Op-Ed: Greenspanning the Grid

by Alphaville Herald on 18/01/05 at 9:31 am

by Walker Spaight

Hamlet Linden had the first of a two-part interview (or, more than one part, anyway) with Philip Linden yesterday on the recent economic changes in Second Life that’s certainly worth reading — though we find there’s not much new there that hasn’t already appeared on the forums and in meetings with Robin and other Lindens. Part II will presuambly bring more.

In fact, Robin was slightly more forthcoming, perhaps because she had to field questions from a half-outraged mob. I, for one, think Second Life would not be at all hurt by an increased level of economic information coming out about the system. Robin promised the Herald an interview on SL’s economy, but that has yet to be arranged (probably only because we haven’t followed up, not due to negligence on her part).

The Herald’s editorial board has already weighed in as to its skepticism about certain aspects of the changes, and previous Herald op-eds have come out in support of other aspects.

Here’s hoping the flow of information continues and only increases. The grid and its residents are capable of supporting this, and the Lindens might benefit as well, by being able to indicate, in those mobbed moments, a clear, fact-based rationale for the changes that were doubtless not an easy thing to decide on. Residents might still not agree, but at least the Lindens would be better able to rest their case.