Second Life Wiki - User contributions [en]

SLetiquette

2011-03-21T20:20:39Z

Athanasius Skytower: /* Resident-written guides */

{{Help|Community=*}} {{TOCright}}
== What is "SLetiquette"? ==
'''SLetiquette(pronounced [θreti'ket]) is an informal term for Second Life etiquette''': manners and customs to help you live a happier Second Life. You may already be familiar with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netiquette Netiquette] as it applies to the general Internet, but since Second Life is a 3D virtual world, there are some unique aspects to be aware of. All of these are important and should be kept close to your heart — they aren't strict rules, they're social guidelines which'll benefit you and others you communicate with.

In addition to the '''Resident-written guides''', you can also peruse '''[[User:Torley_Linden|Torley Linden]]''''s advice below. Picking what works best for you from a variety of valuable perspectives is ''the'' way to go.

== Resident-written guides ==
Personal advice from fellow Resis. These are only as useful as you find them, which means: apply the advice, and if it doesn't work, move on. Even better yet, write a guide of your own. Have something to add? ''Go for it!''

Sorted in reverse-chronological order:

* 2010-07-15 - '''[http://honour-mcmillan.blogspot.com/2010/07/rudeness-in-second-life.html Rudeness in Second Life ]''' - By Honour McMillan, focuses on effective discussion during [[office hours]].
* 2009-03-12 - '''[http://www.siliconcerebrate.com/post/4008120517/curmudgeonly-second-life-advice Curmudgeonly Second Life Advice]''' - From The Cerebrate ([[User:Athanasius Skytower|Athanasius Skytower]]).
* 2009-01-30 - '''[http://sl4nowt.wordpress.com/2009/01/30/30-things-every-newbie-should-know-before-starting-second-life/ 30 (and more) things every newbie should know before starting Second Life]''' - From Mar of SL For Nowt.
* 2008-10-11 - '''[http://sylectra.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-to-participate-in-online-discussion.html How to participate in an online discussion]''' - Personal experiences from Sylectra Darwin.
* 2008-02-27 - '''[http://slmeangirls.blogspot.com/2008/02/club-etiquette-in-sl.html Club Etiquette in SL]''' - From the "Mean Girls Guide to SL", who actually seem to be quite nice.
* 2008-02-01 - '''[http://www.slideshare.net/GwynethLlewelyn/second-life-etiquette/ SLetiquette slideshow]''' - A lucid presentation by Gwyneth Llewellyn. Also available in [http://gwynethllewelyn.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/sletiquette.pdf PDF].
* 2007-09-17 - '''[http://www.citrusvirtual.com/?q=node/14 Second Life Etiquette]''' - From Citrus Virtual.
* 2007-07-10 - '''[http://ets.tlt.psu.edu/gaming/node/203 SLEtiquette]''' - From Penn State.
* 2007-05-16 - '''[http://alexiacournoyer.wordpress.com/2007/05/16/ms-alexias-second-life-etiquette-guide-part-1/ Ms. Alexia's Second Life Etiquette Guide Part 1] and [http://alexiacournoyer.wordpress.com/2007/05/16/ms-alexias-second-life-etiquette-guide-part-2/ Part 2]''' - By Alexia Cournoyer.
* 2007-05-14 - '''[http://www.sltriptips.com/node/11 Second Life Etiquette]''' - From SL Trip Tips.
* 2006-07-05 - '''[http://www.managingthegray.com/2006/07/05/second-life-etiquette/ Second Life Etiquette]''' - By C.C. Chapman.

== Torley's advice ==
These are observations, not policy. They are, however, distilled from 1,000s of hours living Second Life.

=== Be interested in others ===
Showing earnest interest is one of the simplest and best ways to be likable. When I was new to Second Life, I chatted up just about everyone and everything that got me interested. Not everyone replied, but the majority that did helped me feel more cozy in Second Life.

If you see something you like, be it a brilliantly-designed house or an intricate nightgown, let the creator know. This is especially true if you purchase it and enjoy it in times to come: send them a personal note, and your good vibes will encourage them to create more. I've done this 100s of times and it's always been the right thing to do. ''Don't'' be a moocher and expect freebies in return, but hey, it does happen. ;)

All great friendships start as strangers, and this is certainly true in SL.

=== Read profiles carefully before IMing someone ===
A lot of people work in Second Life, and may be unable to reply to IMs (Instant Messages). For example, a builder who requests in her profile that you email her, or contact a friend whose name is listed for support. By respecting how others wish to communicate, you'll often receive faster service and save trouble for everyone involved.

Some Resis have even gone extra lengths to make it easier for you to contact them through preferred means inworld, whether it's a virtual mailbox you can "ping" them through, or a contact form in their Web tab:

[[Image:SLetiquette-contact.png|256px]]

This is also true of Lindens — ''don't'' send random IMs to Lindens seeking help, even if you feel it's important. What each Linden does is often clarified in their profile, and IMing before understanding wastes time for everyone.

