Second Life: Windows 10 Slow Down Issues

Microsoft is pushing updates. Windows 10 automatically obeys Microsoft and installs updates. Numerous people are finding their computers have been crippled after an auto-update. The problem is not just with Second Life™ viewers. But, SL users are NOTICING the problem as it has a massive effect on viewer performance.

BA - the search begins
BA – the search begins

The Firestorm Team has written a bit about fixing the problem in their wiki. See: Windows 10 Issues.

The problem with the FS fix is they recommend uninstalling updates; KB3176938, KB3189866, and KB3193494. Some of these are security updates. Removing them leaves your computer open to known exploits. 

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Project Bento Update 2016 w39

I’ve had problems with the previous two meetings. Changing computers, recording software, and a couple of air-head mistakes resulted in some messes I wasn’t willing to upload or spend the time to fix. This week I got things together and have a recording.

I have sped up parts of the video. So, you won’t have to manually skip through as many pauses in the discussion. But, only by 50%. I slow down to normal speed when people talk.

Following is a summary with time marks. Summaries are always my take on what I heard. Put some salt with what I write. 

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Wanna go to Mars?

SpaceX is talking about going to Mars by 2024, if things go well… 8 years from now. You will supposedly be able to buy a one-way ticket for US$550,000… and what’s the return trip going to cost?

The reusable booster is a nice touch. There are lots of plans in the works for going to the moon and Mars to build colonies and a few suggesting Venus is a better choice.

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Second Life News 2016 w39

Servers

Caleb Linden is taking some heat for announcing an update rolling to the Blue Stool [sic] channel.

Whirly's Cartoon...
Whirly’s Cartoon…

The main channel is not getting a new package. The planned roll was held back to add a fix for slow script performance.

All three RC channels, including Blue Stool, are getting a revised package with Minor Internal Changes and Fixes BUG-40565 “Significant script performance degradation observed in server version 16.09.14.319788”

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Second Life: Beggar Bots

People are reporting more occurrences of Beggar Bots hitting their groups. BUG-40546Group Chat Spam Bots. People are asking if they should be reported. The ToS is fuzzy on the topic. In general begging is not a violation of the ToS. Spamming is. So, we see varied opinions on whether to report or not.

Whirly Trapping a Beggar Bot
Whirly Trapping a Beggar Bot

The apparent consensus among those in the know keeping up with such things is: REPORT ‘EM. The Lindens are working at closing and banning accounts of the spammers.

Group managers have the Eject and Ban tool. Some do not realize it has been upgraded. Originally it did not terminate the current chat session. So, E & B didn’t immediately shut them up. Now it does. (SVC-32

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Second Life: Third Party Viewer UG 2016 w38

Oz Linden reviewed the status of viewer development. He pointed out that the Visual Outfit Browser (VOB) is now in the main release version of the Linden made SL Viewer.

They updated the VLC RC and Bento RC viewers with VOB.

✧◦ Waldelfen ◦✧
✧◦ Waldelfen ◦✧

Both RC viewers are doing well in the crash rate stats. Oz expects the VLC version to release to main viewer in week 39. That will leave the Bento RC as the only RC. Seems like the pipeline is emptying out…

Oz pointed out the Lab did block a few old viewer versions. Saying, ‘Only a few thousand users…’ would be affected. That number can sound bad. But, as a percent of SL users it is way small, likely way less than 1%. 

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