Right, what do we need to do to move OpenGrid along?

The current model of everything being under Linden Lab's roof isn't working; it's too subject to the arbitrary decisions of one organization.

I know it's early days yet for OpenGrid, http://osgrid.org/ but hey, it's early days for LL, too. What do we need to do to move OpenGrid along? What can those people who aren't machine coders do to help? Can we organize a migration site for Second Life residents to help them understand what is involved in making the move, and how to do it?

One of the barriers for me with OpenGrid is, well, not being sure where to start. There are so many grids:

http://opensimulator.org/wiki/Grid_List

Do they all connect with each other? If so, why not? Where are there some "central-ish" places on the web to try to understand how to make the move? Many thanks to anyone who can answer.

Someone has recommended to me http://avatarhangout.com/, part of OpenGrid. Apparently they have implemented a permissions system, and a currency system. Shop keepers are setting up businesses there now. Their "low prim" sims hold up to 5,000 prim and cost $25 US to purchase. Etc. They are open for business.

p.s. I can see Sinewave is now getting into OpenGrid: http://osgrid.org/index.php?page=gridstatus&btn=3

One thing OLG could do is make their virtual world compatible with Macintosh users. A lot of artists/creators use Mac's, but are essentially locked out of PC world. It's frustrating. I would love to go to OLG and start creating.

Can't you use the regular SL viewer to connect with a Mac? You can with PC.

OpenSim needs a micro currency and an economy otherwise it's pointless.

I don't know, but would welcome trying.

I must agree that without an economy and currency, there is little reason to dig in and work one's rear end off. The incentive for me to become heavily involved in a virtual world is to create a viable business. Without the foundations of an economy, it simply becomes a game. I don't have time for games. SL, admittedly, and this is why the price hike and LL's bait and switch mentally, is not only disappointing, but hurtful.

You may have missed this in the posting that started off the thread:

>> Someone has recommended to me http://avatarhangout.com/, part of OpenGrid. Apparently they have implemented a permissions system, and a currency system.

Right, apparently using this tool:

http://www.xstreetsl.com/modules.php?name=Marketplace&file=item&ItemID=612924

You can download anything you created in SL, and upload it into OpenLife. So you can migrate the stuff you created. You can take it with you!

If your only interest is in running a business, and you can continue to make money in SL, then naturally you would not want to switch.

Probably the reason why opensims aren't rushing to add economies is because the main grid will be a better choice for any in-world business simply due to the concentration of customers there.

I have two concerns with the OpenGrid places I've seen...

1) No recruitment strategy for new users. What I mean is, apparently no new user experience, it all seems to be geared toward would-be OpenGrid developers. LL has a hard enough time recruiting people into SL, I just don't know how OG can grow beyond disgruntled SL users...

2) No intellectual property protections. Basically everything you build is full permissions. While I understand the technical limitations and honesty in admitting you can't keep our builds safe... it also gives me basically zero incentive to build cool content to keep other users interested. That's true whether I'm trying to make Mad Profits(tm) or just want to share my work without feeling like it's getting stolen/repurposed in ways I don't want.

Jen, did you check out the grids which have implemented permissions (such as the one I mentioned in starting off this thread?) I haven't had time to yet.

The problem with even the existing virtual money systems is that they all seem to be one way only which is buy only, there is no way to sell currency not to mention on an open market and until you can sell either at least at a fixed rate it isn't a currency system it's just game bucks.

You can always sell currency, you just need to find a buyer.

They don't offer a sales facility, because the creators aren't interested in buying their own virtual currency.

The problem of course is that either they have to create a marketplace (like the Lindex) to facillitrate buying and selling of the currency or get the population and the economy up the point where a third party is willing to create/bring in a marketplace for such trades.

so, someone like xstreet sl (which apparently changed its name to start preparing to handle other virtual worlds) or Ansche Chung's http://www.anshex.com/ might step in eventually who knows.

We've gone the route of outside dependence on the bulk of currency exchange and I will argue that it did not work so well. Institutionalizing it (read: Linden Exchange) has kept it stable pretty much since the inception of the exchange.

We are not talking about simply a group of crasftsmen and women who wish to explore avenues for creativity without an expectation for return. People want to get paid and people (many who create in SL) are seeking new avenues that provide for IP protections. There is little, if any IP enforcement mechanism in SL or any of these proposed grids.

At some point, without a stable currency and some expectation of ROI, people will just give-up.

Now I do know and appreciate that a reasonable reaction would be to tell me that OpenGrid does not want to be SL-lite and that it is about more than making money but let's be realistic. The infrastructure requires investment and I just don't see accomplished people investing in a Grid that really is little more than an escape pod for those who are frustrated by our current overlords.