Is it likely to be maintained?

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I couldn't find it anywhere.

Assuming the Linux client is made stable and released - how much extra work is involved each time you create a new patch?

Is it written in a fairly 'cross-platform' way so that you only have to code a patch once and do minor stuff to patch the Linux (and Mac) client or is there a lot of work involved so that eventually you might say "sorry, it's too much work each time a new patch is released" and stop maintaining it? (I believe Sony did this with EQ for Mac, I'm not sure as I never bought it)

Not being cynical, I only ever expect the best from LL, just want to make sure we know what to expect

The linux client code has been integrated into the main codebase Compiling a new binary is a simple process, however we don't have an internal packaging tool yet (I've been making the tarballs semi-manually).

Once Icculus or I get around to making the tarballs automated, we'll probably make sure building a linux client is just a normal part of pushing out patches. In meantime I will be pushing out new versions when necessary.

I for one am glad that you guys are doing this. I had never heard of SL before. Happened to see the linux client announcement on Slashdot. So I downloaded the Win and Linux client (figured I try it on the wifey's winbox to see what it's supposed to be like before trying the Linux client).

Turns out SL is not compatible with her ATI AIW video card....so I actually can't even play SL unless it's on my LINUX machine. And no I can't switch cards with her as she likes to watch her soap opera (Days of our Lives) while on the computer.

I, personally, am glad to have discovered SL - Linux support for this kind of thing has traditionally sucked rocks. I'm glad I don't have to run the Windows client through Wine or WineX

Don,

Have you considered make a bootable live Linux CD with the client and some common video drivers on it? This would allow Windows users to try out the client with a simple reboot.

-Merv

Is there really much point in that? It's not like the windows client is difficult to install or anything.

Now that's something to consider. I think you can remaster Damn Small Linux to do it too, if not Gentoo.

Wouldn't it be easier for them to just install it under Windows?

But you would be able to walk up to a computer and be able to play SL from the disk. Along with alowing people to see the diffrence the the linux client can make on the computer .. Not somthing that I think needs major suport and work done on it till we get out of alpha and probly beta. but a good Idea .. Now I would like one that could boot off of a flash drive so you can keep it updated easyly, not that a new CD every month would kill most people .. and hey isn't that was CDR-W's are for .. I knew they had a reason.

Since the original 1.8.4 was broken (moving textures problem), I would be interested as to when we will see the updated version on the linux alpha download page?

The old 1.8.4 is effectively unusable, and I hate to be forced back to Windows...

Indeed, you can get mostly the same effect by disconnecting your speakers and prying off most of the keys on your keyboard.

Yeah, I know it is alpha code which means that it is limited compared to the current Windows beta; I'm not quite that stupid.

So Intro, you're saying that I could play the linux client on my ipod?

Seriously, I managed to wrangle this answer for what it's worth. Feel free to click back through the links to see how many times I had to ask. Lost count myself.

I see answers on the original question posted before you posted the question the second time

Congratulations. Links would have been helpful.

The previous answers are
and guesses posted in the original thread by fellow residents.

Each post links to the previous incarnation all the way back to this forum.

A live CD seems like a silly idea, configuring linux to access the internet is still damn hard if you've only ever used Windows. You'd have to support all the atrocious USB ADSL modems out there, get PPPoE to play nice and even then it would still be a hassle because, in the UK at least, most ISPs customise the modem drivers so that you don't have to enter all those freaky ADSL specific settings.

Then you have to support all the cable modems, some of which are USB.

Then you have to support PPP, good luck making that easy for a Windows user.


I think an easier way to do this would be to have an SL CD for Windows that doesn't need to be installed.

Actually, I belive all of that has been mitigated by using stock kernels from Knoppix or Gentoo. If there's a ADSL or Cable PPPoE modem that's USB only, then they probaby use the USB Ethernet class (and is already supported by the kernel). Most likely they have Ethernet ports on them and thus support shifts to the Ethernet port (which if it's the common case, gets configured via DHCP). Ethernet cards are cheap anyway. Ether way, I belive Knoppix and Damn Small Linux already has a configuration tool with makes the odd-ball case (direct connecton to a PPPoE-using broadband provider).

Of course, why would anyone want to play SL on a dialup connection is beyond me...

Most ADSL modems I've encountered present themselves as modems or ISDN devices, some of them take freaky init strings to configure the ADSL settings, and I've seen one that actually uses the phone number for this job!
The ISP supplied software then creates a DUN connection for you and fills all this in.

Actually, in PCLinuxOS, this is all just as easy (if not easier!) than in windows, at least on every system I've set it up on, which is about half a dozen very different configs. All US tho, so no weird UK modem drivers to worry about.

Since SL gets a regular update, it would be very tricky getting the current version out in time, before the next update made the Live CD obsolete

I can't see much hope for a live CD of SL Linux, unfortunately.

--- EDIT ---

It does run FROM a live cd. See this post:

/263/38/91138/1.html

--- End EDIT ---

Ooh, forgot I made this thread. Thanks for the swift reply, Don!

I can't see a live CD being much use from an ease-of-installation point of view, but for corporate PCs where everything is locked down in Windows however....

Wow, if there are corporate PCs which allow you to boot from CD, the sysadmins there must be absolute idiots. Security bypass in the press of a button! Just asking for trouble! But would be nice for a quick game of SL (if the firewall allows it!)