gdp's Comments

Shopping Cart Disco : SL Secret, Week

Sun, 8 Nov 2009 17:06:23 +0000

It is not true that people who steal will steal no matter what. The incidence of theft fluctuates in real life based on cultural and economic factors and it makes sense that those factors would play a role in Second Life as well. Certainly, there are a small percentage of people who are criminal at heart and will always steal. They can only be affected by actions by Linden Lab and improved technological methods to protect against theft. Many however use stolen content out of ignorance - not knowing it is stolen in the first place. Educating them about theft and about when to suspect theft can reduce their usage of stolen items. Another group of people are the thoughtless ones who think of Second Life as an anarchist paradise. Connecting theft to the real consequences for ordinary people can reshape their worldview. It is sad that disagreement about tactics could not be discussed without resorting to extreme exaggerations. It is not true that those who opposed the tactics are pro-theft. It is also not true that viable SL stores would be destroyed by the tactics. Those sort of extreme declarations leave no room for discussion or reasonable disagreement - which can lead to future compromise and consensus.

Shopping Cart Disco : Shutting Down for the Protest!

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 18:11:24 +0000

People are well aware that uploads will happen before and after the no uploads day and that purchases will bracket the commerce moratorium - but that blip or downward tick on the commerce stats could be an effective measure of intensity of support for combating theft.

Shopping Cart Disco : [14:37] Hayden Palmira is offline.

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 00:47:41 +0000

I did not know her, but very much enjoyed the Bonnie & Clyde blog. My sympathies for Nicolas, her friends and family. May your store of beautiful memories keep her alive in your hearts forever.

Shopping Cart Disco : Content theft has no economic effect at all?

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:56:19 +0000

Without crosstabs on resident population growth, land expansion and transfers (which are not affected by content theft) and personal service payments including tips, escorts and so on, these stats are meaningless. You cannot make any conclusions on the economy based one one factor.

Shopping Cart Disco : It's my party....

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:20:45 +0000

Those shoes deserve special mention, too, for overall yumminess

Shopping Cart Disco : Battle Royale

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:36:33 +0000

The purpose of the skins was made clear by her use of the name Battle Royale - and before you rushed to call for a boycott, you should have researched the cultural reference to the movie. Then you would know that she made explicit that these are not battered woman skins, but the skins of warrior women. Since you did not, then you should have stood down once the context was made clear. It does not reflect well on you that you persist after the context is made clear.

Shopping Cart Disco : Battle Royale

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:31:07 +0000

They are not ambiguously marketed, though. The very name, Battle Royale, makes explicit that these are the skins of women who battle - not women who are battered.

Shopping Cart Disco : Animations Now Vulnerable

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 20:08:11 +0000

It's not true that there is nothing we can do. The beginning and the end of content theft is in our hands. We can refuse to buy copied items. We can Abuse Report every person who offers us copied items. Copiers would be a mere irritant if consumers did not go along with them and make their theft profitable. Of course, that means public education about content theft and yes, still some will be fooled because thieves can make stores and look legitimate. But certainly each and every one of us knows better than to accept a box of full perm anything to pass around.

Shopping Cart Disco : VirtualGet.net is a CREDIT CARD SCAM

Wed, 7 Oct 2009 02:07:12 +0000

Thanks for posting this - I hope everyone gets the word out quickly as identity theft is no joke. A colleague of mine was actually arrested and detained a few days because a thief who had been caught had stolen her identity and gave her name and a fake id, etc to the police when arrested. When the thief did not show up for the court date, my colleague was arrested and sent to Seattle. It took a few days for her to prove she was not the thief. This was in addition to the more standard credit card and financial damage she went through from the id theft. Anyone who thinks it's okay to risk a few people getting swept up into this sort of fraud so folks have time to complete their paperwork simply has their priorities out of whack.

Shopping Cart Disco : I'm Not Gonna Spend My Life Being A Colour

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:52:01 +0000

It would be lovely if we lived in a post-racial society, but if you think that's true, you slept through August. Barack Obama, to succeed, constantly must soothe white America and reassure them that he is not an "angry black man" so he cannot ever be completely honest about race. Look at how one tiny slip with the Gates affair led to a firestorm and a huge erosion in white support for him. You can claim it's all old history until you're blue in the face, but you and I know that's not true. If it were true, this article would never have been written because no one would have been so "concerned" about a celebration of black fashion designers/models that they had to raise a stink about it.

Shopping Cart Disco : Shopping Cart Disco : Commercials

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 06:52:50 +0000

These are genius. Great job on all of them.

