While Linden Lab's emissaries are busy scouring the Second Life fifth anniversary hunting down images of male and female people and avatars that might have a visible nipple, and insisting on the removal of such unspeakably offensive material (beware! Every mammal on the planet has at least two of these hideous markings!), one figure has the balls to remain above it all.

Michelangelo's strapping jock, David, though he might be appearing completely nipple-free, still gets to let it all hang out, having been granted the big okay by Everett Linden to stand proud, tall, and unmodified (at least from the waist down) among displays with far more severe restrictions imposed. Nipples might be out out of order, but the Lab's staff seem to have ensured a successful cock-up for the delight and wonder of one and all.

The Lab's staff may stand firm, but we're finding the whole package lacks consistency. Either the Lab needs to grasp things with both hands and tackle the issues (whichever of the available positions they may choose), or it's the users that will ultimately get the shaft in the end.

Cocksure Lab nixes nipples originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Shoshana Epsilon has published an open letter to Linden Lab (which apparently has already been received enthusiastically by Everett Linden). The letter basically calls for the creation of a Second Life Fringe Festival to run at the time of the next Second Life anniversary in 2009. Essentially the resident-run, inclusive festival that this year's Fifth Anniversary was originally intended to be.

That said, the Fringe Festival will not be seeking sponsorship, land donations or input from Linden Lab next year. Presumably, Linden Lab would be free to organize their own events, displays and activities for an anniversary next year, if they choose.

Continue reading Open Letter: Resident festival instead of Linden festival

Open Letter: Resident festival instead of Linden festival originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As you would know by now, Linden Lab recently changed policy on the resident-run Second Life fifth anniversary, essentially switching from a role of donating the virtual land resources for the event to an active management role, overriding the organizing committee and excluding certain community groups, switching the whole event from a predominantly mature event to an entirely G-rated occasion.

Linden Lab's representatives told those involved that in the current political climate they feared a potential partial or complete shutdown of Second Life through legal avenues. Some organizers quit publicly, others simply hunkered down and quit operating silently, and some groups pulled out of the whole event.

Now, it appears, Linden Lab has blinked.

Continue reading Linden Lab blinks

Linden Lab blinks originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.