Actually, I think to deal with the topic with reasonable clarity we need to back up a bit and examine the product we are talking about and what we were promised and what we can expect of it. (Plus my Christmas pudding is sitting so I have a bit of time though I should be wrapping things.)
KittyCatS Manual Wrote:Perma-Pet turns your KittyCatS into non-eating, non-breeding pet. Your cat will retain all other features, animations and ability to wear collars.
This is the official statement of what Perma-Pet is. It is a product that makes the cat non-eating. That's it. It is priced, I believe, at about 2 years worth of food costs. Assumptions about making the cat Permanent are
Strongly Implied by the name of the product, but there is nothing more than implication there. So having said that, KittyCatS would be well within their rights legally to not import a darned cat over to any future grid (there are likely to be more than one grid). Morally, and from a financial standpoint of business continuity (and not pissing off all the customers) and perhaps because they May WANT to, they should do more than the legal minimum.
Taken at the minimum product expectations, if SL2 is going into Beta in, let's say, 6 months?, we're looking at the exodus starting in, maybe a year? Lots of unknowns and wiggle room and so-forths here. So if you're buying a permapet potion today with the expectation of 2 years of food costs, well, you are probably likely to get your money's worth. But as time goes on, the cost of permapet potion should go down, not because of giving back something to customers and being nice, but because the product WILL NOT BE WORTH THE ADVERTISED PURPOSE.
(Yes, I know the Lindens say they have no
plans to shut down SL1, but that's because they're still building SL2. For them it's all about a smooth transition, which is what we should be aiming for as well. Yes they will run the 2 grids in tandem until it no longer makes sense for them to do so. That decision will not be made based on charity.)
Now there are other arguments to be put forward, and there are moral implications. And of course, now is not the time and place for magical language, like we sometimes hear about Menagerie (your cats live FOREVER in a land of sunshine and rainbows). And I would love to hear from some people who have purchased the mega mega collectibles at auctions. Now many of those were charity auctions and expectations may vary - which is why I'd love to hear from some of those people. I mean, I know that people buy fine wines at $1000 a bottle and then drink the wine, so it's not like paying a sum of money guarantees an expectation of Have Forever.
With computers and computer platforms as well - buying a computer today does not obligate the company to supply new updated computers to buyers. We are expected to upgrade at our own cost.
Right now SL2 is in alpha. I don't expect KittyCatS HQ to know much about what's going on and what to do. But when it goes to Beta, I think we need more information. And there should be clarity. Extreme clarity, about what products do, and if they are going to put out new products, differentiating products to move things to new grids and what kind of conversions will be offered free of charge (whether that is a Linden grid, a Facebook grid, or a Google grid - really there's a going to be a ton of money to be made if they will step up to make it.)
I said in the previous post that being a Perma-Pet should be a first class ticket to the new grid and I still believe that - they are selling the notion of "perma" and honestly most of these cats haven't been alive that long. But of course, things will change.