As promised, here's the questions I asked Linden Lab after they announced the imminent acquisition of the company:
- How will this acquisition change SL specifically? Will management or staffing change at all (layoffs, etc)?
- Will it create a cash injection into Linden Lab?
- Since the acquisition is led by the Waterfield Group which specializes in buying profitable but slow growth companies, is it fair to say Linden Lab is in that category?
Spokesman Brett Linden replied by saying this:
"We aren't 'formally' commenting beyond pointing people to the official announcement."
And as legendary journalist Bob Schieffer once told Philip Rosedale and I during dinner (but that's another strange story): "When someone refuses to answer, that in itself is an answer."
However, Brett added, "Grumpity and I have answered a few questions on the forums – but the key message is that this is a good thing for the Second Life community and operations are status quo. Here is what I said on the forums:"
A few folks are speculating that this is the end of SL and nothing could be further than the truth. Any talk of dismantling or radically changing the fundamentals of SL that we know and love is inaccurate. While we can't get into specific details about the deal itself, I want to emphasize the fact that this keeps Linden Lab as an independent venture led by two investors who have a great deal of awareness about what SL is and isn't. They are excited to join and help us grow both SL and Tilia while also respecting and recognizing the needs and sensitivities of the existing culture and community.
Responding to the idea that Linden Lab's new owners would dismantle the company:
"Uh, that’s not what any motivated operator of a profitable business world do. That would be like throwing away money for no reason. We’re excited."
Also: "We’re investing a lot to move all our [SL] infrastructure to the cloud as we speak. A few people start planning and laying the foundation, then more and more people join to port everything. Can definitely take years. We’re closing in on the end of the process. Goal is by end of year."
But interestingly, answering Daniel Voyager who asks, "Will Second Life and Tilia be sold separately in the next few years?"
Answer: "Too early to speculate. But Tilia is signing up and on-boarding more and more customers. It's a unique and very relevant service."
More Ebbe answers here, which may be the only public answers we may get any time soon.
Wagner James Au / New World Notes 
Leave a comment