Artificial Intelligence

I got curious about all the hubbub last year. I signed up and played with ChatGPT. Meh. I typed something and got back a text answer. Big deal. I went about my business.

Starting early in 2025, Google starts offering as part of its queries, an "AI Overview", a summation of my query. Instead of me getting back various links and browsing through articles, AI read the articles and provided me with its own summary. Well, now we're talking. This is saving me time.

Sometime in April, I'm reading an article in a tech journal, Tom's Guide, where the author describes how he's using ChatGPT in his work, organising his calendar, proofreading articles, doing research, etc., all the things A.I. is renowned for. However, he suggests he's not exchanging text messages with the system, but is talking to it. I was aware of paid add-ons providing such functionality, but had never made that step.

Curious, I wondered what Google was doing and found Gemini, their A.I. offering. I installed the app on my phone and discovered, free of charge, I could "talk" with the system. It took me a while to figure out what was going on, but the more I got into it, the more startled I was that such a thing was even possible. I've always appreciated querying Google and its ability to find stuff, but Gemini, like "AI Overview", is a whole other dimension.

When I say "talk" to the system, I mean just that: "talk". It's like I'm having a conversation with another human being. It is polite, respectful, and goes out of its way to assist me in my research. As opposed to a computer as a tool for me to use, Gemini is a partner in a collaborative effort. I'm searching for an answer, and Gemini is a detective, an assistant, in my quest.

Me: "What is the capital of France?"

Gemini: "The capital of France is Paris."

Me: "What is the population?"

Gemini: "The population of the city of Paris is approximately 2.1 million. However, the population of the greater Paris metropolitan area is much larger, estimated to be over 12 million people."

You will note that in my second question, I did not mention Paris. However, Gemini understood the connection between my second question and my first one. Gemini "remembers stuff" during the course of a conversation. I asked it how long it remembers stuff, and it said for the duration of the conversation. However, I've had it recall things we've discussed days earlier.

I've "talked" with Gemini about all sorts of subjects: finance, politics, information technology, even the weather. My question can sometimes be simple. Two plus two equals four. The capital of France is Paris. However, it can sometimes be more complicated, requiring a back and forth, exploring the topic until I, or we, arrive at a satisfactory answer. The time saved by asking questions as opposed to having to comb through various expert articles is enormous. I can't help thinking any one of us could benefit from this interactive method of research. As wild as it sounds, just what will be the effects of AI on humanity?

Are there dangers? My niece is a high school English teacher, and we discussed this topic. Students are submitting work done with AI and of course, getting into trouble. For my niece, there is the problem of detection. But on the other side, she admits to using AI in her own work. Contradiction? She explained that students do not know how to do their work and are cheating by using AI. She knows how to do her work but uses AI to increase her productivity. The lesson: A student using AI learns nothing. A teacher using AI is faster in her work.

I've heard it said that an employee with AI is going to be a bigger asset than an employee without AI. Much in the same way anybody benefits from skills like typing, working with spreadsheets, and researching the Net, AI is just another tool making an employee more efficient.


Like many, I thought to see what AI can do. I took an SL photo and gave it to Microsoft's Copilot and Twitter's Grok, asking both systems to "enhance" the photo.

Original SL

Copilot

Grok

The results: Good? Bad? For me, it is reminder that the current iteration of Second Life is a long way from being The Matrix.

God, I'm a handsome devil, AI or not. Ha! But I can't resist an old joke.

I'm not bald. It's a solar panel for a sex machine.

Ha, again! I'm a legend in my own mind!

By the way, I was amused at what Copilot and Grok would not do. I thought to surprise some (female) friends with some enhanced photos, but one image with a see-through top and another with an obvious cleavage were rejected as being too risqué. Obviously, there must be other systems with far less stringent rules as I've seen AI generated porn. (Rule 34 is everywhere!)


