[UPDATE 10:25 am PDT - May 2, 2007] Grid update - we are currently testing the server patch. Please note, once the grid has opened, if you initiate a group IM while in a region that has not yet restarted, you may see an error message that reads: “Error messaging chat session with <GROUP NAME>. Error making request, please try again later.” However, your group message is getting through and once the region has been restarted the error should no longer appear. Thank you for your patience while we improve Second Life.

[UPDATE 9:48am PDT - May 2, 2007]: The grid is currently down and we are on track with our server side update. Once the grid is reopened, there will be a rolling restart in progress so you may 1) be told to move to another region as the restart progresses through the grid and 2) script-generated email may not work in regions that have not yet been restarted. We anticipate that the rolling restart will be completed by 11:15am PDT.

[UPDATE - 8:55am PDT - May 2, 2007]: We are currently shutting down the grid for the server update. Please watch this blog for more information. Don’t forget to check out the Beta Test Grid

[Tuesday, May 1st, 2007 at 5:01 PM PDT] Apologies for the late notice, tomorrow (Wednesday, May 2) from 9am until 11am PDT, the Second Life grid will be down for 1.15.0 patches. This is a server update only, there will not be a required viewer download needed.

The patch should fix several of the Group IM issues which have been present since the 1.15.0 update last week, including:

1) “X has left the session” is not seen when someone has spoken then left the group IM session
2) Group IM channel is spammed as each person leaves regardless of whether or not those people chatted in the session
3) Group IMs take up to 5 minutes to get through to you after a teleport.

This patch also fixes issues with caching Resident names on simulators, which added to simulator load.

The Beta grid will be available during the downtime, please feel free to jump in and try the new Voice feature. Second Life Beta viewers can be downloaded from the Beta Test Grid page of our website.

Thank you all for your patience while we improve the Second Life experience.