One of the leading platforms based off of the open source library is OpenSim. Because this platform is based off of the open source libraries offered to the community by Linden Labs, there are many similarities between them on the front end. One of the most easily recognizable features is the ability to connect to OpenSim with the Second Life viewer. So on the user’s side it is business as usual. On the server side is where all the differences are noticeable. Linden Labs didn’t make their Second Life server code available with the open sourcing of the library but that didn’t stop an enthusiastic community from developing a fully open alternative. It’s this enthusiasm that has caught the attention of many companies throughout the world.
These companies have the foresight to see some of the same similarities between the pre and post-internet booms. Consider for a moment the ability to open an internet browser and surf to any location virtually by means of porting, just like residents currently do in Second Life. The commercial implications of this ability alone would constitute untold revenues. With the advancement of technologies the computing environment undergoes, open sourcing of the library by Linden Labs may be the best means of creating a truly immersive 3D virtual environment capable of functioning much the same way the World Wide Web is presented to users today.
While some may argue that Second Life will not be a major competitor in the race to develop a world wide 3D Metaverse, there are some prime considerations and ulterior motives that can be explored for the reasoning behind open sourcing their library. I tend to consider open sourcing a transparent means to justify the ends. We only have to look as far as the DOS versus Windows versus Linux debate to see such ramifications.
When DOS appeared on the market it was shiny and new. The public flocked to it in droves because it provided the architecture to perform tasks only the most advanced governmental or university labs could provide at that time. When Windows was introduced, the everyday person could perform tasks visually with ease because they didn’t need to remember all the complex language barriers associated with the DOS environment. As the Windows architecture and user base grew, some in the computing industry wanted an alternative; this is where Linux came in with their open source code. Today, Windows is the most used operating system in the world but Linux has a strong and vibrant following mostly because of a user’s personal preferences.
Yet another way to view the open sourcing of the Second Life library is through the eyes of some of the Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Games (MMORPGs). There are some companies in the MMORPG industry that have made their client software fully customizable with what the industry terms addons or plugins. These addons provide a totally different level of customization to the proprietary client of the company. Whether because of limitations in staffing or the desire to allow the community at large to shape the game, these companies actively research, monitor and sometimes incorporate these addons back into the client. This is where the open sourcing of the Linden Labs library may ultimately be headed; incorporation of best known industry standards and features.
It remains to be seen what exactly lies ahead for the 3D Metaverse but ultimately some decisions will be made. Chief among these are usability, standardization, licensing issues, and compatibility across a broad range of architectures. When these major concerns are addressed we will begin to see a shift from 2D web 2.0 styled architecture to a more familiar haunt such as our current home known as Second Life.
