Updated: Another Ad Farmer - sigh

Linden Labs® new policy on Ad Farms seems to be working - sort of. I have previously got removed content from a small parcel near our new rental houses.

The policy was originally targeted for small parcels, at least that was how I understood it. Seems the visual spammers have caught that, and are now instead targeting larger parcels. This 1024 lot is for sale just below my gallery, priced at about L20/sqm. More than double the market price for land, it is still not outrageous, but the gathering of visual garbage suggests that the Ad Farm thought is still there: Buy this land if you want your view restored.

Rereading the policy however, I can see no limitation on the size of the parcel for this to be regarded as ad farming.

Have been in touch with the owner, but to no help. He claims he sells this stuff, and this is his "shop", LOL!

Hope the Lindens agree with me that this is harassment - Abuse report have been filed. Stay tuned!

Update: The visual garbage is gone! No mentioning of the region on the Incident report page, so I cant say for sure if LL has taken action, but it seems probable! Every day there are ad farm incidents on that page, and 7 days suspension is not an unusual action.

All you Lindens, this makes us feel you are caring for the mainland; a big hand for you!

PSHome - but will it be home?

Sony are pulling its muscles to start competing in the 3D virtual worlds of the future. Mimicking some of the features of Second Life, Home allows customized avatars to walk around inworld, chatting and playing games. As could be expected from a console game provider, they mock the graphic quality of SL, instead targeting a look comparable to other games on the same platform.

Question is, are they missing the key feature for us SL lovers: That WE create the world? The slick graphics certainly suggest that the environments are created by professional game designers. None of the hype mention things like in-world 3D modelling tools, customized animations, script languages or a real-estate market. And these avatars just looks so boringly human. Are they just too photo-realistic to be any fun? And will Sony dare to allow the player to really control them? If they, like us, are born as sex-less androgens, will it be possible to add those missing parts? Not to mention using them:-)

Oh well. I guess this will be a much more tightly controlled environment, where content can be rented or purchased only from Sony and their professional partners. If that is so, will the avatars here have the same feeling of identity, the same feelings towards each others? Remains to be seen, I guess!

The positive outcome will be to familiarize more people with these kinds of environments, so that one day they will be ready to come and live in the Real Second Life!

Wonderland - Cyberspace Love

BBC2 aired an interesting program regarding the connection between RL and SL relations. They did manage to find people taking SL to the extreme, so most of us will not feel quite at home here, but its an interesting theme anyway. The YouTube version is her: Part1, Part2, Part3 and Part4.

How do one manage to handle an on-line identity when emotions span the technology bridge that binds us together in this dream-like world? And can art express the challenges - or offer help to manage them?

Cris' Gallery in Big M is now unofficially open

After long weeks of building work, and a lot of help from my beloved in this world, the new gallery is considered finished. The official opening is yet to be planned, but everyone is welcome to come and look around.

In addition to my pictures there is also ample room to sit and chat, having a dance or a cuddle with your dear one, or just sit and meditate in the quiet room if you rather feel like that.