[Opensim-dev] The essence of "grid"

[Michael Cortez]

Just my pittance,

Assumptions: 
* We want to create virtual space
* We want to put this virtual space on networks to allow networked 
viewers to enter and possibly interact
* Some people may want to restrict what is and isn't allowed in their 
virtual space, including who is allowed and what they can do while there
* What we call a "Region" is simulation of a 256m x 256m region of 
virtual space

My thoughts:

To me, a Grid is a virtual space that can be of any given size, and to 
date, currently consists of one or more discrete Regions that are laid 
out in a two dimensional grid pattern.  A Grid allows for these discrete 
individual spaces to be joined together to provide a seamless virtual 
space that viewers can traverse as if they were a single large simulation.

A Grid can consist of just a single Region, or many Regions.

Within a Grid, it may be desirable to assign ownership of virtual space 
to specific agents for administration.  Those agents, through their 
viewers (or other means) should be able to determine who may enter their 
space, what those visitors can do once there, including what 
communications are available and what objects they may simulate.  
Currently we determine areas of administration in 256m^2 regions of 
space, that are then sub-divided by parcels.

To me the concept of a Region is inseparable from that of a Grid, 
because a Grid is a simply a representation of space and a Region a 
subset of that space.  Moving forward, the subsets of space within a 
Grid may not be 256m x 256m, instead they may be 1m x 1m, or they may be 
1000m x 1000m -- currently we're using 256m^2 simply because the legacy 
SL based viewers we have assume that regions of space within a Grid will 
be that size.  We already have people that are "splitting" the 
simulation of space represented by a Region, and the current 
implementation of OpenSim already allows for a single simulation to 
represent larger areas, albeit in 256m^2 chunks.

The various "grid services" -- such as users, inventory, assets, groups, 
messaging -- are what determines who may or may not interact with the 
virtual space, and what may or may not be placed within that virtual 
space, and how those who are connected to that space may communicate 
within and via that space.


For what this means to Diva's original question, I'm not sure.  But 
here's a few things to contemplate:

* If a subset of the assets an agent is going to use are solely in their 
control, and they specifically have to grant permission for a simulation 
to use those assets, then that negotiation should not be with a Region 
or a specific instance of simulation, but instead with a Grid.  Because 
in the seamless environment that a grid represents, a viewer who is 600m 
away may be looking at your avatar -- and the simulation that the viewer 
is in will need access to the assets that represent your appearance.  
This scenario is a little clouded, but still true with existing 
hypergrid regions now -- because every instance of OpenSim, is, in 
itself a self contained "Grid."

* Just because something is called a trust domain, does not mean that I 
trust it.  There are a lot of web sites out in the wild, each could be 
considered to be a stand alone trust domain, and some via certificates 
or other mechanisms join a larger trust domain, and I don't extend any 
level of trust to them what'so'ever and would never provide them with 
any personal data.  Other trust domains I will extend a little trust, 
I'll give them my email address, a preferred user name/alias, and a 
security token (password) that I will use just for them -- other trust 
domains I extend full trust to and share much of my important personal 
data with.  All that being a trust domain means, is that those members 
within that domain will fall under the administration of, and policies 
set forth by the trust domain -- if those policies are "Do what you 
want, and here's some unsecured storage space you can use, and an 
unverified database of users you can peruse", then as a user you must 
decide what level of actual trust to extend.  Often people extend more 
trust then they should through miss-understanding, for example people 
extended trust to Linden Labs on the *assumption* that their assets 
would be safe and protected from being copying within their trust domain 
(Second Life) -- however LL never made any such promise, nor are they 
even capable of enforcing such a policy {with a few exceptions including 
scripts and personal data, such as CC #'s}.


Cheers,
--
Michael Cortez