Reflections on The SL18B

 

"Ebbe is gone, but Second Life goes on." That was the message the Lindens were sending at this year's Second Life Birthday. There were other details. But the recent death of CEO Ebbe Altberg overshadowed them.

Last year, there were no great revelations at the SL17B Linden and Mole discussions. The Lab wanted to reassure the residents the move to The Cloud was going smoothly, and it was offering new types of Linden Homes and expanding the Bellisseria continent. But those details would soon be overlooked as days later came news of Linden Lab being acquired. So for two years in a row, the announcements made by the Lab were in the shadow of other news around the time. 

But what the Lab did have to say this year was noteworthy. They announced the new class of upcoming Linden Homes: fantasy. They also announced the continued expansion of Bellisseria to place the neighborhoods of these now homes. There would be new starter avatars and a new starting area for new residents. The Lab stated it was getting closer to having a chat app available for mobile devices (and a few weeks later they would announce Apple had accepted one). There was an acknowledgement by Brett Linden that the Lab hadn't done quite enough to promote nonhuman avatars, such as furries, in the past. And of course there was the first time one of the Lab's new owners appeared in an interview to speak to the residents. 

The overall layout of the sims seemed similar to last year's to me, especially the entry area. While it wasn't the exact same layout as the trees had some giant mushrooms mixed in with them, it did have much the same feel (As my viewer does not see the EEP feature for skies, perhaps there was effort in there that I missed). It was notable that for the first time, the sims didn't have a number in their names, called "SLB" instead of SL18B." Perhaps the latter will be how the Lab names the sims from now on.

While the Cake Stage from previous SLB events is still missed, the design of this year's stage to look a little like a turtle got some compliments. For the first time, there was a Skill Game area.

And of course there were the exhibits. Like last year, the Lab informed the exhibitors they weren't going to be overly strict to keeping in theme. While some took advantage of that, other exhibitors tried to stay within it. The result was an interesting mix of exhibits that helped make "The Birthday" worth going to, notably once the music events were all over.

It was noteable that soon after the celebration ended came the announcement from the Lab that it's chat app for mobile devices would soon be ready. If not for the passing of the late CEO, this might have been what the event would have been remembered for.

Despite the overall layout being so similar to last year, it was a good SL18B. Exactly what next year has in store, who knows. Probably a new kind of Linden home. Perhaps a new game, or maybe a new continent (unless they keep growing Bellisseria). 

And thank you for what you've done, Ebbe Altberg.

Bixyl Shuftan
 

The Ebbe Altberg Memorial

 

Linden Lab's Fourth CEO now has his lasting memorial in Second Life.

Just after the Lab's leader Ebbe Altberg's passing was announced on June 4, Patch Linden would say that there would be a permanent inworld memorial erected for him. On Sunday July 13, Evangeline Ling, posted in the Second Life forums that she had found it. 

"I spotted this today while out on a routine flight in my Goose around Bellisseria.  Thank you to Patch Linden, Abnor Mole and the entire team of Lindens and Moles for memorializing Ebbe Altberg (Ebbe Linden) in such a beautiful way!"

The memorial is on an island in the middle of a lake, with log homes and a railroad track not far away. A stone path leads from the shore of the island up to a bronze statue. Around it's base are a number of candles. A plaque reads "Ebbe Altberg: 1964-2021 Always in our hearts." Just above it is what looks like a book with a likeness of Altberg on the left, and on the right Patch's announcement of his death. Abnor Mole would say of the candles, "The unlit candles you can touch to light in his memory. The ones that have gone out anyone can touch again to renew them, and they are ready to be lit again."

 http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Altberg/139/134/58
 
Bixyl Shuftan
  

News and Commentary: Looking Back At Ebbe Altberg

 

When Ebbe Altberg was made CEO of Linden Lab in February 2014, the reception overall seemed to be cautious optimism. Under the direction of Rod Humble, the Lab had gotten itself out of financial difficulties. But not all was well. The events in which Lindens and Residents met up were gone and there was talk of a "no fratenization" policy. With the Terms of Service controversy, some content creators were worried the vauge language in one part of the ToS gave the Lab the right to claim their content to claim and sell as their own. A few were leaving to the Opensim grids, notably InWorldz. While Linden Lab had made or bought a number or spinoff products, only one was making much money. Ebbe Linden, as he was soon known, would later say, "when I came here, the users were a little bit angry (and) there was a disconnect between the Lab and ... the residents," and that some of the Lab's policies "didn't make much sense."

But in April, he got attention and praise for speaking plainly about the Terms of Service issue, and in months the controversial wording was changed to the satisfaction of most residents. Communication between the Residents and the Lindens improved greatly under him, with "Meet the Lindens" events at the Second Life Birthday, and also the Best Practices in Education event, as well as occasional Town Hall meetings. He was a believer in making an effort for transparency and openness.

