Sweethearts is known for being wall-to-wall bots. The tp landing point keeps spitting them out and they just stand there until shoved aside by another bot arriving. Eventually the older ones time out and are logged out. I wondered, first visit, why so many were just standing there, not moving, not talking, and allowing themselves to be constantly shoved.

Giving griefers awards as top avatars is ridiculous, reckless, unwise, and unconscionable -- just change the name from Alphaville Herald to Griefer's Rag

Not nearly so clear as that. In recent years, copyright holders of intellectual property have also insisted that they have to right to decide who can use their product, how they can use it, for what purpose, and that rights to use it can be revoked by the copyright holder. To make things fuzzier -- because Linden Labs in the copyright holder of Second Life, they can contend that objects created inside their intellectual property hold only secondary rights to their primary rights as copyright holder. A loophole would be animations or objects created outside SL (sculpties) that are uploaded into Secondlife. These were created independently and held a copyright before they were uploaded into SL. Linden Labs may insist on an applied agreement which is entered into during the uploading, but this is rather fuzzy. NOT SO CLEAR, IS IT?

LL's current policy is not to produce more and more value but to charge more and more for same value -- a short-term strategy at best that is historically doomed in the long-term. Once in-world commissions are charged for all transactions, there will be a large exodus of long-time residents and new residents will find fewer and more expensive goods in-world which will lead to smaller conversions -- all leading ultimately to SL closing up shop. Hopefully RealMedia, parent of LL, will see the problem and replace M Linden with someone capable.

Lots of misinformation here. Every single piece of commercial software DOES HAVE a EULA and none are printed on the outside box covers -- partly because they wouldn't fit. It is perfectly legal to have a EULA you cannot see until after the purchase, as in every single Microsoft, Adobe, Symantec, EA Games, Oracle, (et al) product in existence -- but if you disagree there has to be a method of returning to manufacturer for refund. (And good luck with that) It seems so petty to disparage the product because of something so common that you forgot they are there. These product EULAs are going to be totally unenforceable without some serious assistance from LL, and as we all know, assistance is not in their vocabulary.

They are more interesting in settling cases -- looks like lets make a deal. This one is going to be settled for an undisclosed sum and no one will ever know what the terms were. And speakers of whiners -- LL has no shortage of people willing to whine on their behalf here

You got half the story right. LL did not re-instate the offenders but gave some temporary reprieve while they review their complicity. All others were threatened with legal action should they return as an alt, and those getting the reprieve have only a few days to say goodbys. Also, LL is not the only ones making bait boxes -- private vendors will be placing bait boxes in-world and using LL's action to back up their demand that anyone who copies their private bait boxes be treated similarly. This is just the tiny tip of the iceburg -- look for more stings to come.

LL always claims they protect against piracy, and then assists the pirates themselves, selling known pirated goods on XstreetSL and not responding to content creators complaints about piracy. No, Stroker is not alone --by far -- and thousands of SL content creators are on his side. Just as music tracks are not "just sounds" -- virtual creations are not just images -- it is intellectual property on an equal ground as recorded music and should not be disparaged just because it is not to your personal taste. The virtual content truly has significant value -- otherwise individuals would not go to such great lengths to illegally copy them. I, along with all the thousands of other virtual content creators, hope Linden Labs pays big and learns their lesson.

Content creators certainly agree. Its disheartening when you work hundreds of hours fine-tuning a script so that your product operates smoothly and efficiently and without bugs only to have it copied and sold side-by-side against your item on XstreetSL -- and when you report the violation, all you get is the form letter basically saying "don't call us, we'll call you --um-- never" As to biting the hand that feeds you -- I work in RL and always expect a paycheck from my employer. It is not biting the hand that feeds you to want this paycheck every week. Likewise, we would like to receive the lindens every time our work is sold.

I think they probably have an outstanding lawsuit. I have noticed that there is lots and lots of pirated content selling on XstreetSL!!! The infamous "64 free animations" are being sold in countless items on XstreetSL even though LL has published a statement saying that they will vigorously go after anyone using the "64 free animations." I have personally submitted reports to LL about the pirates as they are competing with my original animation content on XstreetSl (AjaxGear) but have never gotten a reply from them. I hope they win and win big.

This type of "performance" is certain to make street mimes seem like geniuses in comparison

You are all assuming she purposely stopped taking heart medication in order to kill herself because of her bad SL relationship -- this theory requires three assumptions and any decent detective will tell you any theory that requires 2 assumptions stinks and is extremely unlikely. More like she was pissed about SL and, having forgotten her medication, continued through a very angry day which culminated in her death -- a factor, perhaps, but certainly not the cause.

Generally, by copying they mean duplicating and then offering to a third party. You have to have intent to distribute or disseminate in order to violate a copyright. Copying for your own personal and private use has always been upheld. Its ok to Xerox that page out of the encyclopedia for study, you can even copy US currency and use it when you play monopoly -- as long as it never leaves your house. Yes, its even ok to tear that tag off your mattress!

I would imagine that the LL takeover of SLX had some negative effect also as LL introduced an auto logout on SLX that booted you after a few minutes. Many shoppers look for products on SLX and then go to the shops in-world to test them out and get a good look. My shop experienced a summer drop a bit greater than last year and SLX/XstreetSL sales dropped through the floor after the LL takeover.

I wonder when it was that weird, freakish, and disgusting became "Art" -- replacing that which gives us a deeper understanding and appreciation of the normal human condition. To paraphrase Georgia O'Keefe "If that's art, I just sh#t a masterpiece!"

The only more fascinating and more artistic performance is the backroom mannikin storage area at Macy's

Seems there is still an outstanding, unresolved issue with music streams and this viewer. Well, at least you can do your building in peace and quiet with this thing

Lindens are the only asses allowed on SLX! Get that straight or Ill have to kick your linden.

As for the "real" creator of the sexgen scripts, it says right in the top of the script "created by Miffy Fluffy". Whats the difference between MLPv1 and Sexgen? Smoke and mirrors -- they are one and the same.

And so the virtual clothing you wear while doing an IM interview is very important?!?! Next week: the Herald compares top SL colognes! Must see news!

Some girls in SL are guys? Next you'll be telling me the Earth isn't flat at all! -- Kidding aside, I certainly expected many females were actually males and vice versa, but only care about my SL wife (a RL female by the way). Don't ask either one of us our ages! But the reason I am actually posting is because nearly every AVI on SL is caucasian. Its rare to see a minority AVI, yet I know that minorities are well-represented here. Strangely, it seems that it is fine to admit your gender doesn't match your AVI, but not accepted that your race may not match! Very odd.

There is always the stooges test. Take them to a location that is playing 3 stooges shorts. If they laugh, male. If they say how stupid it is, female. This test is proven to be 100% accurate by the science lab of Dewey, Cheatum, and Howe