Shopping Cart Disco : I'm Not Gonna Spend My Life Being A Colour

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 06:41:23 +0000

I think it says a lot that there can be show after show with all white models and all white designers without much, if any, comment about lack of diversity. There have been shows of Asian and Italian designers also without comment. But try to elevate and celebrate African Americans and all of a sudden people are "concerned" about racism and being exclusionary. People who make the point about black avatar/designers from Europe have a point - but one that ignores the significantly different history of blacks in America from the experience of blacks in Europe. There's a history amnesia that is disappointing. It's sad that every single time African Americas try to claim some territory, whites get so threatened that their dominance will be somewhat diminished that they have to raise their concerns and complain about blacks excluding them. This - a modeling event in a virtual world - is relatively trivial in the grand scheme of things. But perhaps that's why it's even more disappointing. We have heard the complaints about Black History Month, about black scholarship programs and so on... but honestly, you have to complain about a a small event in a virtual world, too? As to the question why not have a fashion show dedicated to white people: don't you realize that most fashion shows are white designers and white models and already are exactly that?

Shopping Cart Disco : Linden Lab & Modavia Fashion Week's Selection Process

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 15:53:33 +0000

I don't think people should be angry with Modavia. After all, they merely made a smart business play and were innovate and aggressive in making a bold move on behalf of their clients. However, being angry with Linden Labs who should have avoided anything that looks like special deals for certain residents - well, that's where the anger should be directed.

Shopping Cart Disco : SL Secret, Week 60

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 15:49:00 +0000

#4 reminds me of me when I first started blogging. Anytime I read anything about the declining quality of the feed, I just knew that the veteran blogger had to be talking about me since I was the new kid on the block. Having blogged for over a year now, I still hear complaints about the declining quality of the feed. I think I almost said it myself before realizing that the feed is a "way we never were" sort of phenomenon. What I mean is that when I first started reading the feed, it was exciting and new and the good stuff stayed with me and it was just WOW!! but now when I read the feed, it's been there, done that, seen the pictures 20 times. However, the change is not in the feed, it's in me. After a couple years of watching the feeds, there's inevitably some sort of "been there, seen that and burned the t-shirt" sort of ennui. The mistake is to think that it's the feed that has changed and not realize, we are the change.

Shopping Cart Disco : Linden Lab & Modavia Fashion Week's Selection Process

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:50:41 +0000

Linden Labs has a vested interest in promoting SL commerce of all kinds and fashion is one of the biggest commerce center in SL. That said, they would be wiser to develop a more transparent and competitive selection process for those designers whose work is highlighted and by all means it should not adopt a selection process that elevates one advertising/promotion company above all others as a gateway to Linden PR. A better system would involve monthly turnover in the LookBook - with designers submitting artwork and being chosen by a small panel of AnonyLindens without regard to anything but the freshness of the designs. They can then pay advertising fees, if necessary, to LL directly. Having an inworld gateway is just not acceptable.

Shopping Cart Disco : Banned for SubscriboMatic Spam

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 18:57:36 +0000

I guess I am not impressed with anyone's behavior. Repeatedly hitting an SoM is silly. Lag is not an excuse. If there's lag, then wait and do it later. Spamming your group with complaints about people is obnoxious. I have left groups for that reason. As to the ghetto language, Anon is right. Folks don't talk like that. That's someone who puts on a pose and roleplays the most tasteless and biased stereotypes. For that alone, I would avoid Gutta.

Shopping Cart Disco : SL Secret, Week 58

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 18:40:55 +0000

I saw it and recognized the painting...but maybe because I did recognize the painting, who it was aimed at went totally over my head. Now I feel dense.

Shopping Cart Disco : SL Secret, Week 58

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:01:13 +0000

Hmm, I suppose the images on 2 and 3 are supposed to clue us to the identity of the person being slammed, but I have to say I find it very tasteless and offensive to use the portrait of the late Ladybird Johnson this way.

Shopping Cart Disco : SL Secret: Week 57

Sun, 6 Sep 2009 18:14:05 +0000

I think a whole lot of people need hugs today.

Shopping Cart Disco : Fri.day Sale

Sun, 6 Sep 2009 18:08:21 +0000

I didn't buy much at first because, as has been stated, most of the pieces were wardrobe basics and staples. As well done as they are, I already had similar pieces in my closet. So I won't experience the flash of irritation at the lower prices that many of you may. Nonetheless I understand it. You see, in RL, we generally know when sales are coming. If I need sheets, I know I can wait until January or I could pay more now and I can make an informed choice. In SL, the stores haven't the years of history that lets us know to wait for this, that or the other sale. I suppose store owners could put up an annual sale calendar, but the thing is, how often are sales a whim? In the long run, I bet we benefit more from the impromptu sales inspired by whims than the premeditated sales system of RL.