Is Jack Linden Lying?
by Alphaville Herald on 01/11/08 at 3:34 pm
Mainland prices in free fall – LL tries to hide 7-10% monthly declines with bogus OpenSpace claims
This is why we can’t have nice things
by Pixeleen Mistral, National Affairs desk
I have long been a fan of Aminom Marvin’s work with scultpties – a trip to his store in Sculptomancy sim is reccommended. But since Jack Linden’s cack handed OpenSpace announcement, Aminom has been not been scultpting much. Instead Aminom is spending time on pointing out the inconsistencies – or outright lies – in the Lab’s position. Is Jack Linden the reason we can’t have nice things?
Here is Aminom Marvin’s analysis of the situation:
Bear with me, because the following post is of Prokovesque proportions. The length is required because it uses numerous pieces of evidence to show that Jack is lying about mainland and openspaces, and the motivation behind the openspace price change. This document is not official in any way, and does not represent the opinion of any group or organization other than myself.
First, here is a snippet of a question I asked Jack Linden today:
[2008/10/30 12:25] Aminom Marvin: How does this new openspace policy relate to the huge drop in mainland price in the last months?
[12:31] Patch Linden shouts: ====> What’s the average land price (ML) and does the decline of ML pricing have anything do to with your policy change regarding Openspace sims?
Why it is a softball: additional question asked to set-up bogus statistics (average land price), and elimination of time period from months to nothing in order to allow vagueness of time period. Change of question to “does the decline have anything to do with policy change?” is an acceptable clarification.
Jack’s Response:
[12:32] Jack Linden shouts: The Mainland average price per meter (mean average) has been floating between L$5.5 per meter and L$6.5 per meter for some time now. It’s been quite consistent at that level with only small deviations for single days. And no, it had no part in this decision at all.
Notice that in noting the average price, it is not made clear whether this is buying price, or merely the price parcels are listed for sale at. This makes a huge difference. Note the vagueness in “some time now.”
–
Now, let us dig into the history of Mainland prices in the last few months:
http://blog.secondlife.com/2008/08/10/august-mainland-supply-update/
“The mainland price is remaining consistent, the Mean average being L$7.10 per meter over the last 7 days for individual buyers compared with a little over L$6 for Group buys. This is the number we usually talk about in these posts, and is an average of completed Mainland sales only (not parcels set for sale) and excludes estate
sales, zero value sales and auction parcels.”
http://blog.secondlife.com/2008/07/17/update-on-mainland-supply/
“For the last 3 weeks the previous decline in average Mainland price per meter has halted and the price is now holding steady at an average of L$7.25″
http://blog.secondlife.com/2008/06/17/mainland-supply-on-hold-until-july/#comments
“It will be no secret to those that have bought or sold land recently, that the average price of mainland has been falling. In 2007 we managed the price down slowly from a high figure of L$12 per meter to a more reasonable L$6 to L$8. It then rose a little as we reached March of this year before falling consistently since then. In recent days we have seen it dip below L$6 per meter which we feel is a little low.”
“There are a number of factors behind this recent drop, not least the large number of Openspace regions sold through the new Land Store and the changes in island pricing. Of course the supply of new Mainland at auction is another factor.”
Huge Slide in Mainland Prices:
The new Openspace pricing and policies went live on April 24th. New land store with instant delivery went live on May 7th. This coincides with the “drop in mainland prices in April” that are talked about. on June 17th LL stopped selling new vanilla mainland sims and hasn’t released any since, and in that post he admitted openspaces being a major contributing factor to the fall in mainland prices.
Now, is LL concerned about mainland prices? Yes; February, they announced major new initiatives to improve mainland: establishment of the LDPW, and addition of a new product: value-added sims, such as Bay City and Nautilus. This approach was obviously done to try to make mainland more attractive as a product. It has failed to do so.
I do not know if sales of Bay City or Nautilus land is figured into this- but it should not be. This land is fundamentally a different product than the majority of mainland, and is the most expensive luxury product on the grid.
