Random gripes about Second Life Viewer 3

OK, I've spent about two weeks off & on with Viewer 3 and all I can say is, the next version of Firestorm can't come any too soon! Keep in mind my comments are coming from having stuck with old style viewers including Phoenix and Imprudence up until now.

I can't see how Viewer 3 could EVER be considered easier for a newbie to use let alone anyone who wants to make or build things in Second Life. The user interface is just awful. I'm especially frustrated trying to create a new item of clothing. With Phoenix and the old versions of the SL viewer, you can edit appearance, create the new item, upload a texture for it, drag the texture into the item, save and done. With Viewer 3, uploading throws the texture directly into inventory and naturally, trying to retrieve it throws you out of appearance edit mode. Who is the idiot who thought that would be helpful?

Plust there's the obscure little gear that actually triggers the Edit appearance or create new clothing item. Stoopid.

Your World, The Linden Lab Way
Viewer 3 Confusion

And communicating via IM/group/local chat has become a mysterious artform. No longer simple windows for each conversation or a nice single window with tabs. Instead I'm having to pick through bottom bar notices that open wildly different views to chat depending on who or what I'm doing. On top of that everything take up soooo much screen space it totally gets in the way of the SL experience. You know, your world, your way. I have a nice big widescreen monitor and SL now looks like a mass of info windows with your 3D experience relegated to an unviewable background half the time.

Oh and those slide out windows? Nice Linden Lab that half the information on them (like inventory) isn't visible unless you either undock them or scroll. That's easier for newbies how?

And setting up my microphone for voice? That was real easy to find -- not. I mean WTF?? Input/Output Devices? Huh? That sounds more like something to do with Xcite attachments than anything to do with my microphone or voice.

How about worn items not showing the folder they come from? Ugggh. My usual routine is to ADD items to my outfit then REMOVE the old outfit by clicking the top level folder. Well that can't be done because WORN items doesn't show what folder they come from. So now you have to REMOVE them one stupid article at a time.

I'm sorry Lab rats, this M-inspired monster hasn't improved one bit other than the back-end features like mesh and finally being able to build with megaprims. The interface just flat out sucks.

It's Oktoberfest in Second Life!

Don't I look cute? Spaten dunkels anyone?

OK, I'll admit it. I love Oktoberfest events in real life and I love trachten (Bavarian / Austrian peasant clothing) -- especially dirndls and those poofy half-blouses that are often worn as separates. Call me strange but on my last trip to Europe several years ago, I bought a totally cute pair of red edelweis-style walking shoes in Switzerland. My friends thought I was nuts!

So today, after seeing an ad for a local Oktoberfest event, I thought hmmmm -- what does Second Life have to offer? Using Linden Labs awful excuse for search plus terms like dirndl, oktoberfest and biergarten, a few promising spots turned up.

After visiting several, I didn't find much in the way of any genuine duplications of the big giant Munich Oktoberfest with its massive beer tents. However, a sort of mini-version is available at Munich City. There are some rides, an outdoor biergarten and a number of temporary tent vendors set up in the midst of a very cool German town build.

The best part was finding a FREEBIE vendor for something like 20 different dirndls!!! OMG! Dirndl heaven! Yay! I grabbed almost all of them. The one shown in the photo is called Dirndl Walli and you get the flexi skirt, blouse, glitch undies and underblouse. The details are excellent and similar outfits go elsewhere for upwards of $300L - $450L (although usually with more layering options). I added the socks (the gray around the toes is a lighting glitch), "Jane Fire" heels from Tesla and a freebie red wood ball necklace and earrings.

Here's the SLURL to Munich City. Look for the dirndls on a long wooden cart. They say $120L on the boxes but they are actually all set to $0L. Whee! There are also several merchants with low-priced trachten including lederhosen, men's alpine wear and more dirndls.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Munich%20City/12/222/41

So what Oktoberfest places, events or things can you recommend? I'd love to hear about them. PROST!

New fashion line crashes Target website

I admit, I like shopping at Target. They carry Gillian & O'Malley bras (which I love) and Calypso St. Barth at great prices along with some, usually, cute seasonal clothing items. Plus, a lot of their home decor stuff fits my budget and style. Hey it's not Nordstrom's but it stretches the budget a lot.

So like a lot of people, I was intrigued by the news that Target was going to be carrying some Missoni items at Target prices. For those who don't know, Missoni is a high-end Italian design house whose clothing articles can easily jump into the thousands of dollars.

So being the online shopper doodle that I am, I went to Target's website and this is what I found! (OK the stuffed doggy is too cute by half.)

Anyway, Target's website has been crashed and offline for almost a day now and the news even made it to the NY Times. NY Times: Demand at Target for Fashion Line Crashes Web Site

Oh well. It's not like I really NEEDED new clothes is it??

P.S. And I owe Target another thanks for introducing Pomplamoose (the band) to the universe via those wonderful Christmas carol commercials!!!! If you haven't seen/heard their cover of the Angry Birds theme on video, you have not lived!!!

Pomplamoose -- official Youtube site