Second Life Viewer Troubleshooting

Over the years I have seen Second Life™ and the viewers we use change. Computers, screens, speakers, joysticks, and video cards have all advanced as well. But when things go wrong the types of problems and how to troubleshoot them has remained mostly the same. And when it comes to “which viewer” they are all the same for troubleshooting purposes.

We now have Artificial Intelligence (AI) and it is advancing. It is possible to use AI to help troubleshoot. But it can add some complication. But give it a try.

Troubleshooting with Firestorm Viewer

Here I’ll cover the basic and advanced steps needed to troubleshoot issues. Basic understanding of where a problem may exist can save you days of work… literally

Do you actually have a problem?

There are ‘problems’ and there are ‘glitches’. Problems are persistent. Glitches are transitory. They do not repeat, consistently.

Glitches are fixed by shutting down the viewer and relaunching. This is normally the first step in troubleshooting. Some glitches confuse Windows/Apple operating systems and the computer needs to be restarted, second step a issue persists. Network glitches are fixed by restarting your modem/router/gateway device, often the third step.

The point here is these steps are easy and quick.

If after the restarts the problem persists then you have a ‘problem’.

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Windows 11 Coming This Year

Microsoft announced the coming release of Windows 11 June 24, 2021. So…. Will Second Life run on Win11? Yes. There are very few changes in Win11 that would effect how applications like Second Life work. So, we expect the change over to be a non-event for SL users.

Windows 11

So… then what changes?

There are lots of articles out written by the beta and early adopter users. A change is the opening menu. One of the changes in the menu is Live Tiles. If you use them, this change will SUCK. They are gone. But, in return, we get Windows Vista-like widgets… Oh Great!

We get a new Microsoft Apps Store… I never thought of the store as part of the Windows Operating System. But, that is in the update news. The main talking point is they are making it easier for you to find apps. I’ll take that to mean, we have changed our advertising strategy.

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Second Life: Is VR Likely?

VR for Second Life™? Hamlet just wrote about SL and VR. See Is Second Life Too Technically Limited To Create A VR Version For It?

One of the people that came to SL from Myst Online, Adeon Writer, is quoted and has opined in the article’s comments about what is technically possible.

i9-9900k – October 2018

Like most things, anything is possible. But that doesn’t say anything about whether it is likely or reasonable. Both likely and reasonable are generally matters of opinion and the answers are a matter of who you ask. And in matters of opinion, there is generally no final or definitive answer. So, it is a matter of understanding another’s viewpoint and reasons for their opinion.

So, will we have VR or can we have VR? The will and can questions have very different answers… probably. We know we can have VR because it has already been done. So, that answer is out of the realm of opinion. The Lab made a VR viewer for SL years back. Two more VR viewers have been made since then. One shortly after the Lab discontinued their VR viewer. Another just recently. So, can? Yes. As a fact, it has been done.

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Second Life – How to get better image quality…

There is an ongoing quest, for those of us texturing clothes and things in Second Life™, to upload better quality images. So, here is some new information on making better textures or aka diffuse layers. See Compression Depression.

Beq Janus, is one of the people working with the Firestorm team and has tweaked the mesh uploader and other parts of the viewer, been involved in tracking down bugs, and figuring out workarounds for various problems. Now she is on about a discovery made with the help of Whirly Fizzle, all starting with one of Hamlet Au’s New World Notes posts about Frenchbloke Vanmoer…  who?

Beq’s Blog – February 2019

Whoever, down in the Debug Settings it is said there is some magic. Unfortunately, it isn’t there, often as is the case with magic. The magic appears surprising to some as they do not understand the trick and think the wand, hand waving, and abracadabras actually do something magical.

However, there is a lesson to be learned and another step in the quest for better SL image uploads.

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Second Life Bits 2018 w/41

SL Universe is Gone – Sort of… but gone. Actually, the SLUniverse forum redirects you to the Virtualverse site as of October 10. You’ll have to open a new account to use the new site. This is the pages showing when an SLUniverse URL is entered.

SLUniverse Gone – 10/2018

Viewer Blocked – There is an Android viewer named IM to Second Life. As of last Friday, the Lindens have denied that viewer access to Second Life™. Seems there were privacy and security issues. Serious enough ones to cause the Lindens to act.

See: Android Viewer “IM to Secondlife” Blocked from Second Life.

Second Life Halloween – Premium members get a new gift this month. See New Premium Gift and the Return of the Haunted Halloween Tour. The announcement also points you to scary places in SL.

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Second Life Bits …and Sex – 2018 Week #38

SL Gossip

New World Notes has a big (lots of words) article, big for NWN, about the SL Secrets website, the owners getting banned, and the Second Life™ Governance Team… maybe writing the word ‘system’ rather than ‘team’ would be more accurate.

This ‘secrets’ site is one of those sites with things on it where we can never know the truth. It is all unverifiable they said versus the others said and one side is bound by privacy laws and can’t speak in their defense. Just the drama prone scenario politicians love. Sway the emotional…

Gossiping about Sam
Gossiping about Sam

If you don’t know, SL Secrets is a website where bullies, haters, and gossipers can go to create victims and dox them and troll readers. Snowflakes show up to whine and cry.

There is no way to vet the claims that show up there. So, it is all drama. Unfortunately, there is a market for it.

And SL banned the owners of the site… really!?! 

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