SL Viewers: What's the Deal, What do I Use, and Why

There's no shortage of opinions on what Second Life Viewer is best. SammanthaS Nightfire has been busy looking at different ones, going past the claims and hype, and looking at what performs. Sometimes the best viewer depends on what you're doing on the grid, exploring or building.

Read her review of SL Viewers in Extra

Luskwood’s Seventh Birthday Celebration

A few months after Second Life threw it’s seventh birthday celebrations, one of the oldest communities it has is throwing it’s own seventh birthday: Luskwood. Officially, the festivities began at 5 PM SL time at the Great Tree when Zorin Frobozz began DJing to the gathering crowd, numbering in the 30’s. The audience varied, from those whom regularly hung out at Luskwood, to visitors, and even some newcomers dropped in.

At 7 PM was the live music act. Most of the crowd went down to the stage, where Jaycatt Nico and Frogg Marlowe (sometimes called F & J or Effinjay) performed to the audience, most seated, but a few dancing up front. Among those dancing was founder Liam Roark, whom was sporting one of the new “tribal trance” hyena avatars, which had a bit of a neon glow to it. The audience numbered close to forty, and despite Luskwood being seen as a "furry" place, over a third of the audience were normal human avs.

Events will continue Saturday, with more live performances beginning at 1 PM SL time, Keeba Tammas, Shannon Oherlihy, David Csiszer (Charles Coleman), and Pepper Artful & Shiacoft Moorhen. From 7 PM onward will be DJing at the Great Tree. At times to be announced, founder Arito Cotton will be DJing.

The wiki entry states “Luskwood is also currently the oldest known resident created, themed mainland build in Second Life.” Dropping by the place, it’s a safe bet someone will be around. The place is a little quiet at times. At others, the discussion can range from geek trivia to history, to techie talk on how to fix computer problems.

Michi Lumin: “Thank you for being here, and for helping us be here.” :)

“Michi, thanks to you and all the others that have put so much time into making this such a wonderful place.”

Bixyl Shuftan

Amaretto Horses

Grey Lupindo goes "horsing around" as she looks into the Amaretto horses, the latest breedable pet in Second Life. Like the earlier bunnies, they have to be fed and cared for. But unlike their smaller counterparts, these can be ridden around.

Read the story in Extra.

Postcard from Breezes

Hahah! Well yes, is a strange place for a horse.

Two of them. I find the strangesst things. I think they want to go swimming with me.
Taken at Darkover (141, 253, 23)

Reaction at Rockcliffe College to Linden Lab's New Policy

Linden Lab Says :

We will adjust how education and non-profit advantages are provided, effective Jan. 1, 2011. All education and non-profit private regions of any type, purchased after Dec. 31, 2010, will be invoiced at standard (i.e. non-discounted) pricing. All currently discounted renewals which occur after Dec. 31, 2010, will be adjusted to the new price at that time. To continue to provide entry-level, private spaces to educators just launching their programs, we will be providing Homestead and Open Space regions to qualifying organizations without their meeting the retail full-region criterion. Customer Support will be available to answer any questions that you may have about these changes.

We hope that these announcements help you effectively plan for the coming year. And, we’ll continue to update you well in advance of any additional pricing changes.

Non-profits in Second Life are beginning to react to the new policy of Linden Lab, which will double their present payments. Today I attended a meeting at Rockcliffe College where the President, Phelan Corrimal (in SL), addressed the throng of attending representatives of many educational leaders in SL. He presented the issue at hand and made a recommendation for collaboration in trying to address the problem. He explained the far reaching implications of such a drastic raise in the fee, which amounts to 100% . Many communities will be impacted, not just education. It is only a beginning of a process that appears will last for a while.

Many communities will be impacted, not just education. It is only the beginning of a process that appears will last for a while. There is a meeting of Non Profit Commons on Friday. We will be following the story for you. This could impact all of SL in one way or another.

Gemma Cleanslate

Cartoon of the Day

By Bixyl Shuftan

October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

This October, women survivors and those affected by breast cancer, will be unified by the “Power of Pink”, as they honor and celebrate “Breast Cancer Awareness Month”. The American Cancer Society’s, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer will once again campaign to raise awareness, educate both men and women and raise Lindens critical in fighting this cancer by supporting both research and patient advocacy programs.

One in 7 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 200,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer (Stages I-IV) will be diagnosed among women in the United States alone, resulting in approximately 40,000 deaths.

Throughout the Second Life grid, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer maintains a steadfast dedication to finding a cure through a variety of activities, talks and the exclusive designs created for this campaign with their creator’s donating 100% of the proceeds to the cause. Many Second Life designers are staunch advocates of the breast cancer awareness movement, not only during the month of October, but throughout the year.

