[Opensim-dev] HG Versions and Changes

[kidd piko]

On Sun, Dec 12, 2010 at 6:13 PM, Diva Canto <diva at metaverseink.com> wrote:
>
> We have been using "interface version numbers" to refer to communications
> between simulators and their central services *within* grids. We introduced
> these numbers mainly because of OSGrid, where the central services are run
> by one group of people and the simulators are run by others, and therefore
> the software upgrades are not coordinated.


Diva,

Thank you for your informative posts regarding HG versioning,
interface version numbers, and OSGrid's proxy issues. Anyone who was
unclear on those topics should be well informed now.

To further clarify some of the earlier statements that Ai made, any
reference to interface numbers in relation to the HG 1.5 protocol has
been purely out of neccessity.

IMHO, just as "interface version numbers" were introduced to help
coordinate communications between simulators and their central
services, the decentralized peer-2-peer network of the thousands of
active HyperGrid nodes also need adequate version numbers in order to
coordinate communications between each other.

Even though the HG 1.5 protocol has not changed, the facts on the
ground are that grids/standalones using Interface 6 cannot communicate
with grids/standalones using Interface 7. No matter how many times
someone is told that the HG 1.5 protocol has not changed, it does not
change the fact that they cannot travel to the same destinations that
they could before they upgraded to Interface 7.

As you are aware, we manage a network of 300+ HyperGates. Every week
we provide hundreds of HyperGrid addresses to HyperGrid travellers via
those HyperGates and via our web site http://TheHyperGates.com . When
HyperGate owners began updating to revisions that contained the newer
Interface 7, it quickly became clear that all Interface 7
grids/standalones could only travel between each other and could no
longer travel to destinations that had not updated yet.

When this incompatibility became appearant, we were sure that even
though the HG 1.5 protocol had not changed, a new revision or
maintenance number was going to be announced in order to coordinate
communications between compatible HyperGrid destinations. Something
like an "HG 1.5.1" announcement would have made the situation
instantly clear to many HyperGrid travellers and region owners alike.

When this new HG revision/maintenance number announcement was never
made, we were forced with either providing people incompatible HG 1.5
destinations or splitting our HG 1.5 HyperGate Network into 2 seperate
networks and coming up with our own naming to differentiate between
the two. Since the only difference between the two networks was the
Interface number that they each used, we decided to label the two
networks according to their Interface numbers: i.e. HG 1.5 i6 and HG
1.5 i7.

We strongly support any decision to begin version numbering the HG
protocol in an effort to better indicate compatibility.

We are all fully aware the OpenSim is still in alpha and that HG still
needs a lot of work, but the first time HG traveller doesn't care
about version numbers and can't be bothered to hunt down the
undocumented ins and outs of HyperGridding. To them, it either works
or it is broken. And first impressions can mean a lot.

Anything that can help region/grid owners build a more reliable mesh
of HyperGrid destinations for their first time HG travellers, can only
help the overall advancement of the HyperGrid.


kidd