Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Second Life 5th Birthday: June 11

First, a positive note on SL5B.

We received an additional set of artist applications for SL5B and the number of art exhibitors has climbed to 98. (There's nearly 300 performing artists, so we don't have a chance to catch up to them. But we DO have more land area than anyone else.) We couldn't fit all the artists in 3 sims, so I've expanded out to part of a 4th sim. If you come by SL5B during the display, we have the middle three sims on the bottom of the map and part of the right sim on the bottom. The first set of artists are nearly all installed and the second set are just choosing their plots now.

On a less positive note...

They are dropping like flies. The upper management of SL5B, a resident-run organization. First, our head, Marv, quit due to clashes with a heavy-handed Linden. Next, Ariel left. She was Marv's assistant. I understand the same Linden pissed Ariel off enough to make her quit. So, Meghan, Trinity, Phaylen and Dawn stepped up to the plate to try to run this supposedly resident-run organization. Unfortunately, they don't all know each other well and trying to coordinate so many people who don't have a history of working well together ... it was a disaster doomed to happen. So now Dawn is no longer "on the board", Trinity has left the group, Meghan is trying to help everywhere at once. Rumor has it that Phaylen (whom I don't know) is the defacto head. I know that Yadni has dropped out. There's been a major turnover in the music department. Many people from the children's groups had already planned to not-display since it sounded like their work would be booted. Other people are grumbling mightily, but don't yet have the final straw in hand.

I hope it doesn't happen, but if things don't get turned around, I'm about to quit as head of the art department. It would be a damned shame -- I don't want to let the artists down. But the whole child/bdsm/gor thing has gotten out of hand. First LL said "no children, bdsm, or gorean displays". That's a stupid statement. It's divisive and unfair. They also said "PG" which, although restrictive, is understandable and even-handed. (Resident uprisings caused them to rethink their posture.) Now they are saying "you can't have a picture of a child and an adult in the same picture." That's STUPID. Their statement should be "we'll evaluate each picture on a case-by-case basis" and then decide each picture on its REAL MERITS. They also said "no pictures of children around beds". So, kids, don't jump on the beds and don't crawl into your cribs!

I understand the intent of these rules, but the words and the messengers being used are less than perfect.

Grumble-growse. Things had better get better.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for keeping us posted on the events that mark another year in sl. It's been one of many good memories and a few not so great.

SL5B is turning out to be not so great in it's take over. I do not want to squash however the hard work that has been put in by many a great people, lindens and sl residents alike.

Here is hoping that SL6B finds it's voice of reason again and it's "community" feel that this year has lost it's diverse luster of years past.

Anonymous said...

Can you please confirm that a reliable and official source stated "you can't have a picture of a child and an adult in the same picture." in relation to SL5B. Who said that? I have received no official notice of any such restrictions.

My exhibit is supposed to contain photos of SL kids participating in absolutely G-rated activities, such as riding bikes, roller skating, making sandcastles, watching fireworks... Are they serious that a picture of such harmless ativities would be banned if there was a fully-clothed adult anywhere in the picture? That would be insanely heavy-handed.

Maybe I'll just put some tumbleweeds and a text-only sign in the middle of my sandcastle...

Shoshana Epsilon said...

@ceera: Everett Linden said that. He is Dusty's boss.

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Shoshana.

Tyffany Flintoff said...

Well it all just goes to prove the Linden's "Your World. Your imagination" schtick is a complete farce.

Given some of the things I have seen (and done) in the past in Second Life, such puritanical posturing on the Linden's part really is a joke.

/me gives you a grouse to go with your growse.

Unknown said...

Hi, this is Doubledown Tandino speaking from the music side of things (June 12th).
Musicwise & performerwise for the SL5B, this part seems to be shaping up nicely. Just wanted to chime in that there's tons of musicians, singers, and DJs amped and applied to jam.
So, if there is currently a breakdown in the system, lets patch it up...

All info is here: http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/SL5B

As for the music side of things, Roxi and Chel are in charge, and dedicated to producing a phenominal packed lineup:
most of the music SL5B discussion has wound up here: http://slmc.myfastforum.org/about1590.html

Anonymous said...

Throw us all in a blender and we'll get mixed up. Shosh, you have hung on so well, and I know everyone appreciates what you're doing. We've all had a rough time with this one, and I have made some mistakes that I regret in the heat of things, but I've learned from it.

I don't think any of us expected this to be perfect, but I know everyone is doing their best. We have 20 sims full of exhibitors, for the first time ever, the business community is being represented at the birthday. Linden Lab is dedicating an enormous amount of effort toward this event, only dwarfed by the absolutely massive effort of the hundreds of residents who are coming together to participate.

But, to be personal for a moment, its really committment of people like you, Shoshana, who have stayed on even as we get closer to the crunch, that have truly brought this event together.

Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Oops, forgot to put my name in the post above.

Thank you again.

Trin