Under Ebbe Altberg, Second Life's long slow decline in terms of both sims and active users would halt, and eventually began to grow again. While practically everyone appreciated that, some weren't so sure about another move of the Lab's under Ebbe Linden's watch: the way residents in Second Life paid money to them. Sim tiers were reduced, as well as set-up fees, making land cheaper to get and more importantly cheaper to keep. But Linden Lab had to make up the money somewhere, and did so by increasing the fees to buy Linden dollars. This was the equivalent of reducing real-estate taxes but raising sales taxes. Some residents complained. Others had mixed feelings as even if they didn't own a sim, their favorite places were more likely to last. Under his watch, the Tila company was created. Eventually, it would not only handle Second Life's money transactions, but also Sansar's and a third virtual world: Upland.

Under Ebbe Linden, the Lindens were able to accomplish what under his prececessor they couldn't: bring back last names for accounts; or rather, make last names an option by allowing residents to change them. Some resident's had mixed opinions due to the high fee, and to a lesser extent the choices available (which in my opinion were reasonble ones, given the Lab's options). But overall the residents were happy.

When he was interviewed by Hamlet Au in 2019, at times Ebbe Altberg seemed to have an understanding of Second Life that previous CEOs Mark Kingdom and Rod Humble lacked, at one point commenting it was his opinion "Adult" marked sims didn't always mean X-rated activities, but that the users valued their privacy. He also expressed an enthusiam for it at times, supposedly saying "We are still the s**t when it comes to virtual worlds."

Not everything went well under Ebbe Altberg. It was under his watch that a customer service mishap caused the end of the SS Galaxy as an active area. While preserved by the Lab, it would never be the active resident-run place it was. A similar mishap caused the first Steelhead community to fold. Another customer service mishap almost caused the end of the noted Grendles mall, but the actions of residents saved it. One controversial move was the banning of Linden resellers, making resident-run Linden exchange services no longer permitted. While the idea for Sansar came about under the previous CEO, it was under Ebbe Altberg in which it came about. But Second Life residents were unimpressed and only a handful of people were spending much time there. While a few felt it was an idea worth trying, most residents saw Sansar as a mistake, and the reaction to it's sale was along the lines of "It's about time." Linden Lab would also see a couple rounds of layoffs, related to Sansar's lack of success.

Two moves later in Ebbe Altberg's term also got some controversy from the residents. One was the move of Second Life's data to Amazon Cloud servers. Altberg's Lab stated that it would eventually improve performance and allow for a reduction in fees. But as the move was being done, there were a number of bugs and glitches that the residents openly complained about, and the Lab had to acknowledge and ask for patience. Today, while some residents say there's been some improvement, notably with sim crossings, others say they've only noticed continued glitches such as inventory issues.

And then there was the sale of Linden Lab to a team of investors. Under the terms, Linden Lab would retain a good deal of autonomy and continue to make just about all of it's decisions on it's own. And no doubt this meant more money for the Lab to continue to improve and develop Second Life. But naturally many residents were very worried, some fearing the new owners were only out for a quick buck and jack up tier and fees while cutting development and customer service, or worse. But a year later, the virtual world continues to run smoothly.

There have been numerous comments on the SL forums. Among them: Prokofy Neva, "I remember my main impression was that he was normal. Normal! That may seem funny, but we have had some rather eccentric leaders, who could get pretty wild, and while that is good in the early start-up stages, at some point the grown-up has to come along." ArgontheDevil Ormega, "He understood that SL was unlike any other business in that the relationship between the Lab and the Residents was not purely business.  That is why we mourn his passing.  He was not just the CEO of the company.  He was, in a very real sense, one of us." Trinity Yazimoto, " Ebbe arrived with a positive and friendly attitude (at the opposite of his predecessor). He was humble and open mind. Ebbe gave back SL its stability. Ebbe made SL a better place and i will remember him for this."

While the cause of Ebbe's passing has not been officially released, it has been made known he was sick for two years. But instead of stepping down, he continued to run the company. Inara Pey would write, "It is clear that illness did not in any way blunt his determination." Hamlet Au would comment, "One insider told me that his illness didn't undo him, but rather, gave him a serene confidence in his mission and his life course." Eventually, he would make fewer appearances inworld, his last one being at Oz Linden's retirement party in February 2021. And his last comment on his Twitter was in November last year. He would not speak at the Education conference in March, Patch Linden taking the lead instead.

Linden Lab founder Philip Rosedale was quoted by Hamlet Au as saying, "I can't say enough about Ebbe. He was such a warm, smart, optimistic person who was loved by everyone he came into contact with. I will miss him a lot, and we were so lucky to have him."

So in conclusion, Ebbe Altberg made a good CEO of Linden Lab. Not everything under him went perfectly, but under his leadership Second Life bounced back from it's slow decline and went on the upswing. The virtual world is doing better and it's future is looking better than in over a decade. Second Life still faces some challenges, such as the question of will those who returned during the Pandemic stay and the increasing popularity of VRChat among younger users of virtual worlds. But Ebbe Altberg's time at the helm of the Lab can only be considered a success.

