be made entirely of clay.

According to the Quick Links, Who's OnLine right now there are

181 members and 0 guests
Most users ever online was 3632, 07-19-2006 at 07:23 PM.

No telling how many total numbers of accounts have used these forums, but they appear to me to be many of the most active and most vocal residents and creators in Second Life.

I know if I hadn't been able to glean some knowledge and feeling of community from here I may have given up on SL in early days.

I know I have gone on to help at least 10 or so newbs to grow into residents. I don't know if that is significant.