I have my own frigg'n site now! =^-^=

Come on over and check it out.  I found out how much a hosting plan + registering a URL cost and wondered why I haven't done it sooner. DX

Cuz, like, now I'm not really subject to a content TOS over there.  So, a lot of the stuff I had over in Avatars United will be moved in.  I'll set up a gallery soon. (^_^)

For now, the blog is up and running! =^-^=

http://www.darkly-cute.com/

You WILL accept display names! DX

So, what really is in a name in SL?  Mine?  It's a sentence.  Some people have real sounding or culturally specific names.  Others have AOLish atrocities.  Then there's the people who try to get a 'message' across with their account name... Like... xxx69lickyoudry Felicity. (O.o)

Of course, now we're going to be getting DISPLAY names.  Our account name will be locked to whatever we signed up with, but, with a 7 day minimum we can have any bloody name at all... Well... Unless it's a curse word, on the ban list, or "Linden". (=_=)

But, why Linden?  Eventually that gets dug up at the end of the meeting. (=_=)

[2010/10/07 11:57]  Jack Linden: Drongle, Linden is a real world company with real world brand and protections of that brand. So yes, we will protect that inworld

But, what does that mean? (O.o)

Here's how the crowd understood it. (^_^)

[2010/10/07 11:58]  Ciaran Laval: Linden is also a real name Jack
[2010/10/07 11:58]  Master Kane: Oh and we qare just pissants jack?
[2010/10/07 11:58]  Zoha Boa: ZoHA Islands is a RL company paying +400 K US$ in tier to LL. Why can't you protect us ?
[2010/10/07 11:58]  Cummere Mayo: jack, many of the designers here are real world companies with bradings too
[2010/10/07 11:58]  Cummere Mayo: *brandings
[2010/10/07 11:58]  Imnotgoing Sideways: So, what about Linden St. San Francisco? (^_^)
[2010/10/07 11:58]  Marianne McCann: Hmn. I suspect Voyager might be a company's name out there, maybe others...
[2010/10/07 11:58]  Drongle McMahon: SA are hundreds of other names.
[2010/10/07 11:58]  Aargle Zymurgy: and I'm legally incorporated as well.
[2010/10/07 11:59]  Rigrunner Rang: so again i repeat a person can take no action until they see someone using their TM? There's no protective measures in place for anyone except Linden?

So, yeah, something is inconsistent... I mean...

[2010/10/07 12:00]  Imnotgoing Sideways: But, we get to use our RL names, right... What about when a Frank Linden signs up to SL... It's now everyone but him. (^_^)
[2010/10/07 12:00]  Imnotgoing Sideways: If there's nothing to be afraid of.... There's nothing to be afraid of. (^_^)
[2010/10/07 12:00]  Lamorna Proctor: yeah, you can have any name you like, as long as it's not Linden. What's sauce for the goose should be sauce for the gander

So far, the way I'm reading this is that anyone can have anyone else's name at any time, we can use our real life names, we can make up character names, but our display name can NOT contain "Linden". (=_=)

Stepping back in time...

[2010/10/07 11:38]  Imnotgoing Sideways: Linden Lab was only called Linden Lab because the initial office was on Linden St. in San Francisco. Surely, the name has a history that predates SL. (^_^)
[2010/10/07 11:38]  Lamorna Proctor: Unter den Linde was a street in Berlin years before :)
[2010/10/07 11:38]  Lamorna Proctor: *Linden

So, Linden Research Inc. (Remember when they made that change?) feels the need to protect the "Linden" name.  Why?  It wasn't theirs to begin with.  There are people, places, and streets that use Linden as a name.  Surely, there may theoretically be a genuine reason for someone to name their avatar "Linden" at some point in time.  But, that's blocked? (=_=)

To say they're protecting a trademark means... what? (O.o)

[2010/10/07 11:52]  Cummere Mayo: i asked what procedure you have for takedown notices of trademakred or copyrighted names?
[2010/10/07 11:53]  Cummere Mayo: saying talk to us isnt a procedure

Oh, true that.  Residents have trademarked their names due to business interests and such.  But, its not just that.  We'll be stepping into this with zero knowledge of the grief that will come from mistaken identity, fraud, misdirected Abuse Reports, among many other potential issues.  But, the Lindens aren't choosing to protect their resi... CUSTOMERS!  Paying customers, at that. (=_=)

Personally, I can say that I don't completely mind display names, but, I despise the current method being used to implement it.  Add to that, Linden Lab keeps telling us that there won't be a need for protections over our names.  But... They protect their own?  So, if there's no need, why do THEY need it?  That's the whole sticky point for me. (=_=)

I think I have a solution... Opt out. =^-^=

[2010/10/07 11:17]  Imnotgoing Sideways: I'd still love to have an option in my profile that says "Add my account name to the display name blacklist". It can be a tickbox right next to "Hide me In search". (^_^)

People like the idea.  But, will it be implemented.  Heck, it's not even getting acknowledged. (=_=)

I dunno.  I'm seeing a lot of frustrated people who are currently putting a lot of money into SL.  Linden Lab seems to strictly target who they can get far more than who they can keep.  It just smells.  (>_<)

The question is...

