Trademarks brought to you by Linden Lab

As my old readers will notice, the "Header" of this Blog has changed to include some "legalease" that pronounces the Trademark of Linden Lab and various terms they claim as their own.

While I completely agree that you should Trademark items that directly relate to your company, I have a problem with doing while your own hands are "dirty"

There's an old saying in the Court System of our country, "You cannot bring action against someone if your hands are dirty". Basically that means you cannot sue someone for knocking your teeth out if you are responsible for starting the fight.

Trademark laws are all good and well and Linden Lab has a right to "protect" their interests, but they seem to overlook one of the MAJOR problems within Second Life, and that is simple, Linden Lab refusal to work with Content Creators to make it easier to protect their Intellectual Property rights. For the past couple of years, Linden Lab has insisted that Content Creators in Second Life file DMCA claims against those people that appear to be in violation of someone else's Intellectual Property rights. While this may work for large corporations in the Real World, it's not exactly clear what, if any, filing of DMCA claims will do for Content Creators. I've heard, from more then one, that filing DMCA claims have done nothing to stop others from the continual stealing of their Content.

It would seem that a company like Linden Lab, that relies on their Customers to create the world, would do more to help Content Creators protect their investments. I don't see the logic in having a Content Creator filing a DMCA claim, which can take months, against someone that is in essence stealing. I guess in my twisted idea of Reality Linden Lab would investigate these claims on their own since Content Creators are a MAJOR component of the Second Life world.

It seems to me that this is another way for a "Lazy" and "Incompetent" staff to "pass the buck" instead of doing real work. This isn't the first time Linden Lab has implemented this Philosophy, actually it is deeply rooted in their Corporate Culture. For instance, the Bug Squasher say they will not work on a Bug Report that doesn't have reproducible steps. In another instance of this "Lazy Corporate Culture" our friends from the Bug Squashing team have left it up to the Customers of Second Life to "VOTE" on which bug should be fixed first. Perhaps this is why the Grid remains unstable, the Asset server remains unfixed, and the Teleport Bug goes on forever, we just haven't produced enough VOTES to get them fixed. There are more examples of this "Lazy Corporate Culture", like telling your programming and development staff that they can choose what they wish to work on. There are no assigned projects at Linden Lab, you just choose what you fancy. I wouldn't mind having a job at Linden Lab, as I would choose to "browse the web" all day as my project, and seeing just how poorly many of the new features go into production, and how many fixes actually break more then they fix, it's safe to think that many people at Linden Lab have chosen the same as I.

Now that CEO Philip Rosedale has decided to step aside and let another person become the CEO of Linden Lab, we can only hope that Philip's replacement will be someone that takes far more interest in getting things done, than his predecessor did. It's my hope that whomever is chosen for the CEO position at Linden Lab, it be someone who will "crack the whip" a bit more and run things with the most important thing in mind; the Customers.

Well, here's to our newest Trademark portion of the TOS, and to those that continue to get ripped off while Linden Lab chooses the "easy way out". HIP HIP HOORAY!

By the way, I have decided to Trademark my name. So when you are speaking and you use my name, please be sure you give me credit for my Trademark.

Ode to Philip Rosedale - A new beginning

While Philip Rosedale and I have had opposing attitudes towards how Linden Lab has handled Second Life in the past few years, I can honestly say, without reserve, that we both love and want Second Life to succeed.

With that in mind, and in quite a shocking manner, CEO Philip Rosedale has announced his resignation as CEO of Linden Lab, and will instead be the Chairman of the Board of Trustees to Linden Lab.

Many of you will think I would revel in this announcement, but I don't. What Mr. Rosedale has done is one of the BRAVEST and most COMPASSIONATE things a man can do. Mr. Rosedale had a dream 9 long years ago, and instead of letting that dream pass him by, Mr. Rosedale took brave and courageous strides to achieve that dream; Second Life.

While I won't pretend to know how Mr. Rosedale feels about his departure as CEO, I do know what it means to have to turn over your dream to another, and you pray it goes right. No one wants to see Second Life die, Mr. Rosedale especially, but Linden Lab had become too large for the Laize Faire management style employed by Mr. Rosedale. In order for Second Life to succeed Linden Lab will have to ask its employee's to begin tackling the very things that the Second Life Community has been complaining about for over a year now; Stability of the Grid.