If it's an account-specific issue, then you should visit our [http://secondlife.com/support Support Portal]. Get help from the right place!

=== If you don't get a reply from someone, it doesn't mean they hate you ===
Don't negatively assume that just because another avatar isn't chatting to you that they dislike you! They may be away from their keyboard in first life, engaged in something. (Of course, it's nice to indicate this when possible.) They may be buried in other chat and IMs and are attending to those first. Or, they may not speak the same language as you and don't understand. They could also just be shy.

Be patient, or if you have a hard time doing so, find someone else to chat up.

But be cautioned: if you've treated someone cruelly or for whatever other reason they choose (even frivolous ones, it's their choice), they can mute you, meaning they won't see your chat. You can mute others you find displeasing, although if miscommunication can be resolved first, that's favorable.

=== Be familiar with a group's rules before using group IM ===
Most groups only allow on-topic conversation. Some groups welcome random group IM. It's almost always bad form to spam a group, and shirking the rules may get you ejected from the group. How can you find out? Open a group's profile: Communicate window > Groups tab, click a group and click Info. From there, read the Group Charter or contact a group owner in the list.

And if you have a question, it can only help to do a cursory search first and see if you find the answer elsewhere — like on this wiki! Anyone can appreciate well-done research.

=== Don't teleport unannounced ===
Unless you have a mutual understanding, this is true when both TPing (TelePorting) yourself and offering a TP to another:

* ''Don't'' send an unsolicited teleport without explaining ''why''. When you offer a teleport, you can state a reason. Make good use of it.

[[Image:SLetiquette-teleport.png|256px]]

* ''Don't'' teleport to someone without getting permissionfirst. They may be in the middle of a private, intimate, awkward, etc. situation, or focused on a task that requires concentration. You can add/remove the ability for someone to map-track you via Communicate window > Friends tab. Look for the icon with the eye and the green dot; it means a friend can find you on the map by opening your profile and clicking "Find on Map".

[[Image:SLetiquette-maptrack.png|256px]]

Don't try to mass-teleport unwitting strangers — that's spamming, and quite frankly, a crap thing to do.

=== Don't beg for L$ ===
Just like in first life, no one with self-respect likes a badgering beggar. It's one thing to be curious and ask to learn, but it's annoying to cyber-panhandle (unless you're doing in-character as part of a role-playing game). You may even get disciplined for disturbing the peace, so don't do it. You want to be well-liked, yes?

If so, your options are bountiful:

* Convert "real world" money to L$ using [http://secondlife.com/currency/ LindeX].
* Get a job. Some are rather fun, and you may find yourself making pocket money or even a fulltime living. For a partial overview, see the [http://support.secondlife.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=4417&task=knowledge&questionID=3977 Guide to Jobs in Second Life].
* Immerse yourself in Second Life and through experience, look for holes in markets and create new opportunities for yourself. For example, Torley's observed there's a [http://torley.com/usability-consultants-have-golden-opportunities-in-second-life lack of usability consultants].
* Learn to make stuff (so you don't have to buy everything — and quality freebies abound).
* Make friends who can offer you opportunities, and hopefully you can exchange something in return (for example, a builder and a scripter collaborating on an awesome car).

These and many more are open to everyone. If you don't have certain skills, then do your best to learn them — and empower yourself. Only by doing will you know what you're capable of.

==== What about camping chairs? ====
"Camping chairs" and their ilk are objects you sit on for extended durations to earn L$ at a rate that makes grass growing look fast, like L$1/10 min. To put that in perspective, if you're really that desperate, you'd do much better completing [http://mturk.com/ Mechanical Turk HITs]. (No one has come up with a way to bridge MTurk and SL yet... smells like an opportunity!)

Simply put, there are ''many'' ways of making L$ which are faster and more fun. It's your choice to camp, but exceptional, remarkable people don't camp because they're doing greater things. (Samantha Poindexter thoughtfully points out "camping while multitasking", e.g., sitting and sorting your inventory, which is more effective aggregate use of your time.) Consider that no one has Second Life-changing experiences sitting on a camping chair alone; you're more likely to be rewarded and succeed while discovering the world.

=== Voice chat: turn push-to-talk on ===
Unless your background noise is exceptionally quiet, when on [[voice chat]], it's usually a good thing to enable push-to-talk. Edit menu > Preferences > Voice Chat tab and turn on "Use Push-to-Talk in toggle mode".

Common "on the telephone" reminders also apply, such as: don't eat loudly when on voice, it sounds gross, as I can show you:

<videoflash>mfvQZcRO-z0</videoflash>

Or if you must, only eat when voice is toggled off. [[Video_Tutorials#VOICE_CHAT|See more VOICE CHAT video tutorials.]]