[2010/10/07 11:20]  Molly Montale: If being fooled is not a real concern then why will the sur name Linden not be available?

Anyone got an answer?  Anyone?  Bueller?  =^-^=

Meet the... WTF!?! (O.o)

I met E-famous people tonight. =^-^=

We were just kinda hanging out in our sim and Frac dropped in to say "hi". We poked at him for a while to make sure he was still squishy and had a chat. Eventually he went AFK in forever and someone dunked him in the water. (._.)



So, he comes back for a moment and gets back out of the drink. But, not long later a buncha people start landing on his head. Lots of familiar names too. I guess they had a lot to say to Frac, but, I don't run with voice on, so, meh... (=_=)



Then... Uhm... Arabella shows up. Dang! She's taller than I expected! She's nice, though. Had a good chat with her and offered well wishes over the situation down in that area, considering the earth quake and all. (._.)



It was kinda fun... Given our only plans for the night pretty much involved standing around and maybe critiquing each other's clothing. (^_^)

It was like a flash mob of Emerald drama just kinda blew through the sim! =^-^=

Does Anon Deliver?

As a result of an event I was ejected from (in under 30 seconds... can you say ‘guilt by association’ boys and girls?) I wasn’t able to be part of a discussion over anonymous avatars. (=_=)

Well, Bleagh! I guess I can say what I want here. Instead of offering and accepting feedback, I'll just get on my soapbox and lecture on the subject. Sound fun? Here I go! XD

To start... About 5 people know “me” in SL. Meaning, they’ve seen my real life picture and/or have heard me on voice or have even seen the Youtube video I tossed a link to. One of them knows my first name. Beyond that, I’m rather anonymous. I like it that way. When faced with questions, I have a few easy answers I like to give. =^-^=

· How old are you? – I’m “old enough”. =^-^=

· Where are you from? – I live under a giant cookie jar in a park filled with teddy bears and strawberries. (^_^)

Even my non-RP avatar has a story. As I get closer to people I do give out more details, but, only after I believe they care. Sometimes I say things too soon and it freaks people out. But, meh, I can deal with that. (^_^)

What’s so good about being anonymous? Honestly, I don’t know. I guess, because people know me for who I am in real life, I have something to lose here. Any facet of my personality that deviates from ‘common decency’, ‘social norms’, or ‘the will of the mob’ is potential cause for the destruction of my life and liberty. And, everything crosses someone’s line. This is where anonymity comes in. (^_^)

I’ve said many times that my avatar is my me that’s more “me” than I can be, myself. Well, it’s true. In real life I’m 6-feet tall, 220-pounds, and considerably unattractive. Surely, not the kind of person you’d want to be walking on the same side of the street with. That would be fine, if my personality were a hulking thug. But it’s not. (=_=)

Instead, deep inside, I’m a bubbly, giggly, hyper, and considerably childish brat. I’m the kind of person that could run up to a stranger, bite them in the kneecap or torment them with a raspberry or a “nyaa~nyaa~” and run off just as randomly. I have a wisecrack comment for just about everything and my brain is usually working overtime trying to find ways to screw up a perfectly civil conversation without angering anyone. (^_^)

But... Well... I just can’t get away with stuff like that in the frame I was forced into by fate. (T_T)

If I were to behave that way in real life, I’d probably be subject to harassment, people getting really freaked out, being ostracized, and maybe even arrested. Mostly I’m at risk because such behavior is very unusual for someone of my physical makeup. Heck... I see people who behave like that all the time and it’s rather depressing to know that I can’t be like them. I have too much to lose if I were to ever attempt it. (>_<)

But, in SL, I don’t have to be a giant. I can be the cute little scamp I visualize myself to be. And, nobody has to know me. The actions committed by my avatar are an extension of my real “me” and are unhindered by the concept of any real life repercussions that may come as a result of them. In a flight of fancy I can do, be, see, and make myself whatever I want to be. Most of the red tape has been cut. I’m able to be “me” among all without the real life depiction of myself getting in the way. (^_^)

Am I happier because of it? Sure. There’s a good reason why I set aside 3 to 4 hours a day with my fingers tap-tap-tapping away at my noisy Das Keyboard in my darkroom. Being anonymous has allowed me to be me in ways I could have never imagined possible. Allowing my personality to mesh with the virtual has allowed me the freedom from fear of retribution over my actions. I’m able to make and break myself with what are basically non-destructive characterizations of my self. Contrary to what my spell checker says, I did mean to put “my self” instead of “myself”. XD

In the non-anonymous real life world I exist in, my self is a removed entity from what my true nature is in order to address what I have to lose due to my place in society. In the anonymous virtual world I exist in, I see the real me. If that 4th wall were to ever break down, I’m afraid I may break with it. Being “me” is an experience I enjoy greatly and fear losing. All I can do is hope this lasts. (^_^)y