Open Source / Open Grid

Ok. Forgive me if there have been other topics about this or if there was a better place to post this in, but I wanted to ask a few questions about this "Open Source" project I have been hearing about. I know it basically means just releasing the source code, which has already happened since long ago, but what I am interested in is the "Open Grid" system.

Open grid, if I am right, means that everyone will be able to host a grid and/or sim (curious which of the two in my list of questions) on their own servers/computers, just like on most ordinary video games these days, where one makes a server and everyone joins by writing an IP / Server name to connect to. If it's true, I have a number of things I would really really like to know about it. So, what I (and certainly not only me) am curious to know about is:

- Firstly, when will the first beta, client or system that will allow such a thing be released? And I don't mean as a fully standing project or a project at certain steps, I just mean when will the first application/code/patch that will allow someone to host a sim/grid someone else can connect to be available for download?

- Will Linden still ask for money to host your own sim, and ask you to pay them either one time either monthly to run your sim and keep it available? I would normally say no, cuz you host it on your own PC and that would be over the line, but who knows.

- Is a rumor I heard true, that you need over 100TB disk space to host a sim because of the size of the physics codes or that you need to host all the textures on the main grid on your computer to run a sim? Personally I don't believe this but...

- How will a hosted grid be tied to the main one? Do we still need the same SL accounts to use a hosted-by-someone grid? Or can we just use a nickname and log on if we don't want to? Also, I want to know if Linden will still have the power to ban and assault minors in adult sims, or if they'll finally leave us alone there and everyone can join and do what they want with/on their own sims like it's normal, without them having the right to any more interfere over others. Normally, I would say this should be possible too.

- Can you still teleport, or probably even fly from one a sim to another if one is on the main grid and the other hosted by you? Also, can you still be using the objects/textures/sounds from the main grid there? What happens if you build something on another grid and keep it in your inventory? Will it be available on the main grid too? Also, if a texture or sound for an object is on one of the hosted grids, will it be available on the main one as long as that server is online? How do we use real L$'s on a hosted sim?

- My last question for now, and most important. Will Linden still hold the power to "undo" the open source system once they release it, and have the power to attack other sims like they do on their own grid? Will we still be dependent on Linden in anything else then the software updates they will release periodically? I pray we'll be free of them, though knowing Linden, they are never the kind that would ever make a compromise like giving away any power they can have >.>

That's all I wanted to ask for now. If anyone knows, I would really love to know exactly what the Open Grid system will bring. If anyone also knows about an "minimum system requirements" is for hosting too, that would be really nice. So yeah, what will Open Grids bring to everyone? And most of all, how much freedom will everyone have and how free will everything be?

First, I suspect a lot of your questions can't be answered by us simply because LL does not share this information (assuming they even know themselves).

A good place to get info about the open source aspects of SL is the Wiki. Here are some links:

SL Open Source Portal:
https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Open_Source_Portal

Main open source FAQ:
http://secondlife.com/developers/opensource/faq

Extended open source FAQ:
https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Extended_FAQ

Right now there is no solid information about open sourcing the server side of second life beyond the general intent to do so. There was a blog entry about the release of some of their web services libraries http://blog.secondlife.com/2007/08/24/more-open-source-our-web-services-libraries[\url] Beyond that, there isn't much other than rumor and speculation.

That explains why there's no info about it anywhere. Why would Linden want to keep that kind information hidden though? Is there not even an estimated release date?

As for the Open Grid project, it's partly because LL makes their money off hosting sims. Open Grid would allow other people to host their own sims, and LL hasn't figured out how to make $$ off that.

Plus, there are asset and security issues with allowing access to other people's sims, that would also have to be worked out.

I predict the first use of open source sims will be to allow people to work off-line, perfect for builders, scripters and texture development.

Mircea, there is no announced open source sim code date because the Lindens don't yet know it.

This thread, which started last April and ended last month, is a good summary of current forum thinking on this topic:
/327/6d/178437/1.html

From your posting, it seems that you're mostly interested in an Open Grid. You don't absolutely need open source for that, just open sim hosting and an interoperability standard. LL and others have just recently begun working on that.

You might also want to follow the wiki/blog that discusses the new SL architecture project now in progress. Open source SL sims, and even open grid, will require some new doodads that are discussed by those involved in the architecture planning.

Have fun!

That helps... thank you all very much.

SL's architecture doesn't resemble anything like a video game's (or even a web server) where you have only one server which hosts all of the content and stands on its own.

Non-official optimistic guesses for an LL open-sourced sim seem to be on the order of two years.

If you mean integrating into the existing SL grid, you'd need to at least have a reservation of where your sim is located on the grid. LL could go the same way there as ICANN does for domain names and charge a recurring fee for that.

On the other hand, your sim will still rely on all of LL's backend services so it's probably not going to be "dirt cheap".

LL has - as far as I know - never stated that you'd ever be able to hook your own sim directly into the grid, the last time I checked the wiki actually states the opposite.

From what I understand a sim doesn't really do or contain a whole lot (right now everything passes through the sim, but that won't be the case for much longer).

It keeps track of what prims are rezzed, avies that are present and executes any running scripts along with calculating physics. Assets will be downloaded directly from the asset server and about the only thing the sim would do is relay chat, hand over a list of which prims are rezzed, and any movement of those sims or avies.

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All that said, I don't think LL will ever allow individuals to hook any sim into the SL grid. What they might end up doing is to allow external SL-compatible grids to interoperate with SL, but I think that for most people that experience would be quite dissapointing.

Content would have to be explicitly marked to be allowed to transfer grids due to copying so jumping from one grid to another would leave you with nothing except say full permission freebies and your L$ balance probably wouldn't transfer since that would be too much of a risk.

It would allow LL to remain in complete control of their own grid, allow people to have their own private little sandbox and give companies of a way of having an entirely private grid, and would keep anyone from effectively ruining the land model since very few if any people would rent on land where most of their inventory vanishes or becomes unusable the moment they tp to it.