=== Read Lifehack guides ===
There are a number of life-improvement sites which aren't Second Life-specific but offer applicable advice nonetheless: among them are [http://www.lifehacker.com/ Lifehacker] and [http://lifehack.org/ Stepcase Lifehack] (different from each other). Do be aware I'm an active community member on both, and I originally got into them because I found the variety of posts inspiring and beneficial.

And if you're into old-skool classics, there's always Dale Carnegie's ''[http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0671027034/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217458795&sr=8-1 How to Win Friends & Influence People]''.

[[Category:Tutorials]]

[[Category:Culture]]

Configuring your corporate firewall to allow access to Second Life

2010-08-15T19:09:17Z

Athanasius Skytower: /* Procedure */

{{KBmaster}}

==Introduction==

This article describes how to configure your firewall to allow use of the Second Life Viewer (client) within your intranet. It is intended for network administrators and others responsible for network security.

Firewalls are a fundamental component of a network security program. Following the "principle of least privilege," firewalls limit traffic between the corporate intranet and the public network to supported network applications. Thus, firewalls are generally configured for common applications such as Domain Name Service (DNS), email, and web browsing. However, Second Life uses a number of non-standard ports that most firewalls block by default.

To enable people to use Second Life from inside the firewall, follow the procedures outlined in this document.

==Procedure==

Although the details depend on your specific firewall, follow this general procedure:

# '''Open outbound access for TCP ports'''. Second Life servers do not establish inbound TCP connections to client systems running the Second Life Viewer software. Instead, they use the "request / response" message pattern.
#* Enable outbound TCP access for ports 80, 443, 5060, 5062, 12043, 12046 and 21002.
# '''Open outbound "session" access for UDP ports'''. Although UDP is a session-less transport, many firewalls block unsolicited incoming UDP traffic to a particular port unless it has seen recent outgoing UDP traffic from that same port.
#* Activate outbound UDP for ports 5060, 5062, and 12000-13050.
# '''Monitor'''. The intricacies of modern firewalls make it difficult for one document to cover every network configuration. Use tools such as '''ntop''' and '''nprobe''' to monitor network flow between the Second Life Viewer and servers to identify network flows that blocked by the firewall.

===Ports===

In addition to the standard ports for DNS lookup and web access, the Second Life Viewer requires the ports listed in the following table.

{| {{KBtable}}
|- {{KBtablehead}}

! Port
! Protocol
! Used For

|---
| 53
| UDP/TCP
| DNS lookup

|---
| 80
| TCP
| Accessing Second Life related web resources

|---
| 443
| TCP
| Accessing Second Life related web resources and for client authentication

|---
| 5060
| UDP and TCP
| Voice / SIP traffic

|---
| 5062
| UDP and TCP
| Voice / (Session Initiation Protocol) SIP traffic

|---
| 12000 - 15000
| UDP
| Voice / RTP traffic

|---
| 12035
| UDP
| Core protocol communication

|---
| 12043
| UDP
| Simulator communication and map related functions

|---
| 12043
| TCP
| Capability-based simulator communication

|---
| 12046
| TCP
| Texture downloading

|---
| 13000-13050
| UDP
| Core protocol communication

|---
| 21002
| TCP
| Voice signaling

|}

===Server IP addresses===

For an up-to-date list of IP addresses, see [[Linden Lab Official:What are Second Life's subnets|"What are Second Life's Subnets?"]] in the Second Life Knowedge Base. You can subscribe to that article to be notified when the article is updated.

You may also use the Second Life Viewer to access virtual worlds hosted by organizations other than Linden Lab. Contact the hosting organization for the IP addresses used.

==Troubleshooting and support==

Unfortunately, we're not able to provide direct support with firewall configuration or connection troubleshooting, but any feedback on this article -- particularly issues it doesn't address, or information that's factually inaccurate -- can be submitted through a Knowledge Base Suggestions ticket on our [http://secondlife.com/support/ Support Portal].
[[Category:Using External Applications]]
[[Category:General Second Life Software Information]]

[[Category:Knowledge Base]]

Configuring your hardware firewall

2010-08-15T18:51:05Z

Athanasius Skytower:

{{Help|Viewer=*|BugFixes=*}}

{{RightToc|margin-left: 10px;}}
== Overview ==
This article describes how to configure your firewall to allow use of the Second Life Viewer (client) within your intranet. It is intended for network administrators and others responsible for network security.

Firewalls are a fundamental component of a network security program. Following the "principle of least privilege," firewalls limit traffic between the corporate intranet and the public network to supported network applications. Thus, firewalls are generally configured for common applications such as Domain Name Service (DNS), email, and web browsing. However, Second Life uses a number of non-standard ports that most firewalls block by default.

=== Voice chat ===
Voice chat, like Second Life itself, is designed to work with "zero configuration" and should work with most firewalls. If the SIP connection on port 5060 fails (as it might if the router is designed to provide VoIP services of its own) the Viewer will automatically retry on port 5062. So, on some restrictive firewalls, you may need to open port 5062.