Using Jack’s own numbers, on August the mean average was L$7.10 per meter, and today he mentioned it being between $5.5 and $6.5. This is a drop is approximately L$1 per meter in two months- somewhere around 15%. Between July and August, the drop was 10% in one month. Before that, the average price was lower- but that was with them adding supply.
To sum it up, we are seeing monthly losses in mainland prices of 7.5% to 10% despite them releasing no new vanilla mainland, and trying to make it more attractive using policy changes (banning ad lots) and adding roads etc.
During the same period Openspace sales exploded.
–
Analysis:
To sum it up: Jack seriously distorted the issue by claiming that the price of mainland has held steady, when using his own statistics, huge falls in price are shown over the last few months since new mainland sims stopped being released. He does this by making the time period deliberately vague; by making the time period arbitrarily short, you can claim the value of anything has remained steady for “some time!” There is no doubt that there is a serious bear market underway with land, and it is uncertain if a bottom has yet to even be found.
Why would we see my question deliberately made into a softball that was so blatantly distorted? People don’t lie or distort facts unless they are hiding intent- and in this instance, given the recent history of mainland and LL’s failed attempts to prevent a continued price slide, it seems obvious that resource use isn’t the real issue at all, but devaluation of mainland is the actual reason.
Yesterday, Jack Linden made a huge slip in the new Linden blog. http://blog.secondlife.com/2008/10/29/update-regarding-the-openspaces-announcement/#more-2742
Here is the relevant quote:
“We are saying that the use has changed, and continues to do so as people find more creative ways to use them. So the revised pricing is about recognising that change of use and the additional costs and value associated with it.”
As anyone knows, for two similar products, increasing the value of one product will devalue the other. This is precisely what has happened to mainland, what LL has aknowledged in the past has happened, and now, by proxy of application of simple economics- LL has shown is a reason for this price change.
Linden Lab needs to stop lying and distorting about the true intent about this new policy.
LOL
Nov 1st, 2008
HA HA 5.5$L a SQ\M…. more like 2.3$L a SQ\M if that! the adverage price of Mainland has sunk to
me
Nov 1st, 2008
Well, no matter how you look at it, the rates Linden has asked for are outrageous to most. And the risk factor staggering for expecting any return on the funds plunked on SL virtual real estate of any kind.
Most would agree that if there were competition in the market that there would be no way Linden would be able to pass the costs of the server to the end user nor would they be able to continually raise the prices.
That day is coming and when it does Linden will be promoting a reasonable price with no one even interested. It’s just a matter of time.
The whole concept of Lindens world is capitalism. Starting from the top down. And when people are not, or have the belief that there is no way to “make” money in SL. The tide will turn.
Fortunately for others with ideas, other VW concepts, not everything is based on capitalism. Where the whole concept is based on capitalism, there is sure to be a fall at one time or another.
There are many in SL that used the service for the right reasons. But a majority are either in it for gain or try to pay for their hobby via the sales they generate. When not able to generate enough to pay for the service they lease, will find other ways and platforms that will.
Aminom Marvin
Nov 1st, 2008
It is worthy to note that this was not intended for publication, but is from a notecard sent to a group. If I had written it with this in mind, I would have tried to go more thorough research and look at the trends in things such as growth of premium accounts, growth of the L$ economy, total mainland growth, and private island growth. Also, an analysis of the revenue of initial fee (auction price) and tier fees of vanilla mainland and Nautilus land could be helpful.
Jovin
Nov 1st, 2008
They don’t just need to stop lying they need to try harder. The obvious, and far more effective, measure that could be introduced is dumping the necessity of a Premium account to own mainland, it’s dumb and only serves to limit the ownership of mainland to a dwindling few Residents.
