1. Is it jsut me or should this be a free download from teh Second Life website, or at least as a PDF linkd to in the distro? You have to pya to learn about the application you just downloaded? Or is it anotehr tiny slice of income on the side while the million new unverified accounts do *not* put a strain onthe servers and bandwidth?

Posted at 8:05AM on Nov 20th 2006 by Cardie Mahoney

2. I don't believe Linden Lab gets any income from this book. Per usual, it would all go to the publisher and authors.

Posted at 9:58AM on Nov 20th 2006 by Tateru Nino

3. Amazon says it's not out till Dec 6...

Posted at 10:58AM on Nov 20th 2006 by Tad McConachie

4. Is it jsut me or should this be a free download from teh Second Life website, or at least as a PDF linkd to in the distro? You have to pay to learn about the application you just downloaded? Or is it anotehr tiny slice of income on the side while the million new unverified accounts do *not* put a strain onthe servers and bandwidth?

Posted at 11:02AM on Nov 20th 2006 by Cardie Mahoney

5. Tateru, that may be true, but (a) this really should IMO be something that's avaialbel for all, and (b) I note that one named contirbutor - Cory Ondrejka - is part of Linden Lab.

Posted at 11:10AM on Nov 20th 2006 by Cardie Mahoney

6. "The book has just recently hit the shelves,"

"Availability: This title has not yet been released."

Huh?

Posted at 4:07PM on Nov 20th 2006 by Nimrod yaffle

7. Must be a glitch. Amazon said it was 'available now' when I posted this.

Posted at 4:19PM on Nov 20th 2006 by Tateru Nino

8. Think of it like a game hint guide. Probably not much here that can't be found on the website or through the forums or sites like this, but it is handy to have it all in one, easily skimmed location.

Posted at 9:10PM on Nov 20th 2006 by Cabridges Fanwood

9. My understanding is that the Lindens rushed to do this to be able to beat to the press the book by Urizenus and Mark Wallace called "Only a Game" which isn't out yet. And they even got Mark Wallace on board, so it was a coup. And of course all the authors, and not LL got advances or fees under a contract with a publisher -- you don't work hard and write content for nothing on a big job like that. It's a shame that LL itself never could make a useable, non-geeky game manual, but as usual, market forces took care of that for them, especially if they could offer it as a lucrative side gig for their own people.

I'd love to know how that picture was chosen for the cover, and who the people are in it. I've been staring at that thing for weeks, unsettled by it.

At first, I felt it was unfortunate that the avatar given such prominence suffered from such a bad case of man-bewbies. I felt for the poor guy -- all that coverage, and so many people tsk-tsking at the artwork that gives what were supposed to be his work-out pecs a decidedly female contour.

Then I had the realization that the picture can work two ways. For male heteros who want to pick up girls and run around with them playing piggyback and then later "let's make the four-egged monster," the picture promises the great vistas of SL for such activities.

For those males in RL who feel oppressed, and literally have females on their backs, and who might like to explore their female side, dressing up in drag and becoming females with breasts in RL, there's that option, too, hinted tantalizingly through the memes of this cover, through the wonders of the metaversal technology.

Posted at 12:33AM on Nov 21st 2006 by Prokofy Neva

10. Hi Neville,
Interesting development. I also hear "what do I do now" from those looking at joining the fun. Some friends have even been scared off in various states of undress at the always crowded entry point.

Guesssing the authors are partnering with folks from Linden (thus "Official Guide"), but wonder if the multiple authors (Michael Rymaszewski, Wagner James Au, Mark Wallace, Catherine Winters, Cory Ondrejka, Benjamin Batstone-Cunningham) include those who have been on the site since its infancy, i.e the community. Also wondering how they are going to handle some of the recent controversy about marketers who are entering with no finesse or understanding and pissing off a lot of residents.

Guess I’ll have to wait until Dec. 6 for these answers or have you seen a preview copy?

Posted at 11:27AM on Nov 21st 2006 by Adam Zand

11. I hope it has all the cheat codes and level maps.

Posted at 12:19PM on Nov 21st 2006 by Gonta Maltz

12. Adam, most of those people have either been in beta or have been in for several years, the preparation of this book began a year ago most likely, as with all publication schedules. The Lindens carefully guided it to have it do the PR job they need it to do.

Posted at 7:11PM on Nov 21st 2006 by Prokofy Neva

13. can someone from the states send it to me? I live in The Netherlands but the book will come out next year.

let me know,

remco

Posted at 7:01AM on Nov 29th 2006 by remco hugo

14. I'm almost positive Willow Zander is the pierced female avi on the cover. I'm doubting she gave the ok to be on it ?

Posted at 5:29AM on Dec 8th 2006 by anon

15. Hi!

A linden took the picture of me and the two girls next to me, and told us it might be used for marketing purposes, I guess that's kinda giving permission? Either way, we thought it was just gunna be used for the front page, but that pic's made it to the mag Blender, and now this book.

Hope this clears it up!

Posted at 5:36AM on Dec 8th 2006 by Willow

16. by front page, I of course meant of the site :P, I was kinda shocked when I saw it and well, I guess I should buy it! :P

Posted at 5:39AM on Dec 8th 2006 by Willow