Breast cancer affects all of us with its impact can felt globally. Making Strides Against Breast Cancer invites everyone to join in the fight – from the amazing creators designing exclusive merchandise to the volunteers and medical experts giving their time to raise awareness and educate... but it all starts with you. This engaging, passionate community we call Second Life. Grab a friend and join us.

The “Power of Pink” starts with you.

For more information regarding events or to receive a Making Strides Against Breast Cancer fund raising kiosk contact Synergy Devonshire.

To learn more about the American Cancer Society's position on this topic or for more information, you can call 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

Synergy Devonshire is a cancer survivor, and runs the Making Strides group in Second Life.

Haunted Attractions from the Second Life Destiation Guide

Second Life is a virtual world is filled with community-created haunted attractions where ghosts, goblins and other spooky surprises lurk around every dark corner.

Experience these fun attractions with your friends in Second Life.

Featured Attractions in the video include:
• Bentham Manor
http://secondlife.com/destination/bentham-manor
• Voice Island
http://secondlife.com/destination/voice-island
• Sinatra's Spook House
http://secondlife.com/destination/spook-house
• Haunted House at Destiny Isles (now offline)
• The Haunted Coal Mine at Steeltopia Anchorage
http://secondlife.com/destination/haunted-coal-mine
• Dark Dharma
http://secondlife.com/destination/dark-dharma-haunted-manor
• Innsmouth
http://secondlife.com/destination/innsmouth

• Find all of the above locations and more spooky hot spots at: http://secondlife.com/destinations/haunted

From secondlife.com

Behind The Rumor About Microsoft Going After Linden Labs

Some of you may have heard something about a rumor flying about Second Life, that Microsoft was making a deal with Linden Labs to acquire them, if the deal hadn’t already been done and they were just waiting to announce it. My reporters and I heard about it to, but the decision was made to not say anything until rumor became fact.

As it turned out, Microsoft was making a deal for a virtual world, but it wasn’t Second Life. It was Vivivaty, a competing world which went out of business in April, which was bought up by the computer software giant. Supposedly, Microsoft may not stop there. And there are people guessing they want a virtual world for it’s X-Box game to compete with Sony’s own virtual world for it’s Playstation game: Home. But these are just guesses.

I spoke to my friend Aeonix Aeon of Pixel Labs a little about this. He told me he hadn’t thought too much about the rumor in itself. On the other hand, he thought that the rumor had a strong ring of truth to it. The way Linden Labs was acting, he felt they were looking for someone to buy them out.

Aeonix had also put his thoughts down in an article online on the Andromeda blog. He had been thinking since April 2010 that Linden Labs had it’s eye on an initial public offering or a buyout. He observed Linden Labs was exhibiting the “telltale signs” of it.

Linden Labs, he stated, was “reaching the end of an investor lifecycle ... Essentially, Linden Lab is at the end of that lifecycle of investment and for those of us who are knowledgeable on this, we also know what sorts of things to expect in the actions of a company in this position.” Aeonix wrote this observation was partly from being in this kind of position in the past.

For a company such as Linden Lab, one can expect that at the end of the lifecycle they would begin acting in (what would be seen by an outsider) very nonsensical manners, with massive layoffs, external office closings, and liquidation of assets in an attempt to bring the company into a leaner and more profitable state. This behavior is also a telltale sign that reorganization in the company is to position that company for the exit strategy of IPO or Buyout from a bigger corporation.

Back to the conversation, Aeonix thought, “ I believe that Philip (Linden) is weighing both sides for the benefit of both himself and investors, as well as the existing community. Which means, there will likely be concessions on both sides. ... Second Life will evolve, and on an increasingly rapid pace. We'll look back and see SL 1.0 and think ‘Wow.. it’s so different than what we have today.’ There may be new rules in place, depending on how things evolve out. ... Of course, long time users will scream bloody murder. We already saw that with V2. ... evolution.”

Aeonix concluded his article, “keep in mind that regardless of the outcome of this rumor, Linden Lab knows that it’s time to pay the devil its due. Whether or not we find that the devil we thought was behind it is truly the devil or just a lower demon compared to the bigger devil of Microsoft, has yet to be confirmed. Let us hope that they aren’t looking to sell all of our souls in the process.”

For Aeonix Aeon’s article: Click Here.

Sources, Andromeda, Virtual Worlds News

Bixyl Shuftan

Linden Labs to Halt Discounts on Educational and Non-Profit Sims

In the latest Linden blog update, Nelson Linden made a couple announcements. One was that the price for private regions would stay the same at least until 2012. But the other was less than welcome news for those running certain places on the grid.


All education and non-profit private regions of any type, purchased after Dec. 31, 2010, will be invoiced at standard (i.e. non-discounted) pricing. All currently discounted renewals which occur after Dec. 31, 2010, will be adjusted to the new price at that time.


