1. I think the point here is that they approach it like next-gen internet, not like a game. There's no extra fee for a regular old chum or Globo-Chem or a school full of nuns. Anyone can jump to internet and it's been pretty successful, so why not pattern SL after that?

Posted at 2:00PM on Nov 10th 2006 by Erik Mallinson

2. Millions Of Us is a perfect example, and i actually doubt that Fitzik(sp?) of RRR when he entered SL in 2003 that he planned to do business immediatly.

But why is Millions Of Us a perfect example, because it shows how prejudice you are. Why do you prefer people that came into SL without little money to invest and then it hit big. Against people/compagnies that come in with money and experience. What the fuck is difference other then they earned their start up money a different way?

Like the Electric Sheep, they all started out as residents as well, and now they develop beyond SL. Is that really better then a compagny that started somewhere else and now wants to do business in SL.

Why is American Appearal bad and Nephileane good? What if Neph starts a chain of RL boutiques, what would be the difference? Should American Appearal complain that Neph has to pay higher rents and taxes because she started out in SL where costs are less?

Posted at 4:59PM on Nov 10th 2006 by Frans Charming

3. Yes, it is better to have started out in SL because that way you understand the world and how it works, rather than being a conglomerate who merely sees SL as a money-making opportunity. Look around the city where you live: Do you have mom and pop shops? I would rather patronize a store run by people who live in my community and therefore have a vested interest in making the community a better place, than shop at The Gap, who merely see a location that they can exploit. When I see another Starbucks move into my neighborhood it just pisses me off. THAT is the difference, Frans, and thanks for the name-calling; that really helps your argument when you deride the personality of the person you're talking to.

You know what? Yes. I am prejudiced. Prejudiced against rampant capitalism and the commodification of my SL experience. I was born and raised in Hawai'i, where it's actually illegal to have billboards. Coming to mainland America where you see advertising EVERYWHERE was a complete shock. Now it's so ubiquitous that you cannot spit without hitting an ad, shrilly begging for your time and money, and I have yet to see anything that's influenced my purchasing decisions.

So yes, in my mind, it is better to have Neph start a chain of her own, because the only reason she'd be able to do that is because the residents themselves support her strongly enough for her to make such a venture profitable. It's growth from within, rather than imposition from without.

And finally, let me say it once again: "I see no problem with charging a corporation slightly more for an island, given that any publicity they generate will likely bring more eyes to SL by sheer dint of the fact that they operate in RL as well as SL." Nephilaine doesn't advertise her products outside of SL; Millions of Us, Rivers Run Red, etc. do; In fact, that's their business. So, it's likely that RRR will make more money off of one RL contract than Neph will off of one clothing sale. All I'm saying is that, given that, I see nothing wrong with charging a company slightly more than existing land owners, many of whom don't even HAVE stores to begin with.

I'm not saying I hate Millions of Us, or Rivers Run Red, or Electric Sheep. Mostly, I'm indifferent. It's all about the interface between SL and RL, and the money made therein.

Posted at 5:23PM on Nov 10th 2006 by Akela Talamasca

4. Pfft, first telling me that i call you names, and then admitting you are what i call you is Contradictory. You are insulted because I call you what you admit you are?

Further response here.
http://secondslog.blogspot.com/2006/11/commercial-tier.html

Posted at 10:28PM on Nov 10th 2006 by Frans Charming

5. Yes. First I was angry, and then I decided to own it. Thank you for showing me that being prejudiced isn't always a negative thing.

Posted at 2:37AM on Nov 11th 2006 by Akela Talamasca

6. It's actually PART OF 'rampant capitalism' to have a corporate rate, individual rate, student rate. It's the most normal thing in the world. All websites, if that's going to be our analogy here, have "basic" or "pro" versions of their services, and gradations in between.

You don't have to sit and parse whether it's the RL Hard Rock Cafe or the Elbow Room, or the Elbow Room selling the RL Hard Rock Cafe's t-shirts on commission. That's all stupid, setting it up that way -- that's the usual tekkie literalist bullshit we've come to expect from SL's "finest".

IN normal, real life, hotels or web site managers or any entity under the sun doesn't examine the person asking for a service or account, they set up the account itself to be self-explanation with various features.

1. Corporate accounts usually have bulk discount, so for SL it could be deeper discounts after 10 or 40 or whatever islands; the $1500 name feature could be a feature of the corporate account, not something stand-alone; 20 accounts could yield 1 free or whatever -- and the corporate account could have extra directory access or advertising features or any number of a host of technical, commercial, or service features. Make the type of account an attractive package, and corporations see it and automatically know their place on this scale and pay for it.

2. Individual (you could also call this "basic" "intermediate" and "pro" or something that doesn't distinguish among individuals, couples, groups). This account could be just the standard premium account but could also have bulk discounts after one sim.

3. The student or non-profit rate should not only be hanging on the 501-c-3 status that only Americans could have, but on any reasonable equivalent inworld or outworld.

The argumentation that the Lindens can't use discretionary judgement or that it won't "scale" is absurd. These are our self-same Lindens that have the leisure and obsessiveness to sit and parse whether somebody gets to be in mentors or not and has a "relatively clean rap-sheet" or not -- and you're telling me they can't sit and tell the difference between a Sony and a JZ TV with a simple checklist of six features? Give me a break, this is appalling ridiculous.

Posted at 3:50AM on Nov 11th 2006 by Prokofy Neva

7. I find something striking comparedto a recent discussion. In the above excerpt LL addresses the principle of fairness and equal standards:

"The idea of pricing differently for 'corporate' users doesn't make sense for several reasons. First, it is discrimination, which we don't think makes sense - everyone should pay the same for things regardless of who they are."

Wasn't it Zee Linden that graciously explained to us that a company has to take care of their key account customers and give them priviledged status/information in his reaction to criticism on how the land prices were communicated to some selected users first?

Please correct me if i am wrong there...

If i am not, the question is: What now? Double standards or one equal treatment without "discrimination" for all? LL needs to make up their mind and develop a consistent policy imho.

Posted at 8:52PM on Nov 11th 2006 by property Resistance