SLetiquette

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Revision as of 13:32, 30 July 2008 by Torley Linden (talk | contribs)
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SLetiquette is Second Life etiquette: manners and customs to help you live a happier Second Life. You may already be familiar with 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 Torley Linden's advice, be sure to see the Resident-written guides below. Picking what works best for you from a variety of valuable perspectives is the way to go.

Torley's advice

Read profiles carefully before IMing someone

A lot of Residents 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:

[Show Abramelin Wolfe example]

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 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 is 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.

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.
  • 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".

Don't mass-teleport 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 money to L$ using 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 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 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 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. Consider that no one has Second Life-changing experiences sitting on a camping chair; you're more likely to be rewarded and succeed while discovering the world.

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. Have something to add? Go for it!

Sorted in reverse-chronological order: