I am (partially) leaving SL. I have resigned as a forum moderator, and will be transferring my island shortly. In the process of doing so, all of my SL-related services (excluding AjaxLife) will shut down.
My reasons for doing so:
- A significant portion of the grid seems to hate me.
- Many of my friends have already left, making SL rather dull.
- (The main one) Linden Lab continue to neglect the Teen Grid:
- Signup is still impossible.
- Upgrading to premium is broken.
- No website update in two years.
- No MapAPI.
- (list of generic complaints that have built up over the last two years go here)
- I actually can’t afford the extra 17.5% due to VAT
I already regret resigning from the moderators. Sigh. 
Those who care will probably still be able to find me around somewhere. AjaxLife development may continue solely due to lack of anything better to do.
We have never met, but I have followed your development of AjaxLife with admiration and have tried it out a few times. I’m in awe of your creativity, generosity of spirit, and maturity (I will confess that I must be at least the age of your parents, and am prone to think ageist things like that).
I’m very sorry to hear that Linden Lab has been neglecting the teen grid so badly as to cause you to leave. How offensive (to give even worse service to under-18s than adults, all while giving lip service to segregating teens for their own safety), and how sad (that they have succeeded in dissuading gifted young creators). Best wishes in your future path.
/me gives Kathy a big transatlantic hug.
I’ll write this one here, as it’s a bit more lasting than IMs. :p
I hope you won’t make a decision you will regret making, so please take a deep breath (…or two) before you decide to do whatever thing.
I second you on the neglection part. *Sigh* There’s no point in commenting any more on the lack of point of most adult-owned sims on the TG because nobody will hear/care/do something about it, so I guess it’s time to rely on karmic debts. ._.
With Merc going to the MG and you leaving, I wonder what the future of the forum is, anyway. Oh, well.
/me hugs again.
So sad to hear your reasons for this statement especially given all you have achieved with AjaxLife.
I am sure if you had access to the main grid you would be welcomed with open arms – I can’t imagine anyone “hating” you there. You would more likely get the respect you deserve.
Sadly that wouldn’t get you out of the VAT predicament that seems to be hurting so many of the best and most inspirational people inworld. A shame.
But you will still be around I’m sure – so keep up the good work.
Im sorry that your quiting all these things Katharine, you are truly the most gifted user in TSL. You brought us many things that we never thought possible, and you have taught me alot from just talking to you. I know we havent always been on the best of graces, and i hope to remain your friend.
*Hugs you*
Awww. We will all miss you Katharine
Its really sad to see you go… You helped me and alot of other people one heck of a lot. I fail to see how the grid hates you because who could hate you kath?
Well bye… you where a great person for the TG to have
Dare to be gorgeous and unique. But don’t ever be cryptic or otherwise unfathomable. Make it unforgettably great.
~~Robert J. Mical, Amiga Intuition Reference Manual, 1986, (ISBN 0201110768), p. 231
Why the good always leave?
It was great to know that there is somebody skillful in this world, even if we’re separated on different grids.
I’m so sorry to hear that you’ve reached this point — you’ve done some amazing things. I wish you great luck & success in whatever paths you choose to follow. Just remember that a lot of people want to tear down others who are successful. Try not to let them get to you too much.
Perhaps some don’t recognise your talent but we do! Check out the OPEN Simulator project. You are a very gifted individual.
You may contact me through http://www.openlifegrid.com
Or the opensimulator.org
Sakai
Awww… We’ll miss you on the grid, Kathy
… Hope you succeed well with your vast knowledge in programming, and hope to see you again around the grid 
.
(Like all the others) You were a really important and great person for our grid to have, and apparently Main Grid-ers won’t get your in-world inventions
.
Really sorry to hear you go Katharine, I like having your presence on the teen grid enormously. Your penchant to tell things as you see them will be sorely missed, as will, to a lesser degree, your HUD Thingy. I’m sad to hear you go from the forums as well. Given that the other active moderator will be transferring soon, I imagine there will be a lack in active leadership in that space. Good luck in everything, and if you ever want to talk, you know where to find me.
Don’t be a stranger. : )
Rafi
Goodbye, Katharine. We’ll all miss you.
You’re wrong about people on the grid hating you, although you are right about LL neglecting the TG.
I wish you well in whatever it is you do next. Someone with your talents can make a great deal of difference for any project, anywhere.
I hope you find something cool to do!
Katharine. Im sooo sorry to hear your are leaving. Though Im on the main grid and have never goten to me you!! your work has been awesome!!! and so much needed. your ajax life sight has been a life saver to me!!!! and it will be sadly missed if you decide to stop work on it.!! And even thought things look bad right now . Life tends to cycle thought the ups & the downs like that. and your are not alone on feeling that LL is “Neglecting ” the GRID as a whole Teen & adult !! things are bad every were at the moment. But the the world that you fell in love with that made you build what you have is still their just having growing pains and i very much hope that if we all hold in their our efforts will be rewarded for I have looked else were and SL even with it’s flaws is the Best their is in terms of the Freedom that you have to do. be. and experience any thing.. and it would not be like that if it was not for ppl like you!!! and all the others that have built it up to what it is.. I wish you well and hope to meet you some day in world!! and remember you have many friends .. all over the world.. so cheer up.. take a deep breath relax for a bit then dive back in. *huggles* and until we some day Meet ! My peace be with you!
