I've had to help other friends get out of that Orientation island as well. Sounds like it was a good idea, but pooly executed and maintained. Definitely not one that'll make folks want to come back!

I have to say, too, that I agree on focusing on "how to walk, get and keep notecards, send inventory, send an IM, use search, make a friend" -- at the least, these are skills that not only help a newbie, but also help the SL community as a whole. I might also include "rez a cube" in there somewhere.