They’re shy of making the change because they think it will upset their fee-paying Residents – but owning land that’s worth less than you paid for it is far more upsetting. Other features can be introduced for Premium members later, meantime get rid of the tax on mainland and let that stimulate mainland sales. Not everyone wants (or can afford) a full OpenSpace sim, but having to pay $9.95 per month to own 512m of land is ridiculous.
miffed
Nov 1st, 2008
It’s all just a big ploy to force people back to mainland. That much was evident from the beginning.
LOL
Nov 1st, 2008
Linden Lab is just like every other big business,,, Bottom line is the Dollar sign. Anyone who ever thought that LL tells the truth to residents and cares about anything but thier own profit margins, has been living in a Dream World!
ratty913 sonic
Nov 1st, 2008
See i new there was coruption in Secondlife too. nothing but a bunch of money grabbing evfils assholes. that over uses there power in sl. its only a game. and nothing else. things should be free. and good stuff too not all the crappy shit. and it needs to get better too. so theres not somanny crashes. and better frame rates. so im not spending a lot of money on a good videocard just to play sl.
Jack O Lantern
Nov 1st, 2008
Well yes he is, don’t forget that Linden made an announcement when they dropped the purchase price for regions from 1675 USD to 1000 USD. They stated: the price of technology has become much cheaper and we would like to pass on the savings to our residents. Wasn’t his a nice claim to make?
It gets even better, a little while later they new fresh CEO, a real genius if one believe everything Linden writes made a nice blog posts where he stated:
HEY LOOK PEOPLE, I HAVE GOOD NEWS, LINDEN LABS IS VERY PROFITABLE AND MAKES A LOT OF MONEY. SECOND LIFE IS MAKING LOTS OF MONEY AND IS VERY STABLE AND CAN HANDLE COMPETITION LIKE GOOGLE LIVELY. AGAIN SECOND LIFE IS MAKING A LOT OF MONEY.
He kept repeating how much money Second Life was making over and over again, very strange, never saw a CEO keep going on how much money the company he manages was making unless he wanted a raise. In the case of M Linden this would be strange since they just hired him.
Now a very short while after the CEO stated how much money Linden is already making they suddenly raise tier for about 15 to 20000 openspaces in Second Life with 67% per month. 50 USD per sim times (approxitmately 17500 openspaces)= 875000 USD per month, on a yearly basis this is 10 million 500 thousand USD more in tier fees for Linden Lab in profit. Pure profit as their costs won’t increase, only their profit margin will.
Strange thing, the CEO already states, hey we are making so much money here from you, then 2 months later, hey pay up another 67% extra or we are going to take back the land we sold you 4 months ago. So in january you either pay up or we are going to take back your land. Why? Because we can and because we want even more of your money for the same service. It’s not that we need it, we just want the extra money from you.
Anom
Nov 1st, 2008
I think everybody and the story is missing the point.
Any company, regardless of reason, who has to hike prices by [67%] (depends if non-profit) has been negligent in their business operational model which has led them to that point in time.
Regardless of the final outcome (which is likely voids moved to full sims in clusters of 4 at no charge and severe timescale based on the ticket queue) the question you SHOULD be asking is why do you continue to do business, or use a platform that lacks any integrity.
If for income only, you an make more designing websites with considerably less skills. If for pleasure only, there are multiples of other potential solutions out there to use. I attended the Linden meeting with Jack. And the amount of emotional outpouring and lack of ability for many to articulate, discuss and negotiate showed me why. Most are too immersed to raise their heads above it. Some clearly were struggling with language and more than a few with intellect. However, within an hour of that meeing it was incredibly difficult to remain open to the discussion. It must have been very frustrating for the other residents there.
People will stay as they can’t figure how to switch off the computer and find something better to do.
You know hwo I am by now..this gets xd up anywat
Nov 2nd, 2008
Ok besides the LL crap we have had to deal with this is just some of the crap we really have had to deal with. great matrial but a lo of casualties. I am so disgusted. I am just so disgusted with it all I want to bail but its now become such great entertainment I’m not sure what to do.
there r some pretty dam good shows comming out of SL it kills me but to produce a show today.. I(m wondering. it all is a bunch of pooh and to film there is pooh so hope things get better or “OMG I may get a real life” not that i didn’t.
