Nov 4, 2009

# 237


"

On the 5th of November, the Artist’s Voice will be encouraging its members and the community to STOP. Stop buying L$, stop selling L$, stop uploading, stop creating, stop shopping, stop selling, stop blogging! Just STOP!

"

I'm in! Will be back on November 7th. :)


Read more here.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

JUST GO AWAY!

that'll show em.

Farah Palmer said...

Hi Gabi,

Please don't stop blogging! It won't make a difference at all!!

Instead of stopping EDUCATE your readers about how to find out something is stolen! Educate about content theft and don't blog items that are stolen! This will help and reach more ppl then to just go away and stop blogging!

I hope you will think about this and come back and blog, cause you rock!

xxx Farah

Anonymous said...

Lmao! This is so stupid, really. Noones going to participate. Everyone copies everyone even in rl and nothing is going to stop it, even this stupid group. What do you think lindens will do? People always going to find a way to copy. Why hurt designers and content creator? We are the one losing sales. Im not going to put any stupid sign in fron of my shop and gona shop even more cause most of the stores are open!! FAIL! also how stoping your post for few days is going to help content theft>? this whole thing is so stupid lmao

Anonymous said...

PART ONE:

I took part in and helped spread the content strike on LiveJournal over a year ago, when it seemed that people managing the website were not considering the users. They were ignoring the fact that LiveJournal would be NOTHING without its userbase, all of whom provided the site with the entirety of its content. When a group of people not only gives a company money but also provides a great deal of CONTENT for that company to make money off others, you would think that the company would consider the content creators in their dealings and make sure that those creators are not just brushed aside and ignored. However, a lot of the content creators don't feel that they ARE being taken seriously, so I get the feelings behind this. I really do. But not all content creators are as worried about it as some are, AND I have to wonder, along with other people who have raised this issue, what you all are expecting from LL. There are a million other things I could say about this plan and why I don't think it's a good idea and why it's a bit upsetting to me (that this is what people are choosing to fight for), but I won't go into all of that. There is something else that I want to say.

When I first started SL, I was walking around in one of those mass freebie malls. The mall wasn't full of the quality that is seen in these blogs. I was having a hard time finding something I would feel comfortable wearing, from the walls and walls of clothes (that simply didn't suit me), and it was nearly impossible to find good hair & skins. I kept looking around, though. I swear I must have spent days and days searching through EVERYTHING for something good. (I didn't yet know about the freebie blogs or MM/lucky chair groups or any other ways to find free stuff on SL.) While I was walking around, someone passed me a few folders FULL of hair. At the time, I didn't think anything of it. It wasn't a big deal to me. I mean, it didn't seem like anything bad. It was exciting, however. Suddenly, I had tons of styles to choose from, in tons of colors, and I could possibly find something I LIKED.

Anonymous said...

PART TWO:

I was new to SL, I didn't know how to find good quality freebies, I had absolutely NO money on SL, and the idea of SL's being a "business-driven" place wasn't something I even considered. I just wanted to socialize, explore, communicate with people, etc., so at the time, the idea of spending money on L was absurd.

BUT I did stay on SL and eventually spent a lot of money. If it hadn't been for some of those early full-perm items I was given and the kindness of people who realized that I was new and had NOTHING, I might not have stayed at all. But I did. Additionally, I eventually got rid of all of the full-perm stuff in my inventory that was obviously stolen. One of the hairs from those original full-perm folders I got was a really great style from Detour that I absolutely fell in love with. It seemed perfect for me, so when I finally figured out how to track down where it came from, I bought it (even though I already had the full-perm stolen version) and even bought a couple other colors in that same style. And then I bought other hair styles from there. And then I bought skins from there. And then I bought clothes from there. I've never been back to that store since the first couple of times that I went after tracking down that hairstyle that I loved so much. I've been to tons of other stores, but that one just hasn't ever been one that I've revisited. If it wasn't for the full-perm hairstyle that I got in the beginning, it's likely that I would NEVER have gone there and would NEVER have spent ANY money there.

Anonymous said...

PART THREE:

Sometimes that stuff actually does some good. I realize that it can be seen as harmful, but it can also do some good, and I think it's important to realize that while SL provides entire incomes for some people and should be taken seriously, it is also an environment where plenty of people make NO money and also don't have money to spend. And if all of those people were to disappear, SL would change dramatically and simply would not fuction the same way store-owners are used to it functioning. Furthermore, a lot of people start out in the beginning with nothing and could really use some of those full-perm items and then go on to create and sell stuff themselves or be major shoppers on SL.

