There is something going on at Linden Lab that just baffles me. Actually much of the decision making at Linden Lab reminds me of a former significant other of mine from some years ago.
It would appear as though the Lab in general suffers from severe adult ADHD .
The latest fiasco was announced today on the Secondlife forums.
I say fiasco because the Lab took a system that was working...the original help Islands... and destroyed it some months ago. They spent a lot of time and money on the latest "new and shiny" and produced something that I can't imagine anyone with any experience in-world would believe acceptable.
The Help Islands were a place where new residents could learn the very basics of Secondlife without interference...a safe place. All that's left are the current "Welcome Islands"... they did one thing appropriate in my opinion, and that was to stop the gateways. The downside to that though is the gateways did have people there helping nooblets...more below.
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After eight or nine months of the "community gateway" new user experience...that experiment is abandoned, as of today.
Now personally I'm glad to see the gateways go ... they were a transparent attempt to steer new residents to selected venues of commercial use as well as steer them into various role play situations.
The only part of that program I did find really great was that so many of those gateways were language specific...that's so important... in a very strange world, at least you will find yourself able to communicate.
On the down side were those sites such as Fairies, Steampunk, and such.... while those are fine... let's allow nooblets to find those niches on their own...don't drop them into a lifestyle where the nooblet may not understand that all of Secondlife isn't that lifestyle.
I found this comment on the SL website...while it's funny...at least to those who aren't brand new, if I look at it from my perspective of early May 2007.... not so funny.
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Aug 19, 2010 2:28 PM
Marx Dudek says: "A perfect example of how this will work. "
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpiwRN6OA2A
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In case you came here before 2010, this is what the "welcome islands" look like today.
You first rezz inside the "spaceship" looking affair.
If you, as a nooblet loaded the 2.ought oh viewer... ('cause while 1.23.5 is available...it's 'below the fold' so you don't readily see it), you will finally see a way out of this place.
Load any other viewer and you won't see the link to leave. Seems like a door would be easy. Theres 'no build', no way to learn how to open boxes, so you get to wear your first box at a public welcome area........great fodder for older residents to get a chance to "welcome" you.
If you're curious about how this looks to a nooblet, enter Welcome Island Public on your map in-world....teleport. You will land outside the "spaceship" and have to click the little sign above to get teleported inside. No doors.
There were over two pages of welcome islands... as you can see with sixty plus "spaceships", you're chances of finding anyone to get any help from is limited to say the least.
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Now I suspect most of you that read this blog entered Secondlife through one of the below 'Help Islands'. About the only change in the Help Islands since late 2006 was the elimination of a freebie building...I think it was about 2009 when the freebies were placed on sign boards at the far side of the image below.
The great thing about these islands was that access was controlled... if you rezzed a new account and left it there you could help brand new people. Or if you were a Secondlife Mentor you could come and go... all others were prohibited. You, as a new account, could make mistakes...learn how to get around...learn with everyone else without the teasing and griefing that goes on today at various welcome areas and info hubs.
We can hope "The Benevolent Monarchy" will return to these islands.... but in my three years plus here they have shown a lack of willingness to admit any mistakes.
If you, as a nooblet loaded the 2.ought oh viewer... ('cause while 1.23.5 is available...it's 'below the fold' so you don't readily see it), you will finally see a way out of this place.
If you're curious about how this looks to a nooblet, enter Welcome Island Public on your map in-world....teleport. You will land outside the "spaceship" and have to click the little sign above to get teleported inside. No doors.
The great thing about these islands was that access was controlled... if you rezzed a new account and left it there you could help brand new people. Or if you were a Secondlife Mentor you could come and go... all others were prohibited. You, as a new account, could make mistakes...learn how to get around...learn with everyone else without the teasing and griefing that goes on today at various welcome areas and info hubs.
We can hope "The Benevolent Monarchy" will return to these islands.... but in my three years plus here they have shown a lack of willingness to admit any mistakes.
As of April of this year, there were still two "Help Island Public" sims, next to each other and both adjacent to "Orientation Island Public" (left over from when you and I were noobs) -- all not far from the Waterhead Welcome Area. The one I visited (#2) still had the freebie building... with the expected 4- and 5-year-old (or older!) freebies. A surprising number of avvies were using them as hangouts.
ReplyDeleteWhat I'm not at all sure of: what will happen to the "antique" Orientation & Help Islands, or the Welcome Areas, under the new regime. Precedent suggests they'll be left in place, ignored and neglected.