Welcome to the very first official version of Metaverse Ink Search, formerly known as SLBrowser. If you use SLBrowser routinely, you probably noticed a few minor changes in the graphic design of the search results pages. Those small visual changes are the tip of the iceberg! Below it, we’ve made several major improvements, as well as a rebranding move. Let me talk about each one of those in separate, and what they mean to you, whether you are a searcher or a content provider or both.
Data Collection Control
Our default listing consists only of those parcels that are marked “Show in search”, and that Linden Lab places on the public web — since the information is on the web, it is public information; google indexes it, so do we. Additionally, we have a simple and fail-safe mechanism for additional opt-ins and opt-outs with our search engine. Anyone wanting to list their parcels and products with Metaverse Ink Search, but not wanting to pay LL the search fee, can do so for free and automatically simply by adding the avatar MetaverseInk Masters to the list of Allowed residents. Besides listing the products inworld, we provide scripts that people can use to list their vendor products with our search engine. Conversely, if people want to be listed with LL’s search by marking “Show in search” but don’t want to be listed with us in particular, even though they may be listed with Google, we honor that. They simply need to add MetaverseInk Masters to the list of Banned avatars. See listing and delisting for complete information.
This way, the data collection control and cost control are ultimately on people’s hands. We like that!
Use of Images
Virtual worlds are full of wonderful images that people attach to their products and places. These images give searchers a preview of what can be found in those virtual worlds. People can compare before deciding to visit some place. There is no question that images enhance the searchers’ experience. Linden Lab has placed all of the images on the web, where the world can see/grab/link-to them. They are all available under http://secondlife.com/app/image/
We understand that some content creators — most notably texture artists — have concerns about seeing their textures flat on a web browser. They are not happy with LL’s small watermark on the bottom right. We sympathize with their situation, so we provide a method for creators to delist their publicly available images from our search engine in particular. That doesn’t remove their images from the Web; it simply removes them from our search results.
Rebranding
As we’re launching 1.0 of our search engine with all these improvements, we’re also rebranding from SLBrowser to Metaverse Ink Search. This has been in the workings for some time, since Metaverse Ink is not just about search in Linden Lab’s grid. So instead of the question mark with dots on top that we used to have as logo, you’ll now see a feather and the letter M.
Good searches!