Eddi & Ryce Photograph Second Life: February 2012

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Windows 8 Available for Consumer Testing - Download Link

Microsoft's latest Windows operating system is available for consumer testing. Call it pre-beta beta.

It can be used on pc's but has a touchscreen-centric interface. It does not appear that Windows 8 will be replacing Windows 7 -- but will be offered along with it at first.

You can download your version and read about it here:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/download

From Jeff Ellsworth's Blog: A Tornado of Time - Exploring Evanesce

From Jeff Ellsworth's Blog

Even the church bell will toll hourly for you during your visit to Evanesce

To see more of Jeff's amazing photography of this art installation:
http://jeffellsworth.blogspot.com/2012/02/tornado-of-time-exploring-evanesce.html

To learn more about Evenesce:
http://xivinsl.wordpress.com/

To visit Evanesce:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/XIV/82/157/21

Updates on the new Linden Third Party Viewer Policy

Linden Lab Management Explains The New TPV Policy

The meeting yesterday on the new Third Party Viewer Policy was packed. See JayR Cela's take on this:
http://jayrcelasecondlifetechnologist.blogspot.com/2012/02/secondlife-new-tpv-policy-i-can-finally.html

Tate Runino's Blog has an interesting Q & A on this subject --She contacted Linden Lab, and they provided some coherent answers on this subject:
http://dwellonit.taterunino.net/2012/02/28/linden-lab-answers-questions-about-the-third-party-viewer-policy-changes/#more-5436

My own take (note, this is quick and I reserve the right to change my opinion).

1. Most of the TPV changes that Linden Lab wants to implement are good. They will enhance user security.

2. Some of the changes are simply wrong. Why is it bad to know, for example, what viewers your fellow residents are using? If anything, this enhances security since it shows specific code enhancements viewers are accessing in their viewers. Linden went overboard.

3. Linden Lab's vague blanket statement that says, in effect, "Trust us TPV developers even though we have the right to shut you down whenever we want if you become much better than our official viewer in what we vaguely term a shared viewer experience" is resulted in extreme anger right now, and will (not may) hasten the departure of really great creative types to Open Sim grids. See JayR Cela's take on this.

Linden Lab has done a terrible job in announcing this new policy in such a tactless and heavy-handed manner,and has made a mountain out of something much smaller. The anger that can be felt across the grid does not have to be -- and Linden Lab management needs to deal with this now with more clarification on what they will and will not tolerate in terms of additional viewer features.

Everything is 69 Linden at Seth Cybertar's Abersethy & Crotch

Ryce looks sporty in his Abersethy & Crotch jeans and football jerseys. Best of all, they only cost 69 Linden each.

Ryce is modeling two outfits:

On top, Angel Jeans -- with separate cuffs is paired with a 92 shirt.

Below, Guitar Jeans are paired with a 33 shirt.

Seth Cybertar's Abersethy & Crotch has a nice selection of quality, detailed clothes that would cost 4 times as much at another store. The quality of the detail and finish is excellent, and highly realistic.

You can visit Abersethy & Crotch here:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Vancouver%20Island/167/143/28

Tonight: The Tadd's Cowboy Party and Contest with DJ InsyX

The party begins at 7:00 PM SL Time.

1000 Linden are up for Best Cowboy.

Note that DJ InsyX will be playing his regular music, and not Country and Western.

SLURL:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Castro%20Beach%20Resort/47/238/22

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Eddi at the Tadd's Jocks and Socks Party

Here are some photos of me dancing at the Jocks and Socks party at Tadd's earlier this month.

Second Life Art Installation: Variations on Mozart's Magic Flute by Giovanna Cerise

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart's masterpiece, The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflote), is one of the most famous works in the operatic repertoire and is currently the most frequently played opera in the world. The opera is full of Masonic references and allusions. Modern stagings frequently make use of design elements from the Masons including an amazing version I once saw in San Francisco designed by artist David Hockney.

(see Hockey illustrations here: http://www.hockneypictures.com/magic_flute/magic_flute_11.htm).