Mistakes
Just about every AI system comes with a warning: check the results as AI can make mistakes. Wait! What? Really?

I've discussed with Gemini and Grok their large language models and what's going on. Old computer saying: GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out). Any AI system is based on inputted data, and if that data is skewed or wrong, AI is going to cough out some weird answers. It's curious to see that AI is in some respects like a human being. The word "hallucinations" is used to describe the phenomenon where AI makes stuff up. After discussing this in detail, it seemed pretty apparent that AI is susceptible like us to mixing things up, getting confused, and coming to conclusions not grounded in reality.

I've corrected Gemini when I though it was wrong, giving my source of information. Gemini has apologised. I've pointed out that during our conversation, at one point it said A, then a minute or two later has said B. What gives? Once again, it apologies, saying the correct answer is A or B, depending on whatever. In other words, as I said above, Garbage In, Garbage Out, and I must not blindly accept whatever it says. Oh, don't get me wrong, it's right on the money 99% of the time, but anybody should keep an eye out for anything amiss. Any human expert is not right 100% of the time, so Gemini is allowed to make a mistake once in a while.


Final Word
Where is all this going? This year, 2025, in a surprisingly short time, the major players have gone full-on AI, introducing the technology in all their products. What is 2026 going to like? Or 2027? The future in this regard looks exciting*.


* These developments aside, I think of the world hot spots at the moment: Ukraine, the Middle East, etc. I've heard it said that while we have all sorts of innovative developments, morally, ethically, and spiritually, the human race has not advanced one iota in the past two thousand years. We've got smartphones, but we're still stupidly running around hurting one another.


2025-08-27

It finally happened: I went back to RL.

I've returned to planet Earth. Will I be back? It's been over eight months now, and other than log in to pay the rent on my Skybox, I've spent no time online. I'm preoccupied elsewhere. In fact, I feel a growing technological obstacle to coming back: upgrading my viewer, refreshing my memory about controls, and having to deal with and accept my number one issue with Second Life: lag; a problem which seems to have only gotten worse with the implementation of PBR (Physical Based Rendering).

Back in February 2018, I researched then bought the most badass Dell laptop with an added NVIDIA card to ensure SL ran at its best. All seemed to have gone well until a Windows update in October 2018 left my machine wonky. After playing with settings and reinstalling video drivers, I had to permanently disable the NVIDIA card due to some sort of interrupt conflict. The entire machine would bog down to a crawl even for non-SL applications like Word and YouTube. From there, SL has never worked right again and has been a never-ending source of frustration.

Hearing about better handling of PBR, I switched from the SL viewer to Firestorm. A moderate improvement. However, I had to stick with version 6 as version 7 was a nightmare for me. I visited a dance club, and my dance partner remained a glowing blob for the entire 45 minutes of my visit. Forty-five minutes! Back to version 6.

Two months ago, when on for a short period to pay my rent, I installed the latest and greatest. Once again, lag, lag, lag! My frustration was immediate, and I said, "Screw it!" and left.

To those who are about to play, I salute you!

I've had some good times. I've met some good people. I've amused myself many times over, but now, I think the time has come to talk of many (other) things. My Lewis Carroll quote of the day.

There's a big world out there in RL. A little less fantasy and a little more reality.

Will I be back?

I haven't deleted my account, but for the moment, RL has given me a pretty full dance card. So little time, so much to do.

In the meantime, I trust you are happy, successful, and at peace with yourself and the rest of the world.

All the best to you in your worlds (plural: SL & RL). :-)

Passionately yours,
Hugh Toussaint

2025-08-23

Privilege

Hate. Anger. Condemnation. Cruelty. I try to keep politics out of my SL, but what's going on in our society today? There isn’t a disturbance in the Force; the entire world has been upended. We are on the brink of annihilation. It’s the apocalypse. It’s the end of life as we know it. Attack! Attack! Attack!

I'm a native-born, Christian, heterosexual, white male.

