How to Create a Second Life Avatar With a Last Name (If You Hate SL's New Naming System, Which Many Do)

Prim Perfect has a tip on how to create an SL avatar with a last name chosen from a selected list, as it used to be -- basically, you do so through a third party portal. For example, click here to do so on the New Media Consortium portal. This advice is necessary because many active users aren't too happy with the new system, and if they want to make an alt (for example) I imagine a lot would like to do it this way. Also, as Prim Perfect's Saffia Widdershins puts it, "[W]hy is Linden Lab still insisting on something that a large number of existing residents hate, and which is causing misery and confusion for new residents?" Good question. Interestingly, I've talked to several Lindens past and present about the topic, and they don't like the new system either. But it may be too late to change, or too far done the priority list to change it any time soon.

Comments

[Adeon Writer]

I wasn't aware of this! Good to know. I wonder how many would prefer having a last name "forced" on them now that it's not so forced?

[Jim Tarber]

I think the main problem with single vs. dual names isn't the single vs. dual names problem. ;)

It's the fact that a single name will have "Resident" forced as a second name. If they simply hid that everywhere, with the possible exception of scripts, then it might be acceptable to most. With the forced last name of "Resident", they may as well have just used "Noob" as the last name. It is neither appreciated, nor liked.

I think the whole display names implementation is misguided, ill-conceived, and very poorly executed.

[Adeon Writer]

@Jim: They actually do hide it everywhere - on up to date viewers (v2 and later) it only shows up on older viewers since... well, they aren't updated.

[Saffia Widdershins]

The fact that the third party portals still exist suggest that it wouldn't be THAT big a change in the system on one level. And if the Lab really didn't want to set it up on the main website, I am sure that there's quite a few community groups out there which would LOVE to run a portal site and bring people in with a list of useful names with little encouragement - I can suggest London and Caledon off the top of my head.

As for up to date viewers ... that may be true on the proprietary ones, but most people are turning to browsers like Firestorm because it gives residents the features they want ... like turning off those annoying display names.

[Ann Otoole InSL]

@Saffia: You have the option to show or not show user names, display names, and group titles in LL's SLv2 and now SLv3 viewers.

@Hamlet: Did LL just turn the regAPI back on? I recall a number of people searched all over for a working portal and they all had begun returning an error when a reg was attempted. SLNameWatch even discontinued monitoring reg portals since they all had died out.

[Chimera Cosmos]

I didn't know the regAPI still worked either until a question was posed to Rodvik Linden after his SLCC keynote. He was asked about the demise of Community Portals for newbies. That got me to wondering about the regAPI program. Up until fairly recently you could still unearth a few places that would let you create an avi with a last name, but my most recent search had been in vain.

Patch Linden was standing in front of the platform, and he randomly turned out to be in charge of the project. Patch said the regAPI portals could still work, and in fact he had been busy closing them down except for those whose owners were willing to make the access password protected to block random griefers.

He mentioned that he had recently been in contact with Larry Johnson, (CEO of NMC) to get theirs set up again. I have not checked on what needs to be done to get an NMC account and password for access. If all comers can create one, Larry may be surprised to be getting a bunch of new members with their home set to NMC sims. And that would kind of defeat the purpose for the password. ;-)

A couple of other SLCC attendees nearby also said they didn't know regAPI was still available, and that they would look into getting it going again for their own SL groups.

The obvious question is whether this means that last names will eventually be available again to anyone registering. The Jira on this is quite active.

More about what Patch told me here: (SL web login may be required):

http://my.secondlife.com/chimera.cosmos/posts/4e46eff8758fd80001007708

Chimera Cosmos

[Frans Charming]

As a developer who has setup both public and private RegApi portals I can over some personal experience and history on the matter.

Earlier this year Linden Lab suddenly made a change to their email verification for RegApi created accounts, it suddenly allowed you to make unlimited accounts with one email address.

I brought this up several times, but was met with silence. This of course allowed griefers to abuse the system easily, and gave Linden Lab reason to close down all publicly accessible RegApi portals.