There are tons of ways to look at this issue. I think it could be harmful to look at it as JUST an issue of "theft." What SL is to different people varies dramatically, and therefore what people put into it and/or take out of it is going to vary dramatically. A lot of the people who are using the stolen items may not have ever bought anything anyway. A lot of them who use the stolen items may get interested in those creators' content and then go on to buy tons of other items from those creators, etc.

Anonymous said...

*Shrug*

Anyway, I have to agree with Farah about using different methods to address this issue, such as educating people and continuing to promote the content creators and showing that there are alternatives to using stolen content when you're new to SL or when you don't have any money on SL, such as by visiting shops and picking up the items that the content-creators are generous enough to give away for free.

And at the risk of losing any bit of respect my views might have received from some readers of this comment, I have to point out that, in the end, even though people do put REAL time and effort into their SL businesses and REAL money goes into it all, all of the products are virtual products that can disappear in just a second. Isn't it partially theft to take RL money from people for a virtual item that 1.) costs little to no money to produce and 2.) isn't guaranteed by you or by LL anyway? You're upset about content theft. Well, there are other issues as well that make it hard for people to support spending money on SL, and one of those issues is the fact that some people are LOSING lots of the stuff in their inventories, just like that. In the end, that's all it is--a bunch of pixels that can so easily be lost. And real money gets wasted on that, and then content creators are upset when a few people DON'T waste their money on it or simply find other ways to enjoy the stuff when they have no money to waste. With the way that these items are produced, it doesn't cost the creators anything to lose them because there are no costly materials involved in the production. They may lose potential customers, but they may also GAIN potential customers, as Detour did in my case, when I went to that store to find the hair that I originally fell in love with.

Anonymous said...

PART FIVE (forgot to label part four, lol):

It's a complex issue with complex opinions, and I'm sure plenty of people will disagree with me. But SL isn't the same for all people. While some people CAN understand spending money on SL without feeling that it's a huge waste for them, there are plenty who can't or who can and will eventually but can't when they first start SL. The full-perm, "stolen" items provide a solution when it comes to that problem. That, orrrrrr the amazing freebies that store owners give out. I do TRULY think that the more that stores give out freebies or do hunts, and the more the blogs that focus on these are advertised and spread throughout the SL community, the less likely people are to steal content or use stolen items.

Oh, another example of a folder of full-perm items I got was a folder full of Redgrave skins. Like with the folders of hair, I have since deleted the entire folder of those full-perm skins AND have actually gone to check out that store (and have spent money there). SO. I still believe that it does some good as well.

And as someone who has spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars on SL since I started, I think I have every right to make this comment. :) :P

I hope some people will understand and listen and give their point of view as WELL as consider my point of view and not just feel the need to argue or label me or others as mere "thiefs."

And thanks for giving me the ability to respond to this. :)

Anonymous said...

And one last thing. I have to agree with the other person who mentioned that this will hurt the store-owners. In the content strike on LJ (which hardly bothered the people running LJ, I assume, lol), there was no money involved for the people providing the content, haha. In this case, a day of no sales could really harm a store-owner, methinks.

Gabi Fitzgerald said...

Hi! Ty for the comments, ppl.. I understand and respect everyone's point of view, even the ones not so polite and respectfull :) But I have my own and I do think that even if stopping blogging and buying won't make any difference, it's a protest... I'll stop for 48 hours and after that I'll keep educating and showing how to look good without spending money or using stolen stuff. That's what this blog is about and will always be.
Once again, I understand your points, Farah and anons, and I respect them. It really makes me think, and maybe you're right. But this is the way I chose to protest.
I'll be back in a few.
Love <3
Gabi

Anonymous said...

But Gabi, you dont make anything in SL. I understand your against content theft, we all are. But what does it have to do with you? Content creators are the ones who should be thinking of doing something, not people like who who never made anything in second life and doesnt have a clue that its our rl income sometimes as well. Im sorry, but thats true

Anonymous said...

Of course u didnt think and just went oh ok ill join. Because it doesnt affect you. How does content theft affect customers, i dont get it.

f said...

If you're going to comment that much, at least do it under your name, right?

Anyway, I respect your decision too Gabi. Respect to you anyway, you are still one of my favorite bloggers.

