Well, the U-Trun has been announced... for those that haven't seen it...
"An educational or not-for-profit institution that is currently under contract with us will be able to renew early (or purchase additional regions) and continue to receive the current 50% discount on land maintenance provided that the renewal takes place prior to the December 31, 2010. You will be able to select contract renewal options of 6, 12, 18 or 24 months under these terms. If your organization renews and enters into a contract no later than December 31, 2010, it can lock in the current discounted rate for up to 24 additional months."
But, as I have said before.... too little, too late...
It's a bit like kicking someone and then saying sorry... you may be forgiven, but it's unlikely the bruise will disappear overnight.
This has just shown all educators what the future entails...it entails telling the Lab, like Ignatius Onomatopeia, "So long and thanks for all the prims.."
It has been pointed out that a lot of the things bloggers seem to get excited about are small things, that we tend to blow things up out of all proportion and that in a year or so no-one will remember why the hysteria reigned. ....But.... I think the way things like Open Space price hikes, this with the EDU sector, Teen Grid etc, etc have been communicated is more than just a blip.
It seems to me totally impossible for a company that is so unspeakably stupid in their handling of PR can survive.
Yesterdays statement by Philip..."SL is growing, not failing." is totally wrong. SL is failing at every turn to communicate, to reach out and inform, to take it's core clients with it on the bumpy road that a new venture is/becomes. It fails again, and again.
SL is failing. The captain is a failure..... and if no-one on the staff has the balls to say anything, then they are all failing too.
This could have been handled so much better...How?.. OK...here's a rough draft...
"Hi, as you are aware, I'm sure, we value your contribution to SL life and community and hope to support you for many years in your ongoing work. It has, however become necessary to re-evaluate our pricing structure and have decided to reassess our discount policy in the coming years.
Starting this January all new clients will be charged at the full rate for tier. However, as you have been such an asset to our community we are able to....bla...bla....bla..."
How difficult can it be???
SL is growing?? yes, it is....
Growing less competent,
Growing more detached from its user base,
Growing more irritating and annoying,
Growing emptier by the day.
No wonder.
:))
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i remember a guy named M...
ReplyDeleteWas he in James Bond?
ReplyDelete/me wonders ...what is a U-Trun?
ReplyDeleteI don't believe the withdrawal of the edu discount was a blunder. I think it was issued with the U-Trun in mind. The good cop, bad cop routine.
ReplyDeleteWhy? Cash.
Nur Kitty
it is a blunder.
ReplyDeletethe educational instititutions will never seek to rent out or sell their land to cover tier, nor seek to make stuff and sell to recover costs.
its not huge universities that are in sl, its one or 2 individuals in those unis, scrabbling hard against the conventional wisdom inherent in unis to try and get some kind of small budget to explore this emerging technology
Funny, because I just spent last night listening to the July 30 "meeting" in SL on youtube with Phillip, and abstracted some very nice statements to put into my Burn2 build. Stuff about maximizing the iteration feedback with the community... stuff about how to make it "fast easy fun"ner for educators and teachers...
ReplyDeleteAlways nice to hhoist someone on their own petard.