[opensource-dev] Third party viewer policy

[Ryan McDougall]

As far as I can tell, LL provides a *service* called SL; and they can
choose to deny access to that service to whomever they please for
whatever reason they please.

So long as they control the server software and grid infrastructure
this will always be the case. Having an "open" viewer to closed palace
garden is *meaningless*.

Even now, the viewer is becoming more closed (see Merov's Firefox v.
WebKit comparison). What is the point of having an "open" core,
missing all the value-added features, connecting to a black box, over
non-standard (in any sense) protocol, governed by the legal policies
of a single company?

Google used WebKit to make Chrome. Does anyone here think someone is
really going to turn Snow Globe into an independent application (any
more)?

Luckily there *are* truly open, free for any use implementations
available. But they're alpha software, and will require much love
before giving a real challenge to the professionally developed SL.

As developers why continue to support the thing you rail against? Why
not lend a hand to the small number of people trying to give you what
you're looking for?

Cheers,