big changes to void sims

[Elfod Nemeth]

In case any of you (as I do) have void sims the Lindens have announced some big changes, effective 1st Jan:

- Increased cost by $50 a month (US not Linden)
- Entire regions must have same land (parcel) owner as Estate Owner
- No more educational discounts
- Heavily loaded void sims (as mine has been with development sometimes) - a Linden will come and tell you off as you're being unfair to other void sim owners on same machine...and presumably make you return
stuff?

see http://blog.secondlife.com/2008/10/27/openspace-pricing-and-policy-...

I think this means I'm stuffed having my own void sim, back to the
mainland for me and sandboxen - I best concentrate on actually getting a business
going so I can afford my own full sim :(

Basically they're attempting to enforce the original aims of void sims
- open watery spaces for people to boat in or have wilderness areas.

Time to play with opensim again (http://opensimulator.org/wiki/Main_Page)

[Elfod Nemeth]

vote against this here http://tinyurl.com/6hqv85 and tell everyone you know

[Debbie Trilling]

Yep, same situation here as we have already discussed, Elfod, and sure will discuss much more in the future

It does mean a complete re-think of how I play SL and my future plans. Moving to the mainland is *not* an option for me, nor is renting a significantly smaller parcel.

For quite some time, SL has been financially self-supporting for me. These changes it makes it very difficult to keep SL self-supporting and continue playing at the level that I want to (ie: 64K m sq, no lag, open sea on four sides of sim etc etc)

Like you, the only way I can currently see to reconcile these things is to concentrate less on community activities, less on the production of high quality freebies, less artistic works etc and concentrate more on building a business

Sad days indeed

[Elfod Nemeth]

Yes, that's a good point. I always intended to start a business, but I was sucked into just making stuff for the fun of it and exploring.

Bah. I feel like I've just grown up and my childhood is over.

[Elfod Nemeth]

protest video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn1j4PjuP8Y

[Elfod Nemeth]