[Opensim-dev] Thoughts on Scripting

[Mike Deem]

I've got a few thoughts about scripting and I would like your feedback.

But first, a bit of an introduction. I'm a professional software developer
with years of experience working on all kinds of distributed applications. I
became a SL resident, scripter, and builder in early 2006. I'm just
beginning to get involved with OpenSim. This is a hobby for me, it is
unrelated to my work.

For a while I've been thinking about "application models" for virtual
worlds. By "application model" I mean something that involves more than
simply scripting.

A traditional application is a package of application code, shared
libraries, resources like images, etc. A platform's application model
defines the structure of these packages as well as things like the security
model, installation services, etc. To the user, an application represents a
consistent self-contained "user experience," usually with a specific
purpose.

Of particular interest to me is the model for applications built *inside* a
virtual world.

A build of any level of complexity could be thought of as an application.
For example: a building with door and window scripts, an attachment with
configuration scripts, a vehicle, a stage with programed special effects for
a product presentation, etc.

SL offers a very rudimentary application model. You can put copies of
scripts in prims and you can link a limited number of prims together. The
platform also provides a security model and a number of other services.

However, the SL application model is missing a bunch of things. For example
we need a hierarchical prim model that supports any number of prims and at
region scale, a way to share and reuse script libraries, a way to update
things after they have been sold, given, or copied, etc.

As the complexity of builds increase, the missing features become quite
restrictive. This limits the ability of content creators to produce
compelling user experiences. That limits the adoption of the platform for
commercial purposes.

In addition, the SL script execution model is complex to implement
and requires a lot of computing resources. Specifically, treating global
script execution state as a persistent data store is very problematic.

I think we need something better. But I also think that making something
that is really better could require moving away from the SL model in some
fundamental ways.

What do you think?

  == Mike ==
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