I want to say i have felt not after this latest news that i wasted my RL time but I didnt to a point but then again yes I really did and shame on me.
I’m probably going to say godbye for now soon but still travel as I always have and if I fin d myself so sensored there I will not hold back.
Iv;e got 2 years of material Iv’e been holding back ok ok. but if Im done with this game Im done ..today gave me a major headache to listen in voice the people …sorrry but I just cant take imature whatevere..but I’m moving on. I’ve wasted so much time here but had some very creative moments ..i’ll be a client but im out of there when the time is right for me..just because I feel in my own mature self this operation is run by a bunch of juviniles and (forgive the spelling) but it really is.
Im sorry but it brings me back to to much to family and business. Either your ready to manage this type of company or not and u hire a hmm dad recomended idiot who knows nothing from nothing and screws up plenty. You ent up like this. Trust me.
Whom ever took over um we know and its sad his name is jack as far as spokes person CEO but their r others and they r ready to bail. Take a long vaca and not come back and let other s take over. They made their investments but know its time to move on.
They don’t care about this crap ok. they will follow but have removed themsleves from the company to a degree that they will only prosper ..hmm up or down..most likely up..dont see a down turn..so they made a wisw desision so im as a client of my tie is limited im not a fool and they can have it.
the service stinks and so does communication for many and Im tired of spending my days waiting for testures to rez ect..we know the drill…Its not my computer like they want u to believe its them so I am making an effort to wheen myself from them..its just another phase so lets move onn.. I grew up!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9Ojs7KF5B0
Anonymous
Nov 2nd, 2008
More reason to quit SL.
STOP PLAYING THIS SHITTY GAME YOU RETARDS. Seriously. The writing is on the wall and has been for about a year.
-Most traces of corporate interest in SL are ghost towns
-Most news media sources have quit, and so have SL related blogs
-Land prices are going nuts
-Linden Labs has been pulling tons of bullshit against their customers constantly, resulting in less and less people on SL.
-The hype bubble burst
-Corruption with various lindens being pawns of certain self-important assholes who think they’re the gods of SL.
-The PN doesn’t even bother with SL, in fact, they more or less fell apart because SL isnt even worth trolling anymore.
-Furfag central, aka Furnation is dying. and Furfags are the biggest fans of SL.
It’s fucking dying and LL is starting to panic, and will continue to shoot themselves in the foot until the very end.
Eventually even the most hardcore addicts of SL will break away, probably go back to world of failcraft.
I’m going to laugh when LL starts killing off mainland sims right and left due to lack of profit and mainland prices dropping like crazy. Though by that point I’ll get tired of watching Linden Labs fail and move on. It’s beginning to get pathetic.
Capitalist Warmonger
Nov 2nd, 2008
ratty913sonic said – “See i new there was coruption in Secondlife too. nothing but a bunch of money grabbing evfils assholes. that over uses there power in sl. its only a game. and nothing else. things should be free. and good stuff too not all the crappy shit. and it needs to get better too. so theres not somanny crashes. and better frame rates. so im not spending a lot of money on a good videocard just to play sl.”
Sure, everything should be free. Someone should be out there right now, creating excellent content for you to enjoy free of charge. You do realise that given your request that everything be free, then such free content would effectively be coming from some form of slave class? And YOU might end up in that slave class, producing free content for others to enjoy? Of course you’d be unhappy about this so you’d produce crappy content because why should someone get something free from you? So tell me, you’re the freaking genius, why should LL or the sim owners or the content producers give you anything free?
