Lessons in Fraud

According to Mark Dudek at Homeless?: A trustworthy source who has requested anonymity reports that a call to the Federal Trade Commission has confirmed that, from their review of the Openspace Rate Increase matter, a complaint of suspected fraud was “valid”, that all complaints to the FTC are considered anonymous and that personal information is never released, and that “they’d be looking into it.”

If someone from the FTC did say this then they were not given all the facts of the case. "fraud is a deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual." There was never any deception. Linden Lab clearly stated that openspace sims were: for light use only, not for building, living in, renting as homes or use for events.

There was no fraud. They clearly stated what the openspace sims were to be used for and if you used it in another way then that is on you. You are in violation of the Terms of Service and therefore have no one to blame but yourselves.

You can file all the Jiras you want until you are blue in the face but it does not change the facts of the case.

Fact: Openspaces "are provided for light use only, not for building, living in, renting as homes or use for events. As a stretch of open water for boating or a scenic wooded area they are fine, but we do not advise more serious use than this and will not respond to performance issues reported should you not use them in this way."

Fact: Due to the vast number of people improperly using the openspace sims as stated above, Linden Lab has been forced to raise the prices to deal with the strain on their servers. Any company would do this.

Fact: A majority of the people complaining about the rate increase are the very people that caused the rate increase. Most of the complainers talk about their businesses, houses, art galleries, etc. It clearly states it is NOT for that purpose.

Fact: While everyone is frothing at the mouth and threatening, Jack Linden(the very man you all seem to be pointing daggers at) is very willing to listen to complaints despite the fact that many are filled with righteous indignation. He could have said to you all f*&^ off but instead met with you.

In his own words:
"Jack Linden: we have been selling OS regions as a quarter of a normal region. But the land area is the same. So, lets say normal regions have a load of 1, you'd expect Openspaces if used as originally intended to have a load of 0.25. But in fact they have a load of over 0.5. So that really adds up to a lot of extra load on servers with 16 Openspaces on"

If 10 out of the 16 are violating the proper use than the other 4 are really being screwed over by the 10. This is NOT Linden Lab's fault but the fault of the Openspace owners.


See what others are saying:
Are the recent changes in Openspace sim pricing a sign of more price increases to come?
Avoid the Voids - Lessons in Lindenomics
Concierge Customs Take Angry Protest to Nautilus Waterfront
Death of a Dream
Drop Dead, Part Deux: Openspace Sim Owners, BOHICA/
Für Openspace-Besitzer wird’s 2009 teuer!
Goodbye Openspace sims as you know them
I am Jack's overloaded infrastructure. I break. The grid dies.
I am leaving SL
Jack Bombs the Hunker Bunkers
Linden Lab Has Its Business Model Ass Backward
Linden Lab Betrays Consumer Market
Linden Lab changes Openspace(and for the better)
Linden Lab changes pricing/policy on void simulators
Linden Lab instigate price rises: backlash plus
Linden Lab Screws Estate Owners, Again
Linden Labs to destroy sailing and aeronautical interest in SL
Linden Labs make another f**k-up!
Linden Lands screws us over once again
Linden Research, Inc. sleight of hand
Lost in the Void: Unexpected Virtual Land Price Hike Leads To Anti-Linden Protest, Self-Immolation
New Void Sim Price Hike will destroy the foundation of themed sims in Second Life
Open Space Sims = Death of SL
OMG!
Openspace Announcement Discussion with Jack Linden
Openspace in your face
Real Estate Crashes In Second Life, Too: Linden Lab’s Bailout Plan
Shouting Into the Void
Thanks, LL
Virtual Betrayal
Will much beauty be lost forever?
WTF LL of the Day: Openspace Sim Smackdown

Chicken Little - The Openspace is Falling

"The sky is falling! The sky is falling!"

Unless you live under a rock and missed this, the SL public is having hissy fits over Jack Linden's announcement last night, Openspace Pricing and Policy Changes. The blogosphere, group chats, twitters, plurks, forums, and any other way of discussing Second Life is all a buzz with outcry, tears, anger, and threats of lawsuits. While we support opinions of all sorts, even our blunt view of the world, I have never seen so many misinformed people in my life.

There is an old business saying: buyer beware. The parameters for the use of Openspace is clearly defined at Information on Openspaces where it states that openspaces are for: for light use only, not for building, living in, renting as homes or use for events. Where does this give you the impression that these would be great investments to build your business on? In fact, quite the opposite is stressed. It says it right there: Not for Building.

I saw one designer plurking how angry she was that all those people abusing the sim have ruined it for their business. This designer owns an Openspace and uses it for her business renting out what they do not use for others. Hello? Earth to designer? You are one of those people they were talking about when they said there are people abusing Openspace.