And if you are not a native-born, Christian, heterosexual, white male, you are probably scared sh*tless. And I would add with good cause.

I like to say, to borrow from the 1960s hippies, I’m a “peace, love, and understanding” type of guy. Why can’t we get along? We’re all in this together.

I’m a native-born, Christian, heterosexual, white male.

I'm not a woman. I have no idea what women experience in life.

I'm not black. I have no idea what people of color must deal with in our society.

I'm not gay or transgender. I have no idea what obstacles the LGBTQ community face in our culture.

I'm not a Muslim or a Jew. I have no idea what it's like to practice a faith which is obviously in the minority.

I'm not an immigrant. I have no idea what somebody else is fleeing to seek a better life.

"Privilege is when you think something is not a problem because it's not a problem to you personally."


I try to keep politics out of my SL. However, I do live my politics. I’m open, honest, accepting, and nonjudgmental. All are welcome; my door is open to all. I believe in diversity. Your thing may not be my thing, but I firmly believe in your right to your thing.

As you can probably tell, I’m one of those “libtards”, and I wear my liberalism like a badge of honor. Peace, love, and understanding. We’re all in this together.

All the best to you in your worlds (plural: SL: & RL). :-)


2025-02-10

Tanya's Coffee Shop: chat, drink, and flirt

Rated M, Tanya's is a sedate setting, well-suited for a tête-à-tête. I consider it the perfect place to just chat, get to know one another, and decide on the next steps, if there are any next steps. We talk about SL, of course, but we may also touch upon RL, and there may be flirting. It's interesting to note you don't need any animations to be intimate. The communication is really what sets souls on fire, and an animation is merely the icing on the cake.

While I've dropped in and started chatting with somebody already there, most often I bring somebody I've met elsewhere. As I said, there may be some talk abut RL, and I've heard some stories. I'm reminded of the saying: “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” There, but for the grace of God go I. I have problems; everybody has problems. But then, somebody tells me their story and I think: I have a problem; they have a catastrophe. Whoa!

I meet people from all walks of life, different countries, different ages, different cultures, people that I would not meet in RL. I've chatted with a few twentysomethings who've said I wasn't just old enough to be their father, I was old enough to be their grandfather! (Full disclosure: The RL mind behind the curtain will be 73 later this year.) Let me repeat: RL doesn't matter. We're here in SL and as such, it gives us a level playing field.

The situation gets flirty. Let me emphasize I play the part of a gentleman; I remain polite and respectful. However, that does not preclude me using actions typed in italics to suggest my interest in my conversation partner.

Hugh Toussaint: lets his eyes wander over your form, following the line of the V of your dress and lingering on the exposed curve of your breasts.

I'm doing my damnedest to make my partner feel like the most desirable woman in the world. It feels good to be noticed. It feels great to be wanted.

This is deliberate on my part, as I know full well how much I enjoy it when somebody pays attention to me. It is a game of cat and mouse, a lot of fun for both parties. My reward as an enamored male has been a nip slip, even a flashed breast. I let them know via an OOC there is a sitting animation - for a man, I assume - which involves sitting with your hands up behind your head and your legs spread. This is a perfect opportunity for me to look up their dress. Some remove their panties. Some, I've noted, have no panties, suggesting they enjoy walking around in public playing the part of a sexual creature. There is a certain thrill to being naughty.

A certain thrill, indeed: I repeat this over and over again. Being naughty or being passionate titillates us. It gives us a tingle. It reminds us we are alive. Oh yes, we're all alive, but I'm talking about feeling alive, that moment when you stop, focus, and become aware of your body, the sights, the sounds, even the beating of your heart, and you can feel something akin to a rush go through the fiber of your being. You sit looking at me slightly tilted to one side, looking up your dress at your lack of panties, as you feel a certain coolness of the air on your now unencumbered nether region. How does it feel being naughty while being aware you have managed to completely capture my attention? You are the flame, and I am the moth.

