That being said I do like the idea of more pictures and more variety. Visual is good, it’s hard enough to explain SL, much better to just show it. I am not a big fan of Flash websites though, especially when I need to find something in a hurry.

Nice writeup, it got me thinking.

Asking for feedback on something you’ve already decided to run with was even sillier than asking for feedback on the design in the first place.

This is a marketing exercise, if it attracts new residents then great. I’m not particularly fussed what they do but the word “create” is very much missing at the moment.

Luke I much prefer seeing positive articles too but generally my mailing lists cover education, there’s a lot of positive uses of education but it’s mainly aimed at the education market, rather than general SL users. If you see something great then shout about it

Except for a few MMO/VR Worlds/Game companies, almost NO VR worlds platforms/”consumer service ” companies have a CCO or even know what they are or do.

c3

Well, I guess I unloaded here in your area making sweeping generalizations. I apologize for that. I didn’t mean to make you accountable for everyone. Please don’t take offense. If you already did, please accept my apology.

I just get so frustrated when I cycle through my Google Reader and hear one bash after another, when my experience with SL has been an overall great one. I see a lot of good on every level.

I know what processes I go through with my own work…the numerous meetings, IPTs, iterations, and testing. I guess I just wish we would hold off a bit until we see a bigger picture. I think calling this a wasted opportunity may be a little bit premature without more insight into the entire experiment (which we probably won’t get).

In any case, thanks for letting me throw my thoughts out there.

As ugly as the blackness is, at least they’re being honest with that bit.

You make an interesting point but what you seem to be critiquing here is critique itself. Which is fine. I decry negativity myself much of the time. YOU may not be a fanboi but I am, if by a fanboi you mean someone who is enamored of something in ways that may not even be particularly rational, who looks up or admires something even when it has warts, or is able to turn those warts into beauty spots.

If, in general, you take issue with the ‘slant’ I give to coverage of Second Life I’d love to hear. In general I celebrate, (in small and ineffective ways maybe but regardless), the culture, residents, projects, application and tools of Second Life.

That doesn’t give me any MORE right to criticize the new home page design than someone else – everyone can. Criticism is generally considered healthy and productive if there are constructive elements to it.

I’m assuming that neither Big Spaceship nor M nor the folks at the Lab are so sensitive that their feelings will be hurt or they’ll deviate from their approach, which strikes me as quite sanely process-oriented, metric-driven, and based on some fairly significant talents.

I have written before about the improvements that the Lab has been making. I’ve written before about contributions that Residents have made to improving the platform. I’ve even put my own cash on the table to try to help facilitate improvements through the UI design contest. Again, these don’t allow me to make constructive comments any more than any one else should be allowed to, but I’m hardly one to over-react, or maybe I am and am just delusional about it.

Regardless, you’re not actually criticizing my comments, you’re criticizing, well, criticism.

I never SAID that the home page was thrown together. I never SAID that Big Spaceship did a hack job. I never said there was no hope.

I was VERY excited when M announced that an outside firm was looking at reworking the home page and the client.

And while I take issue with the design ITSELF, my issue is actually broader, which is my disappointment that this opportunity was wasted: the opportunity for us to rally around a re-articulated vision for Second Life, for us to understand how SL can be an ennobling, powerful platform as expressed in how it is presented to the potential new user.

It may be just a home page but this was a chance for M to demonstrate the big ideas driving what has been a very focused effort to improve the experience: both of new users and as a reminder to residents of why we came in the first place.

It’s not the home page that bothers me, it’s the lost opportunity to reaffirm our faith in the big ideas that drive SL and virtual worlds in general for that matter.

You can have great process, you can focus group and A/B test and have the best design firm in the world, but the effectiveness of all of that process is correlated to the strength of the strategy, mission, and vision on which it’s based.

If “immediately being criticized” and “part of LL’s problem” is passionate Residents attempting to give voice to our collective insights, then maybe it’s time to head off to Sony Home where, as far as I know, the platform owners don’t ask for it in the first place.

It’s obvious they are laying down the cash to try to make some improvements. I’ve seen Big Spaceship’s work and even watched some of their process via lynda.com. I highly doubt this is some thrown together job. Isn’t it a little early for anyone to trashing to whole effort when it has just begun? Is there NO hope at all? Personally, when I read who was involved in this project, I was actually excited.

Busting on LL is easy…hundreds are doing it. I think the real challenge for SL bloggers would be to write about all the really good…really cool things that go on every single day.

I’m very interested in what all you guys have to say, but I have to tell you…you all collectively paint a dismal picture. Perhaps that is part of LL’s problem.

I’m not a Linden. I’m not a “fanboi”. I’m just a guy who really enjoys his SL…warts, bloggers and all.