That is highly ironic though, they made it easier for griefers to make a account and then gave the mass creation of grieving accounts as a reason to close them.

Prior to the change, you could only make one account per email, if you made more the LL backend would return a error saying the email was already used. You could easily filter out throw away email services to prevent further abuse, etc.

It is correct though that private behind a firewall RegApi portals kept running and I even setup a new one in recent months. So no, RegApi is not away, it is now under more control then it was. Though under odd circumstances.

[Frans Charming]

I should add, I said 'private behind a firewall'. I actually mean RegApi portals behind a password protected page, though firewalls and private networks can come into play too. ;)

[Rikaar]

Sorry but this article is already old, the NMC link does not lead to any valid page

Linden Lab also warned of this type of websites to create an avatar are false and that the only site reliable to create an avatar is Second Life's official website

Greetings :)

[Saffia Widdershins]

Yes, Rikaar is right, the page has now disappeared. That is a great shame, when this is clearly something a lot of residents feel very strongly about.

In his keynote speech, Rod said that Linden Lab does listen to Jiras. This seems to me to be an occasion when they could prove that they do.

And where did Linden Lab say that these types of pages are 'false'? Chimera, in her comment above, seems to indicate quite the contrary.

[Rikaar]

@Saffia Widdershins:

In a group of Oskar Linden and also published in the Second Life forums, in which said in a very subtle way that unique and valid website to create user accounts was the Second Life website

[Frans Charming]

Rikaar LL does provide a way for Third parties to create Accounts outside of SL's website. You can read up on the registration API here:
http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Registration_API

The NMC registration site has been pulled offline by Larry Johnson because it was working without going through a password wall first.

He mentioned it here at the end of the RegApi discussion on his facebook wall:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/drljohnson/posts/224659670917922

[Saffia Widdershins]

@Rikaar Can you give me the link to the forum post, please? I believe this is something that a lot of people wpould like to see re-considered.

[Ann Otoole InSL]

Before the regapi nmc page was pulled I tried it. It gave me an error. So it was erroring out anyway. As were all the rest.

LL does not want anything but the new display names thing even though a lot of customers prefer the old way. If LL makes an easy jump to registration from facebook and lots of people use it then that is great. If the link between FB and SL is a tumbleweed town then whatever. Still doesn't really matter does it? SL is LL's thing and they will do what they have planned.

[Timo Saarinen]

A Jira issue was created about this, but so far LL has been quiet as usual, even if it has been very popular.

https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/SVC-7125

[anotherdeadavatar]

@Anne Otoole

I went to the site and snagged 2 avs the day this story was published. It did in fact work and the counter for that day showed nearly 4000 signups!!

But someone got wind of it and poof, all gone. If you hang out at Infohubs, the sites that offer signups other than SL's official site are highly coveted.

[Ajax Manatiso]

The "Resident" name along with the display name are both shown in chat. Also radar scripts are still detecting the resident name -- so it looks like LL would have to rewrite chat and LSL LLSensor -- which I doubt they will bother to do.

[Frans Charming]

Ajax, that specific LSL script has to be rewritten, there are several new functions that can call the display name instead of the username.

Seeing the full username in chat is also a UI option, that I believe is turned off on all new installs. If you don't want to see it just turn it of in your preferences. I'm speaking of v2+ here of course. v1 will still use the legacy system.

[Secondlife Resident]

The link to the site where you can get a secondlife name still with a last name, is not a public site. You have to be an educator? Not everyone can use it according to the site :( i know this thread is old but I am trying to figure out how to get one with a last name and this popped up first

[Residente]

I'm having the same doubt above :/

[anka Mynx]

Really the whole third party portal shut down begs the question why even shut them down? If their not on the main sign up page for SL and are indeed 3rd party portals why would you not just leave them open and let it be. New people sign up on SL then if they want a last name after their in SL ta da go to a 3rd party and make a new av for yourself. Its not that complicated. And yes luckily i have a last name.