Nelson Linden did state that groups just launching programs would be giving the option of Open Space/Homestead sims. Still, the comments following the blog entry were full of disappointed posters. Some accused the Lindens of deliberately planning on pushing these places out of Second Life. Others pointed out this move would affect a number of well known places and organizations:

Educators (schools and universities) aren't the only organizations affected by this. Others include: museums like The Tech Museum of Innovation and the Frank Lloyd Wright Museum in SL, government agencies like NASA and NOAA, libraries, Relay for Life (the American Cancer Society), Virtual Ability (and) advocacy organizations like the National Space Society.

It is ironic that Linden Labs had made the decision to let teens in Second Life for the purpose of education. And now, some of the groups that were the reason the teens would be let in might not set up on the Main Grid after all. Also, Linden Labs had once touted Education as what Second Life might be the most useful for. And now, it is withdrawing the support for it.

For the blog post and comments: Click Here.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Virtual Museum

Gemma Cleanslate goes to a museum in Second Life dedicated to one of the best architects of the 20th Century: Frank Lloyd Wright. Here, one can find many highly-detailed replicas of the man's work, as well as much information to read about Wright himself. The museum also hosts a semi-annual contest for house design.

Read the story in Places.

Sunday Cartoon

By Bixyl Shuftan

SL Fiction: Walk Into the Water

In this fictional work by FoxM Ember, a man feels he has it all. After years of work and saving, a house on the beach and a great family. But he soon finds out this perfect life isn't what it first seems.

Read the "creative fiction" story by FoxM Ember in Extra .

Linden Lab UK Studio "Closed"

UK base for the Second Life business almost certain to have closed weeks ago

Develop understands that Linden Lab, the innovative online company responsible for Second Life, has closed its UK offices in Brighton.

Online reports and comments across social networking sites have claimed that the Brighton studio is closed as of today, yet a source close to the matter has told Develop the British studio closed some time ago.

Linden Lab were unavailable for comment.

Develop’s source speculated that the closure of the UK studio coincided with the recent staff cuts in the US.

Article from develop-online.net by Robb Crossley

M&M Creations Renovated.

The M&M Creations store has recently undergone a major rebuilding. Most of the store has been given a new look, with the different sections are easier to move from one to another.


The center of the sim has the Main Mall area (DoubleMM 133, 30, 70), which is filled with the largest variety of fashion sculpts in-world. The Main Mall contains all Sculpt Packs, Full Permission Builds & Teleport points to the Shops outside the mall with Bargains, Copy/Modify-Items and a humble Texture Shop. The Sculpt Packs have ALL a Temporary Rez, by Touching the boxes, its contents will be rezzed for a minute. No vague pictures on boxes, but a good look in advance and a Right Click to buy.

By flight or the teleport-points in between the Antique Builder Packs and the Sculpt Maps Shop, the outside shops can be reached. The Tutorial Arena is build up at the end of the lanes of aok trees. 10 is giving Private Lessons to all who need those, how to use sculpt maps, use shade textures, fit and wear fashion sculpts and texture sculpties.

If you leave the main mall floor in between the Gazebo and M Fashion, you will find signposts that will direct you to The Bargains Shop (DoubleMM 225, 208, 25), The Texture Shop (DoubleMM 18, 239, 85), A Plateau with only Copy/Modify Builds (DoubleMM 28, 156, 76) and our Arena where classes and tutorials are given & sold.


Around the Main Mall Plateau the side-shops are located. Where can what be found is listed below:

M Fashion - With Full Permissions BIAB outfits & accessories, textures, Tutorials, Customs, Support & Advice

Landscaping & Builds - With complete builds, furniture, landscaping objects / their sculpt maps, lights, fences and much more (C/M/T)

Animals & Cherubs - With sculpted animals with or without Sculpt Maps & shaded Sculpted Cherubs

10's Flowershop - With a huge variety of Sculpted Fantasy Flowers, Plants, Bridal Flowers, Sculpted Fruit. (inspiration is always welcome)

M&M Trees - With Trees, Shrubs, Sculpted Cactuses, Foliage-vendor, Hedges

Antique Builder Packs - With Sculpted Antique Furniture packs (sculpt maps, shade textures, auto-rezzors, manual, complete rez of the antique, Antique Textures: All Full Permissions)

Sculpt Maps - With all Full Permissions No-Fashion Sculpt Maps Packs

Shoes, New releases & Alphabets - With only Full Permissions Sculpt Map Shoe-Packs, New releases of M&M Creations, Sculpted Alphabets & Tutorials

10's Publishing - With all Books they Published in the last 3 years & the Tutorials. Located near the Cash-terminals & newsstands and a gazebo where all books are rezzed to have a sneak-peak!


This week, M&M Creations was the Weekly Featured Guest Artist at Twisted Thorn Textures ( The Twisted Thorn 128, 178, 26) . The glass pyramid at DoubleMM is also there.

