:: SW City's Mission Statement

Dear Active Worlds User,

You are perhaps wondering why we have chosen to write out a mission statement for a virtual city that really can only claim around five hundred people as its permanent residents (not really, but who's counting?). Well, there's more to us than just who builds in the city. It's who hangs out with us too.

We here at SW City pride ourselves on our community that we have built up around us and wish to clarify what we're all about, as the marketting firm responsible for promoting the film Alfie would term it. Consequently, nobody really knows who Alfie is, or what it is all about, since the 2004 film failed dismally and can be ranked as a step lower than that of Gigli, and so none of you probably got that reference in the first place. Ahem.

The staff have worked tirelessly to promote good community values and wholesome relationships (being high in iron and low in fat, wholesome relationships are of course the key ingredient to anyone's daily dose of protein and rich interactions with other people), and yet we have the nagging feeling that some people don't share this opinion. That is why we felt it necessary to write this letter to you. And so, here we all are. Continuing on...

There have been in the past (and probably still are) people who for whatever reason feel that they must besmirch our good name as upstanding citizens of the Active Worlds userbase. This letter in addition to its purpose of welcome, is merely to help you decide for yourself just exactly, who is right, if anyone can be said to be right at all. After all, the concept of correctness is a rather relative thing. But we, the staff, digress. Again.

In an effort to get back on topic, the staff presents a short list of points that we wish to communicate in this letter but have thus far failed at doing so.

1. The staff promotes community by encouraging discussion on our forums. And sometimes those discussions and the opinions within them can be controversial. Many of you may not agree with said opinions, yet we feel that in the interests of free speech and (for all intents and purposes) sharpening our wit, that we allow these discussions to take place.

2. The staff also likes to do a fair amount of building in-world, and regardless of what you may have heard, encourages builders to come and build on our land in specially designated places. Feel free to telegram any of us for a plot of land.

3. Because our city is so big, the staff devotes much attention to it and dotes upon it constantly. What can we say? SW City is like the proverbial daughter with a Princess mentality. And as loving fathers we must cater to her every desire and whim. This may have the adverse affect of isolating ourselves from others and may create an atmosphere of exclusivity. This couldn't be farther from the truth and we welcome all people. And SW City welcomes you too. After all she, like many girls of her type, prefers open ended relationships.

What it really comes down to is this. We love people! And we love to be wacky. You could probably tell the latter from the very beginning and are perhaps just now conceiving that the former is indeed very possible. We wouldn't want to push people away. And so we would never intentionally do that. Of course, sometimes our crazy insanity gets to some people, but otherwise, we're as the late Douglas Adams would term it, mostly harmless. But if you feel that we have hurt you or someone in some way, go ahead and telegram us and we'll talk about it.

It is our belief that the humorous yet serious nature of this letter to you will underscore our commitment to be nice and to not spread false rumors nor otherwise attempt to destroy any person's credibility. We leave that to those people who need no help in doing so.

Welcome, dear user, to SW City. Enjoy your stay. And please, watch out for the gooberfish.

Sincerely,

Housekeeping