"Sleep well Ebbe, thank you for everything."

Other tributes: Daniel Voyager, Moden World, New World Notes

SL Forums: RIP Mr. Altberg

Bixyl Shuftan
 

More On Ebbe Altberg's Passing

 Since the announcement of Linen Lab's CEO Ebbe Altberg yesterday, there have been numerous tributes to him. On the Relay track, someone placed his Linden bear next to a luminary (picture from Trader Whiplash). 

 
At the Linden Memorial Park sim, both Moles, Lindens, and regular residents gathered at the central area as a way of paying respects. The sim was often packed, and people sometimes had to wait to come in.

While the statement from Linden Lab did not mention how Ebbe Altberg died, talking to some people, the cause of death was given as cancer. Ebbe had been sick for some time, and chose not to have anything revealed about it. His last appearance inworld was the retirement party for Oz Linden on February 23. He made no posts on his Twitter since November.

There is a post on the official forums (link). 

Patch Linden stated inworld that there will be a memorial for Ebbe Altberg at the Second Life Birthday, and eventually there will be a permanent one inworld. There has been no announcement yet of who the next CEO will be, and there may not be one for days or weeks. 

Stay tuned for more information

Bixyl Shuftan
 

BREAKING NEWS: Linden Lab Announces CEO Ebbe Altberg Has Died

 

Ebbe Altberg, Linden Lab's CEO, is gone. He passed away on the afternoon of Thursday June 3.

This afternoon, Patch Linden posted the news on the official blog:

As I am here before you today, it is with profound sadness that I share with you Ebbe passed away yesterday evening restfully and surrounded by the love of his family. 

I commit to all of you to carry forward with our mission of making Second Life the biggest, best, most vibrant virtual world that there ever can be.  Together, myself, Grumpity, and Brett, along with Oberwolf at the helm and the entire team, our mission is clear.  To grow Second Life and to ensure the Residents in Second Life continue to be respected and happy.

No cause of death was listed. Ebbe was in his mid-fifties.

Stay tuned for further details.

SL Video: "1st Question - It's The Guru Edition"

(Click here if the video does not play)

Last month on Sunday June 28, Pooky Amsterdam's game show "The 1st Question" had it's first airing in eight years. "The Guru Edition" was done in honor of Paradox Olbers, the founder of the Spindrft and many of the Sci-Lands sims, whom had passed away last year. Pooky's co-host Hydro Shaftoe also returned, along with her crew of tinies.

There were for contestants in this game: Troy McLuhan, Korii Tiger, Jimbo Perhaps. and Ebbe Linden. Ebbe would win the "Word Up" part of the show with "Laginator," and go on to win at the end.

News and Commentary: Mixed Reaction to Buyout of Linden Lab

Well, that was a surprise.

Occasionally, there's a rumor that Linden Lab is talking to someone behind the scenes in negotiations to sell Second Life or be bought out. This was especially the case in 2010 in the months following the layoffs of a third of the staff. But while the Lab has made deals with other companies, the last time having sold Sansar to Wookey, there have been no negotiations about either the ownership of itself or Second Life (at least officially). That is until yesterday when in a Press Release, Linden Lab announced it had been "Acquired" by a group of investors.

It didn't take long for news to spread, and there's been no shortage of comments, such as the thread in the official forums. There's no shortage of predictions of doom, "Second Life is dead." "We're so screwed." "Damn I cannot believe it, after 13 years its time to say good bye, I guess, that sucks. I mean you put 13 years of your life into something and wham its gone just like that."

And there's more than a little pessimism, "But after being let down by Blizzard, Bioware and Bethesda, I'm usually not rooting for any company to get investors on board nowadays." "This is worrying indeed, I've always been more in favor of a company remaining independent from outside influences, and this is basically... the opposite." "Investment groups are typically parasites that contribute very little while sucking companies dry."

Some others were more optimistic, such as those pointing out Linden Lab founder Philip Rosedale quoted as saying, "I’ve known Brad for 14 years personally and professionally, and I’m confident he will bring his passion and proven strategies to help Linden Lab achieve new heights in distribution, scale, and quality while remaining true to the original vision, creativity, and community that makes Second Life unique and special.” And then there was the track record of Oberwager, "My ... thought was that this fellow buying the outfit seems to have more business success (with this sort of better Task Rabbit thing called Jyve) and more experience than the past lab technicians, and that's a good thing."

