This is a continuation of my series of posts on the Open Spaces issue. As you all know, we’ve been hearing a great deal about the “abuse” of Open Space sims. These posts are looking to see what that really means.
We now have a post from Linden Lab saying that they will post further information on this tomorrow morning – and that the message will come from M Linden. We await this with interest.
But now, to return you to our usual programme …
I’ve talked to several people, all using Open Sims in different ways. One is an estate owner, Fatima Ur. Then there’s a small business owner, Soliel Snook of Snook’s Garden Centre. Then there’s Roberto Viking who has his home on an OpenSpace sim he shares with a friend. And lastly there’s Francesca Cassini, who has been using an OpenSpace sim to support a non-profit, 46664, Nelson Mandela’s AIDS charity, which does amazing work in Africa.
The Non-profit: Francesca Cassini of 4664
The 46664 HIV/AIDS charity was featured in our October issue. The non-profit is named in honour of its founder, Mr Nelson Mandela. “46664” represents his prisoner number on Robben Island where he was incarcerated for twenty-seven years by the apartheid regime, until his release in 1991 – prisoner number 466 during the year ’64.
During his time as President of South Africa, it was Mr Mandela’s profound regret that due to other pressing issues, he could not devote enough attention to the huge and spiralling HIV and AIDS problem in his country, across the African continent and globally. The charity campaign 46664 launched in 2003 when Mr Mandela, intuitive politician that he is, realised that to reach the global audience with HIV/AIDS issue, he needed to utilise the pulling power of musicians, sportsmen and celebrities, in order to educate the world and empower the suffering population. The first 46664 concert took place in Capetown in November 2003, broadcast worldwide via TV, radio and the internet, and the momentum started to build.
The idea for bringing the charity into Second Life came in July 2008, when Francesca set up a charity store in Second Life for her unwanted items.
“I owned a fair bit of residential Dreamland land and rented light commercial land elsewhere,” she explains. When she learned that Dreamland were selling some of their Open Space sims as “light commercial”, she explained what she wanted to do with it, i.e. a charity store and live music venue, and they sold her first sim to her.
“My second open sim was my home – house/trees etc., low script, as there wasn’t there much. I enjoyed the space versus prims. Because of Linden Lab rule changes at the time, Dreamland were selling their land – detailed in their covenant – as clearly residential / light commercial, not just open or water space.”
46664 Island also became a place to relax, dance, dive, windsurf and play with the dolphins … the sim was open access for all to enjoy. It was constructed as a beach paradise with lots of seating areas for cuddles or single contemplation.
“The second and increasingly exciting part of the *Second Life* 46664 story was the live music venue, The 46664 Stage – and Francesca planned to add a second stage on 3rd November.
“This was a personal joy of mine, where I had the privilege of bringing Second Life’s most talented musicians to the island to play to rapturous audiences,” Francesca explains. “Donations made to The 46664 Stage and from purchases at the 46664 store go completely to the 46664.com charity, with no deductions for running costs. All the artists who have performed on The 46664 Stage have touched me with their interest in and support for the charity, relaying the information to their audiences and helping to promote yet greater awareness, and I cannot thank them enough.”
But, after the changes from Linden Lab, on 31st October she abandoned her islands them back to Dreamland, who were the estate owners.
“I’ve already bought other full prim land elsewhere and relocated my 46664 venue,” she says.
She is not sure what will happen to her home.
“I still have quarter of an open sim where my very small home sits,” she says, “and I only keep that because I paid 3 months tier in advance to waive the purchase price of the land. I will probably abandon THAT land back to Dreamland too if they are even allowed to keep me as owner – they may have to claim it back from me – in which case I will relocate my home to a smaller full prim plot.”
The 46664 venue is safe, as Francesca acted quickly to protect it, but for her, this is all about the loss of purchase price paid on her open sims.
“By this recent announcement, Linden Lab have brought the value of the Open Space sims down to zero,” she says. “Is anyone going to give me a refund? I think not. The nature of land ownership in recent Seciond Life times has meant that you cannot expect to recoup your purchase price, it’s just the way it is and this is more of the same. Whilst trying to be philosophical about it, yes, it does annoy me.”
And now we must all wait and see what tomorrow will bring.
Prim Perfect 