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Apr 24, 2003, 12:05am

Well, I have create texture egg on my face. :-) I was at Alphaworld gz talking about this. A citizen named R i c h a r d kindly told me how to get the Object Prop window active again, in Beta build 480. Just press Insert and the grey turns to friendly white again. Thank goodness....and thanks, R i c h a r d :)

Lara

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Jun 16, 2003, 1:06pm

Whoa.... lol
Viva AlphaWorld!

Lara (I like Captain Mad Mike's idea :)

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Jul 2, 2003, 5:02pm

I'm sorry to see any builders leave AW. I'm especially sorry to see people with this kind of creative talent leaving. :(

Orb's Haunted House: aw 1033.90N 355.32E 0.08a 4
Postland Christmas skating rink: aw 1051.28N 485.73E 0.01a 23
birthday build for Wizzard: awteen 619.83S 545.74E 0.54a 272

Lara

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Jul 4, 2003, 12:00pm

Wings0nite is yet another in a long list of gifted builders and world owners who have become discouraged with AWI's policy of "no tourists" unless the world owner pays extra to allow them in.

There's no telling how many new users have registered over the years because Wings allowed tourists to build freely on her Nova world. Or even just because they ran across a nice lady who spent time talking to them and encouraging them. I'm sure that's true of many other world owners who have welcomed tourists into their worlds in the past.

World prices are high enough without tacking on a "tax" of $60 more if the world owner wants to allow tourists in.

Worlds - both privately owned and AWI public worlds - are just about the only advertisement AWI has going for it right now. World owners should not be charged extra to help tourists (potential customers) see as much of *that* little bit of advertisement as possible.

Tourist access to worlds (where world-owners want them) used to be a big part of what kept Active Worlds *active*... in so many ways.

My suggestion:
AWI should allow tourists to freely visit all AWI owned public worlds.
AWI should allow tourists to freely visit all privately owned worlds if the owner enables them to enter.
AWI should give a pro-rated credit on world renewals, to all world owners who are currently paying an additional $60 for tourist accessibility.

Lara

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Jul 18, 2003, 8:26pm

I remember a monolith being planted by Enzo at aw gz once, many years ago. Cool texture got left behind, anyway. :)

Lara

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Jul 18, 2003, 8:23pm

Amen to that, Swe (and SW Comit). Please, no "time of day" stuff again in alphaworld. sheesh.

Lara

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Jul 19, 2003, 8:04pm

Yes, Comit, I enjoyed that too...two or three days of night mode in Alphaworld, as a change of pace surprise - the way they used to do.

What I *didn't* like was the regularly cycling TOD (Time of Day bot?) the company tried out later. Remember when they stuck that in Alphaworld for a couple of months? That kind of constant cycling of world lighting, fog, etc., was interesting if all one were doing was standing around chatting (AWGate), but was a major annoyance to most alphaworld builders as it kept changing the color and appearance of builds.

Several days of straight night a few times a year in Alphaworld, was very cool and would be fun to see again. The change to snow landscape that they used to do every December was fun, too. They didn't switch to snow backdrop for Alphaworld last year. Perhaps they got thin-skinned and huffy about the criticism the Time of Day changes got... a "You all didn't like that? ok, we'll do nothing" type of reaction.

Lara

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Jul 18, 2003, 11:07pm

The one I care about is #4 - Alphaworld's gz. Preserve it.

There are plenty of other worlds with spiffy gz's. Let Alphaworld's gz remain the comfortable, familiar old meeting place that it is. Wouldn't hurt to update where the tports take ya, though. SW City wouldn't be a bad destination for one of them. :-)

As a historical note, when I first found this program AW gz was the default landing spot for all new users. One of the gz tports was to "Laurel's NorthWest Territories". Since that was similar to my name, I went out there...and settled out there. That tport is long gone. At least the CA still sends people in that direction. ;-)

Lara

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Jul 19, 2003, 12:58am

Well, I wasn't talking about "perserve" as in copy it to keep elsewhere. AW GZ world has that. I meant "leave aw's gz alone". ;)

I was disillusioned a long time ago about the type of "preservation" AWHS did before. Too much got changed then. Wouldn't want to see that going on again.

Lara

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Jul 19, 2003, 12:16pm

I understand your point, too. A lot of people will agree with you. :-)

As for "what happened" to cause hardly any activity at AW gz for the past year - imho, it was mainly the ban on tourists, as well as the price change which lost many old citizens. The number of chatters at AW gz has picked up considerably since last weekend, now that tourists are allowed into alphaworld again. Even some old gz regulars (Serendipitous, Wendel) are dropping in as tourists.

AWGate, on the other hand, will continue to be a major chat zone compared to any world, simply because it's the default landing world for new users...not because it's cool looking.

Lara

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Jul 19, 2003, 1:16pm

You're right, Goober, about the Berlin wall non-comparison. True - the current Alphaworld gz is not the first version ever, or even the second or third probably. Yes, there's the world AW GZ with a recreation of one of the past versions. Comit and others who would like to see change make good points.