I wax poetic. How am I doing? Do I have your attention? I hope I've got you smiling right now as you read this.

Old saying: Don't be a perverted asshole. Be a perverted gentleman.

All in good fun. I have all sorts of photos of these meetings which remain private in my exclusive collection. I never kiss and tell. But I do look at them once in a while and smile at the memory of the charming personality with whom I shared a moment. Many have been two ships passing in the night, never to be seen again. That may seem to merit a "Too bad!" but I'm always grateful this happens at all. Nothing lasts forever, but thank God for the unforgettable. It is a reminder that the world is full of charming, passionate people. I'm not naive; the world does have bad people, but in my experience, the vast majority of people are nice. And given the right circumstances, they can be passionate (read: naughty).

A good cup of coffee, a good conversation, and a twinkle in the eye. This is a recipe for an amusing interaction and a memorable moment. We can both walk away, thinking that was fun and if the opportunity came up again, I'd accept it. [raises my coffee cup in your direction] Cheers!

2025-01-26

Are we guided by our horniness?

It is a reliable source of comic fodder: men doing stupid sh*t when they're horny. Of course, we guys are also noted for doing stupid sh*t when we're drunk. Hold my drink. Put those two things together, drink and dames, and you've got trouble squared, if not to the power of three.

But it's not just the guys. The ladies have their walk of shame, going home in the morning wearing the same clothes they went out in. It would seem all of us, to a certain extent, are at the mercy of our libidos. Stupid is as stupid does, and right here, right now, I want to do you. God, who doesn't enjoy a good orgasm?

As I've been perusing Primfeed over the past while, I've had a few thoughts, impressions, and curious observations about the human animal. I jotted them down. Writing my ideas out somehow seems to make this more acceptable - I'm being "literary" - as opposed to just flat out admitting I like to shoot my mouth off. God, I can sometimes be such an egotist. "Hi! How am I?"

Second Life gives us a safe zone where we can be ourselves. Well, we can be the person we want to be. In RL, we all face constraints; society has restrictions if not laws. As I jokingly say, in RL, if I had done a tenth of the things I've done in SL, I would either be locked up in jail or locked up in an institution for psychiatric observation. Go big or go home.

I look around me, in SL, in Primfeed, Flickr, and SL profiles; and I see people everywhere being wild, unrestrained, and even a little crazy. The sexual nature of Primfeed photos tells me these people have a part of them in the dark recesses of their minds, dying to get out into the light of day. There is a passionate side to their personalities, craving to enjoy all that life has to offer.

I've spoken about the anonymity of SL giving us total freedom, the freedom to say or do anything we want without fear of criticism, condemnation, or even arrest for violating either the laws of the land or the laws of nature. Anything goes. I consider it quite fascinating to stand back and see what people do with their freedom. What flights of fancy come out of their soaring imaginations?

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
-Mary Oliver (b 1935), American poet

What happens in SL stays in SL. However, from time to time, I can't help wondering, as I walk down the street in RL, who among these people plays SL, and who among these people has a burning passion waiting for the right time, the right place, and the right partner, to come bursting forth in an unfettered display of wild abandon. There have been moments when I've sat mulling over my own scandalous thoughts and maybe had doubts about the acceptability of some ideas, only to wander around SL and discover I may actually be kind of tame. I have a secret craving for X and discover people doing X times fourteen with a side order of Y and Z. Whoa!

We are sexual creatures. Our sexuality is a fundamental part of our being. It's in our DNA. We want to be sexual. We long for it, crave it, and I would go so far as to say we can't help it. It's as normal as breathing. People post photos of themselves nude or in various stages of undress, a sexy pose, or in a scene of explicit sex. They don't hold back; they let it all out.