Buyer beware! Never buy anything without reading the fine print or large print in this case. You all knew the guidelines because it says it right there in black and white. If you chose to ignore the purpose of these sims, then this is your own fault and not Linden Lab. If you lease a car for 36 months/36,000 miles, and you put 50,000 miles on the car you are going to have to pay. The dealership doesn't warn you that you are about to be charged because you agreed to the rules when you leased the car. This is no different with the exception that people using Openspace for legit reasons are being punished as well.

A vast majority of those complaining are the very people that have caused this issue in the first place. I have been on Openspaces that are used for open water(sailing) and for wooded areas(great for photos). These Openspace owners are the ones who are going to suffer because of the majority of Openspace owners are not using them properly.

People are whining about how unfair this all is to them. If you used it properly, this price change would not be happening. Those of you griping over your businesses should turn around and apologize to those using them properly for giving them the shaft.

This is not Jack Linden screwing you all, it is those abusing the use of Openspace screwing you all. Place the blame where it belongs.

Update: Apparently people are rallying to file false complaints against Linden Lab with the FTC. This is not LL's fault but your own. They have done nothing wrong but try to protect their servers. You have violated this by overloading them. I am pretty sure when you agreed to buy it there was some nice fine print that said something about "subject to change without warning" because there always is.

See what others are saying:
Are the recent changes in Openspace sim pricing a sign of more price increases to come?
Avoid the Voids - Lessons in Lindenomics
Concierge Customs Take Angry Protest to Nautilus Waterfront
Death of a Dream
Drop Dead, Part Deux: Openspace Sim Owners, BOHICA/
Für Openspace-Besitzer wird’s 2009 teuer!
Goodbye Openspace sims as you know them
I am Jack's overloaded infrastructure. I break. The grid dies.
I am leaving SL
Jack Bombs the Hunker Bunkers
Linden Lab Has Its Business Model Ass Backward
Linden Lab Betrays Consumer Market
Linden Lab changes Openspace(and for the better)
Linden Lab changes pricing/policy on void simulators
Linden Lab instigate price rises: backlash plus
Linden Lab Screws Estate Owners, Again
Linden Labs to destroy sailing and aeronautical interest in SL
Linden Labs make another f**k-up!
Linden Lands screws us over once again
Linden Research, Inc. sleight of hand
Lost in the Void: Unexpected Virtual Land Price Hike Leads To Anti-Linden Protest, Self-Immolation
New Void Sim Price Hike will destroy the foundation of themed sims in Second Life
Open Space Sims = Death of SL
OMG!
Openspace Announcement Discussion with Jack Linden
Openspace in your face
Real Estate Crashes In Second Life, Too: Linden Lab’s Bailout Plan
Shouting Into the Void
Thanks, LL
Virtual Betrayal
Will much beauty be lost forever?
WTF LL of the Day: Openspace Sim Smackdown

Rumour has it

Darlings, it is time, once again, to look at the rumour bag.

Rumour has it, that a freebie store owner has a past history of child play. (true)

Rumour has it that the mysterious disappearance of a controversial blogger is the work of their enemies. (ransom has been paid)

Rumour has it that an old school designer is planning a coup and making their own grid. (true)

Rumour has it a clothing designer is being targeted in a hate smear campaign. (maybe)

Rumour has it a certain jewelry designer pretends to be sweet on the outside but is really the sourest of apples on the inside. (perhaps)

Rumour has it a certain photographer is trying to run their competition out of business. (maybe)

Rumour has it that a certain freebie blogger has can be as vicious as a wolverine. (true)

Rumour has it that fashion blogger has allowed her SLebrity status go to her head and forgotten all about the people she stepped on to get there. (true)

Rumour has it that a particular designer is sweet as honey unless you go after on of their friends and then they turn into a viper, ready to kill with poison words. (true)

Rumour has it that we are secretly a pair of Lindens that have access to your inventories. (Muahahahaha!)

Way Off Topic: Have you always wanted to comment on a blog but were afraid of the fallout? Never fear. Anonymouse is here. While this will not work on all blogs for the most part it gives you a chance at privacy. This is also wonderful for those trying to get around work filters.

Rumour has it

There are more and more rumours flying about.

Rumour has it, that some top named designers are frauds. (true)

Rumour has it that Bianca's alt has more fun than mine. (lies, I tell you, lies)

Rumour has it that an old school designer is a diva-bitch-royale and when other designers do not bow down to her, she stamps her feet and quits their projects. (true)

Rumour has it a certain gossipy blog has jumped-the-shark and died. (maybe)

Rumour has it a certain jewelry store knows full well the truth about their DMCA problems and is very lucky the filer cannot afford a lawyer. (true)

Rumour has it a talented builder/designer has a serious crush on a blogger/designer. (maybe)

Rumour has several designers are trying to open a new shopping area with disastrous results. (maybe)

Rumour has it that a dedicated designer is pretending to represent a charity and pocketing the money for themselves. (maybe)

Rumour has it Elle has a crush on a animation designer's bf. (true)

Rumour has it that we are secretly a pair of Lindens that spy on all your groups. (Muahahahaha!)