Reader Submitted: The Survivor

YadNi Monde, whom is continuing to replicate his noted Junkyard in the TAG grid, recently sent me a couple screenshots. They were of several kiosks of various Second Life newsletters, including the Second Life Newser and it's predecessor the Second Life Newspaper.

"I took the freedom to get your very ancient dispenser here and to recreate script to link to your page," YadNi told, then noted that one, the Newser, stood out, "Green dot indicates you are LIVE. I guess you are the only real survivor amongst all those old newspapers I had at the junkyard."

We're still writing away after all those years, still finding reasons to enjoy Second Life, and still telling you about them.

A Few Words From Junkyard Owner YadNi Monde

Most Longtime residents are familiar with YadNi Monde. For eleven of Second Life's first twelve years, he ran "YadNi's Junkyard," the best known freebie place back then. But in June 2015, he had to close it down. The place is still fondly remembered, and some of the items can still be found today. YadNi himself went into a "3D personal enterprise" and then drawing, not going back into Second Life much.

I recently came across YadNi in Second Life, and we had a few words. He had put his artwork on hold for a few months. Hewas focusing more on virtual worlds, but it wasn't Second Life that was his main focus. "I am setting my foot on another grid, coming here to grab my stuff," he told me with a smile, "I'm going to TAG with all my old stuff." I asked if he meant The Adult Grid. He laughed, "Hahah! Well, there's nothing offensive on that grid (smile). It's only a name. It changed owners years ago. So, I dunno what it was before. But now, I could take my kids there if I had any."

I asked YadNi what he found so far in TAG. He called it a "cool place, a warm welcome. And I do know Constanza Amsterdam since quite a long time too. She is the owner, with her husband. ... I have an infinite number of prims ahead of me," he smiled, "One single sim can go up to 50 000 prims, and (I) have my OAR s from InWorldz." After I brought up that his Junkyard is still well remembered in Second Life, he told me, "my plan is to revive my junkyard there. It won't have all the freebies and all, but it will be the place." He did say the TAG grid did have it's own freebie sim, "with awesome quality. And some nice sims to visit too with little details everywhere, hidden places, easter eggs."

Other plans of his included building Mont Saint Michel, "we're going to revive my most beautiful child, as well as InWorld's Jackson Square that used to be IDI. I'm also building the whole timeline of all the sims I ever built on all grids. I'm reaching year five and it's already a quarter sim long. ... Wait 'til I reach my actual 15th year."

So a few years later, YadNi is keeping himself busy.

Bixyl Shuftan

Arcadia Asylum Living Library

Longtime readers will likely remember Yadni’s Junkyard, which for over a decade was a place for newcomers and even established residents to get free stuff, and Arcadia Asylum, whom made a number of items for residents to get for free. You can find the works of Yadni, Arcadia, and others at the Arcadia Asylum Living Library. Made by Prof. Grey (BrianL61 Landar), it is his aim to "preserve the works of SL's Great Creators and Collectors" for residents to continue to be able to get and use them. Gemma Cleanslate dropped by the place to have a look around.

Read Gemma's story in Design.

The Return of Yadni's Junk

For over a decade in Second Life, Yadni's Junkyard stood and provided huge numbers of freebies for thousands of new residents of the Grid. Although Yadni Monde's freebie location has been gone for almost three years and he hasn't been inworld for a while, he is still fondly remembered. Fans of the noted blue resident will be happy to hear about one recent project of BrianL61 Landar (Prof Grey). He is making some of Yadni's items available again. Gemma set out to learn more and report.

Read Gemma's story in Places.

YadNi's Junkyard Closing Down

For newcomers to Second Life looking for free items, one of the top places to go to, if not *the* top place, was YadNi's Junkyard. Run by YadNi Monde, his profile states he started it about April 2004, and was the first freebie "store" in Second Life. After running for eleven years, it retained it's popularity, recommended by both websites and residents' word of mouth. Gemma Cleanslate wrote about the place in September 2012.

On June 23, YadNi announced via Google Plus that the days of his Junkyard were over. He had taken it down.

YadNi's Junkyard has closed today.

After 11 years of helping thousands (of) new residents with REAL freebies, full perms for free, and one of the longest lasting money trees, I had to close the place today.

I hope you have good memories of that place.

His post was followed by sad comments, people remembering how important the place was, and wishing him well, "The Junkyard was a vital part of many, many, people's Second Life experience. As a relative latecomer in 2007, it created a connection for me with the history and culture of SL it would have been impossible to gain otherwise." "This is sad news, one of the first places I visited and would take people to when they joined.  Thank you for giving everyone this place for so long. Your dedication is noteworthy and it will be truly missed." "Thank you YadNi Monde . Your Junkyard changed my SL experience for the better. I taught myself how to build by looking at how the freebies were put together and textured. Building is the main reason I still do this. I brought so many friends to the Junkyard over the years and we all appreciated your generosity. You are a huge part of everyone's SL."

YadNi was humbled at these comments, "Thanks a lot guys, i am touched by your words, and very sorry i had no other choice."

Heading to it's location in the Leda sim on the Second Life mainland, I found the place was already gone. Nothing was left but a depression in the rocky ground.

And so, the first and best known freebies place is fading away into the virtual nether.

Source: Daniel Voyager

Bixyl Shuftan

Free Still at Yadni’s Junkyard

While I was on the playa at Burn2 this morning I came across a build that looked familiar. I clicked the build to see the creator and had a fit of nostalgia. It was a vehicle from Yadni’s Junkyard! This is a place where I spent a lot of time my first year because it is one of the best places for newbies to go to collect all the junk you need for Second Life. 

So I took a trip over to the check out the junkyard. It has changed a lot since 2007. But there were the familiar boxes full of treasures for a newbie: Gadgets, clothes,  jewels , avatars , weapons,  textures, animations! I could not stop myself from buying a few of the old boxes. What fun! There are also some new contributions and I did collect a couple of new boxes to inspect. 

You can read the history of the yard on the wall. Across the road you will find Le Monde de Yadni where he has set a ”museum” of all his builds on the walls, showing those alive and working, and all those that have been extinguished. It is a remarkable number of builds that have been and still are in Second Life. 

Another very nostalgic moment! I glanced up at a row of media boxes where you can pick a newspaper or magazine and lo and behold there was our old SL Newspaper box. I clicked and it still took me to the page that announced the closing. 

If you have never been to Yadni’s Junkyard you should make a visit just to look around a bit. It is amazing to find a freebie place that has been here in Second Life for such a long time. It's still helping newbies and oldies looking for fun bargains. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Leda/210/28/54 

Gemma Cleanslate