96 Plots of Spam On The Hill, 96 Plots of Spam - Take one down... Pass It Around...

Submitted by Taran on Sat, 03/03/2007 - 20:56

So you buy some land. You see some people carving up the plots in front of your picturesque view. Someone sends them into orbit, griefing them - and maybe some residents of SecondLife consider those 16m plots of advertising spam that are overpriced... griefing in their own right.

The difference, of course, is that one is assault. The other is Linden permitted griefing - where extortion is par for the course. This is one of the reasons real estate prices go up - because to absorb the extortionist prices to buy out these plots, someone has to pay.

I snapped this pic - and a few others - in front of some land I purchased right before I wrote this. They are, of course, aware that I am blogging it - but have proceeded to demonstrate how cool they are by littering the hillside and view of not just MY land - but the land of others as well. One fellow IM'd me and said 'You don't know who I am! Research me and get back to me'.

My response was 'Research me and don't get back to me', followed by a solid mute.

A pity that some people can get away with this - while Linden Labs otherwise does a pretty decent job of assuring the quality experience of people is maintained. Isn't it bad enought to have one 512 plot square split up into 32 16m squares - but 3? 96 16m ad plots in one place? What advertiser would think THAT would be effective? But, of course, this isn't breaking the rules of SecondLife. People whine about corporations coming into SecondLife, but now look - who is really disrupting the users of SecondLife where they cannot escape - or if they do, it costs them money and the dignity of having to pay an extortionist?

Until, of course, there is money involved. Then all bets are off, and you stand there and listen to these people talk about how cool they are... then make their point by destroying an otherwise pristine view.

Anyone who buys a plot like that supports them. Just like that lunch meat. What do you call that again? I mean, if you have to resort to this sort of advertising - your product must really suck. :-)

But it hurts land owners more than it hurts these folks.

Does it hurt the people who cause visual nuisances? Should it? Nah. They got those terms of service. Brilliant. What's the word, LindenLab? You're cool with the stuff that costs people money and a nice view, but anything that pushes them into orbit is bad. Hmm. Something to dig into. :-)

Taran's blog

Ad-Jitsu

Submitted by Taran on Sat, 03/03/2007 - 22:31.

Hmm. Sucks to be them.

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apply directly to the forehead.

Submitted by unprose (not verified) on Sat, 03/03/2007 - 23:49.

I may be mistaken, but it seems to me those who would advertise should at least figure out who their target market is supposed to be. If these folks advertise their wares in a place where no one wants or needs the product they are selling, it is surely a badly thought out - and expensive - move; moreso if the advertising itself is annoying:

Head On - apply directly to the forehead.
Head On - apply directly to the forehead.
Head On - apply directly to the forehead.

I am just arbitrary enough to entirely disregard the products which ads or billboards annoy me.

I am curious - do the owners of such signs and billboards pay an impact fee, or a tax of some sort? If you want to get real about it, this is the way to go...

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Well, oddly enough, a few of us are discussing this.

Submitted by Taran on Sun, 03/04/2007 - 01:13.

Ends up quite a few people feel as I do. :-)

Problem is that a 16m ad holder pays less tax than that of a 512m landholder, all things considered - you get charged land tier basedon how much land you own throughout secondlife. If you own a 32 of these 16m plots throughout secondlife, you pay the same as someone who owns 512. Of course, it gets more complicated with land tier - but the thing is people get taxed for 'non-contiguous' land, not contiguous land.

There's a lack of balance there, but the Lindens haven't felt the need to address that yet. So a few community members will escalate within the Terms of Service and Community Standards. Eventually, it will become a real mess and then something will have to be done.

If instead the Lindens opened this up to discussion to act on with the understanding that it IS a problem (instead of something to ignore), well... that would be good for them and the community.

Good policy will save them lots of time in abuse reports and other administrative hoopla that is probably going to be generated.

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Psst - Lindens--

Submitted by unprose (not verified) on Sun, 03/04/2007 - 09:05.

I vote for impact charges! It's only fair.
(I may have to reinvent my avatar and show up again, if necessary, to vote!)

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Well, technicly, Linden Labs

Submitted by Plebian (not verified) on Sat, 04/14/2007 - 04:14.

Well, technicly, Linden Labs need to re-read there TOS again. Because it is a direct violation of the TOS, specialy the parts about harrassment, and spamming. i'm sure there are a couple of other things, like the use of illeagle clients (Not that that one applies anymore), umm, and a couple other things. But,bottom line, it is against TOS, but, again, acording to Linden Labs, they have no obligation to step in, and or settle any disputes.

Honestly, I think a few things need two happen, one, most disputes should be settled, by a more localised "governing body" Such as your shop guilds, land guilds, ect... and in order for tehm to do anybody any good, Linden Labs would need to fecognise there authority. Second, the TOS needs to be completly re-written, from the ground up. I'm not saying that parts of it couldn't be saved, I'm saying don't try, re-write the whole thing, including a structure for crime and punishment, it needs not necessarily be listed, but, it does need to be included. Third, Linden Labs, as the program, and environment grow and evolve, have far too long, stood by and watched there pet project grow, into the monster it has become. The current TOS, allows SL, to become a haven for Hackers, script kiddies, Bots, and worse.