We wanted to write a quick note in regards to the closing of GCG and our position on it.
Firstly, we are both very sorry for the residents of GCG that have lost their virtual homes. Having been through our own heart break like this with InWorldz, we are heartbroken again for those whose virtual lives have been completely uprooted. Like InWorldz, GCG appears to be shut down in a way that is hurtful for the residents. There is a lot of confusion over how people can get backups of their regions, how to contact anyone, or even WHO to contact to get answers from & so on. There has also been the normal frenzy of other grids attempting to acquire new residents. We’re truly sorry for the people, the residents who find themselves in this position of confusion & sadness.
For those seeking another home, we have some thoughts on the matter that may provide guidance. As users we need to be smart consumers. We need & SHOULD ask questions about any potential grid we choose & how its run. You don’t need to know a lot about the technology behind the grid to understand the need for backups and ways to get data in and out of the grid. Ask about down time. How much has the grid experienced and how those are handled? But most importantly, don't decide about what grid to call home based solely on a charismatic personality. Its human nature to want to trust & build connections & that's a good thing. But when deciding where to spend your money, this kind of decision making can be a poor reason to select a grid. We've seen people excuse all kinds of unprofessional behavior & allow poor business practices to happen because they "trust" the figurehead that's running the grid or the friend that referred them. And this same reasoning applies to Utopia Skye Grid as well as Calli & Myself.
We’re not in the business of trolling for new users. But If people want to settle at USG we'll do our best to take care of them as customers. Our focus has been a stable foundation that can grow as needed but that is sustainable as it is. We maintain USG because it gives us a place to remember friends we have lost. And it’s a place for people who have brought their products from SecondLife to distribute them to the OpenSim community through Utopia Skye. Also, it’s a place for residents who are building & creating beautiful things that allow them to live in & extend their dreams. Utopia Skye Grid exists because of the trust people have put in us in the past. Trust that has been earned in continued uptime, transparent business practices & financial sustainability. We've tried to reward that trust with a stable, robust service that is reliable & cost effective.
Utopia Skye is a small grid. We have received positive feedback in the past about our service and reliability. We’re rather proud of that. There are, however, some other alternatives we could recommend if a small grid is not for you.
- DiscoveryGrid - Run by Balpien Hammerer (https://discoverygrid.net/)
- ZetaMax (Zetaworlds) Maintained by Edison Rex & Vincent Sylvester (http://www.zetaworlds.com/)
- Utopia Skye Grid – Run by Mike & Calli (http://utopiaskyegrid.com/)
Each of our recommended grids have strengths & are all professionally run on professional grade servers with good business practices. But as I said above ask questions and be a smart consumer.
Another option that comes up is self hosting a DreamGrid. This can be an option and is appealing certainly on many levels. You have control of your environment and your data. But be aware, the same questions apply. You’re responsible now for backups and keeping your environment maintained and reliable. In this case your grid hosting provider is.. well, you.
If you have friends looking for a new home & are interested in Utopia Skye, Calli or I will try & answer any questions. Even if folks don't settle with us in grid, they are welcome in our Discord & may find help & advice here. At the end of the day, with all that’s going on in our worlds both virtual and real, please stay safe & be well.
Mike and Calli