This might help:
http://fabfree.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/tutorial-who-is-the-creator/

C u back soon!


xxx Farah

Lysana said...

Honestly, Gabi, this is useless protesting. It hurts the people you claim to support. It's like those nonsense "don't buy gas" days. You buy the gas anyway. Worse, this is telling creators to stop earning money. That's what copyright theft does, so why increase that if only for a day?

Gabi Fitzgerald said...

I didn't do it just like "oh i'll join" whithout thinking. I thought it could help content theft. There are many creators involved in this too. And they do have their reasons.
I don't create anything, that's right, I wish I could but I can't.. That doesn't mean content theft doesn't affect me. I think it's unfair... I think it's a shame. And it hurts the customers because we respect the creators work, we like everything to be fair, we are loyal to the artists we admire, and because we also spend money in SL. How do you feel when you buy a CD for 30 dollars and there are ppl selling and buying it, without paying the artists rights and taxes, for 5 dollars? Do you think it's right? Doesn't it affect you?
Well, I think it does.
And as I said before, every point of view is valid, and I respect them all. Nothing is this world is unanimous and will never be... If it is, it's probably misunderstood or stupid.
Different opinions, reactions, and thoughts are what make the world interesting, if not it would be so boring. :) That's why I keep my comments open to everyone, even those ones, you know what I mean...
<3
Gabi

Anonymous said...

(From the person who left the huuuuge, five-part comment, lol.)

I read your responses, and I understand fully. :) While I have my views on this strike which differed from your views, I also understand yours and the views of others who are participating, and I know that it is all good-intentioned. Because of that, I'm glad you're still going through with this. You're right that it's just a two-day thing and then you can go back to doing what you are always doing on your blog. I also want to stick up for you. I think it's a bit unfortunate that people feel the need to attack you just because you want to participate in this. I particularly dislike it when people say that you don't know how it affects people and that it doesn't affect you, 'cause things that affect one group of people DO tend to affect other groups of people as well, in some way or another. But more importantly, even if it didn't cause you any harm at all, as a thinking individual, you can understand that it may cause OTHERS harm, and if you believe it does, it's a very great thing for you to try to stick up for those people and help them out in the battle. I feel like the question of "why are you getting involved, when it doesn't even involve you?" is similar to asking people in the majority why they would want to fight for people who are mistreated in minorities or asking wealthy people why they would want to help end poverty or asking those of us with three meals a day why we would want to help end world hunger, etc. We may not be affected, and we may be comfortable in our lives as they are, but we can still recognize that other people may being wronged and then try to help right those wrongs. :) And Iiiii think it's a good thing. :D

Of course, I still have mixed feelings on the strike and don't entirely believe that it's a noble cause, BUT I see where you're coming from, and I hope people will stop attacking you for sticking up for what you believe in.

Oh, and I think you are right. The world is full of different thoughts, beliefs, and opinions, as well as different perspectives, soooo it's very likely that we'll never ALL agree on something. xD

Anonymous said...

T anonymous, how does this stupid group comapare to the poverty in real life? THis is just a game, get over it!!

Anonymous said...

Everyone thinks this is a shit idea, most of the good stores in sl are out cause its pointless. lindens dont care they never will

Gabi Fitzgerald said...

It's really hard to point out who i'm talking to since almost everyone is anonymous... lol Maybe I should put this only for signers..
Anyways, ty for the kind comments (you know who you are lol)
And for the ditators ones, I don't give a damn about what you think. I really don't care about what ppl like you, full of angry, intolerance, arrogance, and shit like that, think of me.
I do care about the nice and educated people think though. The ones opened to debate and discussion in a nice and polite way. Those can even make me change my mind because I'm not intolerant.
I really really really would love to have the world free of people who act like a piece of shit. In SL and RL.
I am what I am, I do what I want to do, I don't care if arrogant ppl think I'm a sheep or stupid or anything they might think. Just don't waste our time coming here to spit your bullshit, you're not obligated to read my blog.
I can understand why so many bloggers close their comments to anonymous people, it's because dealing with idiots makes us sick.

Go to hell, you damn retards.

And I'm sorry for the words (and bad english), all you other ppl who reads my blog and enjoy it.

Gabi Fitzgerald said...

Oh, and YES, I deleted some comments and will always delet if I want to. This is my blog.
And YES, now it's only for signers.