Thursday, August 2, 2007

Second Life Goes Voice Mandatory

Here it is people.

21 comments:

  1. Not true, voice is not mandatory it is completely optional. You don't even have to download the client if you don't want to.

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  2. Not true, I've just had to download a mandatory update, and when I could not log on with that an "optional" update.

    And voice is only optional if you don't mind people saying not nice things about you in front of your face and not knowing about it at all.

    All users should enable voice, and listen, if nothing else. Because, after all, it has never happened that people have said untrue things on SL, and LL has never blocked people for those untrue things, and land owners have never banned anyone because of untrue accusations.

    Right?

    Voice is mandatory now, because it is the only way for you to know what is going on.

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  3. I guess I'll have to grin and bear it; while the Linux client offers to let you set up voice, from what I've seen reported, voice doesn't actually work, because Vivox *still* hasn't gotten off their duffs and put out a Linux version of their proprietary code. Sigh... that's what happens when you count on proprietary packages.

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  4. I'm waiting for the Nicholaz edition of the voice enabled client so I can use the old school UI...

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  5. Well, to be honest, I don't mind. Not at all. Just week or two ago I met that group of avatars sitting at the one of infohubs, occasionally molesting noobs. One of them, a girl, had the title floating above her head:

    Voice enabled. And I am talking about you right now.

    How nice of her. I know I am nice subject to talk about. But do I care? No, not really. I guess that should shake somebody very noobish in life (first, not only second). It is a simple provocation aimed to people's curiosity, self-loving and/or insecureness. If somebody says that she talks about you, you have to know what she is talking, right? Hardly so. Second life is a huge place with a lot of interesting things, lot of nice people and friends are there. Do one really have time to pay attention to the talkings of an immature girl? Hopefully not.

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  6. btw, my download of a new client (linux edition) was optional. I jumped couple of VE sims to see if it works but nothing happened, though I wasn't persistant enough. Video was an option that was more interesting to try.

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  7. All,

    I'm so tired of yelling at a brick wall on this one.

    It was funny to read the comments about the newsletter the other day. Iridium Linden claimed that the Lindens are listening to us. Somehow, I doubt it. So many people asked them not to put voice in. While there was demand, the overwhelming reaction to voice in SL has been negative.

    Now, they've went ahead and put it in. *sighs* Oh well.

    Do I care what people think of me because I don't want to use it?

    No.

    My rules are this:

    1) Never let anyone force/coerce you into revealing more about yourself than you are comfortable with.
    2) Live your life as you see fit.

    I look at voice the same as giving out my RL picture. It's a line I'm not ready to cross yet on SL and may never be ready to cross.

    Anony Mouse
    "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." - Eleanor Roosevelt

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  8. Well I'm sorry to tell you that the "mandatory update" that you downloaded was NOT mandatory.

    I have no clue about what you're reffering to about accusations and stuff and I don't know how that has anything to do with voice... however if you're using voice and someone says something you don't appreciate you can mute them just like in chat. You can also kick them off the land if you're the land owner.

    Voice is not mandatory now because people don't HAVE to know everything that's going on around them. It's your CHOICE! and will always be your CHOICE!!!

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  9. No dear, even if I want to turn voice off on my parcel, I still have to be on the voice client.

    As for what is mandatory, if I cannot log in on the old client, and I could not, then the update is mandatory.

    More over, as many people have noted, there are more crashes, more inventory problems and more grid problems associated with the voice update.

    Voice is not a choice, speaking might be, but voice is now part of Second Life, for better and for worse. The question is how LL and the residents use voice.

    We can use it well, and we will. We can use it badly, and some will do that too. But one way or another, you, I and everyone else is in a voice mandatory world. And the pressure to speak is already rippling out through the community.

    One example? Now that voice is in the main viewer, two clients have already asked that "voice" be part of my normal escorting charge. Now maybe you like having what you are paid cut in half, but I am not so fond of it.

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  10. "And the pressure to speak is already rippling out through the community."

    I'm not sure if this is universal. I've had friends ask me if I was going to use voice and when I say "No" they seem relieved.

    I've had some ask me, but when I say "No" they are like "okay, but do you mind if I talk to you using it?" My answer to that is, of course, "Sure as long as you don't mind me talking back." Most are okay with this.

    The problem comes when you have people who want to judge you because you don't want to use voice. One of the problems I faced is I'm in a group on SL and we meet every so often. One of the members who was fairly knew was busy playing "genderman" (if you haven't seen the comic it's funny). It's here:

    http://www.slprofiles.com/secondlifecomic.asp?id=15
    http://www.slprofiles.com/secondlifecomic.asp?id=16

    And he also said that it was "noble of some of us to stick to typing."

    One thing I've noticed is that there seems to be a crowd of people who are coming into SL who are more than willing to judge you and impose their set of values on you. You know what I say to that? Screw them. I don't live my life by anyone else's standards but my own. If anyone has an issue with it they can promptly go straight down to hell.

    Linden Lab has basically ruined SL for a lot of people by slamming this into the viewer so fast. They have betrayed their promise to only integrate voice once people's voice could be disguised. Not even morphed... but DISGUISED so that you couldn't be recognized. They couldn't even do that.