And you know what? I just forked out for a new bleeding edge graphics card so I can enjoy the value of increased performance on my PC in lots of ways, not just SL. I didn’t need to, I could have plodded along with my old one but I decided to spend the money as I would derive value from the new card. It’s the same with avatars and content. You get given a free avatar and a bunch of stuff and believe it or not, you can get by perfectly well with these. But if you want more than this, well time for a wake up call. Shit costs money. Increased performance costs money. You don’t NEED that increased performance but if you WANT it, then you need to understand that stuff costs money to make and people deserve the right to be paid for that work.
As for your point about crashes. On my old PC, I crashed every ten minutes and I swore at the Lindens until my face went blue. Then I bought a decent PC with a ton of memory and all the trimmings and now SL runs so perfectly it’s beyond belief. Not one single crash since I upgraded. That’s right, not one.
You don’t have an inalienable right to free stuff in life. The world doesn’t owe you shit. The sooner you realise this, the better I’m thinking.
IntLibber Brautigan
Nov 2nd, 2008
Hey everybody, there ARE options here. Teaching LL a lesson without hurting all the independent business owners who create all the great content and in many cases rely on their SL income for their RL livings. It’s really unfair to punish other victims of LL policies. If we all work together to demonstrate that SL is OUR economy, not LLs, we can make them back down.
One easy thing: STOP USING LINDEX
If you need L$, buy them from a third party exchange. Ya, I run one, ACE-exchange.com, but there are many others: xstreetsl.com (formerly SLexchange), the Dutch Exchange, APEZ, etc etc. I don’t care which one you use, but dont use LL’s Lindex exchange. They make $500k US a month off Lindex fees (3% every trade).
ACE charges only 1%. I’m not sure what the others charge. We remit to your paypal daily (new guaranteed policy), we dont take a week like LL does. As an active member of the SOS protest group, I have also promised that if ACE currency volume hits L$5 million a day, I will drop the fee in half, to merely 0.5%, one sixth what Lindex charges, to show our support.
Some folks may think, “but you guys still use Lindex yourselves”. Wrong. We haven’t used Lindex for ANYTHING but paying our tier in over 8 months. Our ability to supply L$ and USD is completely contingent upon the market activity of those trading on ACE: dollars come in one side, L$ come in the other, they change hands, and head back out. No need for Lindex.
So, folks, this is a good way to stick it to LL like they are sticking it to us. An easy way of changing how you buy or sell your L$, you don’t need to change any of your regular SL shopping or selling activities, while hitting LL where it hurts.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Venture%20Square/150/128/35/
http://www.ace-exchange.com
anonymous
Nov 2nd, 2008
Well, in all honesty its not as though the technology developed by SL is at all bad. Its really quite a good thing in what it provides. The ability to create your own virtual reality environment quickly and easily. The problem is how this technology has been implemented – aka the Lindens and their rather shitty business practices. I keep saying it over and over again, thank god for OpenSim! After Linden is downsized and minimalized to the modern day equivalent of AOL and CompuServe, other grids will be thriving – learning from lessons taught by Linden, in other words how not to run a virtual world.
Jack Linden
Nov 2nd, 2008
Yes I am lieing HA HA HA HA HA
LOL
Nov 2nd, 2008
@IntLibber Brautigan
If we stop using the Lindex, and start using other services such as ACE. Will this not also cause LL to find more ways to increase thier revenues? Maybe Raise the Private Island Tier next to Compinsate for the Loss of earnings on the Lindex
welp
Nov 3rd, 2008
Welp, here is some Jack Linden slapjack fallout for ya: The LandBaron who was renting me my openspace sim just IM’ed me and told me that my Landlord LandBaron that I pay tier to would be changing this month because he just sold out his whole 100 Opensim inventory for pennies on the dollar to someone else while he could still get something for them. He said that he couldn’t wait any longer to sell them off because they would be worth nothing in a few weeks. He said that the LandBaron business in SL was almost officially dead now. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that Nov.2 was it for me and we had moved out. The new LandBaron will find that out soon enough I guess. This is happening over and over to a lot of LandBarons across SL: Ruin. Way to go Jack… Another fine mess you’ve gotten us into…
IntLibber Brautigan
Nov 3rd, 2008
Who am I kidding. I’M DESPERATE! My business is in the toilet, and the collapse of the real estate market is just the last shit on the bowl-ful before they flush me down completely. That and the fact that I trashed what little respect I had left by hiring all those kids who kept griefing on the side.
