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Hi Mike,<br>
<br>
OpenSim has a rudimentary application model, or even two: the one I'm
most familiar with are the region modules, and I think there's another
module system. They allow you to develop applications for the OpenSim
API. Developing for this API achieves everything you talk about -- or,
ahem, it will, once a few rough edges are taken care of. <br>
<br>
There's practically no documentation about this API, and about
application development with OpenSim, so at this point almost no one
knows about it. This is because both the API and the module systems are
still changing. You have to download the code and bravely browse
through it. In any case, the module system(s) in OpenSim is still not
as sophisticated as, say, a Tomcat webapp (there are no resources, for
example), but it is the beginning of what you are looking for.<br>
<br>
Crista<br>
<br>
<br>
Mike Deem wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:8e4c02c30809061353n3a6a2562r9fe08b5ca22f31b2@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div>I've got a few thoughts about scripting and I would like your
feedback.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
Of particular interest to me is the model for applications built <u>inside</u>
a virtual world.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.<br>
<br>
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.</div>
<div><br>
What do you think?</div>
<div> </div>
<div> == Mike ==</div>
</div>
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