Craft styles itself 'The Friendly Grid' and that title is well deserved. Few opensim grids can boast such a long and successful life, and the secret is assuredly the community spirit.
But how do you create this kind of enduring family? It starts at the top.
Tao and Licu, taken at the 2014 anniversary party |
Tao at last year's celebration |
Based in Italy, Craft is a rare example of a truly international grid, with English, Italian, and German all getting equal ranking, and plenty of room made for other languages too, thanks to ties with grids around the world, in Europe and the US, Australia and even Japan.
Craft-Store |
Oberon put 15k of prims on his sim in Craft. Why? Just for the heck of it. |
Nicola Reinerman in the garden of one of his villas. Those are my 'What was I thinking?' Capri pants. |
Museo del Metaverso |
I remember too the first day we got Voice, and can boast the title of 'first person to giggle audibly on Craft'. There have been ups and downs, memorably a bit of an Inventory hiccup back in 2011, never to be repeated, and lots of comings and goings as people moved about the Metaverse, or moved on with their lives. Kindness, honesty, a readiness to admit mistakes and learn from them, these are just some of the assets that have won Licu and Tao the respect and loyalty of their residents and 'foreign friends'.
Michelle Tech |
Craft has grown, but in an intelligent way, not seeking merely to be the biggest, the richest, or by inflating their statistics to make themselves look more busy than they really are. It has welcomed educational and cultural builds, like Edu3d, and Roxelo Babenco's Museo del Metaverso; Michelle Tech's Mathland, and Werner Clasen's Hildesheim, as well as the group build, appropriately named sim Bel Paese, bringing together the talents of Ger Orsini, Ana 57, Laura Benusconi, Eva Kraal, Terry Bond, Vicus Serenity, amaranta Verino, xSIBERIAx ILFREDDOPURIFICA, xyonne fauno, and Giliola Allen to create a regional, culinary map of Italy. These are just a handful of the myriad projects going on on Craft, from the small but beautifully imagined builds by single individuals all the way up to the Brera Academy's involvement in the grid.
Italy... il bel paese |
This post would not be complete without some words about Licu Rau. There are all kinds of grid owners, the ones who fiddle with the code and break it, the ones who are never available, suddenly disappear, or micromanage everything, the ones who are aloof, or a little bit too friendly, the ones with delusions of grandeur, or too distracted by Real Life to have a decent plan for their grid's future.
Licu is none of those things. This modest, patient, generous man has shepherded his grid, and the community that counts upon it, through many storms. He has done so without losing his sense of humor, or his desire to maintain a reasonably priced virtual home, a finely crafted world where people can safely build and express themselves, and share with others. I'm immensely proud to call him my friend.
Congratulations, Tao, Licu and to all the residents of Craft.
Please join us to honor Craft Grid's 6th Anniversary on Wednesday, January 27.
HG Address craft-world.org:8002:suq
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