Here It Comes Again...

[John Jamison]

It's time to brace yourself for another round of gloom and doom prophecy about Second Life! This latest round is being triggered by the announcement that Linden Labs has asked the "sleducation" wiki to change their name because the "SL" is in violation of the Linden trademark. Kudos to Jokay Wollongong, who decided to not enter into a major fight over this action, but that has not stopped the growing "Bad Linden...Bad!" scolding coming from educators and others in and around SL. And if history can be trusted, the grumbling is just getting started.

Speaking as one SL resident who has also bumped into the Linden trademark issue, I'll just say that while I'm sure this is frustrating to many people, it is not at all unexpected. The Lab has posted their trademark policy on the website for quite a while now...something I can again attest to after spending many hours reading it during my friendly encounter with them a few months ago. While the policy is a typical "legal jargon" thing, and subject to some interpretation, it clearly states that names and titles using the "SL" in that title are a violation of the trademark. I've actually been a little curious as to why they haven't raised this issue before with a few programs...again, after having it raised for my earlier "SLemester" immersion program.

Please understand, I'm not defending Linden Lab, and I have been a long-term participant in the SLed list and other activities that community has sparked. It is a wonderful group and a wonderful resource. The only issue is a legal one...about the name. And that means there are those lawyer-types involved...who are less interested in education or even in SL...they're interest is "Trademark".

In one of the articles I've read responding to this issue, someone said that this change will mean that the educational community will have a much more difficult time being visible now. I completely disagree. Just as in real world business...this is a tremendous opportunity for the SL education group to re-brand themselves...using this media opportunity NOT to complain and threaten and seek new virtual-ground. But this is the time to make a big splash in identifying a new name...representing the tremendous growth they have experienced and the outstanding opportunities they have created.

So my hat is off to the folks behind the previous SLed group! My hope is that everyone will see this as the opportunity it really is for expanding that work, and giving it a new name that will pull the activities into the next phase of the work. There is enough negative around us in the carbon-based world...my hope is that we can continue to approach the v-world as one of opportunity.

And yes, I did re-brand my program as asked by the Lab, and following our reading of their trademark guidelines did change the name of our core program. And no, our program has not declined, but is in fact growing very well. The process was either going to be a frustrating, blood pressure raising experience...or an opportunity to re-think who we had become and select a new name and approach to represent that vision.

We chose opportunity.

[Jim Sutton (Jeff Oatsmill)]

I like your take on the situation: We chose opportunity. I read some of the articles and think that it is an opportunity for the SLed group. Keep the focus on what you want and don't get tied down in words.