16 December, 2009

pirouette down palsied paths with pennies for the vendor

Internet archeologists discover amazing social network site, previously thought lost to the sands of time.

Encouraging words from the Linden side of things, according to Ciaran Laval. Here's hoping Babbage is speaking truth: it would be a very good thing if it works out the way this entry seems to imply.

Also relating to Babbage Linden, Mo Hax reveals two new scripting functions that should make a lot of people--especially prim hair makers--very happy.

Finally, Dusan Writer brings us some solid information on the new "Home" experience from LL, including the styles of "homes" available (plus pictures of three of the four styles), the fact (revealed in comments) that this is not a 'perk' available to premium account holders who already own land, but would charge additional fees to them for participation, and--my favorite--lacking any reference to the fact that new "Home" owners can't terraform their parcel, or change out for a new style of house later.

Still think it's more a dog and pony show than anything--with very, very small dogs indeed.

Somewhat pursuant to that, I'm not the only pessimist on the block:

"I have waited for this day, and now that this day has come, my eyes view only destruction."

For the record, for anyone official who might be listening? I'm hoping we're wrong. It's very bleak where we are, right now. It's charmless and disheartening and depressing as hell. Do something right in the new year, Lindens--improve your world before it becomes just another has-been.

Back on copyright issues for a bit--I came across this highly shrill blog entry, featuring the fight against Blac Quartz. Now, I realize, copyright infringement is a huge issue right now; I'm finding more and more stores with the despotic Step Up! grin as I travel around, I've helped texture makers track down the folks infringing their work, and it's easy to let our emotions hold sway.

After all, I got fired over it, in a sense. (And defending a friend. I guess it all boils down to having personal integrity, in the end. I have it; so I'm an outcast.)

But this is where my rational side steps in and shakes her head. Is it the responsibility of a landowner to kick infringing renters out? It's the responsibility of the Labs, very true. And the sim owners in question retain the right to end any renter's lease time, according to provisions laid out in their individual covenants. Is it our responsibility, when we find infringing content, to contact the owner of the sim, though?

I don't think it is. I think it's absolutely right--and necessary--to take down notes, pictures if you can, UUIDs if you get the chance, and send all of that to the copyright holders. I think urging them to contact the Labs and file a cease-and-desist order is essential. But contacting the sim owner?

No. It's not their job. Just as the Lindens aren't 100% aware of every single action undertaken by a resident on the grid, sim owners can't be held accountable for whatever their renters choose to do. If it is within the covenant, that's where the sim owner's responsibility ends.

As I said, once infringement is discovered, can the sim owner choose not to renew a lease? Absolutely. Can a sim owner choose to validate claims against a tenant for future reference? Sure. Can they contact the original content owners and relay to them the types of infringing content involved? Of course.

But expecting each and every sim owner to get outraged and boot people out right and left--just one someone's unvalidated accusation--that's ludicrous. That's mental.

I know, people get emotional about this. There's a lot of anger, a lot of hurt, a lot of fear. I get that, believe me. But expecting sim owners to act as some sort of overriding moral compass for the grid? No. That's unwarranted. She's wrong for asking.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting about the art blog. I was thinking about saying much the same thing. "Mental" is a very good word for it!

As an estate owner, nothing would give me a bad name faster than exercising some of my abilities--like the ability to kick someone, no questions asked, and reclaim their parcel. Of course I *can* do it, as can Sasun and the estate owner she contacted. Unlike Sasun, that estate owner and I both understand that we cannot become judge, jury, and executioner just because Sasun finds an intellectual property violation

Emilly Orr said...

Absolutely--you, as Des, can bounce anyone at will: the difference is, there are ethical responsibilities, micropayments or not. If Des found someone doing something against the Covenant, and he hadn't known until informed, I'm sure he'd investigate. But if it was just he said/she said stuph?

There are a lot of couples that break up, out there, that immediately drag the sim owner into drama--"He's awful, he hurt me, ban him!" "She's a witch, you can't believe her, ban her!" Des for the most part remains above all that he can, and tries only to get involved where his influence is directly needed.

Does it mean that sometimes you're on the other side of morally queasy places? Depends on the acts involved, and whether or not they're illegal, at that time, on the grid, I'd think.

Edward Pearse said...

(And defending a friend. I guess it all boils down to having personal integrity, in the end. I have it; so I'm an outcast.)

As someone who's gone to great lengths to stand up for you when I felt you've been unjustly singled out I have to take issue with that. Not the integrity, the being fired for defending a friend. You weren't.