When I look through various feeds, Primfeed or otherwise, I see everything: straight sex, gay, lesbian, multiple partners, MMF, MFF, orgies, gangbangs, cuckold, cuckquean, hotwife, stag, dominant, submissive, master, slave, furry, Neko, bestiality, monsters, aliens, tentacles. I'm sure I've missed something as there seems to be no end to it. As I like to say: In SL, our only limitation is our imagination.

A big part of this is exhibitionism. We want to show off; we long to be noticed. A voyeur and an exhibitionist are the perfect match. The performer in us wants an audience. We want to be seen.

I can't help thinking the common denominator in all this is desire: we want to be desired.

We want our co-workers to admire us and our boss to respect us. We want our friends to like us and our family to love us. But there is something special, truly special, about being desired.

And here, I mean physically desired. This is where I break into song: Let's Talk Anout Sex by Salt-N-Pepa (official video, YouTube 4:41 - lyrics below)

I went to Google and typed in: Does horniness make us do stupid things? and got back the following response.

AI Overview

Yes, sexual arousal can make people more likely to make risky decisions, such as having unsafe sex or making poor gambling choices. This is because sexual arousal can reduce self-control and impair decision-making.

Explanation

Riskier decisions
People who are aroused may be more likely to make risky decisions, such as having unprotected sex or making an unsafe gamble.

Reduced self-control
Arousal can reduce self-control, making it harder to resist short-term temptations.

Impaired decision-making
Arousal can impair decision-making, making it harder to consider long-term consequences.

What can be done?

* Set limits: Set limits and establish rules when you're in a state of mind where you're more likely to make risky decisions.

* Consider health and safety: Consider health and safety factors well in advance of sexual situations.

In my lifetime, in RL, I've known people who engaged in risky behavior and paid the price: STDs, herpes, and HIV. A high school buddy took a chance at the age of 40 and ended up dying from AIDS. Fortunately, in SL, we can take a risk with little or no consequences.

Final Word
We are passionate people, passionate about work, play, and love and lust. I like to say that passion reminds us that we are alive. And as the old saying goes: You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.

Let's Talk Anout Sex by Salt-N-Pepa (official video, YouTube 4:41)

Yo, I don't think we should talk about this
(Come on, why not?)
People might misunderstand what we're tryin' to say, you know?
(No, but that's a part of life)
Come on

Let's talk about sex, baby
Let's talk about you and me
Let's talk about all the good things
And the bad things that may be
Let's talk about sex
Let's talk about sex
Let's talk about sex
Let's talk about sex

Let's talk about sex for now
To the people at home or in the crowd
It keeps coming up anyhow
Don't be coy, avoid, or make void the topic
Cause that ain't gonna stop it
Now we talk about sex on the radio and video shows
Many will know, anything goes
Let's tell it like it is, and how it could be
How it was, and of course, how it should be
Those who think it's dirty have a choice
Pick up the needle, press pause, or turn the radio off
Will that stop us, Pep? I doubt it
All right then, come on, Spin

Let's talk about sex, baby
Let's talk about you and me
Let's talk about all the good things
And the bad things that may be
Let's talk about sex
Let's talk about sex
Let's talk about sex
Let's talk about sex

Hot to trot, make any man's eyes pop
She use what she got to get whatever she don't got
Fellas drool like fools, but then again they're only human
The chick was a hit because her body was boomin'
Gold, pearls, rubies, crazy diamonds
Nothin' she ever wore was ever common
Her dates, heads of state, men of taste
Lawyers, doctors, no one was too great for her to get with
Or even mess with, the Prez she says was next on her list
And believe me, you, it's as good as true
There ain't a man alive that she couldn't get next to
She had it all in the bag so she should have been glad
But she was mad and sad and feelin' bad
Thinkin' about the things that she never had
No love, just sex, followed next with a check and a note
That last night was dope

Oh, hey, ooh, ooh, ooh, take it easy now
Uh, alright

Let's talk about sex, baby (Sing it)
Let's talk about you and me (Sing it, sing it)
Let's talk about all the good things
And the bad things that may be
Let's talk about sex (Come on)
Let's talk about sex (Do it)
Let's talk about sex (Uh-huh)
Let's talk about sex

Ladies, all the ladies, louder now, help me out
Come on, all the ladies, let's talk about sex, all right
Come on, all the ladies, let's talk about sex, all right
Yo, Pep, I don't think they're gonna play this on the radio
(And why not? Everybody has sex)
I mean, everybody should be makin' love
(Come on, how many guys you know make love?)