Damn, I’m angry. Not at you; at LL, for being the reason such a fascinating person leaves SL.
I think you have a lot of growing up to do. Perhaps leaving Second Life will help that process.
Sad to hear you are leaving ‘us’. I’ve heard and read you did some awesome things for the teen grid, and with impressive things such as AjaxLife I was amongst those main grid residents who could not wait until you would come to join us and we could throw a party for you on the main grid.
But I agree with all that say that regardless staying in SL or not, you probably have a bright future ahead of you.
Go ahead and enjoy your life. Come and pay ‘us’ a visit once in a while, if you are bored. As for those bad Lindens ignoring the teen grid: that’s a shame!
I refuse to, don’t want to, believe it. No! No! No!
Sorry for my tantrum…
Katharine, Second Life would not be the same without you!
Sorry for extra post – want to be notified when more are posted.
Sad to see someone as promising as you leave Katharine. I love what you did with Ajaxlife and used it on occasion. Like Vint I was hoping to see you on the main grid. Someone with your talents can make make a difference.
Good luck with your endevours in whatever life it may be!
*bites his tong not to react on the bitter old hag’s post*
Prokofy, with all due respect, I think Katherine is far more intelligent that you are already.
Prokofy…
Nvm.
Okay, Kath, I’m really sad to hear this, please don’t transfer Foobar to some noob, if you do please make him/her change the name, it would be so sad, i’ll really miss you, but if LL fixes any of those issues, please come back some day, we’ll i welcome you back like you never left, i dunno why everyone in SL seemed to hate you, but I’m sorry to hear of it, farewell Katharine Berry, we will miss you much.
Chilko
To address your points :
1) I have no idea why you think much of the grid hates you. I’ve never seen such a phenomenon. Indeed, every comment I have ever heard about you has been positive (except for Prokofy’s, but everyone knows she’s crazy anyway).
2) I’m sorry to hear your friends left.
3) I agree that LL is neglecting the TG, email torley@secondlife.com about this maybe?
4) I agree the VAT sucks, and I too hate the EU governments for it.
Hey Katharine,
I hardly know you but feel compelled to reply. Do what you feel you must, but please, consider this:
>>>
* A significant portion of the grid seems to hate me.
<<>>
* Many of my friends have already left, making SL rather dull.
<<>>
* (The main one) Linden Lab continue to neglect the Teen Grid:
o Signup is still impossible.
o Upgrading to premium is broken.
o No website update in two years.
o No MapAPI.
o (list of generic complaints that have built up over the last two years go here)
<<>>
* I actually can’t afford the extra 17.5% due to VAT
<<<
Get the help of a trusted adult (with a bank account obviously) and create a tip jar. Let your fans put their money where their mouth is. I’ve got a paypal account and I’m ready to chip in a few USD (while they are still worth something) to support the cause. So how ’bout it?
If you DO decide to leave Second Life for a while, turn your significant creative and intellectual energies into some other virtual world endeavor. Start building OpenSim projects (if you aren’t already). Maybe start writing a book. Do whatever is necessary to keep your edge. Never stop learning, because once you’re of adult age, you’ll be free to conquer the world. For now, just keep moving forward somehow.
It really is a shame you’re not in Schome Park. I’ve got a crew of a dozen hungry students dying to build SL skills. I don’t know how much you enjoy teaching (you actually might not like it) but I’ve found the best things in life happen when you dedicate yourself to helping others. It’s one big reason why I left the business world to teach in an elementary school.
Bottom line, do what you love. Life’s too short.
Peace,
-kj-
I have don so – see the sidebar. Note that it isn’t my account, and therefore is likely to pop up someone else’s name at some point. Although it’s supposed to use my email address, so it might not.
I left Schome Park mostly because the relative level of freedom there is (at least, was) much lower than that of just being on the TG – where there are more people, more space, and more interesting things. Plus, I can’t teach.
And what’s with all the “<<<>>>”s in the quote?
Ah, sorry. Missed that. I’ve contributed to the cause (even tho I don’t use AjaxLife). If you want you can edit out the >’s, I used them in a lame attempt to blockquote. I should have just inserted the HTML, but it’s so tedious to do with longer tags, and I often miskey something and blow up the post.
Anyway, good luck to you, whatever you decide. -kj-
Sorry to see you go Kath. You were probably the smartest person on the grid. But, as Kevin said, Good luck with whatever you choose, and opensim is a good project to get into. We’ll miss you