Wanted: A Good Way to Surface Second Life Events

By a decisive plurality, most New World Notes readers who took my survey on Second Life events listings say they don't look to this blog to find happenings in-world to attend. More telling, relatively few people registered any opinion on NWN event listings. I think this confirms my original intuition that Residents look to in-world chat and group announcements to find activities, more than blog posts. So unfortunately, I don't know how reviving an NWN calendar will benefit many readers. At the same time, there's definitely a need to have some way of finding out what's going on in SL. I suspect some kind of Foursqaure-type app might do this. In any case, it needs to be mechanized. As former NWN events writer Chestnut Rau put it, "I think there is a need for a tech solution. Pulling events from hundreds of sources manually is tedious. Someone should develop 'an app for that.'" Anyone at Linden listening?

Comments

[Ann Otoole InSL]

Yes. Something better is needed. And the destination guide needs report buttons so when you go to a location from destination guide and it no longer exists then there is an easy way to notify LL about it so they can check it out and clean things up.

People have considered this opportunity and the only person I know that developed a system decided to scrap it because it was his/her opinion that LL would likely find a way to kill it. So there is another opportunity for LL. Embrace third party promotion systems that add value to Secondlife®.

[Nalates Urriah]

Hear, hear, Ann.

[FlipperPA Peregrine]

I had an app for that... it allowed people to create events in world, list them on SLBoutique, and most importantly, send people reminders by email before events started. This way, people who were offline could get a gentle reminder to log in.

If anyone wants the code and DB, it is a few years out of date, but I'll pass it along.

[Ananda]

If I think about it... -I didn't see this poll earlier- about half the events I attend are because of group notices and the other are because someone on Plurk or Twitter says "this is going on right now".

[Troy McLuhan]

I don't think anyone cares about *all* the "good" events going on in SL, because everyone has their own unique set of interests.

For example, I'm interested in science-related events, but not sailing races.

Over time, I've joined various science-related SL groups, mailing lists, Google groups, Ning groups, Meetup.com groups, Facebook groups... I've clicked on signs to send me notecards. I subscribe to relevant blogs. I check some websites that don't have RSS feeds. I follow some Google Calendars. Sometimes I even look in the official SL Events listings!

I suppose someone could make a website where you enter or select your interests, and then it tells you what to do to find (or be notified about) relevant events in SL.

I noticed that a recent update to the SL Web Profiles has a tab where you indicate your interests...

[Pixels Sideways]

This is the last week for our ICETOPIA art exhibition on Caerleon Isle. So I thought, might as well shoot some info over to the folks on the SL website Destination Guide. Simple, yes? NOT!

First, there's a mind numbing FAQ page you need to read about all the requirements which are so over the top about copyright use, etc., you'd think promoting an event or show was as serious and critical as revealing some super secret new miracle drug or technical discovery, not showcasing a bunch of virtual trees or art set up for the enjoyment of SL residents.

http://community.secondlife.com/t5/English-Knowledge-Base/Destination-guide/ta-p/700059#Destination_Guide_FAQ

Then, if you haven't nodded off or decided it's a colossal waste of your time, you click a link to access the next page to fill out a form.

(I'd link that page but you need to be logged into SL website to access the form page)

Now, you'd expect that form to ask you for specific info regarding the event/location/exhibition, which it does, but next you're required to provide your personal RL info -- your name, address, etc. I was suprised they didn't request a DNA test.

As if that wasn't invasive and freaky enough, this form is folowed by several paragraphs of legalese that you'll need your attorney to decipher for you before you check the box that says you agree to all these terms.

All this is required before LL will "consider" your suggestion for listing something on their website Destinaton Guide... Seriously?

I'm thinking, WTF? I'm just sharing some info about a VIRTUAL REALITY ART SHOW that benefits LL and the SL community, not applying for a credit card so why are they asking for all this mandatory personsl information and insisting that I agree to a bunch of legal babble before they even "consider" my destination suggestion?

There was a time you'd shoot a notecard or IM over to a few Lindens who'd come and check out the event/exhibit and would decide for themsevles if it made the cut and was worth adding to the SL website or mentioning on blogs, etc.

In fact, there was a time when Linden employees were actually actively engaged, interested and knolwedgable about the SL community and what was happening within SL. They sought out cool places on their own or by word of mouth from SL residents.

Now it's like Big Brother's gone phishing.

Keerazy sheeet.

[Pixels Sideways]

UPDATE: Despite the convoluted process of suggesting destinations (events, builds, exhibitions, etc.) via the SL website, you can skip the keerzy form and email the Destination Guide editor. I took an extra step and dropped the editor and a couple of other Lindens notecards as well.

And we did get listed. So givng props to Brett Linden. Thank you.

I still stand by my previous post that the mandatory personal info requested on the "suggest a destination for the Destination Guide form" is unnecessary and invasive.