Day: November 5, 2012

Oskar Linden leaves Linden Lab

Posted on by Daniel Voyager

SL Breaking News

Oskar Linden today posted on the SLUniverse Forums that his employment at Linden Lab was terminated on Friday 2nd November 2012. This relates to last weekend rumors about Oskar Linden being fired via SLUniverse Forums. Sadly the rumors have been confirmed by Oskar Linden and questions will be asked about his departure now for weeks to come i’m sure. I think many appreciated Oskar Linden’s work and SL/LL communications over the years. Oskar Linden was Lead QA and Server Engineer who will be missed deeply by the SL community. I wish him all the best for the future!

Update

Maestro Linden will be be taking over Oskar Linden Server Beta Group Office Hours weekly in Second Life.

(Snapshot above: Oskar Linden in early 2011)

The weekend rumors recently I didn’t want to publish anything because it wasn’t official until now. I’m glad its all been cleared up on the rumor side of things. Oskar Linden explains what’s happening in via the SLU thread below…

To solidify all rumors, yes my employment was terminated by Linden Lab last Friday. It was a surprise Skype call with the manager of my department and HR. At the same moment all my accounts were locked and I was told a courier was on the way to my house to take my laptop. This is standard operating procedure at the Lab. The reasons given were quite vague, but at the root of it was complaints from a griefer who I had banned from a private testing sandbox that I managed after he was harassing people and threatening to crash them and the region. 

I was also told that there were issues with my communications. I don’t understand that because I have operated in the role of public communicator for the lab for three years and have always had stellar reviews. It’s not like the reasons really matter anyway. When the Lab wants you gone it’s over.

To be quite honest this has all come as a surprise and a shock. I have known for a while that this would happen eventually though. All Lindens fear ‘the skype call’. The old Linden culture is long gone. Many Lindens are disappeared in that way when the Lab no longer has use for them. It has been difficult working through the changes at the Lab the past few years. I could have left, perhaps I should have left on my own. I would have been better off. I did not choose to do so because I was dedicated to the wonderful residents I have met during my 4 years working on SL. I was committed to all of you and committed to making Second Life and Linden Lab a better place. I felt I was fighting the good fight and didn’t want to just run away. I felt that I was making a difference. I hope that I did.

I have no idea what is next for me. I have varied passions that I will follow until I feel the need to pursue further employment.

I have nothing disparaging to say about Linden Lab, in fact I am not legally allowed to because of the wording of my separation agreement. 🙂 Linden Lab is cotton candy and kittens, unicorns and rainbows. 

I greatly appreciate all of you who friended me and were so passionate about helping me make Second Life a better place. Your enthusiasm to help find bugs greatly helped the quality of the server code. You are all amazing. You are Second Life, not Linden Lab. Never forget that. I love you all and will miss working with you greatly!

o_Oskar

Farewell Oskar Linden and thanks for everything SL!