Monday, March 16, 2009

Noobiciousness

Noobiciousness - n. - The state or quality of being a noob.

Well, we were all there once. I don't laugh at the folks who drop rather than detach their hair, can't quite get the hang of wearing the system shoes plus the prim shoes, or whose initial effort at a shape creates a rear end so pronounced that the avatar stands like an old lady suffering from osteoporosis. (I saw examples of all three tonight, in Oxbridge. You can't make this stuff up.) I've done that sort of thing all too often, and, let's face it, many of these people will be much more talented than I in creating...stuff than I ever will be. There's a learning curve, and someone has to be on the left-hand side of it.

Having said that, one would think there are elements of politesse that transcend being new. For example, one does not say "Yeah ok well you're a bitchc ok bye!" [sic] in response to an effort to engage in conversation. TP out, no problem. Say hello and walk away, just fine. But at least allow me the courtesy of actually behaving as a bitch before calling me one. (Three-day old in Steelhead.) And what gives with the prim litter? I don't mean rezzing a small plywood shape, playing with it, then forgetting about it. It happens. I've lost stuff on other people's property. I found sandboxes early on, so I didn't treat private property as a sandbox, but I can at least understand how it happens. But creating enormous plywood constructs (Caer Firnas, tonight), or a solid yellow rectangle occupying most of a 512m lot (Caledon II, several weeks ago), or rezzing at least six BMW motorcycles (Caledon Downs, several weeks ago) - that's just rude.

Fortunately, I haven't been affected by this directly. I don't have much property, and one of my lots is hard to find. But I pity the poor landowner who has to spend time doing litter patrol, or who has to worry about ensuring that everything on his property is set to the same group, so he can turn on autoreturn.

This, too, shall pass, I suppose. The number of new folks coming out of Oxbridge may subside, and we'll all get used to the prim litter. But I let out a small sigh when I encounter it, and a large sigh when I encounter stark rudeness. Then I define words such as "noobiciousness," and smile again.

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