SL Content Creation Roadmap

New World Notes has a summary of Cyn Linden’s post on the SL roadmap for content creators. If you are selling or plan to sell in SL then this is something to know and join in shaping as it will affect you. Some of the highlights and issues are described below.

At the present time it is easy for alternates with no payment information to rip-off goods and sell them. There is a whole big thing about Stroker Serpentine versus anonymous, unregistered Volkov Catteneo. It’s hard to go after an anonymous person. This new system, if done right, has the potential to stop these content theft problems. The Lindens expect to see many of the new features implemented this year. So, get involved in the discussion in the forums.

One of the neat, I think, features is coming changes to the Permissions System. One change would be to permit people to pass a product along for free and restrict it from being sold by anyone down the line. It would be ok for anyone to give it away but not sell it.

For cross world marketing there will be ‘sticky licenses’, but that is getting out there. Sticky licenses would let us ware our hair from world to world. Content vendors might want to sell us hair in each new world. But customers don’t want to have to buy hair for each world. So, there are lots of problems here. For content creators sticky licenses will extend their market and protect them from theft or at least that is the idea. For customers it will let them buy hair, or whatever, useable in multiple worlds. While this is a ways down the road, now is when we shape how this will be done.

A big consideration is ‘content copying tools’. A friend lost half her inventory last week. So, being able to back up your inventory is a big thing with many residents. But, many copy tools can be use to steal content. So, this is a controversial subject.

Linden Lab has a Gold Solution Provider Program for content creators. The current one is for the bigger shops with proven sales and quality. There is an idea to extend this to smaller creators and publish the creators’ standings… or rating if you will. The initial concept is to require participating creators to;

• Have payment info on file (ID yourself)
• Be in good standing (No ToS violations or suspensions)
• Meet a minimum sales level (volume, dollar amount…)
• Affirm you have all rights to the items and materials being sold

The Lindens want people to join them in the forums and suggest what other criteria should be considered.