When you initially run the Second Life Viewer, your firewall may require you to permit internet access by "SLVoice.exe" and "SLVoiceAgent.exe".

To enable people to use Second Life from inside the firewall, follow the procedures outlined in this document.

== Procedure ==

Although the details depend on your specific firewall, follow this general procedure:

# '''Open outbound access for TCP ports'''. Second Life servers do not establish inbound TCP connections to client systems running the Second Life Viewer software. Instead, they use the "request / response" message pattern.
#* Enable outbound TCP access for ports 80, 443, 5060, 5062, 12043, 12046 and 21002.
# '''Open outbound "session" access for UDP ports'''. Although UDP is a session-less transport, many firewalls block unsolicited incoming UDP traffic to a particular port unless it has seen recent outgoing UDP traffic from that same port.
#* Activate outbound UDP for ports 5060, 5062, and 12000-13050.
# '''Monitor'''. The intricacies of modern firewalls make it difficult for one document to cover every network configuration. Use tools such as '''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ntop ntop]''' and '''[http://www.ntop.org/nProbe.html nprobe]''' to monitor network flow between the Second Life Viewer and servers to identify network flows blocked by the firewall.

== Ports ==

In addition to the standard ports for DNS lookup and web access, the Second Life Viewer requires the ports listed in the following table.

{|border=1 cellpadding=6 style="border-collapse: collapse"
|--- style="background: #dcdcdc"
! Port
! Protocol
! Used For

|---
| 53
| UDP/TCP
| DNS lookup

|---
| 80
| TCP
| Accessing Second Life related web resources

|---
| 443
| TCP
| Accessing Second Life related web resources and for client authentication

|---
| 5060
| UDP and TCP
| Voice / SIP traffic

|---
| 5062
| UDP and TCP
| Voice / (Session Initiation Protocol) SIP traffic

|---
| 12000 - 15000
| UDP
| Voice / RTP traffic

|---
| 12035
| UDP
| Core protocol communication

|---
| 12043
| UDP
| Simulator communication and map related functions

|---
| 12043
| TCP
| Capability-based simulator communication

|---
| 12046
| TCP
| Texture downloading

|---
| 13000-13050
| UDP
| Core protocol communication

|---
| 21002
| TCP
| Voice signaling

|}

Notes:
* RTP: Real-time Transport Protocol
* SIP: Session Initiation Protocol

== Server IP Addresses ==

For up-to-date information on IP addresses, see:
* [[Linden_Lab_Official:What are Second Life's subnets|What are Second Life's subnets?]] for Second Life server IP addresses.
* [[Can I use voice from behind a firewall|Can I use voice from behind a firewall?]] for voice server IP addresses.

You can subscribe to these articles to be notified when the article is updated.

You may also use the Second Life Viewer to access virtual worlds hosted by organizations other than [[Linden Lab]]. Contact the hosting organization for the IP addresses used.

== Specific hardware manufacturers ==

Consult your firewall's documentation or the manufacturer's website, for instructions on how to configure your firewall.

===Cisco===

For a Cisco router/switch that uses reflexive access lists (IOS 11.0 or later), add these lines to your outbound access list:

permit tcp any any eq 443
permit udp any any eq 12035 reflect outbound-SL
permit udp any any eq 12036 reflect outbound-SL
permit udp any any range 13000 13050 reflect outbound-SL

Then, on your inbound access list, add:

permit tcp any any established
evaluate outbound-SL

After adding the above lines, apply these access lists.

===Linux Killerwall===

For a Linux system using [http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/Killerwall Killerwall], add these lines to <code>/etc/killerwall.acl</code>:

IN IFACE <your lan interface> FROM 0.0.0.0/0 TO 0.0.0.0/0 tcp TOPORT 443 ACCEPT
IN IFACE <your lan interface> FROM 0.0.0.0/0 TO 0.0.0.0/0 udp TOPORT 12035 ACCEPT
IN IFACE <your lan interface> FROM 0.0.0.0/0 TO 0.0.0.0/0 udp TOPORT 12036 ACCEPT
IN IFACE <your lan interface> FROM 0.0.0.0/0 TO 0.0.0.0/0 udp TOPORT 13000-13050 ACCEPT

Then, restart Killerwall. Killerwall automatically tracks related reply packets, so Second Life will now work correctly.

