[Opensim-dev] thinking about a viewer

[Mister Blue]

I've been seriously thinking about creating a new viewer project. But with
Maria's survey[1] and all the different virtual world announcements
happening and the lively OpenSimulator vs Unity discussion on the
opensim-user list, I'd like to open up the discussion to the OpenSimulator
development community[2].

LL is making a new world and viewer (closed and proprietary as far as I
know). HighFidelity is making a new world and viewer (open source with
commercial 'grid services'). Unity 5 will have a multi-platform web viewer
and a new multi-user backend (pricing not announced). There are various
wonderful open source virtual world projects (realXtend, Virtual World
Framework, ...) as well as many emerging technologies (xml3d, html5,
asm.js). There are several forks of OpenSimulator (Aurora, ArribaSim, ...)
that have made many enhancements to the base system. Add to that several
successful virtual worlds build on OpenSimulator (inWorldz, Anvination,
Kitely, ...) as well as a few packaged distributions of OpenSimulator
(Diva, ...). Add to that the many SL/OpenSim third party viewers based on
the LL viewer. And that's just in our sphere. There is much more happening
in the gaming and education and training communities.

So, what could a new viewer add to the mix? Whatever a new view does, it
approaches the question of what OpenSimulator should be three years from
now.

For me, there are two basic choices[3]: evolutionary change or
revolutionary change.

Evolutionary change says to build on existing OpenSimulator. Make due with
the existing LLLP (Linden Lab Legacy Protocol) and improve vehicles, make
installation and use easier and add an easier to use and improve viewer.

Revolutionary change would be striking off on a new virtual world
architecture. It could have LLLP support but only for downward
compatibility and to keep that community and content. But other questions
arise: How would one build a viewer/virtual world where a HiFi avatar could
stand next to a SL avatar? How could content be delivered to a viewer so it
is displayable but is not in the original, copyable form? How to leverage
the distribution and power of 'the cloud'[4]? How could one make
hypergridable grids across the many virtual worlds?

What do you  think? Evolution or revolution?

-- mb

[1]
http://www.hypergridbusiness.com/2014/08/survey-better-vehicles-search-most-wanted-in-opensim/
[2] I see this expanding to other forums eventually.
[3] With a lot of gray area in between
[4] I'm always amazed by Google Maps -- it displays the map with traffic
overlays and I can zoom in and out with almost immediate response. Why
can't a virtual world viewer do that?
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