That you chose to ignore comments made by others who also questioned the way the conversation went and wrote it up as some solitary voice against the hoards had more to do with it than any actual defence.

Some people are outcast by being banned or uninvited to events. Others call themselves outcast who despite repeated invitations and offers, choose not to attend.

There's a very big difference between the two.

Emilly Orr said...

Do you know exactly why I was fired, Edward? Because I do. I was told. It came down to two reasons:

1. Speaking out against Step Up!. Not because that, itself, was inherently wrong, but because it was "unprofessional" for me to speak out against anything the leadership of RR was involved in.

2. Speaking up for Lord Bardhaven. For which, apparently, I was nearly fired back in June, but Duchess Gabi "reconsidered" after reflection, and decided to "let it go".

So. I was fired for speaking out against one of the Duchess' pet projects; and speaking out against mistreatment of a friend.

I didn't ignore comments made, for or against; I painted it as my solitary voice at the time because it was my reaction to things. I'd made an error, as much as anyone, and I perceived it (I still perceive it) as a great flaw.

That I haven't attended a great deal of RR events is still because I feel slighted, and that's fading, and I'm slowly getting over it. Missing last Saturday's DJing was because I got kidnapped to go out to see a movie, and I wasn't informed beforehand.

In some places, I am still banned. In others, I'm not. I'm still, as far as I know, allowed at RR events. I don't think that comment in this blog post was about that.

Edward Pearse said...

Do you know exactly why I was fired, Edward? Because I do. I was told.

Yes Em I do. Because I threatened to walk out. I was banned from Steelhead for speaking up in support of you and got it fixed. I stood my ground with this one as well. I don't know how long you discussed it for but I know I spent about 2 hours on the back and fourth of it. I don't know whether this gives me more of an insight into it than you but I know it wasn't for defending or speaking up for a friend. It was the way you went about it.

Had you been fired for defending a friend I wouldn't be with RR at the moment either.

Yes I realise the last thing I invited you to RL intervened but it's not the first time. Your comment I assumed referred to you considering yourself outcast because you have integrity, as if other people you used to associate with don't. My reply said you're only outcast if you choose it. You're welcome at any event. Others of us also with integrity don't play that way.

Emilly Orr said...

It wasn't about you, dear. Look, there is no one at Radio Riel who hasn't worked their combined rears off making that station shine. I respect everyone there professionally; you've all earned that, from everyone on the grid.

I suppose, in a dark and twisted way, I even respect Duchess Gabi, because my going feral on Step Up! was what made her back up and make the decision to take RR pro, and I hope beyond hope that works out for her.

But does it leave me shrugging off the firing and going on with my life? No, but to be fair, it wasn't just that that's caused the last batch of withdrawing. You, more than most on the grid, know the hell I've gone through for the past couple of years. And I'm having to rebuild everything, it seems, from scratch, so that I don't jump at loud noises, so that I don't react in damaging ways...hells, I know Neome loves me or she wouldn't be living with us, but she teases me and I freak out these days, and...that's not me, that's something I'm having to cope with.

So yes, did I sharpen a pin and jab with it? Yes, and likely unfairly. Was I jabbing at you, at Otenth, at Elrik, at Soliel? No.

But it was likely unfair of me to do it, anyway, and you're right, you have extended a lot of loyalty, and more important, offers towards me, and I haven't come out for a host of reasons, not the least of which is emotional discomfort. For that I am sorry.

Anonymous said...

Em, I hope that you'll recover some emotional comfort. I'd like to see you at events. Of course, I suppose I could go to the poetry slam! :-D I'm pretty sure my tiny pie throwers launch temp-rez ammunition.

And since this thread has gotten long and deep, I feel I should mention that first, deleted post was me, posting by mistake with my RL name.

Emilly Orr said...

I did catch that, and you didn't have to identify it, you know. Post deletions happen on any blog, after all.

I know I'll recover, Otenth, that's not in question. What is, is when, and I'm working on that. It seems there's a lot right now that that's the only response I'll have--"I'll work on that"--but, that makes it no less true.

In the meantime, I'm creating lots, and wriggling Lindens out of friends, and out of passersby who buy things at the new shop, and playing other games, and watching more television than is likely good for me. (And all online, because we don't have cable at present. Which is amusing in itself.) And thinking. A great deal of thinking.

Eventually I will have thought, and will have recovered, and I'll be more social. It's an annoyingly slow process.

hide away, they say, 'cos we don't want your broken parts

Yeah, so...remember that thing I was recovering from? You know, last year ? Yeah. I did it again. So this is Em Faw Down Go Boom part ...