The Lindens have posted on the SL blogrum that the Emerald Viewer will be blocked Wednesday 9/8. See their post here: Emerald Viewer to be Blocked From Second Life
Most importantly it appears the Lab may close the accounts of those that attempt to circumvent the block.
Please be aware that attempting to circumvent our blocking to access Second Life with a banned Viewer is a violation of the Policy on Third-Party Viewers and may result in the loss of one’s account.
The last update of Emerald Viewer version 2600 included a debug setting to allow easy spoofing of the viewer ID, which Linden Lab uses to ID viewers. See my earlier review of 2600. How aggressive LL will be at enforcing the policy is unknown. I think it is really a matter of what one does with the viewer. But, that is my speculation. If you want to try it… well… I think it is a poor idea. I’ll be removing all copies of Emerald from my system.
New World Notes has an article on which viewer residents are moving to. Imprudence is a first choice with 31% of Emerald users moving to it or at least 31% of poll participants are using it. 25% are using the SL2 viewer. 18% are using an “Other” viewer, one not named in the poll. The emergence of the Phoenix Viewer at the same time as the poll may through the numbers off a bit.
See NWN’s: New World Notes Readers Choose Imprudence as Preferred Second Life Viewer
Hamlet at NWN likes and uses Imprudence Viewer. I use it, but along with SLV2, Kirsten’s, and Phoenix. Hamlet is going to run the poll again and see how things are shaking down. But for now the majority of residents are NOT using the SL viewers. The Snowstorm team is determined to turn that around. Enjoy the competition. We should see some nice viewer improvments coming our way.
1: Once Emerald 2600 came out, I think Linden Lab didn’t have a choice.
2: There was Phoenix “office hour” shortly after the ban came into effect. Jessica Lyon had a bigger in-sim audience than I’ve ever seen Philip Linden get. Gave a number for “unique downloads” of Phoenix, and it didn’t sound so very different from figures quoted for Emerald.
3: Currently, I’m using three different viewers; Phoenix, Imprudence, and Combat Cubed. I doubt I’m going to go for a single solution.
4: In the end, Linden Lab have to do their job right, and the evidence of the last year is against them.