===Linux Firewall===

For a Linux box that uses IPF (Linux Firewall), configure as follows:

pass out quick on rl0 proto tcp from any to any port = 443 flags S keep state
pass out quick on rl0 proto udp from any to any port = 12035
pass out quick on rl0 proto udp from any to any port = 12036
pass out quick on rl0 proto tcp from any to any port = 12043 flags S keep state
pass out quick on rl0 proto udp from any to any port 12999 <> 13051
pass in quick on rl0 proto tcp from any to any port = 443 flags S keep state
pass in quick on rl0 proto udp from any to any port = 12035
pass in quick on rl0 proto udp from any to any port = 12036
pass in quick on rl0 proto udp from any to any port 12999 <> 13051

===FreeBSD IPFW===

For a firewall based on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipfirewall Ipfirewall (ipfw)], add the following lines to <code>/etc/rc.firewall</code>:

ipfw add allow tcp from any to any 443 setup
ipfw add allow udp from any to any 12035 keep-state
ipfw add allow udp from any to any 12036 keep-state
ipfw add allow tcp from any to any 12043 keep-state
ipfw add allow udp from any to any 12999-13051 keep-state

== See also ==

* [[How do I configure my software firewall (such as Norton Internet Security, McAfee Personal Firewall, or ZoneAlarm)|How do I configure my software firewall?]]
* [[How do I configure my hardware firewall (such as a router)|How do I configure my hardware firewall (such as a router)?]]
* [[Unusually restrictive firewalls block teleporting|Unusually restrictive firewalls block teleporting]]

Twitter

2009-09-01T18:04:35Z

Athanasius Skytower:

'''Many Linden Lab employees and Residents use [http://twitter.com Twitter] to share status updates, announcements, casual conversation, links of interest, and other insights into stuff they're involved in.'''

Note that LL doesn't formally provide service support through Twitter; while we can point you in the right direction, you should always use the '''[http://secondlife.com/support Support Portal]'''.

Please keep this list sorted neatly.

== Lindens ==
=== Topics ===
* '''[http://twitter.com/secondlife SecondLife]''' - The MAIN account.

* '''[http://twitter.com/learninginworld Inworld Learning]''' - [http://blogs.secondlife.com/community/learninginworld More info.]
* '''[http://twitter.com/workinginworld Inworld Working]''' - [http://work.secondlife.com/ More info.]
* '''[http://twitter.com/slmerchants Second Life Merchants]''' - For vendors and fans of [http://www.xstreetsl.com/ Xstreet SL] and commerce.

=== Individual Lindens ===
* '''[http://twitter.com/slballyhoo Catherine Linden]''' - Communications/marketing.
* '''[http://twitter.com/kate_linden Kate Linden]''' - On the [[Documentation Team]].
* '''[http://twitter.com/jeremy_linden Jeremy Linden]''' - On the [[Documentation Team]].
* '''[http://twitter.com/jon_linden Jon Linden]''' - On the [[Documentation Team]].
* '''[http://twitter.com/torley Torley Linden]''' - Creativity and lots of non-SL things like computer music. On the [[Documentation Team]].

== Residents ==
* '''[http://twitter.com/cerebrate Athanasius Skytower]''' - blogger, scripter, entrepreneur, and curmudgeon.
* '''[http://twitter.com/graybeam Gray Beam]''' - Long time resident and geek.
''Eureka Dejavu Entrepreneur and Artist''
* '''[http://twitter.com/surlaroute Melody Paperdoll]''' - also Casper Paperdoll, SL musician 'n lots of randomness.
* ''[http://twitter.com/burhop Burhop]''' - Burhop Piccard
[[Category:Lists]]

User talk:Athanasius Skytower

2009-03-26T20:52:41Z

Athanasius Skytower: New page: Hello. Speak.

Hello. Speak.

User:Athanasius Skytower

2009-03-26T20:52:05Z

Athanasius Skytower: New page: frame Athanasius Skytower is an avatar who runs a modest in-world business, ''Athanasian Virtual Services'', and in his (or hers, or its) spar...

[[Image:Athanasius-Skytower-male.png|right|frame]]

Athanasius Skytower is an avatar who runs a modest in-world business, ''Athanasian Virtual Services'', and in his (or hers, or its) spare time, enjoys the virtual arts, exploring the grid, trying out new things to do in-world, and persuading scripts to interact with external software in increasingly improbable ways. Feel free to contact him in-world, or drop by his store any time, at:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Strata/237/120/51/ .

He also files bugs:

{{Jira Reporter}}

...Plurks at:

http://www.plurk.com/cerebrate/

...created the PingHud Ping.fm HUD:

https://www.xstreetsl.com/modules.php?name=Marketplace&file=item&ItemID=1252236

...is responsible for the [[Curmudgeonly Second Life Advice]] series of blog posts:

http://weblog.siliconcerebrate.com/cerebrate/2009/03/curmudgeonly_second_life_advic.html

...and is writing a book of guidance for new Second Life residents, tentatively titled ''Athanasius Skytower's Curmudgeonly Guide to Second Life''.

File:Athanasius-Skytower-male.png

2009-03-26T20:46:14Z

Athanasius Skytower: Avatar picture for user page.

Avatar picture for user page.