So, why is this particular gz worth more to preserve? Good question. Measured in bits and bytes it doesn't matter at all...nor does the whole activeworlds program. If virtual historical value (if there is such a thing) were all that mattered, then yes, sticking it in a dead museum type AW GZ world would be good enough. Or just keep a copy on a disk in a drawer.

I'd be the first to say, "Dress it up! Make it cool looking!" if Alphaworld were the default landing world for new users. But that's not what Alphaworld is. Alphaworld's strength is as a building world with tons of open space. In that respect, people are out in the boondocks building. GZ doesn't even matter.

The environment is based on technology, yes. But there's that all important element of "community" - people who keep the whole thing going by using it...or not. The users' choices make some particular virtual spots of those ephemeral bits and bytes popular as gathering places...or not.

Some people like to meet where there's a brandnew appearance, lots of techno eye candy. Plenty of worlds provide that. Others like the relaxing feel of an old gz that can be counted on to stay as familiar as the most popular house in a neighborhood - with kids running in and out, screendoor banging - adults virtually shaking their heads and explaining Mute. Slightly shabby, a little bit musty, yeah - but the comfortable look and feel of bits and bytes that say, "home"...virtually speaking, of course. ;-)

Lara

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Nov 5, 2003, 2:09pm

Bravo, SW Comit, Bravo!!

Excellent points throughout your whole rant.
It was a constructive rant, I might add.

I especially agree with what you said here:
"And when they gave us
some insane 15 minute environment rotating scheme that made 0 sense and was
just awful, and of course people complained about it, including me, and they
for some reason think we don't want *any* change at all to the environment,
which isn't true."


Lara (semi-Amish, me... but hey!, I like "good" changes, too.) ;-P

Nov 5, 2003, 9:24pm

I agree with Weizer. Start messing with background,
sky, light, clouds, etc. in Alphaworld, and you
change the look of the builds. There are many other
ways to keep Alphaworld interesting, without
losing the traditional appearance of such a unique
world in 3D history.

Although I would really be very sorry to see
Alphaworld's GZ changed, I could live with
the outcome of a vote about GZ, IF the vote were
advertised steadily for at least a month in advance.


Lara

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Nov 22, 2003, 1:20am

Darn...I thought I had hammered all the signs in my OY down well enough. I'll see if I can round them up again. Sowwy. ;)

Lara

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Nov 22, 2003, 2:16am

This might be the best place for you to look for help with your problem, ssl. http://forums.spywareinfo.com/

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Dec 28, 2003, 12:48pm

WTG, Andras. :)

Perhaps we should start asking this...

"A/S/L/$ ???"

Lara

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Dec 28, 2003, 2:12pm

Well! If you're gonna get picky, I thought it starts with "HI ROOM!!", etc.

AND ALL CAPS GETS EVERYONE'S ATTENTION... RIGHT????!!!!

;P

Lara

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Dec 28, 2003, 12:42pm

Actually, I haven't had anything to do with AWHS for a very long time. I was active when the organization took on the project of cleaning up *random* stray objects around AW gz.

I dropped out of AWHS a few years ago when the direction shifted from very narrowly defined clean-up to "beautification", resulting in unnecessary deletions and new builds replacing old ones around gz. Those things can't be undone now. It's too bad the organization got sidetracked for awhile from its main purpose - the preservation of old builds. While I wish the new leaders well, I'm just not interested in AWHS anymore.

I agree with Shekwan - it would be nice if there were a list of builders' names for the AWHS converted properties.

Lara


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Feb 6, 2004, 3:20pm

I like both you gals a lot, but I sure don't feel the same way you two do about birthday sites in AW.

TartSugar regards them as "who can build the most impressive and gaudy thing for somebody you don't know" sites.

Daphne says they've become "competition grounds".

I think Lady NightHawk was more on target: "I can't speak for anyone else but when I build it's because I care to give
an aw gift the only way I can ... and that is to do the best build I can based on what the receivers likes are."

I believe most people who do a birthday build for someone - yes, even for someone they don't know - echo Lady NightHawk's sentiments.
For most "b'day builders", it's not a competition - it's simply a fun way to bring at least a moment of pleasure (hopefully) to someone else in AW.

Strangers? Doesn't matter. Many new acquaintances are made at b'day sites.
Some lasting friendships have even been born at b'day sites between people who didn't know each other at all before.

If a person doesn't want a b'day site built for them, for whatever the reason, that's fine.
If a person doesn't want to build at b'day sites for people they don't already know, that's fine, too.

But knocking b'day sites in general (or what you feel they've become) is... well, your opinion.
Sure isn't mine. :)

Lara


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Feb 6, 2004, 4:33pm

oops! ;)

tart sug<snipped>

Feb 7, 2004, 3:09pm

I agree with you there, Daphne - it "depends on your reason." I hope everyone's reason for building anything in AW is, as Sharon put it, "for the enjoyment of it."

