TOS Meme

There have been plenty of fun times in SL. This is a photo from a year ago for a contest that somehow never "paid out" with even a thank you for entering. I wasn't happy then, but after all the TOS issues it seems like very small potatoes. And actually I LOVE this shot and with no rezzing at the sim you can imagine how hard it was to get *wink*. So starts my Monday Meme -- on Tuesday.

Do you usually read the TOS thoroughly before you hit accept?

You can bet I do now!  LOL. Actually I often do, but Second Life's terms of service goes on for days (maybe weeks). I had full intention of doing research about the changes in the upcoming days -- and DID. Unfortunately no one (and I do mean no one) caught the important stuff in August. There were things about adult content mentioned and some other small issues. Obviously the folks reporting were NOT content creators. Thanks to CG Textures, many of us figured out how bad it was at the beginning of September and I wrote one of the fist blogs on the subject.

Lesson learned.


How do you feel about the new LL TOS changes, specially from August 15th and section 2.3.

Anyone who has been reading this blog for the last month or so knows my position well and fully. No need to go over it all again. Do a search for TOS in the search panel if you missed my point of view and care *wink*.

Do the changes affect you directly?

Of course. As a content creator I have lost control of my content. I originally thought it MUST be just things uploaded after the TOS changes, but lawyer after lawyer has affirmed that it is ALL CONTENT UPLOADED to the servers in the lifetime of SL -- over ten years.

Since C G Textures banned uploads from their site to SL and let the cat out of the bag (if only we would have known it was actually a mountain lion) I have not uploaded any content. My shop is still open and was doing very well. This month it has slowed down quite a bit; Marketplace sales too. I am not sure exactly why, but many people's spirits are low. I certainly haven't purchased anything lately while waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I no longer build for MOSP. I log in and caretake and put out newness sent to me in blogger packs. That's all I do here now. If I am in world more than half an hour a day it is a big deal. I used to be inworld for 10 hours or more each day.

What do you think people should do about this new change?

I believe everyone needs to do what works for them. If that is going about the world as usual, that is fine. If it means still creating when you know that your items can be instantly used and resold by LL with no credit or money to you (they do SHARE ownership with you of course - how nice of them) then that's fine too.

A fair amount of content creators have closed up shop, inworld or Marketplace or both. A smaller number have "left for good" and many are like me, just hanging around waiting to see what happens and not expecting the unveiling of intent to be a happy revelation.   

The average "casual user" that Linden Labs has been aiming to attract over the last couple of years may not feel any difference at all. Artists were hurt the worst I think, writers especially as any work that was preformed or even written on a notecard is in jeopardy and they cannot sell their works as they cannot verify that there is no one else with rights to publish -- Linden Lab has that right according to the TOS.

Are you or have you ever thought about leaving Second Life? What would you do with your time/blogs/career if you ever did?

Honestly I have pretty much left in spirit if not in practice. I am still blogging, but not quite as often. I check in on MOSP and my kitty every day or so, but my enthusiasm and heart are no longer here. I doubt if the damage can ever be repaired at this point. I am not leaving, but I am mostly an observer now, not a participant and certainly not a content creator.

Some of you know I am over at Cloud Party, a browser based word with total artistic freedom and the most awful hair you can imagine! Well we make our choices. I may have to learn to rig just to have some stuff to put on my body. The unlimited free "sims" (building areas) are a default 1 kilometer square. The land goes on forever and there is no **** in the sky to spoil the view. There is no cost at all unless you want to upgrade to more usage (think prims in one spot)  and a bit of privacy. The world is in beta and it is a small group of people there, but very friendly and supportive. I am actually selling things there to the minuscule population.

It is not a place for those needing to make a living -- actually there doesn't seem to be any good bets out there for that -- no "other country" to move to and upload existing goods.  But I have my safe harbor and I am content. I have always believed in working towards the future and for me the Cloud Party tech is terrifically seductive. I can look like Plain Jane for awhile. I have never built so well and I am a happy gal there. Well there IS that hair issue *wink*.