[sldev] [AWG] realXtend login process for distributed virtual worlds

[Tess Chu]

Hi Jani,

The AWG has been working on login for distributed virtual worlds as 
well.  Zero posted the first draft of the Open Grid Protocol to sldev on 
3/11: https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/SLGOGP_Draft_1 which outlines the 
basic login flow similar to what you've posted, but also specs out the 
detailed protocols for authentication (Agent Login) and connecting you 
to the virtual region (Legacy Login).  Since interoperability is your 
primary concern, you might want to consider streamlining your login 
flow.  Following a standard protocol will allow different clients and 
different servers to be be implemented separately yet interoperate 
easily.  Adoption of this standard protocol eliminates the need for many 
of the "if (auth_rex_mode)" conditionals in the realXTend login source.

 > The world server has an allow/deny list for which authentication 
server it allows.
In the discussions with AWG, most requests to enter regions are proxied 
via the agent domain which has some way to verify whether a region 
domain is safe.  This is the opposite of what you describe.  We should 
discuss how trust is established between agents and the regions they are 
entering with the AWG.

 > It is also possible to teleport between Second Life and OpenSim when 
the user is using rexViewer.

Wow! Can you explain how this works? More specifically...
1. How is agent presence handled and preserved between virtual worlds?  
How does your avatar stay "online" to your friends while you teleport 
between virtual worlds?
2. Can you still IM your friends in Second Life when you have teleported 
to an OpenSim region?
3. How does the client choose how to connect to a region/server that's 
not on the map of the virutal world they are currently logged into?

Only the login portion of the Open Grid Protocol is currently detailed. 
We will soon start fleshing out the Presence and Teleport protocols, and 
welcome your involvement. If you could contribute your thoughts to the 
Open Grid Protocol, either through the AWG meetings or commenting on the 
open document, we can work together to ensure interoperability with the 
realXTend clients.

Tess