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

Announcement: World Space Week Oct 4-10

The National Space Society and the International Spaceflight Museum are teaming up to celebrate World Space Week during the week of October 4 - 10 [ https://www.worldspaceweek.org/ ]. The 2019 theme is “The Moon:  Gateway to the Stars.” According to a UN General Assembly resolution on 6 December 1999:  “The General Assembly declares 4 to 10 October World Space Week to celebrate each year at the international level the contributions of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition”.

We would like to have space-related presentations and panel discussions throughout the week...extra credit for connection to this year's topic or the UN event's purpose. Potential presenters: please feel free to propose your own topic! If you would like to make a presentation or participate in one or more panel discussions, please contact Ariel Miranda with the following:


Your avatar name: 

Your real life name and brief credentials (not required but will be considered): 

What presentation(s) and/or panel discussions would you like to propose/participate in?: 


Current panel topic brainstorming includes:
    The value proposition for colonizing the Moon, and Mars
    Resolved: micro-satellites are the scourge of the spaceways
    Lunar Gateway: Foundation or Farce?
    How close are we to the tipping point beyond which profits can be made in space?
    Moons of Jupiter and Saturn
    Asteroid mining
    The place of the arts in space
Please let us know if you have other suggestions.

If you are aware of other potentially interested individuals or groups, please feel free to pass along this information.

Ad astra (to the stars!),
Ariel Miranda

Linden Lab Still In Talks With Djehan Kidd Over Hangars Liquides

Last Friday, the Newser reported on the five region Hangars Liquides urban sci-fi sims in danger of being shut down at the end of the month. This weekend, I had a few words with the builder and owner Djehan Kidd about the area, and it's situation.

Djehan told me it's looking unlikely Linden Lab will allow Hangars to rent out apartments and still remain a nonprofit. She felt it's not because they don't want to, but in her opinion they're "monitored" by the US Government more today than in the past. She's also gotten numerous offers of help to keep the sims afloat. But she feels their best chance lies with the Lab's sim preservation program, "So far I didn't get a no or a yes. All I know is that a commitee will visit (the sims) and decide."

Meanwhile, others are spreading the word about the sims. A concerned resident created a thread on the official forums about Hangars Liquides, and it quickly grew to numerous pages, some people posting pictures of the area. There were numerous pleas for the sims to be given a break and allowed to stay on. One commented, "I don't think I have been there before or if I had I didn't spend long there because the scale of it whilst immersive is also bewildering. Spent 30 minutes exploring it again and it is undoubtedly a work of art. Despite all its complexity it is well optimised, I had none of my usual problems with textures and objects not bothering to load. It is a fine example of what is possible to do here."

There's also a Flickr page full of screenshots of the sims (caution, not all safe for work).

The full interview with Djehan will appear later this week in the Newser.

Image Credit: Lawrence Celestalis

Bixyl Shuftan

Scenes From the VWBPE

From March 15 to 17, the Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education event took place in Second Life. Over the three days, residents gathered to discuss how virtual worlds such as this one can and are being used for the purposes of educating people. The Newser was there, and took a number of pictures.

See more in Events.

Microsoft in Negotiations to Buy Minecraft

Where do Second Life residents go when not in Second Life? For some, it's the game of Minecraft. Among the most popular games in computer history, it's developed a fanbase of millions spending not only time there building things, but also willing to spend money on real life items such as "Creeper" hats and toys based on the game. But fans aren't the only thing the game has been attracting. Recently the Microsoft corporation has been negotiating a possible buyout of Minecraft's owner Majong, news that has some fans wondering what this could mean for their beloved game.

Read more in Other Grids and MMOs.