with about 6 support tickets in two years, i think a $3000 a month customer like me could warrant a tweeted hello eh?

oh well, life moves on and so do virtual worlds . . .

So lets extrapolate downward: there should be 220 Lindens running around, 22 actually doing any work, and 2 swapping the CEO job back and forth.

Unfortunately the results of favoring pre-made, off-world skill based content over in-world creativity will not favor you in the end. Nor anyone else. Not even Linden Lab.

@ Prok – Why can’t you build things with mesh? Do you not think that people will make meshes for builders, or builder packs. The reality is, that people will make what the market wants. Lots of people used sculpties yet never had to know how to make them.

The bottom line is that sculpties are a waste of triangles, and mesh will actually be less data for every1′s pc to download. In many cases, alot less data. Custom faces and texture maps will vastly reduce the total amounts of textures that are required for every build. What would normally take 8 textures, now will be done with 1. This was somewhat possible before, but was way to complicated for any1 to actually do on builds any impossible for some1 else to edit.

I actually plan on releasing all the texture maps for my creations with the products, so If some1 is good in photoshop, they can totally customize the product with their own perfectly mapped texture.

My two cents: Skills are different from natural aptitudes. Some have a natural ability to remember design and color while others have a natural ability to remember and manipulate numbers. Ditto when it concerns constructing, writing or working with music.

As a teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), I’ve observed classes where many learners have spent hours practicing and be extremely motivated to learn. They do eventually acquire success and skill. However, there are some who simply have a natural ear and ability to learn a new language when they aren’t necessarily better or work harder at it.

Creativity, skill and talent abound in all areas; the skill level is for the subjective discernment of the resident (or marketplace). Those who don’t build/construct will organize, manage or write about those who do. Most people will gravitate toward what feels like a natural ability and what is gratifying, sometimes through trial and error. Some simply won’t spend their time with Second Life but in some other form, perhaps.

That ‘uh-huh” moment of self-discovery about a previously untapped/unkown ability is what has created many serious devotees to Second Life.

Second Life offers second lives–or another world, avenue in their life’s journey. What a shame should that quality get lost in search of hyped gamification de jour.

Alas, that presumes rationality and connection with reality.

“There is a huge difference between I actually can’t do something, and I don’t want to, or I have no interest to do it. For many people, I can’t is simply a delusion that has been pounded into their heads.”

I have to disagree with you Medhue. Not everyone has the ability to make good mesh. They may with effort be able to learn to make shapes and such, but it requires some artistic talent to shape mesh and texture it.

I don’t see this as a problem though. After all, not everyone can script. Not everyone has the voice for internet radio or the ability to talk smoothly and well on the air. Not everyone has the ability to make animations well. Not everyone writes well.

My point is that very, very few people can do it all. In Second Life people will do what they have always done. Those who wish to create content will find what they do well and do it.

We must also remember that not everyone wants to create content. Some are here to socialize, host events, play games, role play, and just have fun. They support the rest of us by buying what we make.

Quoting Prokofy:

“I don’t know whether I’m a ‘clever person’ or ‘catalytic converter’ or whatever.”

I do not think you are either of those things Prokofy. As long as you call people or their ideas names as you usually do, such as calling Medhue a “condescending prig,” you cannot consider yourself a reasoned voice, debater, or intelligent conversationalist. Name calling means you are trying to be inflammatory and that makes you a troll, and that is all.

And now I await your expected name calling and sputtering that you consider a reasoned response, and at great length. At least you are predictable.

I CANNOT DO THAT WITH MESH.