Ok I been complaining about this issue for month's, ever since V2.4 and the Display Name feature was introduced into SL. The problem is how your IM and Chat Log Files are handled. Old style ( SL name ) Firstname_Lastname.txt was replaced by ( DN name ) Firstname.Lastname.txt
Why the hell this was done is beyond me, and it should have been a trivial mater to maintain backward compatibility with the old format. Sadly this was not the case. Ok so you scratch your head and say, so what ? What difference could that possibly make. Well it makes a Big Difference to a lot of people, especially those of us that have been in SL for years, ( September 2005 in my case ) I depend on my Log File's and Chat Log's to keep track of past conversation's, transaction's, friendship's etc...
Now in my particular case, the computer is set as follows
Hard Drive A is for Windows : C:\ Bootloader & Swap File | D:\ Data | E:\ Windows
Hard Drive B is for Linux : and set up as Swap File then Root
Most of my important data, backup's and such are on an external drive. My SL Log files however are stored on my Windows D:\ Data partition, this way I can easily switch between various SL Clients, or from Linux to Windows, always confident that my precious Log files are readily available in the D:\SLLogg folder. All I should have to do is point the client software to the correct folder during initial setup.
And this has always been the case up until Viewer 2.4 and Display Names. And then suddenly POOF !!!! Nothing ! Zip ! Zang ! Zing ! Gone into thin air ! Oh they are still there, just the freaking Viewer can't find them.
Now when I first started squawking about this issue, I was literally told during a meeting that. "Hey it's no Big Deal" "Just open a Text Editor"
Now what the F*&% Kinda dimwitted statement is that supposed to be ? I'll tell ya what it is. It's an INSULT ! to myself and any other long time SL residents.
In other word's, we don't care about all you old timers. Can't you see we are trying to attract new customers with this wonderful new Mess, "Viewer 2" ? You Long Time Loyal Customers No Longer Concern Us. WE ARE AFTER FRESH MEAT !
Well I'm gonna tell ya something LL, before falling ill in 2005, I ran my own successful small business for 18 years. Your long time customers are your base, your backbone, your everything. When times get tuff, your gonna wish ya still had them, and they should be treated like Gold, very precious indeed.
So let's take a quick look to see what I am actually talking about here. Yesterday Viewer 2.6 was introduced ( Remember this problem first appeared in V2.4.x and continued through several iterations of said, and during multiple 2.5.x releases as well )
On the Left is Viewer 2.6 on your Right is Phoenix FireStorm Preview 2. Enlarge the pics and you will notice both clients are pointed to my D:\SLLogg folder or
( /media/22A42E5CA42E32A9/SLLogg ) in Linux Speak.
So here is the Million $ Question. Why is it that FireStorm Preview 2, which is based on V2.4 code is able to read my Log and Chat file's, and V2.6 still is not capable of such a Herculean feat ? The answer is a very easy one. The Phoenix FireStorm Team Get's It. They have heard the people speak. And guess what ? They actually listen too ! Boy what a unique and new concept that is.
Yes the pursuit of a new, and wider customer base is a good thing and a wise practice to remain constantly active in. But new customer's are fickle, they have yet to establish a long term relationship with you, or feel a sense of loyalty towards your product and or services. Something new and shiny comes along tomorrow, you may as well kiss them goodbye.
JayR Cela :_(
P.S.
I was at the SnowStorm meeting today after I had started composing this post, and as I understand it. This issue was just handed over to Seth Productengine as of yesterday. So Seth, with all due respect, may I offer a bit of advice sir. It's all open source, perhaps you might consider just borrowing a few snippets of code from Phoenix FireStorm.
If you have further interest in this topic, here is a link to the Jira page.
https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/STORM-941?
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