And there were those suggesting it was too soon to make conclusions, "I need to wait and see what Ebbe has to say from his side on this to us the users of SL before I get overly excited." "I've worked for several companies that got taken over by investment companies.  What happens next falls into two categories ... Things run smoothly for a year or so, then the investment company starts asset stripping piece by piece. ... The investment company...invests.  They take a loss on the initial purchase, a loss on the initial investment but have a road plan to regain that investment back in 2 to 5 years. ... THIS is the kind of investment company we can hope has taken over Linden Research, the type of company who are in it for the long haul. We will find out (probably by the beginning of next year) if the investment company who took over is path 1, or path 2." "After careful consideration, I have decided not to freak out just yet."  "Hope for the best. Plan for the worst. Expect nothing.That's it. Speculation is lovely and all but being panicked will not help whatsoever."

And of course there was humor, "I guess that guy that's been perving us all and IMing with only 'hi' all these years finally got the money to buy the thing."

It was also suggested that the negotiations for the buyout were the reason that there were no big revelations in the Meet the Lindens event at the Second Life Birthday this year.

Ebbe Altberg/Ebbe Linden would try to answer these concerns from residents on Twitter, saying Linden Lab was free to make it's own decisions, "No plan for drainage here. Great to remain independent. Everyone motivated to build and grow."

Brett Linden would finally step in the thread with his comments, "A few folks are speculating that this is the end of SL and nothing could be further than the truth. Any talk of dismantling or radically changing the fundamentals of SL that we know and love is inaccurate. While we can't get into specific details about the deal itself, I want to emphasize the fact that this keeps Linden Lab as an independent venture led by two investors who have a great deal of awareness about what SL is and isn't. They are excited to join and help us grow both SL and Tilia while also respecting and recognizing the needs and sensitivities of the existing culture and community. " When asked when more information was forthcoming, he answered, "We look forward to being able to share more as soon as we can and I know that Brad (Oberwager) is eager to meet the community as we get closer to the closing/approval date." Bret would go on to say that Oberwager would get an avatar and come inworld, for the Lab Gab show and meeting people elsewhere inworld. A couple Lindens, including Grumpity, would poke fun at the doom and gloom by wearing signs proclaiming "The end of the world is coming!"

My own opinion? In short, I tend to agree with those whom argue "wait and see." After being part of this virtual world for over thirteen years, I've seen my share of people of people predicting the end whenever something big happens. But I do see signs of optimism. That Oberwager is planning to come inworld to discuss things is a good sign. So are the Lindens with their "End of the world" joke signs. If they weren't optimistic, I doubt they'd be kidding around. Of the two people, one a member of Mensa, the other whom has an interesting success story with Jyve, it's obvious they're smart businessmen. That one plans to come inworld shows at least he wants to talk to his new customers.

On the other hand, there are enough acquisitions that went badly, or had mixed results. So those with dim outlooks don't have to look too deeply for evidence to support their conclusions.

So why did Waterfield and Oberwager's group of investors buy out Linden Lab when the company couldn't find a buyer in 2010, assuming the rumors were true? Well, Second Life's glory days were from 2006 to 2008. By 2010, it was clear the place wouldn't be drawing as many people as it once did for quite some time to come. Today, the world is under a global pandemic that has send many places into lockdowns and quarantines, and even in places that aren't people are discouraged from meeting up or going to crowded areas. The result is people are spending more time online, and more are coming here. Our future, at least for the near term, is looking brighter. And this is what financial investors are looking for.

In a sense, this sale marks Linden Lab finally becoming a success story in the eyes of the tech world. It's been commented on that one of the reasons Second Life wasn't considered one was it was never bought up by a larger company. And now, Linden Lab has been bought out under what look like generous terms. Not that Second Life's residents/customers cared much about what those people thought.

In any event, Linden Lab, and Second Life, are entering a new era. How it turns out, we'll need to wait several months at least, maybe over a year, before we can really say it was for the better or worse.

Image Credit: Whirly Fizzle

Source: Techcrunch

Bixyl Shuftan

Reminder: "The 1st Question" This Sunday, June 28

Just a reminder that Pooky Amsterdam's "The 1st Question" game show that aired years ago in Second Life will have a special showing this Sunday June 28, from 12 Noon to 3 PM SL time. Among the people there will be Ebbe Linden.

For more information, check Pooky's blog.


http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Spindrift/66/237/701

"Meet The Lindens" This Week, Ebbe Linden Today

This week at the Second Life Birthday, there will be the "Meet the Lindens" event at the Auditorium area at the north end of the SLB grounds.

Learn more about the people behind Second Life at our annual series of Meet the Lindens Town Hall events, held daily at 2 p.m. SLT on June 22-26. Participants this year include Ebbe Linden (June 22), Patch Linden (June 23), Oz Linden (June 24), and the Linden Lab Marketing Team (June 25). You also get the chance to meet the Moles (June 26). 

Today, the events start off at the top with Linden Lab's CEO, Ebbe Altberg, or as he's known here, Ebbe Linden.

Meet Linden Lab CEO Ebbe Linden on June 22 at 2 p.m. (Pacific). Ebbe has more than 25 years of experience leading teams and creating software used by hundreds of millions of users. Learn about his vision for Second Life at this special event.