OOOh BEJEEBUZ, what will I do NOW??
Sigmund Leominster
Nov 3rd, 2008
@ welp
“This is happening over and over to a lot of LandBarons across SL: Ruin. Way to go Jack… Another fine mess you’ve gotten us into…”
Just a second. Why are the “Land barons” innocent? There are NOT supposed to be “Land barons” renting out Openspace sims! Are we supposed to feel bad for folks who snapped up cheap land then rented them out – expressly against the terms of what OS sims were sold for – and now find themselves stuck with a huge bill? I don’t think so!
And this is not the only story I have heard of “Land Barons” who feel aggrieved. Well, did they not read the original text about Openspaces? In fact, did ANYONE?
“It is therefore important to understand what these regions are; they are provided for light use only, not for building, living in, renting as homes or use for events.” (http://blog.secondlife.com/2006/09/21/information-about-openspaces-void-regions/)
Hello! Has the word “not” taken on a new meaning in the past few months? And don’t give me the “but ‘they’ allowed it to go on” line: Maybe ‘they’ allowed it to go on but have since realized that ‘they’ should have stuck to ‘their’ guns and held folks accountable much earlier.
There are two underlying failures here from LL. The first is that they did not act months ago to stop “land barons” from profiteering using cheap land. The other is that they no punish EVERYONE for the sins of the few.
Why are folks so eager to bring up “terms of service” against LL when it works in their favor, but are equally happy to ignore them for the same reason? Answer? Hypocrisy. Plain and simple. The “big bad Lindens” are out to get me. Well boo hoo! Get a grip. You wanted to buy cheap and sell high and lost. That’s what “investment” is all about. I don’t ever ever ever see folks who make money in SL offer to pay MORE to LL when they do well, but EVERYONE wants LL to drop prices or give them their money back when things suck.
80% or more of business ventures in SL and RL fail. 80%. That means 80% of you wannabee business folks will hit the wall and go under. Sorry, that’s the game for yah. We can’t all be winners and crying doesn’t increase profits. You bought an OS sim to play at being a “land baron” and happily took rent from folks. Will you refund them? Shit no! But they feel ripped off too, so how about “sharing the wealth” a little?
Sometimes folks in virtual reality need a dose of “real reality” to remind them that this is NOT just a game but real money gets shuffled around and real business goes on. There will be winners here and losers – 80% of you will be losers. The other 20% will read the contracts, study the investment potential, and make smart decisions. Others won’t – and clearly did not.
Darien Caldwell
Nov 3rd, 2008
Problem is LL encouraged Estate Owners to rent out openspaces as single use residences. So Linden Lab is hardly innocent, and if renting out an openspace was against some vague line buried in a knowledgebase, it’s LL’s fault for actively telling people to do it anyway.
So don’t blame the Estate owners, who were only doing what LL told them they should be doing to be profitable.
Sigmund Leominster
Nov 3rd, 2008
@Darien
Thanks for the comment on “Problem is LL encouraged Estate Owners to rent out openspaces as single use residences.” Where will I find LL documentation on this? Just looking for a paper trail
Blah Blah Blah
Nov 3rd, 2008
I could care less about price increases. I gave up getting screwed over paying massive prices on islands long ago. Who cares about these degenerates who only come to SL to make a quick buck. I say to LL please TRIPLE the existing tier on islands. When the rain comes the scum will get washed out and SL will be left with the people that are just here to have a good time
Anonymous
Nov 3rd, 2008
An interesting article that was forwarded to me by my boss regarding the protests. If this doesn’t reinforce the notion that Linden has lost all direction and idea of what its doing then I don’t know what will. :/
“I contacted freshly minted Linden CEO Mark Kingdon for his comments about the protest. In a statement provided by his publicist, Kingdon told me, “We understand that this price adjustment will affect businesses and other projects of some our Second Life Residents,” and emphasized the cost increases were only directed at select landowners, who have until January 2009 to adjust themselves to the new rates. “To be clear,” Kingdon continued, “this price adjustment affects only a portion of land in Second Life; it does not apply to private islands or regular mainland property. We made this change to ensure an optimal Second Life experience for all Residents.”
