I feel like I owe Philip an apology. He’s been commenting in a few places on his absence from SLCC this year, including this blog:
SLCC is incredibly important to me, and right now I need to be there more than ever. However, my family is very important to me as well. I’m leaving to drive to Yosemite literally that morning, on a trip that has been planned for over 6 months. If the SLCC organizers want to check with my schedule before planning the event, we can make sure I can be there.
Family is important. Downtime is critical. Yosemite is supposed to be really spiffy and it’s off the Grid, which is where you should be on vacation.
Now I don’t think the SLCC organizers felt that he was part of the picture when they set the date – so that’s kind of an unfair comment, as if they intentionally set a date without checking in with him. At the time, Philip wasn’t playing an active role in the Lab and so there was no need.
And I’m sort of reassured by his reasons. Clearly the ship isn’t sinking, Second Life isn’t at a mission critical crisis point, the community isn’t at a pivot where they’re deciding whether to stay or go, and the metrics aren’t something that scared him into canceling something that we should never lose sight of: time with family.
There will be other Lindens to look in the eye, as Catherine points out. I still feel that it’s a massive loss not to be able to look Philip in the eye as well, and so he’ll be missed, although it’s the community you go for over everything else.
I’d love a keynote from Catherine, actually.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Dusan Writer, Doubledown Tandino. Doubledown Tandino said: via @DusanWriter Philip’s Grand Adventure http://bit.ly/cfyJGs [...]
Vacations are very important.
But while the SLCC folks did not consult with Philip, I note that Philip did not consult with them either. Should we have expected the hundreds of people attending SLCC to schedule around *his* availability (assuming SLCC knew he was going to be interim figurehead at the time)?
Philip may be the multicolored codpiece-god of SL, but now that he’s been hired back for a Second Coming, we do hope he remembers who his customers are. As I recall, forgetting that was the downfall of his predecessor.
considering the circumstances, i think philip is allowed the one “unfair” comment. if i were in his shoes, i would be highly annoyed at all the unfair speculation, and would probably let a comment like that slip too. he doesn’t owe any explanations to anyone other than his wife and family.
Its good to hear that his inability to attend was not due to business going bad.
However to everyone thinking none of us should question.
1 – He runs a company that most users have spent a lot of time and money investing in.
2 – He runs a company that recently has been hitting rocky times and many of it’s employees were let go.
I don’t think we were out of bounds to speculate.
Although I had planned to attend SLCC this year it turned out that both the timing was bad AND I can’t afford it now anyway even if the planets were to re-align themselves to fit my schedule. I’m glad Philip cares to keep up with these speculations and he finds it important enough to offer explanation (which he doesn’t owe anyone except his family and board of directors).
If he’s still juggling logistics to show up virtually even though he’s committed to a family vacation in Yosemite, then that’s impressive in my book. It could be that this respite finds its way into SL somehow by way of inspiration.
i think it is important for Philip to say that SL is important to him
if it actually were important, then he would treat it as such. seeing that Yosemite is there year round, well never mind
i am highly biased and talk is very cheap . . .
I agree with Tateru
Its SLCC, folks. We’re talking a few hundred of the same people as always & its not the end all of SL events even if you think it is. Nice if he show’s up but I wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t. I rather he give his time in world where he can reach out to a larger and more diverse crowd.