PrivacySometimes, as in RL, you might feel the need to get away from it all with your avatar. Obviously this is easier to do if you own your own land. Here are some methods of keeping other avatars from bothering you in your personal space:
Lock your door: If you have a house, get a locking script for your door. It is still possible for other avatars to view into your house with their camera, however, and they might even be able to select to look into a house and sit on an object, thereby circumventing the lock.
Tint your windows: Tintable windows can help guard against prying eyes, but it is still possible to cam through them if you know what you’re doing.
Get some security: A more effective way to keep people out is to buy a security system (for example a DT security system) that ejects people who are not on an access list.
Restrict your parcel access: Alternatively you could set up your land parcel allowing access to certain avatars only. You can do this by selecting ABOUT LAND in the WORLD drop-down menu. If you then select the ACCESS tab from the ABOUT LAND window, you can select to limit the access to either a certain group or specific avatars only. This is what creates those well-known and highly frustrating red ban lines that stop you moving into an area.
Stop people logging out there: Ask visitors to log off outside your house so they won’t turn up inside your house again the next time they come back inworld. You don’t want them turning up in your living room or worse.
Be careful about giving landmarks: If you give out landmarks to your land, ensure they are outside your house if you don’t want people teleporting straight inside.
Etiquette in SL
Generally speaking, the same rules of courtesy apply in SL as in RL:
People are generally friendly in SL, but sometimes they are busy. If you approach a group of people talking, ask if you can join them instead of assuming you can.
If you talk to someone and they don’t answer you, they may be ‘AFK’ (away from their keyboard). Don’t get upset or bad tempered with them people sometimes need to get up and attend to RL.
Don’t wander into other people’s houses unless you’re invited, and certainly don’t do that if the inhabitants are in there. You wouldn’t do it in real life, would you?
When you meet someone and want to make contact with them, speak to them in open chat as opposed to sending them an IM.
Don’t add people to your friends list until you have taken the time to get to know them, and certainly not if you’ve never spoken at all. You may be disappointed if you get rejected.
Don’t feel pressured into accepting friendship offers from people who are pushing them onto you.
Read someone’s profile before making an advance on them. Many people specify that they are not looking for sex or relationships or have partners to indicate this to the SL world.
Remember that as you gain experience, there will be newcomers finding their way around just like you once were. Welcome them into the SL community with kindness, and offer help and advice should they need it.
Be prepared to keep your roleplay in appropriate areas if it troubles other people.
SL is a 24/7 environment with people from many time zones. Please respect that in customer service situations, business owners need to sleep and eat sometimes… not to mention have a real life too.
If you enjoy a location or service consider supporting the owner’s efforts with a tip if you are able to, as tier is expensive and they work hard to create an enjoyable environment for you.
Extracted from How to Get a Second Life ©2007 madddyyy Schnook and Andrew Sullivan is published by Fusion Press. Available from www.amazon.co.uk, www.visionpaperbacks.co.uk and all good bookshops.