SLetiquette

2009-03-24T13:01:25Z

Athanasius Skytower:

{{Help|Community=*}}'''SLetiquette is Second Life etiquette''': manners and customs to help you live a happier Second Life. You may already be familiar with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netiquette Netiquette] as it applies to the general Internet, but since Second Life is a 3D virtual world, there are some unique aspects to be aware of. All of these are important and should be kept close to your heart — they aren't strict rules, they're social guidelines which'll benefit you and others you communicate with.

In addition to the '''Resident-written guides''', you can also peruse '''[[User:Torley_Linden|Torley Linden]]''''s advice below. Picking what works best for you from a variety of valuable perspectives is ''the'' way to go.

== Resident-written guides ==
Personal advice from fellow Resis. These are only as useful as you find them, which means: apply the advice, and if it doesn't work, move on. Even better yet, write a guide of your own. Have something to add? ''Go for it!''

Sorted in reverse-chronological order:

* 2009-03-12 - '''[http://weblog.siliconcerebrate.com/cerebrate/2009/03/curmudgeonly_second_life_advic.html Curmudgeonly Second Life Advice]''' - From The Cerebrate ([[User:Athanasius Skytower|Athanasius Skytower]]).
* 2009-01-30 - '''[http://sl4nowt.wordpress.com/2009/01/30/30-things-every-newbie-should-know-before-starting-second-life/ 30 (and more) things every newbie should know before starting Second Life]''' - From Mar of SL For Nowt.
* 2008-10-11 - '''[http://sylectra.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-to-participate-in-online-discussion.html How to participate in an online discussion]''' - Personal experiences from Sylectra Darwin.
* 2008-02-27 - '''[http://slmeangirls.blogspot.com/2008/02/club-etiquette-in-sl.html Club Etiquette in SL]''' - From the "Mean Girls Guide to SL", who actually seem to be quite nice.
* 2008-02-01 - '''[http://www.slideshare.net/GwynethLlewelyn/second-life-etiquette/ SLetiquette slideshow]''' - A lucid presentation by Gwyneth Llewellyn. Also available in [http://gwynethllewelyn.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/sletiquette.pdf PDF].
* 2007-09-17 - '''[http://www.citrusvirtual.com/?q=node/14 Second Life Etiquette]''' - From Citrus Virtual.
* 2007-07-10 - '''[http://ets.tlt.psu.edu/gaming/node/203 SLEtiquette]''' - From Penn State.
* 2007-05-16 - '''[http://alexiacournoyer.wordpress.com/2007/05/16/ms-alexias-second-life-etiquette-guide-part-1/ Ms. Alexia's Second Life Etiquette Guide Part 1] and [http://alexiacournoyer.wordpress.com/2007/05/16/ms-alexias-second-life-etiquette-guide-part-2/ Part 2]''' - By Alexia Cournoyer.
* 2007-05-14 - '''[http://www.sltriptips.com/node/11 Second Life Etiquette]''' - From SL Trip Tips.
* 2006-07-05 - '''[http://www.managingthegray.com/2006/07/05/second-life-etiquette/ Second Life Etiquette]''' - By C.C. Chapman.

== Torley's advice ==
These are observations, not policy. They are, however, distilled from 1000s of hours living Second Life.

=== Be interested in others ===
Showing earnest interest is one of the simplest and best ways to be likable. When I was new to Second Life, I chatted up just about everyone and everything that got me interested. Not everyone replied, but the majority that did helped me feel more cozy in Second Life.

If you see something you like, be it a brilliantly-designed house or an intricate nightgown, let the creator know. This is especially true if you purchase it and enjoy it in times to come: send them a personal note, and your good vibes will encourage them to create more. I've done this 100s of times and it's always been the right thing to do. ''Don't'' be a moocher and expect freebies in return, but hey, it does happen. ;)

All great friendships start as strangers, and this is certainly true in SL.

=== Read profiles carefully before IMing someone ===
A lot of people work in Second Life, and may be unable to reply to IMs (Instant Messages). For example, a builder who requests in her profile that you email her, or contact a friend whose name is listed for support. By respecting how others wish to communicate, you'll often receive faster service and save trouble for everyone involved.

Some Resis have even gone extra lengths to make it easier for you to contact them through preferred means inworld, whether it's a virtual mailbox you can "ping" them through, or a contact form in their Web tab:

[[Image:SLetiquette-contact.png|256px]]

This is also true of Lindens — ''don't'' send random IMs to Lindens seeking help, even if you feel it's important. What each Linden does is often clarified in their profile, and IMing before understanding wastes time for everyone.

If it's an account-specific issue, then you should visit our [http://secondlife.com/support Support Portal]. Get help from the right place!

=== If you don't get a reply from someone, it doesn't mean they hate you ===
Don't negatively assume that just because another avatar isn't chatting to you that they dislike you! They may be away from their keyboard in first life, engaged in something. (Of course, it's nice to indicate this when possible.) They may be buried in other chat and IMs and are attending to those first. Or, they may not speak the same language as you and don't understand. They could also just be shy.

Be patient, or if you have a hard time doing so, find someone else to chat up.