Let's talk about sex, baby
Let's talk about you and me
Let's talk about all the good things
And the bad things that may be
Let's talk about sex
Let's talk about sex
Let's talk about sex
Let's talk about sex

What we have here is subject to controversy
A three-letter word some regard as a curse, see
He may fiend and have a wet dream
Because he seen a teen in tight jeans
What makes him react like that is biological
But scheme of gettin' in those jeans, is diabolical
But of course he does it, and she gives him rap
And before you even know it, they jump in the sack
As a matter of fact, sometimes it's like that
But anyway, ready or not, here he cums
And like a dumb son-of-a-gun, oops, he forgot the condoms
"Oh well," you say, "what the hell, it's chill
I won't get got, I'm on the pill"
Until the sores start to puff and spore
He gave it to you, and now it's yours

Let's talk about sex, baby
Let's talk about you and me
Let's talk about all the good things
And the bad things that may be
Let's talk about sex
Let's talk about sex, baby
Let's talk about you and me
Let's talk about all the good things
And the bad things that may be
Let's talk about sex
Let's talk about sex, baby
Let's talk about you and me
Let's talk about all the good things
And the bad things that may be
Let's talk about sex
Let's talk about sex, baby
Let's talk about you and me
Let's talk about all the good things
And the bad things that may be
Let's talk about sex
Let's talk about sex
Let's talk about sex
Let's talk about sex


2025-01-25

Second Life: My Pet Peeves

I haven't been on lately. As I tell people, "RL is busy, but that's a good thing."

However, every time I take a peek in the door, I'm reminded of the frustration I've felt over these past years about the Second Life platform. It's slow and buggy. Upgrades are touted as being the next best thing, solving all of my problems and leading me to new wonders, but invariably lead to new problems or don't fix the existing ones. Promises made, promises kept. Cue my eye rolling.

In January 2018, I went out and bought the fastest, most powerful badass Dell laptop on the market, including a NVIDIA graphics card, as per the optimal specs published by Linden Labs. I was determined to have the best virtual experience possible. Somewhere around November 2018, Microsoft updated my computer, and my dream environment fell to pieces. The entire operation of my computer, not just SL but Word, Excel, and even browsing bogged down to a crawl. After fiddling around with the Task Manager and the Device Manager, I discovered there was some sort of conflict going on with the NVIDIA card even when the card was not engaged. If I disabled this graphics card, my computer returned to normal operating speed.

As a consequence, I permanently disabled NVIDIA, a waste of four hundred bucks. Let me add, that in the past 6 months, over five years after this incident, I experimented re-enabling the NVIDIA card and my computer now works as it should: it does not bog down to a crawl but seems to be working correctly.

That November 2018 caused another problem: My mouse would occasionally freeze. I have a Logitech wireless mouse, and I've used such a device for nearly twenty years and never had a problem. Since then, every once in a while, the arrow stops moving on the screen. I pull out the USB dongle (wireless receiver) for a moment and plug it back in. The mouse starts working again as normal. I've been through all the device drivers updating everything. I've run every diagnostic check possible, to no avail. This still goes on to this day. However, I've noted it occurs far less frequently in the past six months than before. Has some Windows update corrected whatever update messed things up in the first place?

