Just an idea, but I thought it would nice if we all agreed on how we should be introducing OpenLife. Here's a start. I'd like to make this notecard available for my visitors.

What is OpenLife?

I think it should be spelled with a capital "D", your thoughts?

The technical definition: OpenLife is a public grid based on a version of Second Life’s open source code called Open Simulator.

The laymen definition: It’s like Second Life but without a lot of bells and whistles because it’s being developed by a few dedicated individuals and a lot of people in the OpenLife community who just love virtual worlds.

Why would I want to come to OpenLife?

Many of us believe that Second Life is too congested, too full of commerce, sex, griefers, campers and just plain greed. Others think it is cluttered and slow, laggy and too prone to crashes. OpenLife, and probably all of the similar grids based on the same source code, are pretty far behind SL in the way of complexity of the coding and ability to run scripts, but it offers us a much more organic environment. We feel a sense of ownership and an ability to to take what we have learned in SL and start from the beginning to create a world without the problems we have seen in SL. A community has formed; one that is online 24 hours a day and available to answer most questions.

But I’m not interested in building and coding. I just want to meet people and play?

Well, then OpenLife is probably not for you, YET. The people who enjoy this environment the most are the ones who are experienced or wish to learn how to build and create virtual environments. It’s a great place to learn how to code and debug and how to build and rebuild. Sure, you can install the Open Simulator code on your own computer and build your empire, but will you have the ability to ask questions 24 hours a day? No. Can you afford to buy a region in Second Life? Will they give you 45,000 prims? Can you get support immediately?

Who is behind all of this?

Maybe someone else can answer this better than me

Actually, maybe someone else can answer a lot of these better than me, but at least we can get the ball rollin’

Hi Professor, I have seen your character around the traps. I just wish I had the mind tools to spread the knowledge too. Keep up the good work.

But now...

I believe I am correct in saying that Linden Lab has not Open-sourced their server code. It is closed and maintained by them but may be open sourced in the future. Maybe. Not likely.

The Second Life Viewer, or Client, is the open source part. 'Tis why we have Kirstens viewer.

OpenSim is reverse engineered to make the viewer work, or to make it work with the viewer. OpenSim, as you know, from the Open Simulator Project.

OpenLife is based on OpenSim with local patches, most of those patches are submitted to OpenSim for the good of all.

EDIT:CORRECTION:OpenLife is based on 3Dxserver.

If the Second Life Simulator code was open sourced, OpenLife, and the rest, would be the same as Second Life with some minor changes, I suspect.

(Just thinking...That would drive land/server prices down too much for LL and won't happen.)

Anyhow Prof, you may want to change that line above to taste.

Have a two point zero type of day.
Macca...

P.S. A capital "D"? Lost me.

Rebellious? Anarchistic? Not in the least bit...

I'm just trying to point out that most of what I've seen in OL or SL are imitation of real life. It may be glamourised, idealised, stylised, even abstract, but at the basic level, it's all "real life inspired". I have rarely seen any architecture that is not build according to "gravity rules". Everything is too familiar, logical, dull.

Anyway, I don't think I can express my thought clearly enough, so I'll just let it go.

Hi guys. Thanks. Based on thse replies, I think I can safely say we aren't ready for a definition yet, especially after seeing the 3dxserver site. This should be exciting.

I'm looking forward to the ride!