The event will be hosted by Saffia Widdershins, and takes place at 2 PM SL time.

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SL17B%20Awesome/32/227/23/

Press Release: Pooky Amsterdam's "The 1st Question" Returns

SUNDAY JUNE 28th at 12 NOON SL
The 1st Question Returns

Special Guru Edition Honoring Paradox Olbers

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Spindrift/66/237/701

Guru, Mentor, Co-Founder of The Scilands and wonderful human being! Hero Celebration Alert!

Ebbe Linden
Troy McLuhan
Korii Tiger
Jimbo Perhaps

and Special Musical Director Cypress Rosewood!

*****Presenting a Premiere Virtual Reality Game Show*****

The 1st Question is a fast paced science themed show with the best & the brightest experience in SL and beyond.
Turn on your computer and open up your mind as
Pooky Amsterdam and  Hydra Shaftoe
 broadcast live from inside the StudioDome
*Located in the futuristic SciLands on SecondLife.
**The Quiz Show To The Stars!**
***Virtual World performers, furries, geniuses, artists and the intelligentsia gather together to make the show a riot of fun, facts and fast based entertainment!

*Play along at home to try to match your wits and wisdom with some of SecondLife's most unusual and brilliant people.


    ********At the StudioDome!  In Spindrift**********

June 28th at 12 NOON SL
3PM EST / 8PM UK / 9PM Europe

If You have an answer - We have a question

http://www.pookymedia.com/
http://www.the1stquestion.com/

Streaming sites to follow.......

Blogpost > https://www.pookyamsterdam.com/2020/

Patch Linden Says Sim Owners in Financial Trouble Can Ask For Help, Ebbe Linden Says Linden Lab "Very Healthy"

Yesterday was the start of the Virtual  Worlds Best Practices in Education conference. And at 2 PM, Mal Burns interviewed Ebbe Linden and Patch Linden. Among the topics discussed was the sale of Sansar and the cutting back of the tier in educational and nonprofit sims. In the latter part, some questions were asked by the audience.

Near the end of the discussion (at 1:11 in the video), my question was brought up. With the Second Norway estate announcing it may be closing, due to the economic effects of the Coronavirus, might the Lab help out some sim owners whose real-life income was coming to a halt due to the crisis? Patch Linden answered, "Region owners are encouraged to approach my support team if you find yourself in a situation of difficulty because of what's going on. And specifically for Second Norway, we are working with Ey (Ren) on that situation and actually I think we're going to see a really good outcome there."

Patch didn't say whether email or contact inworld would be fastest, or whether to contact him or someone else on his team.

A little earlier in the discussion (1:04 in the video), Ebbe Linden talked about Linden Lab's economic health, "We're devoted to the long-term health and success of Second Life. You can expect us to be around for a long time ... company is in a very healthy position. We're profitable, we're very very lucky in this very very crazy time because we have an organization that is extremely nimble to work with remote people working. So the transition for us to work from our homes. ... we can continue ticking away as usual except some people have to take care of kids at the same time ...  we're working on products that are intended for remote use and people to come together socially and do things without having to get together in physical space so we're seeing very great traction right now with a big uptick in users and concurrency and registrations. All numbers are up ...  we're in a very healthy place, we're very excited about the future."



So it seems the eastern part of the Blake Sea may be saved, and sim owners in trouble due to the economic shutdown might get a break from the Lab. And Linden Lab is healthy enough to weather the storm ahead, at least that's what the CEO is telling us.

More on the VWBPE later.

Bixyl Shuftan

VWBPE Starts Today, Ebbe and Patch Linden Speak

Today, March 26, is the start of the Virtual Worlds Best Practice in Education event. From this day to Saturday  March 28, there will be various discussions and talks. Things start off with the Kickoff at 8AM at VWBPE Gateway Pyxis (97/128/24). Among the discussions this day are when Mal Burns (Aeonix Aeon) interviews Ebbe Altberg/Ebbe Linden and Patch Linden at 2PM at the auditorium.

For more information, check out the VWBPE website at https://www.vwbpe.org/  If you haven't checked out Gemma Cleanslate's article, check it here.

Breaking News: Linden Lab May Be Looking to Sell Sansar

Earlier this month, Linden Lab hit it's Sansar staff with it's second round of layoffs in two months, raising questions about the future of the virtual world. At Strawberry Linden's "Lab Gab" show today, the first thing CEO Ebbe Altberg / Ebbe Linden brought up was their plans for it. They were "looking for a plan B ... for Sansar to continue."

Yeah, so as you might have heard, sadly we have decided that we, as Linden Lab, couldn’t continue to sponsor the project financially, so we’re looking for a plan B for Sansar to continue. I can’t say much, but we’re having very interesting conversations with several parties to help that project move forward, which I’m really excited about. But no deal is done yet, so people will just have to be patient and see what happens with it, but yes  it is true that Linden Lab going forward will focus entirely on Second Life and Tilia. I’m still busy making sure that Sansar finds a great home and that the great work that that team has started can continue.

