[sldev] Opening the server source?

[Dana Fagerstrom]

> I heard a rumor that Sun wanted to offer a Java enabled SL sim, but I 
> haven't heard of the LSL to Java compiler.

There was a project started by someone who thought a Java version of the 
SL viewer could be done.  I don't know if that was a Sun employee but it 
sure was/is a pipe dream.

Sun has a Java-based environment like SL the we developed for the Gaming 
industry using two engines: Darkstar for the server and Wonderland for 
the client. Both are open sourced. Of course adapting Wonderland to work 
with SL's grid is way beyond scope at the moment.  Sun Labs has an 
environment called MPK20 that's used as a virtual meeting place for Sun 
employees.  If you want the details on any of this stuff take a look at

   Darkstar - https://games-darkstar.dev.java.net/
Wonderland - https://lg3d-wonderland.dev.java.net/
      MPK20 - http://research.sun.com/projects/mc/mpk20.html.

As for what Sun is doing in SecondLife, we have a presence inside SL 
ramping up and I am doing the Solaris port of the x86 and SPARC SL 
viewers.  The x86 port is complete except for sound (which is awaiting a 
Solaris FMOD). The SPARC port has been a nightmare due to assumed 
x86-isms like data alignment and the binary message data 
packers/unpackers.  If folks ever hope to see a "lite" version of the 
viewer on say handheld devices I'd recommend scrapping the current data 
packer in favor of XML, XDR, SXDF, or Java-like universal encoders. Of 
course using XML for everything would require much too much overhead 
therefore a universal binary format like XDR would be more applicable. 
[Let the flames begin...]

HTH,
D