    With all due respect, Lillie, I'm not sure if your example extends to the rest of the general population in SL because your clients expect voice as part of a service which they are paying you for.

    The dynamic, as evidenced by my experience, works differently when it's among friends.

    Anony Mouse

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  11. I think its a good move so that we will know whether there are underage peeps (who should be in 18 and below SL servers) lurking the Mature servers. People LIKE ME assume that ALL of the people in MATURE servers are indeed MATURE and got teh required age.

    I'm documenting my avatar's sexcapades and I don't want to learn later on that it had shagged the AV of a less than 18 year old. So, again, having the ability to turn on voice to verify someones age is very nice.

    VOICE FOR THE WIN.

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  12. Paul, voice can be morphed. If that is what you do for checking the age, I must tell you that you can be fooled just right.

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  13. Paul,

    You're mistaken about a few things:

    1) if there are any underage "peeps" on the servers they could easy hide from you by not using voice at all.

    2) they could also hide by using a voice changer... they're getting very good these days.

    3) you're assuming that everyone who is willing to have sex with you on SL is willing to allow you to hear their voice. Not everyone will.

    4) Documenting your sexcapades?? Don't you think this is a little insensitive?

    So, in other words you want to invade someone else's privacy for your own self-security. Some people will be willing to play this game with you, most, however, wont.

    Anony Mouse
    "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." -- Albert Einstein

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  14. Hey guys,

    Well, all people can't really rely on the voice output totally to check if its artificially modified or accurately verify age but I assume that most people can at least recognize a morphed voice from not or if the voice is from one who haven't reached puberty yet or from a really old guy. And, not all people can afford sophisticated voice morphers and these 18 below crowd for sure cannot get one (unless they have their own businesses and moved out from their family at the age of 6!?!). So, see, the voice feature at least does a first line "filtering" from those who can access what area or what not.

    Of course, one can just ask for ones age through chat. But people behind the monitors often tend to lie. So voice at least gives you a clue if their lying or not.

    anony:


    3) you're assuming that everyone who is willing to have sex with you on SL is willing to allow you to hear their voice. Not everyone will.

    No, I don't assume that everyone will do that. I assume that some people will do that and for them who want to spice virtual sex up, voice is deffo a good addition.

    If im hanging out in a RED LIGHT area (orgy places, brothels etc) trying to hook up with CHICKS who advertise themselves as CHICKS, sure I'll demand that VOICE will be up so ill get my money's worth. OR say I'm hanging out in a MATURE/XXX/virtual sex meetup area trying to hook up with MATURE people who love to swing or whatever, for sure I'll prefer them to use voice. The scenario of say me/my avatar trying to get it(sex) real through chat and my supposedly chick partner typing texts and laughing his ass off is morbidly pathetic.

    about my av's sexcapades, I make sure that their IGN's/or their private places are kept confidential. I just document the things that I feel like documenting you know. I don't wanna ruin someones rep or something.

    Cheers

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  15. Morphed voice can be done in such a way that it cannot be recognized without other specialized software. Yes, it might be expensive but it also might be available on the websites hosted god-knows-where. you know what I am talking about.

    voice can be a nice spice for cybersex but it is not necessarily. Some people are good with words but not with their voice. Some are better with voice than with words. We all have our arts and skills.
    But now, I don't quite undrstand if you are using voice as a age check or because you like voice in cybersex. Both are ligitimate to me, I am just curious.

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  16. ^

    Not that I'm using voice atm but voice will be essential to spice up cybers and to provide a rough estimate of the age of the one who you are cybering with...

    Sorry, no edit post feature.

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  17. Paul,

    "No, I don't assume that everyone will do that. I assume that some people will do that and for them who want to spice virtual sex up, voice is deffo a good addition."

    For some it is, for others not.

    I, personally, don't think that voice is essential to cybersex.

    There are things I'm willing to do in text that I would NEVER do in voice. I would feel embarrassed moaning and groaning into a microphone for someone else's enjoyment, even if I care about them. It would make me self conscious.

    I think that, in the long run, you'll find it less exciting than you think.

    "The scenario of say me/my avatar trying to get it(sex) real through chat and my supposedly chick partner typing texts and laughing his ass off is morbidly pathetic."

    If you're so worried about this, then I agree that you should limit yourself to those who will voice with you. It opens up the possibility that you will leave a considerable portion of the female population of SL out of your "sexcapades" which you're recording for posterity.

    Women have as much of a right to privacy as men do.

    Good day!!
    Anony Mouse
    "To define is to limit." -- Oscar Wilde

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  18. Using voice as an excuse to weed out underage and Oldies is pathetic.

    You just want to ensure you get your jollies with real 18 YO.
    And as for recording , I bet you dont ask before anyhting begins permission to record.

    Is this not harrassment and unlawful recording

    Very Sad...enjoy SL for what it is a game of life

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  19. It's pretty obvious that most of these people who want to use voice are just angling for another vector to wiggle there way from Second Life into Real Life.

    Let's call a spade a spade and not try to dress up this pig.

    -Veyron

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