Linden Lab, Don’t Feel My Pain

No pictures in this post. I don’t want to associate anyone’s lovely work with my complaining grumpy post about the clear evidence that Linden Lab’s left hand has no idea what its right hand it doing – and vice versa.

The newest update to the viewer broke something for us Mac users. I did all the usual steps to fix it, clean install, etc. Since it was a new update to the viewer, I headed to he JIRA and searched to see if someone else had already reported it. There was nothing, so I wrote a short report.

Shortly after, I was informed that it was a duplicate of BUG-3848 and the issue was closed. Unfortunately, the staff person did not provide a link to BUG-3848 so I could check if there was a work-around or see how much they were going to prioritize fixing it. I tried searching for it by number but that was forbidden. Browsing the 15,000 plus returns for the word snapshot also revealed nothing. Don’t worry, I am not insane, I sorted alphabetically so I did not actually look at every heading. I finally found a link to it via Google, but it turns out I did not have permission to see it. I bet you don’t either.

Frustrated, I went to the Online Chat to request a download link for the previous viewer. This experience worked on my last nerve. The interaction could easily have been with some Artificial Intelligence scripted with responses to specific keywords, incapable of actually listening to what was needed. The name has been changed to protect the hapless.

Hapless CSR: Hello! I may be working with multiple issues already, so please explain your issue (including any ticket numbers we will be discussing) and I will be with you shortly.
 
Please note: Live Chat is unable to assist with abuse-related issues. Abuse reports can be submitted using the Second Life viewer’s built-in tool under the Help menu.
 
You: Hello, I have a mac and the BUG 3848 issue is affecting me – not that I can actually find that in the JIRA because I keep getting permission errors trying to find it. However, the newest viewer is unusable.
Hapless CSR: Hi Cajsa. My name is Hapless. I would like to thank you for contacting Linden Lab Support.
You: Is there a link to download the most recent viewer before Wednesday’s update?
Hapless CSR: I’m sorry to hear that you’re being affected by the 3848 bug. I know how frustrating this can be
Hapless CSR: It will be my pleasure to assist you today
You: Great
Hapless CSR: here is a link to our current version of Second Life viewer
You: I don’t want the current version
You: it has the bug
You: i want the one that was current on Tuesday
Hapless CSR: http://secondlife.com/support/downloads/.
You: yeah, that is the one that has the bug
Hapless CSR: I’m sorry that this has happened to you, but that is the only version it is as of right now
You: Since Wed’s update, I cannot take pictures because I lose control of the avatar and all the huds’
You: since this is a known bug (and why can’t I find it in the JIRA) do you have a work around?
Hapless CSR: I am sorry that this has happened to you and I know how aggravating this can be, but you would have to review the bug report
You: I cannot review the bug report
Hapless CSR: to see a work around.
You: because I cannot find it
You: and it won’t allow me to search for 3848
Hapless CSR: You will have to submit a bug report
You: I did
You: they told me it was a duplicate of 3848 and closed it
You: but they did not have the sense to include a link to 3848
You: and I cannot find it
You: and when I found someone else writing about it and followed the link
You: I got a permission error – not allowed to see it
You: https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/BUG-3848
You: that does not work
Hapless CSR: I understand and I am sorry this happened to you, but since it is a bug, you will have to submit a bug report
You: I TRIED VERY HARD to figure this out myself first
You: I submitted a bug report
Hapless CSR: I understand
Hapless CSR: submit another one
You: It was closed because it was a duplicate
You: but it will not allow me to see the bug it is a duplicate of
Hapless CSR: I am sorry you’re having trouble, but we do not have access to bug reports
You: Good grief
Hapless CSR: when a bug report has been submitted, the resident will have to re-check the report for solution
Hapless CSR: Is there anything else that I can assist you with today?
You: Since you did not assist me in the first place, I don’t think the word “else” applies. But thank you for your time.
Hapless CSR: I’m sorry that you feel that way. feel free to contact us again. you have a wonderful day
 

OK, so I was a little snarky at the end. My bad.

Why are the folks who provide technical assistance unable to reference actual  bug reports? That makes no sense. Why are bug reports hidden and if they are hidden, then don’t be surprised by duplicate bugs. Why, if someone has a duplicate of a previously reported bug, why are they not added to the list of people allowed to see the super-secret bug report? Why are bug reports more closely guarded than NSA documents?

Why couldn’t the tech support person give me a link to the old viewer. Thankfully, help came for Second Life residents, who seem to know more than the staff, and I was directed to the Release Notes where vintage viewers are archived, including the last one. Why didn’t the Hapless One know this?

Incidentally, I took his advice and submitted another bug report, but probably not the one he expected.

Here’s the thing. I don’t need the Lab to feel my pain. I really don’t care that they understand my frustration or are sorry this happened to me. It seems ever since Clinton won a debate by feeling our pain, empathy has replaced action and sympathy has replaced support. I did not need empathy, I needed information. I got it, but not from Linden Lab.

 

 

 
 
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