[Opensim-dev] thinking about a viewer

[Ai Austin]

Modular with as small a core as possible, but a key list of add-ins available.

Open source with flexible "any use" licence such as LGPL.

Ideally a base for traversing and viewing multiple and quite 
different virtual environments with an attempt to support movement 
between them while maintaining or correlating avatar identity.  Think 
a metaverse of multiple technology and newly emerging VWs with quite 
different levels of capability and facility... but having a lot in 
common in terms of handling 3D models, worlds and terrain, and some 
aspects of the avatar appearance, but certainly their common identity.

A grown up, capable and general use "hop://" style protocol for 
moving between worlds/domains/places with support for it everywhere 
in the viewer you might expect to use this.

Facilities to support transfer and reuse of assets across worlds and 
technologies... think an "intelligent suitcase" you can pack for 
specific trips.

This note on my thoughts on facilities for a future VW also could 
relate to what a modern and future looking viewer could look to 
support. Section 7 specifically mentions a next gen viewer to0.

http://blog.inf.ed.ac.uk/atate/2014/08/04/wishlist-for-next-gen-virtual-world/

Others have suggested an OpenSim specific viewer that would allow a 
break away from Linden labs and Second Life compatibility would be a 
god thing.  and I too think an ability to have OpenSim capabilities 
different to and beyond Second Life support would be positive... but 
having a single viewer that can access several grids is VERY useful 
and ensures we have most users with a viewer they install where we 
can just ask them to add to the grid list and go.. not download and 
learn a completely separate viewer.  the Firestorm method of having 
OpenSim support and a separate pathway to exclude licensed elements 
in a version open to access all grid I think is a good approach to 
get the best of both worlds.