But be cautioned: if you've treated someone cruelly or for whatever other reason they choose (even frivolous ones, it's their choice), they can mute you, meaning they won't see your chat. You can mute others you find displeasing, although if miscommunication can be resolved first, that's favorable.

=== Be familiar with a group's rules before using group IM ===
Most groups only allow on-topic conversation. Some groups welcome random group IM. It's almost always bad form to spam a group, and shirking the rules may get you ejected from the group. How can you find out? Open a group's profile: Communicate window > Groups tab, click a group and click Info. From there, read the Group Charter or contact a group owner in the list.

And if you have a question, it can only help to do a cursory search first and see if you find the answer elsewhere — like on this wiki! Anyone can appreciate well-done research.

=== Don't teleport unannounced ===
Unless you have a mutual understanding, this is true when both TPing (TelePorting) yourself and offering a TP to another:

* ''Don't'' send an unsolicited teleport without explaining ''why''. When you offer a teleport, you can state a reason. Make good use of it.

[[Image:SLetiquette-teleport.png|256px]]

* ''Don't'' teleport to someone without getting permissionfirst. They may be in the middle of a private, intimate, awkward, etc. situation, or focused on a task that requires concentration. You can add/remove the ability for someone to map-track you via Communicate window > Friends tab. Look for the icon with the eye and the green dot; it means a friend can find you on the map by opening your profile and clicking "Find on Map".

[[Image:SLetiquette-maptrack.png|256px]]

Don't try to mass-teleport unwitting strangers — that's spamming, and quite frankly, a crap thing to do.

=== Don't beg for L$ ===
Just like in first life, no one with self-respect likes a badgering beggar. It's one thing to be curious and ask to learn, but it's annoying to cyber-panhandle (unless you're doing in-character as part of a role-playing game). You may even get disciplined for disturbing the peace, so don't do it. You want to be well-liked, yes?

If so, your options are bountiful:

* Convert "real world" money to L$ using [http://secondlife.com/currency/ LindeX].
* Get a job. Some are rather fun, and you may find yourself making pocket money or even a fulltime living. For a partial overview, see the [http://support.secondlife.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=4417&task=knowledge&questionID=3977 Guide to Jobs in Second Life].
* Immerse yourself in Second Life and through experience, look for holes in markets and create new opportunities for yourself. For example, Torley's observed there's a [http://torley.com/usability-consultants-have-golden-opportunities-in-second-life lack of usability consultants].
* Learn to make stuff (so you don't have to buy everything — and quality freebies abound).
* Make friends who can offer you opportunities, and hopefully you can exchange something in return (for example, a builder and a scripter collaborating on an awesome car).

These and many more are open to everyone. If you don't have certain skills, then do your best to learn them — and empower yourself. Only by doing will you know what you're capable of.

==== What about camping chairs? ====
"Camping chairs" and their ilk are objects you sit on for extended durations to earn L$ at a rate that makes grass growing look fast, like L$1/10 min. To put that in perspective, if you're really that desperate, you'd do much better completing [http://mturk.com/ Mechanical Turk HITs]. (No one has come up with a way to bridge MTurk and SL yet... smells like an opportunity!)

Simply put, there are ''many'' ways of making L$ which are faster and more fun. It's your choice to camp, but exceptional, remarkable people don't camp because they're doing greater things. (Samantha Poindexter thoughtfully points out "camping while multitasking", e.g., sitting and sorting your inventory, which is more effective aggregate use of your time.) Consider that no one has Second Life-changing experiences sitting on a camping chair alone; you're more likely to be rewarded and succeed while discovering the world.

=== Voice chat: turn push-to-talk on ===
Unless your background noise is exceptionally quiet, when on [[voice chat]], it's usually a good thing to enable push-to-talk. Edit menu > Preferences > Voice Chat tab and turn on "Use Push-to-Talk in toggle mode".

Common "on the telephone" reminders also apply, such as: don't eat loudly when on voice, it sounds gross, as I can show you:

<videoflash>mfvQZcRO-z0</videoflash>

Or if you must, only eat when voice is toggled off. [[Video_Tutorials#VOICE_CHAT|See more VOICE CHAT video tutorials.]]

=== Read Lifehack guides ===
There are a number of life-improvement sites which aren't Second Life-specific but offer applicable advice nonetheless: among them are [http://www.lifehacker.com/ Lifehacker] and [http://lifehack.org/ Stepcase Lifehack] (different from each other). Do be aware I'm an active community member on both, and I originally got into them because I found the variety of posts inspiring and beneficial.

And if you're into old-skool classics, there's always Dale Carnegie's ''[http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0671027034/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217458795&sr=8-1 How to Win Friends & Influence People]''.

[[Category:Tutorials]]

[[Category:Culture]]

Open Grid Public Beta/Map Locations

2008-08-05T20:11:27Z

Athanasius Skytower:

OpenSim regions cannot be placed directly adjacent to existing regions on aditi or vaak.

