Why so many RUDE people?

Thanks Earl, I may just do that.

I was on my virtual slice of heaven just now tidying up the graves and pumpkins, etc, from Halloween, when along came, oh, let's call her, Nubee Avatar. She walked right past me - almost cannoned into me. I said hello but there was no response. I'd never seen her before so checked her profile, and sure enough she was a newbie - the newest of newbies - rez day 1 Nov 2006. I charitably assumed she didn't know I was talking to her, although we were the only 2 people there, or that she hadn't yet mastered the complicated procedure we practiced SL-ers call chat.

Anyway, back I went to my tidying up and seconds later Nubee came back. "Ah," sez I to myself. "She's realised I was talking to her." So again I said hello, and this time I addressed her by name, just so she'd know that I was talking to her and not the hedges, trees, or Gov Linden (God bless 'im). Nada. Zippo. Zilch. I was just about to invite her to have a ride on my carousel, when a creaking sound told me she'd found the swings.

I walked over, stood in front of the swings and said that I hope she was enjoying her first day in SL. Silence. I went a few meters away to adjust my summerhouse and had my back to the swings when a sepulchral voice (well it looked sepulchral) said, "It is not my first day". Now we Europeans would write today's date as 1/11/2006, so I virtually blushed wondering if I'd misread it and was talking to someone who had been here longer than I. Or perhaps it was 2005 and not 2006 when she joined. Oh the shame of it. But no, there it was - 11/1/2006. I said as much to her and then added that she must be an alt. No response - just the creaking of the swings and the howling of the SL wind.

I went back to the swings and welcomed her to my parcel. I thought perhaps she was the kind of person who thinks chatting to the domestics is beneath her, so I wanted her to know that I was Lady of all this Vast Domain. Nothing.

A little peeved by now I said that it had been nice chatting with her and added three exclamation marks. Then, feeling a bit like Apu in The Simpsons, I said "Do come again!" and logged off.

Does anyone else think this is boorish behaviour? A simple "hello" back was all that was needed. She clearly spoke at least some English, so that wasn't the reason for not responding at all.

I've been fortunate that I've met mostly nice people in my 4 weeks in SL. I can understand people wanting to put up barriers, I probably would if my area had a high "drop in" rate. However one time I was flying around and I bumped into one that said "F*** YOU" - I thought that was quite unnecessary SOMEBODY's pissy...

I find the desire most people have to prevent drop-ins rather interesting. Me, I love it when random people show up at my lake, and always fly over to say hello when I spot someone visiting.

Non Player Characters. They would be the Barnies in Half-life, the Inn's keepers in Diablo, etc. They are computer controlled, limited repitoire and conversation devices. People when they fist come into SL may be expecting to be running into literally dozens of these non-player types when they see everyone running about in their avatars. Mine is a little unearthly in simulation, so on top of gaping stares, the usual newbie question is, "R u a NPC?!" When I tell them no - I am a real person, they then usually ask, "Can I shoot u w/ my gun?" to which I point them to an avatar next to me - "You may shoot him." :>

Just kidding, I usually get silent when a new person asks where they may use or purchase weapons, as that is not the point of being in a *SIMULATOR*. Not to me at anyrate. Sometimes, newbies can be bent from a path of self-destruction. I have kindly guided a fellow online from one of these "Shoot everything that walks and get banned from 3-4 sims a day" types into a decent, productive member of our online family. Took him a while to catch on that there were real people running around in their virtual make-believe bodies. It turned him around 180 degrees when he realized that. He hung up his gunbelt, got a job, and is purchasing his first land soon! So even if they are rude little peckers, treat them well...

They'll usually come back, you being the ONLY person that will talk to their rude little faces - and that is when you begin to sculpt and mold them into model citizens. In the case of your spooky swing user? I have a spooky little girl that follows me around, TPs in unannounced/uninvited. I just do not acknowlge her in the least. Conversation of any type, including "Get out!" percipitates at least an hour of listening to why her life sucks so badly. After 5 minutes of talking around her to other friends - she moves on. Sometimes attentivores have better targets of opportunity after you clam up. I seriously think some folks do or don't do things just to get any kind of a rise out of folks too. So someone that responds with "I am not new here." with and account just made that day - well, start thinking about why that may be- especially if they cannot carry on an intelligent, courteous conversation. Ignore, and leave be - they'll take care of themselves one way or another.

Enough rambling out of me for now, I'll let you guys talk about this one amongst yourselves for a turn or three.

Backing up what you say though, I went to an event and the screen was just so jammed with names and titles flitting around the place I couldn't see my fiancee on the other side of the dance floor!

I guess because they can be.. Let's face it, if some of these "walking paradox" would behave the same way in RL they would most certainly end up in the hospital on a weekly basis...

I wouldn't mind splitting a few lips noa and then! but what can you do.

Indeed. However that's not a case of rude behavior...but rather preference settings. I have mine set to display names temporarily. You could try setting your own to never.

I've been .......... yelled at for the inexcusable sin of standing on the TP point waiting for the room to rez...
...

Good grief! I don't have the time to back-read THIS one!

Name tags Conan. What you say is quite true but on the other hand, one of the biggest tools for breaking down the social barriers is being able to address someone? Surely going into a club or pub and eyeing a prospective friend, it's so much nicer to say "Hello Conan" rather than "excuse me, the person next to the winged dwarf"
Backing up what you say though, I went to an event and the screen was just so jammed with names and titles flitting around the place I couldn't see my fiancee on the other side of the dance floor!

You can take your mouse button and hover over the ava as well to find out thier name: setting your preferences to temporary means you see the tags for a breif five seconds if You missed thier name use your mouse as described above.