The pyramid is build to give you a transparent view of what we present, what we have to offer and as a presentation of who we are as M&M Creations. Two rooms have been build with some of our sculpties. M&M Creations have created Full Permission Sculpt Packs with Shade-textures. Our variety is huge, too big to mention all we do, but most creations we offer are fashion sculpts & antique builder packs. To show our variety & our quality, we decided to compose two rooms, only textured with the fitting shade-textures to let your imagination go wild on these plain looking creations. The pyramid is phantom, so you can reach the rooms by flying (only one side is open to enter the rooms), but this cherub will help you up by offering you a teleport.

This Pyramid is a symbol of what we mean as being transparent and what we stand for; what you see, is what you get with a high quality.

Don't forget to check 10 Goosson's Picks to find out how to order Separate Sculpties! to order only the shapes you need.

Instead of 'only offering shapes to buy', we give out advice, sell Tutorials and give classes/lessons, to help you build with sculpties, Texture them or Fit & Wear the Fashion Sculpts.

A Kiosk to subscribe on the Main Landing Point gives out a New Releases note once a week to keep you up to date.

BE INSPIRED!!!

10 & Marcthur Goosson
M&M Creations

Newspaper Party Tomorrow

Second Life Newser will be having a party tomorrow on Saturday October 2. We'll be having a "goodbye to the summer" theme, as well as celebrating the four month anniversary of our newspaper.

We've been busy as ever, covering Emeraldgate, the Teen Grid merger, and other stories big and small across Second Life. And now, time to have a little fun with a party, and we want you the readers to join us. We'll be having, music, dancing, and more. A good time will be sure to be had by all.

The party is set to start at 12 Noon SL time tomorrow. It will be at a Covadonga Writer's island. Covadonga is a friend of ours from Second Life Newspaper.

Please IM Bixyl Shuftan for a teleport over.

Reader Submitted: What Should SL Residents Do About the Facebook "Real Names" TOS Requirement?

Many Second Life residents have social media accounts, which are associated with their SL selves, such as Facebook. But the Facebook TOS requirements to create an account can be conflicting and are those SL residents with FB accounts in jeopardy of loosing those accounts?

Read this Second Life forums post http://blogs.secondlife.com/message/377837#377837 . What should SL residents do about the TOS Requirement of real names for Facebook accounts? As stated in the TOS "Facebook users will provide their real names and information'. [ http://www.facebook.com/terms.php?ref=pf ] Should Second Life residents who use Facebook, not ask, not tell or should claim the ID/name as theirs because they as well as a society claim it is truly them?

The Facebook TOS does not define 'real name' but does 'information' as "facts." When we as resident act on Second Life, it is 'fact', so content is covered. If this type of case were to be taken to court, how would an SL resident win ?

Second Life is a 3D platform, not defined as either a chat or a game specifically but instead a resident driven 3D community. According to studies, people identify with their av's more than they do their physical selves and see their Second Life representation as their their true identity. Does this means that Second Life residents are justified in having an account according to the Facebook TOS?

Is there a precedence for this kind of situation (case)? How would you argue a case like this if it were you? Who is brave enough to take on this question?

SammanthaS Nightfire

"Standby" by Bryn Oh

A Youtube showing some of Bryn Oh's "Standby," the third and last chapter of her "The Rabbicorn" series, to be made public Nov 1 2010 in the IBM sim.

Rebar Ceremony on The Playa

The Rangers for Burn2, http://www.burn2.org/ , have finished our training. On Saturday the 25th, the Rebar Ceremony was held. The graduates gathered at the Ranger Headquarters on the Playa in anticipation of crossing the line. The address explained the symbolism of the ceremony.

In RL a long time ago, the first Black Rock Rangers took a step across a line in the desert. Ronan Carver said, “Danger Ranger took a stick, drew a line across the earth, and said ‘On the other side of this line, there exists a world where everything is different.’ Then everybody held hands and stepped across that line. The first settlers of Black Rock City had come to burn a wooden man. In doing so, they created a community.”

Rebar is the common anchor for tents and so the Rangers starting stepping over a length of rebar in 1996. Now the numbers of graduating Rangers are so large that the rebar is used to draw the line and the rebar is laid down at the end of the line at the Burning Man . “The important thing is what the rebar symbolizes. ..an anchor..”, said M2Danger Ranger.

So now we are ready and willing to help the community on the Playa! We have learned the skills to work with the community. Our community is busy building wonderful exhibits for the Burn2 week.(October 16 is the start.) It is exciting to watch it all grow from the soil upward. The Rangers are looking forward to it all!! Hope to see you there.

Gemma Cleanslate

Cartoon of the Day

By Bixyl Shuftan
(picture from SamanthaS Nightfire)