:[[User:Zha_Ewry|Zha Ewry]]: "Setup as a very basic stand alone opensim. set the default location and the location of your region to be the same value, and run only one region on the server. (ie. in OpenSim.ini, make sure you set default_loc_x and default_loc_y, and make them match the ones in the default.xml in the Regions subdirectory of you r bin directory in your install. Make sure your X and Ys are multiples of 256."

Non-Linden Lab OpenSims should use default_loc_x and default_loc_y values greater than 4096.

Claim Map Locations Below

Claims that are not multiples of 256 will be marked in pink.

==[[User:Whump_Linden | Whump Linden ]]==

* 2048/2048
* 2304/2560

==[[User:Dahlia_Trimble | Dahlia Trimble ]]==

* 4096/4096
* 4352/4352

==[[User:Christophe003_Carter | Christophe003 Carter ]]==

* 4608/4608

==[[User:BlueWall Slade | Bluewall Slade]]==
*6400/6400

==[[User:Winne Woodget | Winne Woodget]]==

* 6912/6912

==[[User:Matias Carter | Matias Carter]]==

* 7168/7168

==[[User:Xugu Madison | Xugu Madison]]==

* 8192/8192

==[[User:Eddy Stryker | Eddy Stryker]]==

* 5888/5888

==[[User:Latif Khalifa | Latif Khalifa]]==

* 6144/6144

==[[User:Tracy Welles | Tracy Welles ]]==

* 4352/4352

==[[User:Bluecat Jun | Bluecat Jun ]]==

* 7424/7424

==[[User:Julie Wasserstrom | Julie Wasserstrom ]]==

* 5888/5888

==[[User:Chris Samtanko | Chris Samtanko ]]==

*4864/4864

==[http://mrtopf.de/blog Tao Takashi ]==

*6656/6656

==[[User:Jim Kupferberg | Jim Kupferberg ]]==

*6656/6400

==[[User:Emma Nowhere | Emma Nowhere ]]==

*5120/5120

==[[User:Gomez Bracken | Gomez Bracken ]]==

*8448/8448

==[[User:Ciemaar Flintoff | Ciemaar Flintoff ]]==

*6656/7680

==[[User:Media Hax | Media Hax ]]==

*5632/5632
==[[User:Twa Hinkle | Twa Hinkle ]]==

*7680/7680

==[[User:Vicero Lambert | Vicero Lambert ]]==

*5130/5130

==[[User:Whichway Janus | Whichway Janus ]]==

*6656/6912

==[[User:Stamo Stuer | Stamo Stuer ]]==

*5376/5376

==[[User:Patnad Babii | Patnad Babii ]]==

* <font color="pink">9728/9728</font>

==[[User:Torrid Luna | Torrid Luna ]]==

*6144/6144

==[http://blog.simgis.com Darb Dabney ]==

* 4608/4352

==[[User:Morph Wollongong | Morph Wollongong ]]==

* 6789/6789

==[[User:Estate Shepherd | Estate Shepherd ]]==

* 8704/8704

==[[User:Zerodog Witte | Zerodog Witte ]]==

* 8448/8448

==[[User:Lil Linden | Lil Linden]]==

* 2806/2806

==[[User:EriX Oh | EriX Oh]]==

* 4352/4864

==[[User:James Benedek | James Benedek]]==

* 7936/7936

==[[User:Hawk Carter | Hawk Carter]]==

* 9984/9984

==[[User:McCoy Ducatillon | McCoy Ducatillon]]==

* 8960/8960

==[[User:Laurent Bechir | Laurent Bechir]]==

* 9216/9216

==[[User:Economic Mip | Economic Mip]]==

* 9216/8960

==[[User:whyroc Slade | whyroc Slade]]==

* 10240/10240

==[[User:Bartholomew Kleiber | Bartholomew Kleiber]]==

* 10752/10752

==[[User:Arbitar Basiat | Arbitar Basiat]]==

* 13056/13056

==[[User:TheCoolLeader Boyer | TheCoolLeader Boyer ]]==

* 16384/16384

==[[User:Aidamina Hunt | Aidamina Hunt ]]==

* 25600/25600

==[[User:Stirling Allen|Stirling Allen]] 19:59, 4 August 2008 (PDT)==

*65536/65536 (ETA Friday 9 August)

==[[User:Sonof Marvin|Sonof Marvin]]==

*4099/4099

==[[User:Radioactive Rosca|Radioactive Rosca]]==

*4864/5376

==[[User:Jim Brock|Jim Brock]]==

* 9472/9472

==[[User:Jonit Ivory|Jonit Ivory]]==

* 11264/11264

==[[User:Ideia Boa|Ideia Boa]]==

* 4096/4608

==[[User:Athanasius Skytower|Athanasius Skytower]]==

* 5632/6656

[[Category:Open_Grid_Public_Beta]]