This sign was the only note I could find explaining the exhibit

The Second Life art installation, Variations on The Magic Flute. by artist Giovanna Cerise by the same name is a must-see destination. The art installation itself references scenes and motifs in Mozart's Opera - which (according to the artist) "unfolds into a series of environments full of references, allusions and allegories in an infinite game of layers that overlap and intersect". It is a very cool visual construction --and a very confusing one -- that would be better if note cards were made available (if they were I was not offered one) and a footpath were indicated in the construction maze.

The Opera itself may have been staged in Second Life, it certainly looks like it was from the video below, but I can't find any record of this online. If it was, I really would have liked to have seen it. And one more detail -- they give you a very nice Mozart costume and a giant primmy flute as a souvenir when you visit.

To visit Variations on the Magic Flute -- which may not be up for too much longer:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Imparafacile/165/136/2481

Video on the Art Installation:

Blogs -- Mariko Nightfire: A Virtual Life: Venexia - Realm of the Vampire

From Mariko's Blog

Note from Eddi: I love to photograph the Vampire World of Venexia, one of the most beautiful in Second Life. I like the photography and write up of this great destination on Mariko's blog. Check out her article:

Mariko Nightfire: A Virtual Life: Venexia - Realm of the Vampire: In medieval time , a great plague, pustulous and deadly, descended on the western world and decimated its human populations to the poin...

Monday, February 27, 2012

Second Life Photo of the Day: The Last to Leave the Club

The New Second Life Third Party Viewer Policy - Linden Lab Overreaches With This Blanket Provision

Linden Lab's Heavy Handed Approach to Third Party Viewers

As many of you know, Linden Lab announced a new third party viewer policy into effect last Friday.

I am all for the first three provisions. These will ensure the other viewers protect the privacy of Second Life users by not broadcasting a users IP address (the unique and persistent identifier of your computer or device on the internet) to the world, for example. Here are the provisions I like:

2.a.iii : You must not provide any feature that circumvents any privacy protection option made available through a Linden Lab viewer or any Second Life service.

2.i : You must not display any information regarding the computer system, software, or network connection of any other Second Life user.

2.j : You must not include any information regarding the computer system, software, or network connection of the user in any messages sent to other viewers, except when explicitly elected by the user of your viewer.

However, the last provision is nonsensical. It basically says that Third Party viewers may not be better than the official Second Life viewer in terms of new features.

2.k : You must not provide any feature that alters the shared experience of the virtual world in any way not provided by or accessible to users of the latest released Linden Lab viewer.

My prediction: Linden Lab will tighten up this wording immediately, or face a large number of people leaving Second Life for Open Sims simply because they are too pissed off at this heavy-handed approach.

Why is it there? I will give you my guess. Linden Lab lawyers went over these provisions (they always do), and could not understand many of the technical details of Second Life viewers. So, as good attorneys, they recommended a blanket provision to cover any eventuality.

Let's see what Linden Lab does next. I predict a clarification of this by Friday.

Real Life Hunk of the Week: Actor, Singer, and Gay Activist Chris Salvatore

Handsome 25 year-old Chris Salvatore (born May 22, 1985) is an American singer-songwriter, actor and gay-rights activist. He appears in the movie Eating Out 3 - All You Can Eat, sings in a well-known "It Gets Better" song that he wrote (and which I show here), and also sings with Mr. Chase in a wonderful rendition of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" which I also show here on the bottom of this column.

Although Chris has the looks and the body to become a model, fitness model, or adult actor for that matter he has kept much beefcake off the web since he is a serious celebrity. However, if you want to search images for a bit you can find some pictures of Chris packing a big surprise.

Chris is currently sitting at #41 on AfterElton's top 50 gay celebrities, and is doing work to advance gay causes of all kinds and giving back to the community as much as he can. He needs to be admired as much for this as for his stunning eyes and sculpted biceps.

