Friday, December 24, 2010

For Linden Lab, Santa Giveth and Santa Taketh Away

Joe Linden cc image courtesy flickr.com/photos/danielvoyager/4521023498
On the heels of the announcement that EA exec Rod Humble is joining Linden Lab as CEO, some rather somber yet unconfirmed news from Tateru Nino is afoot. Joe Miller aka Joe Linden is leaving, or has left, Linden Lab. He's no longer listed in the Second Life database, and he's no longer listed on the Linden Lab management page - we can only desperately hope it's in error.

Joe was what a few of us called the "adult supervision" at the Lab - formally he was the Vice President of Technology and Platform Development. Labels and titles notwithstanding, Joe is the kind of red shirt that any CEO might dream about - authentic, capable and seemingly patient without end.

I don't know how many times I've said that despite the swirling organizational mess and the rotating front door at the Lab, as long as Joe is there, we should be okay. If Joe's departure is true, then what that means is that you can erase every member from the Mark Kingdon era family tree .. except Frank Ambrose (FJ Linden).


Squirrel!

I was surprised at the Lab's media blitz surrounding Rod Humble who starts mid-January.  Perhaps it was to blur this stinging "say it ain't so, Joe" story. While I welcome Rod Humble as the new CEO of Linden Lab, what the World itself needs now is more Joe, not less.

From the post "Philip Needs A Number One if He Wants a Second Life" I wrote in June 2010:
Maybe what we need now is a Joe Linden 2.0. Joe Miller aka Joe Linden is a remarkable individual, capable, communicative and thoughtful. I watched him handle the Third Party Viewer explosion with grace and competence. He took what was seemingly an unraveling situation and righted it admirably.
But for the sake of stability and all things technical, let's hope Joe stays in his current role but I'd double down for a Number One that is zen-like mix of: a sprinkle of Philip, a heaping tablespoon of Robin Harper, a handful of Tom Kelley and a meaningful dash Joe Linden.
I hate a jinx.

Godspeed Joe, you will be sorely missed.

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