Tateru - I know you were here long enough to remember that everyone on the grid could be mapped LOL

I replied to Dusan Writer's article - I'm lazy, going to repeat my two-cents here:

This has always been the case, In fact, it used to be you could map anyone on the grid. Yes, anyone.
To be able to “turn off” mapping was a new viewer feature added about this time in 2006 if I remember correctly.

Back then, you had to actually turn it off as it defaulted to on (which made sense since it is what everyone was used to.)

Over time, we all simply became used to that ‘feature’. However, if you think of it, that information really does have to still be constantly transferred back and forth so it works instantly when you turn mapping ON.

Thus, mapping always happens. it’s not the design of the software to have the ability to turn it on and off. It always was on, so the on/off switch was added later.

What Linden Lab has done was to add a little checkbox that simply tells the map “don’t show this location" - even though your viewer already and always knows it’s there.

So, for those who complain about this feature (”flaw”) being an issue with poor software design… fair enough.

But the ability to turn mapping OFF is really just a patch to hide what is there, always there and really needs to be there - whether you are using it or not - just in case you turn it 'on'.

Think “Digital Liquid Paper”.