So that’s where things are at. Hopefully, we can be more specific on what’s going on in the next couple of weeks or so. So lots of conversations going on.

The "conversations with several parties to help that project move forward" could very easily mean that the Lab is looking to sell Sansar. But it could also mean they're looking for a company to partner with to keep the next-generation virtual world running. In either case, they're still in the middle of negotiations. So it will be some time until a decision is made.

There was much more discussed at the Lab Gab, which will be covered later.

Sources: Modem World, New World Notes, Ryan Scultz

 Bixyl Shuftan

Lab Gab This Friday, Featuring Ebbe and Grumpity Linden

Strawberry Linden's "Lab Gab" this week will feature a special guest. Besides Grumpity Linden, the "VP of Product," Linden Lab's CEO Ebbe Altberg/Ebbe Linden will be on the show.

Join our host, Strawberry Linden, as she speaks with the CEO of Linden Lab, Ebbe Linden, and the VP of Product, Grumpity Linden! They will be discussing the 2020 Roadmap including new features and improvements for Second Life! 

For those who wish to have a question answered, the blog post offered a google form to submit it.

The show is Friday February 21 at 11 AM SL time. It can be seen on Youtube.

Press Release: EPIC OOAK Linden Home Auction At 2019 SL Christmas Expo

The American Cancer Society in Second Life® and Linden Lab, the 
Society’s partner in the fight against cancer, announced a  
BLOCKBUSTER AUCTION as part of Believe In The Magic of 
Christmas, the 9th Annual SL Christmas Expo. 

 The auction will be held during the Expo which runs from Dec 5th 
through the 15th and supports the Society mission to fight 
Childhood Cancer. One lucky bidder will receive a 6 month 
Premium Membership and a 4th Edition Linden Home with 
Exclusive Seasonal content and located on a special parcel 
designed just for them by LDPW Moles.  The auction is the 
fourth and final element of the Lab’s participation in this year’s 
Expo. As previously announced the 4th Edition of the New 
Linden Homes will be revealed at the Expo, Linden homes will be 
decorated and take part in the annual Lights Of Hope house 
decoration contest, and the  first ever Ebbe Linden Bear will be 
revealed and available for a L$ 250 donation to the American 
Cancer Society, toward the Expo’s goal of raising $20,000 to 
provide VR Headsets to be used by kids undergoing cancer 
treatments.

Silent bidding on all OOAKs begins Dec 5th, with final Open 
Auction Bidding starting at 10am Dec 15th.

 “We are grateful to Linden Lab for their invaluable support of 
the Expo,” Expo Director Nuala Maracas stated. “Every aspect 
of this year’s Linden Lab participation will help us not only reach 
our goal of $20,000, but will also help make more residents familiar 
with all the programs available at American Cancer Society here in 
Second Life® and in the organic world.”

In addition to the Linden Homes and Ebbe Bear, this year’s Expo 
will feature more than 170 merchants, spread over 12 regions, and 
bringing every aspect of SL living to the event.  Fashion, Childrens 
shops, breedables and home and garden are only part of the 
excitement. Nearly non-stop entertainment, Christmas trees, 
a Snowman Contest, a Kids Fashion Runway Show, winter 
activities, gachas and raffles are also on tap at the largest and best 
known Christmas Event on the grid.  There will also be a Stocking 
Stuffer Hunt and the Magic of Christmas Mega Raffle with more 
than L$ 155,000 of gift certificates!

Help bring the Magic of Christmas to children with cancer by 
attending the 2019 SL Christmas Expo, December 5th - 15th

---

The American Cancer Society is the world’s leader in the Fight Against 
Cancer. All proceeds from the 2019 SL Christmas Expo supports the 
Society and its efforts to provide research to end and support for those 
affected by, childhood cancers. For more information about the Expo 
visit www.slchristmasexpo.com.
Need help with cancer? Needs answers or information? Visit the 
American Cancer Society region in Second Life®, call 800-227-2345, 
or www.cancer.org.

RFL Announcement: Ebbe Linden Bear To Debut At 2019 SL Christmas Expo

Linden Lab is doing its part to add to the Magic Of Christmas in Second Life, and help the American Cancer Society fight Childhood Cancer.   Already a partner in the fight against cancer, the Lab is joining in the Expo goal to provide at least $20,000 for VR Headsets for kids in treatment.

As already announced, Linden Lab will be revealing their 4th Edition of the coveted Linden Homes and taking part in the Lights Of Hope Holiday Home Decorating Contest.

And Now Even Bigger News!  Since becoming CEO in 2014 Ebbe Linden is the lone Linden without his own bear... until now!  A Very Special EBBE LINDEN BEAR will be available during the EXPO for a L$250 donation to the American Cancer Society.   Linden Bear collectors take note!  The design of the bear will be revealed on Dec 5th at the opening of the Expo so do not miss out on this opportunity!

