Alliance Library System and OPAL son los “padres” del proyecto Info Island dedicado a los servicios bibliotecarios y de información utilizando SL como herramienta.
Linden Labs (LL) lanza un comunicado el 27 de octubre de 2008 donde informa que ha decidido aumentar la tasación de los sims de Espacio Abierto (Open Sims) para educadores de 37.50 por mes a $125 por mes a partir del 1 de enero de 2009. (Para el público en general también hay aumento).
Info Island ha pagado un año por adelantado estas islas, el aumento de precios no afectará hasta la una fecha del año de la renovación. Aun así, debido a el aumento en la tasación, Alliance Libraries está evaluando la situación ya que esto afecta a los siguientes sims: I
llumination Island,
Emerald City,
Bradburyville,
Museum Isles,
Machinima Institute,
Health Eduisland,
Circumference,
Cinque Terre,
Cybrary Square.
Es importante estar al tanto de estos acontecimientos. Transcribo la carta que Lori Bell, Directora de innovación para Alliance Library System escribe a sus enlaces para proyectos en LL:
“Hi Claudia and Pathfinder,
I know you were not in on this decision, and that you are not the contact people, so I hope you will pass this on to the decision makers. I am very disappointed and upset by the sudden announcement about new pricing and no educational discounts for open space sims. We have a number of open space sims in addition to all the regular sims that we have. Open space sims allowed us to put up smaller projects to enhance what we are doing on regular sims. I talked to a concierge who told me our pricing is ok until the annual renewal since we paid a year in advance.
Upon the annual renewal, we will not be renewing or keeping any of our open spaces. WIth a price increase from 37.50 per month to $125, if we do manage to get a grant or donation, we might as well get a regular sim. To purchase a regular sim or now even an open space will require quite a bit more investment.
There was no communication about how we could help solve the technical issues – with communication about what is going on people could offer to help or offer solutions. When a decision like this is sprung on people with a huge increase and 2 months notice, instead of trying to help, we get angry.
All of our activity in Second Life is volunteer, grant, or donation, or revenue from events. Alliance Library System, as many other organizations, has had to cut budget and staff. Open space sims enabled us to grow the Info Archipelago for special collections, etc. Yet when needed, we are still purchasing whole sims like Karuna for our AIDS information project which really requires a full sim.
We no longer have this growth opportunity thanks to this increase in pricing. We are bringing a lot of new people into Second Life as are other budget strapped education groups which brings in new income and opportunities for Second Life. This type of decision and management will make it difficult for me to recommend any growth or additional projects in Second Life. We have a great deal of money, investment and staff time in Second Life. If you can, please allow our community to have input and provide support in these decisions instead of reacting to the fallout.”
Lori Bell
Director of Innovation
Alliance Library System
600 High Point Lane
East Peoria, IL 61611
(309)694-9200 ext. 2128
skype: lbell927
lbell@alliancelibrarysystem.com
lbell927@gmail.com
Paq abundará sobre este tema ya que asitió durante el día de hoy a reuniones importantes respecto al futuro de Info Island. Seguiremos comentando sobre esto porque como me dice Paq…”esto es historia de Second Life” y por ende aprendizaje para mundos donde socializamos y ocurren todo lo que en las sociedades ocurre…no importa que sean virtuales.