One thing I'd like to clear up... I am the exact opposite of being "selfless". To me, being "selfless" is an insult. :) Whatever I build in AW and wherever I build it, be it out in the boondocks or at a b'day site, I'm building for a totally selfish reason. Because *I* like to build. Yes, it does give me (note the selfish "me" ;) pleasure if the b'day recipient likes what I (note again ;) build. But if I (again) didn't enjoy the act of building, I (again) wouldn't do it at all.

Sounds like I'm making your case for you, doesn't it? ;)

Selfishness is a win-win... I get what I want (the challenge of planning a build that might please the recipient) and as a side effect, the recipient gets something they like, maybe. Fun for me, pleasure for them. Building at birthday sites doubles the selfish fun (for me) - getting to chat with other builders and seeing the cool things they create.

Surely, you've heard me say "No" enough times, to know that I'm quite selfish. I do what *I* want to do - and nothing more. You do a lot more than I do in Active Worlds. ;P

Even when I'm helping a new user learn to build, I do that for a very selfish reason, too - for *my* own fun in seeing how effectively *I* can get a new user started building. Kinda' like a sport ... "can I hook that one?" Side effect - NOT the primary reason - of my selfishly having fun teaching...maybe they'll go on to have as much selfish pleasure in building as I do. Win-win.

Heart of gold? Nah. That sounds like something an old lady would have in a jewelry box. In virtual chat nowadays, perhaps simple courtesy just gets mistaken for "create texture heart_of_gold".

If you're going to describe how I am in AW (same as I am IRL) I think "politely selfish" would be the way I am (most of the time, anyway.)

See how selfish I am? This was all about *me*. ;)

Lara


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Mar 9, 2004, 10:42pm

A good first step to take in gathering "all the pertinent information": http://antivirus.about.com/cs/allabout/a/netskyb.htm

"The act of spoofing the From address can also cause perfectly innocent people to be accused of sending the worm."

Lara

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Apr 3, 2004, 3:44pm

Brock's faster than I am...about squelching the rumor. :) I'm just fine, no car wreck, no problems. Just haven't been online much the past week or so - spring weather keeps luring me outside.

I do appreciate the concern. Goober King did call me a few minutes ago.

Lara


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May 21, 2004, 1:13pm

So very sorry to hear that. Daphne helped so many people and promoted Active Worlds in so many ways. We'll all miss her.

Lara

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Aug 20, 2004, 3:01am

Wrrrrrrrong, my sweet. :-)

It was a third place prize in AWTrivia, and I haven't received it because I haven't asked for it....yet. It was a prize that I'd have to specify. Already aware of that, you! ;-)

Hey, I'm old and slow. I'll get around to telling AWI what I'd like someday. AWI hasn't been holding back on my prize at all. They don't know what I want....yet.

Lara

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Oct 6, 2004, 2:27am

Verinhaaaaa, I wrote that back in August. :-) Since then I have asked for and quickly received my prize from AWTrivia. The "one object" I won was graciously increased to several sets of objects that I asked to have added. They are in Alphaworld now. You're already using my prize. :-) The curved glass walls, glass door, spheres and trees. Those are what I requested to be added as my "single object" prize. ;) Thanks to Mindseye (previously aka Nomad), tunablues and dreamer2 for making them, to Andras for submitting them for me, and to Rick for accepting them. At the same time, OneSummer and NightRaven independently also submitted some objects - the media "sign" objects.

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Sep 6, 2004, 3:31am

omg, byte! You're going to be twenty??!! I feel so old. Watched you grow up in AW. How old were you...12?... the first time we ran across each other in the object yard. heheh. Your little corner in the OY will always be there. *sniffle*

Lara

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Sep 13, 2004, 3:35am

It's a separate thing. The objects Onesummer spoke of (new streaming media objects) are not part of the prize I won in AWTrivia. The prize I won was the right to have one object put into Alphaworld. In talking to Daphne before she died, she thought she could probably get Rick to accept a "set" (or two, or three) of objects rather than just one object. So, I enlisted tunablues and dreamer2 to make some sets of things to submit. They assembled Nomad's curved glass walls/curved floors or ceilings to match, plus dreamer made a door frame and glass door to complete the pp16 glass set. Dreamer also made some very cool 3D spheres that can accept texture or jpeg. Tuna and dreamer a bunch of absolutely lovely 3D trees. Andras has been instrumental in helping us get all this together - several "sets" of cool stuff to submit as my "one object" prize. Daphne would be happy! :-)

I didn't know anything about Onesummer and Nightraven making streaming media objects for alphaworld until reading it here in the NG. So, yeah, their submissions are completely separate from my prize things. Being on dialup, streaming media objects are not something that would ever occur to me, but I'm sure those will be cool. Me...I'm looking forward to the new trees, spheres, and curved glass walls. ;-)

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Sep 24, 2004, 7:46pm

There's a small sign sitting on the ground in the center of the directory of my OY. Sign says:

"New objects are on the red signs in this directory (trees, glass, globes/spheres, signs/streaming media objs). Or click here for a webpage of their names."

As Legion mentions, clicking the sign opens this webpage provided by tunablues:
http://beachdesign.com/awbirthdays/html/new_objects_2004.html

Hope that helps you, PC Hamster.

Lara

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