While many at Linden Lab are anxious in this decision, I think what Mr. Rosedale has done, is the right thing, not just for Linden Lab, but also for Second Life and himself. I have had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Rosedale in Second Life a number of different times. Each time I did, during Beta testing mostly, Philip Rosedale struck me as a person with a dream and vision, and a great desire to see them through. The problem was that Philip Rosedale, the visionary, watched Linden Lab grow and he was stuck trying to run a Large Corporation, while at the same time trying to see his vision through. This is neither a slam to his Character nor a complaint of any lack of Character, to understand one's self and know where you do your best, shows remarkable foresight, determination, character and bravery. I can only hope that with the everyday running of Second Life behind him, Philip Rosedale can once again enjoy his creation with those who love it just as much as he does, the Second Life Community.

Welcome home Philip Rosedale, we, the Second Life Community, look forward to your leading us into new and wondrous ways.

Casino's to re-open in Second Life!!

Apparently, Linden Lab has raised the policy of "No Gambling" and they themselves have shown us in a spectacular way!

One must wonder just when the Casino's will be back, but from someone that thinks they got a bad shake the first time around, WELCOME BACK!

Let's all follow in Linden Lab's own footsteps and start holding our OWN Lotteries and Chance Gambling establishment. We'll come together as a Community and with Linden Lab will stare down the steely gaze of this US Govt!

Good job Philip and Robin, I'm glad to see you have done the right thing in this instance!!!

Fallen Angels of Second Life

Today I would like to turn my attention to something many of you are probably not aware of. But before I start, you will need to understand the term "angel" in this context.

An "angel" in many software company's, especially gaming company's, are people that provide needed startup capital, even before the product is proven or gone into production.

The amazing part of today's requiem is that Second Life had their own "angels", yet according to Linden Lab, they matter little any longer to them.

You see, during the Beta Process of Second Life, and before Linden Lab could go "Gold", they asked their Beta Players to do something extraordinary. Not to find more bugs, or help decode this or that, instead, Linden Lab, in a personnel plea from CEO Philip Rosedale, asked that the Beta Players buy LIFETIME Accts., to help Linden Lab raise SEED MONEY so they could go GOLD.

Many of those Beta Players answered that call back then, and were presented with an acct., that gave them 4096 sq meters of free tier and $500l a week. Back then, there wasn't any differing support channels, so these "angels" weren't given a choice between LifeTime Support or what they were offered.

Today, these "Angles" are known as Charter Members, you can see that in their Profile on the General Tab, and while it seems Linden Lab has forgotten their efforts to bring Second Life into GOLD, I only hope the Second Life Community won't. Many of these "Angels" not only bought ONE Lifetime Acct., but multiple accts., and that's a very big step of Faith, as Aunty Robin says.

It saddens me though, that the Charter Members aren't granted the same attention to support as say someone who came later, but paid out more. Linden Lab got an $8,000,000 gift early into Production, and I would imagine if that person wanted an acct, Island, and personal helper, Linden Lab would give him all that for free. This is the part that saddens me, that the first givers in Second Life have been forgotten, over the big givers. If it weren't for the First Angels, there wouldn't have been any Second Angels to follow them. Perhaps Linden Lab should remember that?

Here's to those Fallen Angels of Second Life, if you see one, thank them, because Linden Lab has forgotten their sacrifice.

Have they no shame?

Today, I took a moment to ask CEO Philip Rosedale and his Executive VP Robin Harper about the condition of Second Life, the GRID, and the Website.

Now, usually you would think I would write them a nasty and mean worded letter, but instead, I asked them to lean on their Business Respect and respond to me as an Investor, since I did buy 6 lifetime accts., when asked to help SEED the Linden Lab Gold Production.

You would think, that when asked by someone who was NICE enough and GENEROUS enough to help get their business going that these people would respond. Apparently, that's not true, as neither of these "Business People" could find any retort to my questions.

Have you no shame CEO Philip Rosedale and Robin Harper? Do you now turn your back on your generous investors? What does that make you? Business People or Thieves?

Dirty Laundry Duex

Linden Lab has announced it's holding a party for Concierge customers on March 15.

So, before everyone gets really excited about this, let's explain the Valentine Party.

You see, during the Valentine Party for the Volunteer's on the Isle of View, Bub Linden showed up, either in a bad mood or drunk, probably both considering his actions, and made a complete ass of himself by telling a Female Volunteer to "Bugger Off" when she asked for Bub's Teddy Bear. Then later, when Bub saw this same Female Volunteer getting a kiss from another Female Volunteer, he proceeded to rez between them and announce he was having a "Mentor Sandwich".

So kids, you should ask Uncle Philip or Aunty Robin if Bub's coming, and if he is, I wouldn't plan on attending.