More Than 150 Merchants! Breedables! Entertainment! Linden Home Reveal! Don't miss The All I Want For Christmas Kids Fashion Runway Show, Lights of Hope Christmas Decoration Show and HUGE Raffles, The 2019 SL Christmas Expo is the place to be!

Mark Your Calendars for Dec 5 - 15 and Believe in The Magic of Christmas!

The SL Christmas Expo is in support of the American Cancer Society and its Childhood Cancer programs.  For More Information visit http://slchristmasexpo.com or the ACS Campus in Second Life http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/American%20Cancer%20Society/128/96/22

Ebbe Altberg / Ebbe Linden Interviewed,

Recently, James Wagner/Hamlet Au , whom years ago was Linden Lab's embedded reporter in Second Life, gave an interview to the Linden Lab's CEO: Ebbe Altberg / Ebbe Linden.



The first thing Altberg talked about was his optimism about Second Life, saying it was "doing quite well, there's a lot of positive signs." It was making more money, and the number of Premium accounts was up, "We're very bullish about the long term health of Second Life. ... A very hardcore entrenched audience in there."

The CEO talked a little about how things were when hie first arrived five years ago, "when I came here, the users were a little bit angry, there was a disconnect between the Lab and the user base, the residents." He went on to say some of the Lab's policies at the time "didn't make much sense." Five years later, "We're psyched with what the Second Life team has accomplished," saying there were some good people among Linden Lab's employees.

Talking about the Lab's focus on continued revenue growth, saying too much had been charged for land, and they were taking steps for those with mainland property to get more for their money on it, as well as less costly private sims. But they had to make up for the lost revenue there somewhere. He added they were still working on their pricing strategy, hoping to take another step in a few months.

"There's no virtual world ever made that has the diversity of Second Life," Altberg would say, though saying this "incredible" diversity was a challenge to run, calling a bit like dealing with the different policies of cities and countries to "find the right balance." He also compared a resident looking for their place in the virtual world to someone moving to a new home in another city in real life, it's a lot of effort for someone to find the right community, find the right neighbors, find the right clubs, activities, and places ... it takes a lot of effort to be comfortable and happy with a place within your social circles."

The CEO also stated those who thought Second Life's residents were heavily into adult activities because so much of the sims were marked "Adult" were mistaken, "what's marked as an adult region is a completely meaningless metric. A lot of people mark their regions as adult because they (fear they) won't have freedom of speech, but they're not really doing ... what you consider adult activities there." It wasn't necessarily a warning that people would see things "that you will be shocked for the rest of your life." Of those who do engage in adult activities, he didn't see them as necessarily bad, "our job is to make sure things are done legal and healthy for the community." He did admit sometimes people do cross a line, "so obviously the banhammer has to come out sometimes. ... overall, it's not really a significant problem."

He also talked about the "massive effort" to move Second Life's data from servers in Phoenix to Cloud servers by Amazon, feeling it would probably take less than a year longer. As Sansar started with Cloud servers, that gave them some knowledge that helped with their move of the older virtual world's data there. He stated once the move was completed, people in faraway places such as Australia and Asia would better able to enjoy Second Life.

Hamlet asked the CEO about the three top mesh bodies being "horribly optimized" and causing a great deal of lag. The CEO answered what happens to the avatars was ultimately up to the residents, saying that was why they introduced the option to jellydoll high complexity avatars, hoping it would create a supply and demand issue that would pressure avatar makers to come up with less laggy avatars, "we can plead and beg, but ultimately users going to do what users going to do." He did say there ways always the option of giving sim owners the power to limit how complex an avatar on their land.

Altberg called getting Second Life's overall user retention rate going up and continuing to go up "the toughest goal we have." Mentioning that Second Life has a number of games, he mentioned the possibility of introducing a quest.

Of the upcoming iOS viewer for handheld devices, the CEO stated this would not be a true independent viewer, but a "companion." He had no idea at the moment when they might be available.

The talk soon turned to Sansar. Altberg stated the reasons for it's low numbers was that it was still a product very much still in Beta. He went on to say they could have continued to develop it in secret, but wanted to get feedback from those that were using it, "some great users whom have been persistently with (the Sansar team) through this journey." Hamlet asked the CEO why VRChat was so popular in comparison. Altberg answered it was because of the creativity of the avatar makers, which allowed for plenty of roleplay. But in Sansar, a content creator could make money. They can't do that in VRChat. So he was confident eventually Sansar would do better than it's rival. When asked about Second Life residents who questioned why the Lab was investing so much in Sansar, Altberg responded that Second Life had both a larger team and a larger operation budget than Sansar.

Two beautiful products, I love them both for different reasons. ...I hope they're both successful for a long, long time."