- (http://gigaom.com/2008/10/30/protest-threatens-linden-labs-profitability/?referer=sphere_related_content)
CuckMy Sock
Nov 3rd, 2008
Hear! Hear! Blah Blah Blah! I could give a crap about people making money in SL. Means they couldn’t make it in the real world because it’s “too hard” for them so that they need to come to this pretend e-world and have the Lindens hold their hands.
I’m just here to p-a-r-t-a-y and have a good time and buy some e-bits while I’m at it.
The rest of those people… downers. They can all leave SL for all I care.
janeforyou Barbara
Nov 4th, 2008
Some of the comments here are realy rude.. some SL members are rely trying hard to do some business in SL.. and some of them raly are the “backbones” in SL so anyone can be here and play even if thay are here “just for fun”,,there are member that are not able to get a RL job but still work hard in SL to crete some lovly items and land tay can trye to make a living on or have as a hobby, so dont go down on them that realy do work hard so you also can “play”.. For my self i am well off in RL and dont need to do busines,, i still do as a hobby and i put it all back in SL and i create places for my tousens of members, you dont get “rich” in SL on mony,, but you can trye to get a income to cover your costs like i do but still have fun
Lawl
Nov 4th, 2008
“people making money in SL. Means they couldn’t make it in the real world”
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HA
Okay, okay… people ARE getting more retarded by the day. Proof right here
rightasrain
Nov 4th, 2008
there is no “land”– and square meters is a useless metric only used by LL to confuse newbies. They should be sell based upon prims that can be rezzed–I made up a term called CPT = cost per thousand prims per month. You can then see that a private island has a CPT of $USD18.44 and the new openspace will be $USD33.33. You would need to want to wear a tag of shame to own such an expensive, limited void.
Archie Lukas
Nov 5th, 2008
Now we know why the former CEO stood down and they brought this 3-month wonder boy in.
He was the only one who agreed to do this having no pedigree or loyalty to SL residents.
Standard ploy for management bullying.
Thomasine Guisse
Nov 6th, 2008
For LL, is it all about driving up the price of mainland or killing SL?
The owner I rent from is closing her OS end of Dec and I don’t blame her a bit with this final decision from LL on OpenSpace, Homestead, etc. 66% and more price increase with promised limits on prims, scripts, av’s etc, smacks of either LL needing cash infusion fast or wanting to kill off SL to me. Even in good economic times, no one can’t accept 66% price increase and less service/amenities.
My owner moved us from mainland when LL made OS irresistible with prim allotment, price and privacy we didn’t have on mainland. When high use club moved in our supposedly residential area, an OS seemed ideal. On OS, four tenants plus owner pretty much was LL’s “light use” compared to laggy mainland. Our OS was not-for-profit for owner and we are little family.
If LL wanted OS to go back to mainland, why not just make mainland more appealing? I took a look at new Nautilus sim land and just can’t afford it.
I fear what is next is that LL will raise tier for mainland and private island owners in near future. And maybe start limiting prims, scripts, av’s etc also.
Also the timing of the announcement of OS changes “smells” Has LL decided that they have made as much out of SL as they can, in terms of present economic climate? Seen it happen in RL often enough. Little company gets big, forgets people that got them there, starts making stupid decisions, thinking people will still buy product/service no matter what.