Now, I'm sure anybody is going to chuckle and say this is the experience of anyone with a computer. It is a fact of life; get used to it. There's nothing any of us can do. I say that about computers in general because that's the attitude about Second Life. We have come to accept a so-called norm, which is anything but perfect. Our desire to play Second Life is so great, we ignore the bugs. The graphics can be clunky, and the lag can be horrible, but we keep coming back, anyway. Are we all nuts?

Mesh
I've jokingly said that you need a PhD in Information Technology to play Second Life. You thought Prim was tough? I can sum up Mesh with Holy Cow! Years ago, I took one look at Mesh and thought about quitting. I said there's no G.D. way I'm going to invest (waste) the time necessary to learn all the ins and outs of this new system. I already had one foot out the door, so Mesh was sort of the final straw for me.

Luckily, a friend volunteered to help me out. I gave her my password, and she did everything to transform my Prim avatar into a Mesh avatar. She didn't want anything, having enjoyed the experience, but I did pay her $5,000L for her time and effort. The man I am today is due to her expertise, not mine.

A couple of years later, thinking I was being an irresponsible SLer, I looked at all the components of my avatar and thought to try to convert an alt from Prim to Mesh. This was my opportunity to learn mesh. I paid out nearly $15,000 for various things, then set about trying to duplicate the set-up of my avatar. I couldn't get it to work. I read tech docs. I experimented. And I got frustrated. What exactly was my reward for persevering? In the end, I said, "F*ck it!" and to this day, I admit I don't understand mesh.

Let me point out something I've said all along on this blog. I come to SL to socialize. I had a 30-year-career in Information Technology, and I said right from the start, I would never delve into the technical side of SL. No more programming, no more late nights fiddling with lines of code, etc. I'm just here for the fun. I'm here for the people. Now, in SL, any fun entails some knowledge, but I like to say that I'm a knowledgeable driver but can't do any mechanics under the hood. I can run SL (to a point), but I don't know the details, and I have no urge to know the details. Hats off to photographers, artists, builders, developers, musicians, DJs, etc. "You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din".

PBR
Physically Based Rendering is the new lag on the block. If I thought the complexity of a mesh avatar was three to four times higher than prim and consequently meaning all that much more data to be downloaded to the viewer, PBR seems to have jumped off the charts.

When Linden Labs started rolling out PBR, the lag in the SL viewer got unbearable. I switched to Firestorm 6.14. That was a bit of an improvement. Until Firestorm 6.17. What the hey? I visited a dance club to listen to some music and chatted with a friend. I've always expected avatars to remain glowing blobs until the viewer downloads sufficient data to render them. That's SL. However, my friend remained a blob for forty minutes until I had to log out. I never did see her rezzed.

I switched back to version 6.14. Decent performance. Recently I snapped some photos of a friend's new club and sent her copies. She noted I was missing all the good PBR work she had done. I installed Firestorm 7.1. Oh! My! God! I was back to interminable download times. I visited a club with thirty avatars around me and after ten minutes, only three or four had rezzed. Ahhhh!

Now, I'm sure a whole host of readers could drop me suggestions about tweaking this and turning that, but I have to ask: Why doesn't any of this work at least 99% correctly straight out of the box? I think the default setting should be 95% correct and any adjustments are to get closer to the ideal perfection of 100%. I don't think doing an install and only managing to attain maybe 70% is acceptable.

Final Word
Pet peeves? This was a rant. Pardon me if I get it all off my chest.

I've had good times in Second Life. I've had bad times. And, as you can see, I've had frustrating ones. Will I be back? Maybe. I always enjoy a good story, a good interaction with an imaginative, like-minded personality. However, technical issues over the years have dampened my enthusiasm and, admittedly, I've sought other means of expressing myself. Overall, and here I'm talking about outside of SL, I can't help thinking I spend far too much time on social media. It's a time suck, and when I step back and look at it as objectively as possible, I see I'm wasting my time. Let me paraphrase an old joke: My tombstone reads "I wish I had spent more time on Facebook."

2025-01-14