Links:

Chris's You Tube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/chriss2250

Chrsi's Website (MySpace)
http://chrissalvatoremusic.com/

For Other Photographs of Chris:
https://picasaweb.google.com/eddie.thebeaver/RealLifeHunkOfTheWeekChrisSalvataor?authuser=0&feat=directlink

For photographs of other Real Life Hunks (scroll down):
http://eddihaskell.blogspot.com/search/label/Real%20Life%20Hunk%20of%20the%20Week

Mister Chase and Chris Salvatore - Baby, It's Cold Outside (Official Video)

Advance Notice: Tadd's Cowboy Party and Contest on Wednesday Night

Aqua Lounge Schedule February 27 - March 3

Aqua Lounge Web Site: http://aqualounge.gay-archipelago.com/

SLURL to Aqua Lounge:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Friendship/187/64/32

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Club Photography: Ryce at Plugged In 2 Afterhours at the Gay Riviera on Saturday Night

See Our Guest Avatar Hunk Over at Ryce's Blog

Warning: Mature photography, viewers 18 and over please.

http://ryceskytower.blogspot.com/2012/02/guest-hunk-chayce-silverfall.html

Ball State University Aquires Rights to Blue Mars Virtual World Platform.

IDIA Lab Blue Mars Virtualization of the 1915 San Francisco World's Faior

Blue Mars, which has been "on hold" since January, 2011 has a new home.

Ball State University, an institution in Muncie, Indiana in the United States has announced that it has acquired the rights to the Blue Mars virtual world platform from Avatar Reality Inc. The University said that it would concentrate on non-profit commercial applications for the platform. Ball State's IDIA Lab has a major development on Blue Mars showcasing advanced virtual technology, including a reconstruction of the 1915 San Francisco Worlds Fair. The move should put this relatively unknown American University into the forefront of virtual world development and education.

It is unclear what Ball State University paid, if anything, for the Blue Mars virtual world platform, or if it will keep the current virtual world open for visitation -- something I still like to do when I want to revisit some excellent virtual builds such as New Venice. Avatar Reality has not announced if it will continue to develop mobile applications, such as its Blue Mars lite platform which integrates with Google Earth (you can see my video on this application here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CgfG7ulGys)

I show two machinima showing Ball State's IDIA Llab applications in Blue Mars with my avatar, Roger. In the meantime, if you have not yet visited Blue Mars, you can still do so by opening an account and touring this still interesting virtual world -- and imagine what could have been if Avatar Reality were able to gain venture capital funding.

Ball State Announcement : http://www.bsu.edu/news/article/0,1370,7273-850-65594,00.html

For more information: http://dwellonit.taterunino.net/2012/02/26/ball-state-university-buys-rights-to-blue-mars-platform/

Masterwork Machinima: Highlights from the New Babbage Steampunk Carnivale D'Lunatique

Master Second Life machinima maker Lokiboy presents another one of his professional-level machinimas, this
one which show the Carnivale D'Lunatique held on February 11 and 12 in New Babbage in Second Life. Lokiboy describes this event as "a live show of steampunk circus acts and story telling".

One thing I like about Lokiboy's work is his sound editing and music. Sounds contributes just as much to a machinima production of this level as visuals do.

Make sure to check Lokiboy's You Tube Channel for technical videos which compare visual aspects of different viewers, and the impact of new technology such as mesh on viewer performance.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Avatar Hunk of the Month for March 2012: Marathon Man Robin Kanya (Robin White)

Meet our hunk of the month for March 2012: handsome Robin Kanya - (formerly Robin White) , who hails from the United Kingdom. Robin hosts at clubs in Second Life and currently can be found at Wes Spengler's Pavilion and other places where his good friend DJ Mikedacook Denzio happens to spin.

I am calling Robin "Marathon Man" since running triathlons and endurance training is one of his main hobbies in real life. Robin's avatar actually resembles his real life self to a great degree

Besides having a great combination of masculine muscular looks and sexy boyish charm. Robin is very well liked in Second Life and has a large number of friends who greatly appreciate him. Robin's photos first started appearing here in July 2011, his photographs have frequently been the most downloaded of any month. I actually have had more requests to photograph Robin than any other Second Life individual over a long period of time.