Source: New World Notes

Bixyl Shuftan

Return of Last Names "Later in 2019" According to Ebbe Linden

Recently Hamlet Au interviewed Ebbe Altberg / Ebbe Linden. Linden Lab's CEO had a number of things to say (which I hope to write about more in depth later this week). On the issue of last names for accounts, which at a Town Hall meeting the Lindens stated would probably arrive sometime in Spring 2019, Altberg stated a different date.

There are some more back-end changes to SL which need to be made before Last Names can make a return (actually, it's really name changes that are the hard part), but we are working on it and hope to have it ready later in 2019.

So it seems once again, the date for last names has been pushed back, this time possibly to December.

Bixyl Shuftan

Town Hall With CEO Ebbe Altberg/Ebbe Linden

Thursday September 13 was when the latest "Town Hall" event took place. Linden Lab's CEO Ebbe Altberg, known inworld as Ebbe Linden, appeared and answered a number of the questions that had been posted in advance on a community forum thread. The video that Linden Lab made of the event lasts an hour and nineteen minutes, taking a couple minutes to start.

Several issues were discussed. On the issue of last names, Ebbe backed off a bit from Linden Lab's earlier commitment for the option of them to return for newer accounts by the end of the year, "Maybe we'll get that done this year. ... We don't have an exact date or time."

Someone asked why the grandfathered sims from 2016 weren't included in the land tier cut in June this year. Ebbe responded that those taking part in "the 2016 buy-down" benefited if they kept their land for six months or longer, and while grandfathered land might not be as cheap compared to retail as in the past, it was still cheaper. Ebbe went on to say that Linden Lab would likely lower prices again sometime in the future, they were still waiting to see how much of an effect their last price cut had, "when and how much is still undecided." He did say when they did cut them again, they would likely raise other fees to make up the difference. Ebbe went on to say that they preferred that sim owners hang onto their land for a while.

On the issue of why spend so much time with "backwards compatibility?" Ebbe answered it was to avoid breaking things and"When you have an economy in which people buy things ... and then the things they paid money for stop working, people get upset."

On the issue of future transparency on economic data, would the statistics about Second Life once reported by Linden Lab earlier in it's history be done so again, such as the number of  unique 30 day logins, Ebbe answered that they had started to publish again some statistics that they had been quiet about foa while, but, "We probably won't restore all." He went on to say the Lab wants information that helps create business for Second Life, and some info wouldn't be in their best interest if revealed. "It's a balancing act."

On Animesh, Ebbe stated, "Animesh around the corner. ... a few bugs away." On environment enhancements, "possibly in weeks." Of the next Gridwide experience, Ebbe wasn't sure if the next one would be finished before the end of the year. On Linden home improvements, he hoped to release them, either all at once or in stages, later this year. Of plans for Marketplace, upcoming changes included options for "wish lists" and "favorite sellers." Gachas might also be more clearly identified on the Marketplace, "maybe."

The new SSP region was asked about, someone asking, "What does SSP stand for?" Ebbe just joked about it, suggesting the "P" stood for "Plesiosaur," a flying dinosaur. Someone also brought up the empty gaps in the Second Life map, asking why they couldn't just put water sims between them. Ebbe responded, "we can't afford to put water sims in all the blank spaces between sims, and some private island owners might not want us to."

The last twenty minutes were a "Casual Q and A" with questions from the audience. Ebbe stated some questions were best left to Oz and Grumpity Linden, "The more specific you get, the more you lose me" Someone asked if Linden Lab could come up with 24 hour support. Ebbe answered no, "I don't think you would be willing ot pay for that service."

Someone asked if the Lindens personally use SL? Ebbe answered, "I rarely have time to use it like a proper user" as he has ten hour work days. He did say of Second Life, he will "drop in now and then ... get inspired by the stuff you all do." He considered himself more of a "test user" there. Of Sansar, he spends "99%" of his time there in a VR rig, "That's the killer feature for me."

More information on the Town Hall can be read in Inara Pey's article.

Bixyl Shuftan

Town Hall With Ebbe Linden on September 13

Recently on their "Second Life Community" blog, Linden Lab posted an announcement that their CEO Ebbe Linden, Ebbe Altberg in real life, would be appearing at an inworld Town Hall event. While he would answer questions, Linden Lab asked that they be sent to a community forum thread, and they would pick which ones would be answered.

With SL15B behind us (and SL16B to look forward to!) we thought it was time to have another Town Hall, and give Residents a chance to ask about Second Life and hear the latest news on what is being worked on and planned in Second Life. We’ll also share specific updates on our product development roadmap, as discussed earlier this year.

So far, about two pages of questions (and comments to other posters) have appeared on the thread. Among them are questions related to the return of last names as an option for more recent accounts, to questions of Linden Lab plans to make improvements to Linden homes to "restoring the public economic information that LL once published years ago?"

The event will be Thursday September 12 at 9:30 AM SL time.

Click Here to view the post in it's entirety.

Click Here to go to the forum thread for proposed questions.