I think SL and LL are really at a turning point this year. As I conducted interviews and worked with LL to connect with the right folks to get info and to confirm it for inclusion in the book, I became very aware of changes at the Lab. Some of my overall impressions were that the new folks coming into LL are the type to make sure the trains run on time, even the “newbies” among them are really excited about SL and enjoy being avatars themselves, everyone over there is working their butts off, those who think SL is cool now ain’t seen nothin’ yet, and that SL isn’t “threatened” by opensource grids or other competitors. I also approve of the increased caution about early announcements of things like launch dates and discussion of new features.

Thank you for buying my book, Dusan. I’m glad you like it! I thought a review copy had already been sent to you. Next book I will make certain of it.

Whatcha Eaton, mesh imports will be disruptive for me, at least, for a couple of reasons. One is that, as happened with the advent of sculpties, some existing content in-world will become obsolete. It’s worthwhile, though! As well, I like to build in-world – as an avatar pointing at prims and making things from them, along with the rest of my team, in a virtual workshop that I couldn’t recreate in real life. It’s not the same as sitting alone in my office looking at Maya (or Photoshop or Poser). That said, I don’t think meshes are going to doom regular prims anytime soon. It’s not as if we’re using sculpties for everything now, or as if they’re better than regular prims for everything.

Does anyone know how to watch Ray’s talk? Is it on Youtube or something?

Philip and Mark can be, of course, both right from two different angles.

No need for a review copy, I bought the book - and it rocks.

(Trying to get around to reviewing it for the site, time has been a little sparse is all).

Your comment in the book about mesh imports jumped out at me, and I had wanted to confirm where you got that information. I’m wondering however what you think the policy decision process might be at the Lab, and what the timing might be.

We’ll see at this morning’s keynote by T Linden whether he mentions this at all on the road map.

Thanks for your comments - mesh imports into second life are clearly planned, it’s a question of when the plan is implemented.

There’s nothing “inevitable” about this, of course, unless these crazies use force. Which they’re quite prepared to do by using the nudges, the browbeating, the social media pressure, all the ways and means they have to exert force on people without coercion that still leads to the same thing.

In trying to parse what Philip is saying here, I’d have to figure he means some kind of use for business or use with RL names that will remove the SL names and remove the SL “world” that was a continguous virtual world of its own, with its own dynamics, in favour of a simulation of real life that both shapes real life and then is shaped by RL.

According to Lindens I interviewed for _The Second Life Grid: The Official Guide to Communication, Collaboration, and Community Engagement_, support for mesh imports is already in the works. Folks should be able to import their existing content, but at least initially the ability to edit it once it’s inworld will be limited, similar to sculpted prims.

I’ll be happy to get you a review copy of the book if you like, Dusan.