*> what are the essential differences between Rex-NG and Modrex?
*
ModRex is an OpenSim plugin.
Just to clarify, ReX-NG is a "next generation" realXtend Viewer (a
replacement for the current "Second Life" GPL-based viewer/browser).
ReX-NG is still in very early development stages (and is expected to be
reaching early Alpha stages this summer). It's NOT intended for mainstream
use yet, but it's purely for early development/testing purposes
(Alpha/Pre-Alpha testing).
ReX-NG will be the future as we move forward, but for now we just need to
get it "functional" and working first. As we move towards Beta, then
mainstream users can begin using/testing it. But for now, it's just early
(and very primitive/buggy) software that is slowly being developed to
replace the Second-Life based viewer that we currently use.
*> 2. Is Rex-NG a viewer for the OpenSim trunk? (and, as such, does it use
> opensim database, networking, and authentication?)
*
I don't know all the specific details, and Toni would be able to much better
answer this question, but yes I do believe the ReX-NG viewer is intended to
work with the OpenSim trunk (I'm just not sure if the ReX-NG Viewer will
work without the ModRex component? - This is something Toni will need to
chime in about).
ReX-NG is intended to take full advantage of all the realXtend additional
features (ModRex features) that have been added to the OpenSim project.
I believe it could be possible to make ReX-NG compatible with the vanilla
OpenSim project, but I'm just not sure on all the details, and that is
something you would need to talk to Toni or one of the core developers
about.
Why is ReX-NG necessary? Well, first we need a BSD-license based viewer so
that OpenSim and RealXtend developers can work hand in hand (currently the
"Second Life"-based viewer is GPL based, and is creating all kinds of
headaches, because OpenSim developers can't work or help with the old
realXtend Viewer due to the various licensing issues, but the new ReX-NG
Viewer will solve that problem. So that OpenSim and realXtend developers
can now work together on the viewer, and not have to deal with all the
headaches of the Second Life GPL issues.
Again, this is very very early "Pre-Alpha" development, and as Toni stated
we're not scheduled to even see a 0.1 Alpha release till the mid to late
summer. (Developers often run into issues/problems, so always add about
10-12 weeks to whatever timeline you see).
At this stage, we're just trying to get something to work (and functional
first). Please keep in mind, that this is "Pre-Alpha" software, and don't
expect a whole lot of "hand holding" at this point. It's designed for the
"Brave at Heart" and is certainly not designed for the average user and it's
just intended to give the developer's a bit of feedback as to why/what/how
it's crashing, what needs to be fixed (as if they didn't know already) and
an opportunity for submitting bug reports (although I'm not sure the
developer's would even want bug reports at this early of a stage).
I may give compiling it a shot in maybe another 2-3 weeks, just to see what
happens. The developers just need more time, it's still in very early
stages of development and as the core developers get closer to a 0.2 release
then I'll look into helping out with more cross-platform compiling.
Mark
On Sun, Apr 19, 2009 at 8:36 PM, Paul Fishwick <[email protected]>wrote:
>
> Toni
> It has been a while since I tried out modrex, but I had related questions:
>
> 1. Is it advisable for us to start working with Rex-NG using the SVN
> provided, or
> to work with Modrex, given your estimated mid-summer 0.1 release?
> Rephrased,
> what are the essential differences between Rex-NG and Modrex?
>
> 2. Is Rex-NG a viewer for the OpenSim trunk? (and, as such, does it use
> opensim
> database, networking, and authentication?)
>
> thanks
> -p
>
> Toni Alatalo wrote:
> > Mark Malewski kirjoitti:
> >
> >> but realistically... about how long do you think before 0.1 is
> >> released? Are you estimating about maybe July? August? Early fall?
> >>
> >
> > I don't know if it's my place to announce this really, as am not one
> > doing communications nor don't know if it's been officially set, but
> > we've been talking of targeting 0.1 to late June.
> >
> > I'm taking the freedom to mention this in public 'cause am thinking that
> > getting a stablish 0.1 release then would mean getting to alpha in late
> > May or so, and beta in early June, so alpha is kind of within sight
> already.
> >
> >
> >> In your personal opinion, are we ahead of schedule, behind schedule,
> >> and do we need more developers? What are your thoughts?
> >>
> >
> > I think it's basically progressing ok. Featurewise I think we'll pretty
> > much make it.
> >
> > One thing I'd like to point out is that the /ways/ that these features
> > are made now, and how they will probably make it to 0.1, are not all in
> > the final intended way. So please understand that some are there in a
> > work-in-progress / to be improved manner. Some parts AFAIK are pretty
> > solid, like the network packet handling / the sludp implementation, but
> > for example the internal event systems is at least now pretty primitive
> > still. Not to mention the Python module, which is now worked on to allow
> > making components to the client in py too (we're experimenting with
> > doing IM like that using py written stuff for telepathy etc) - current
> > version is a terrible hack, and don't know yet how sensibly it will make
> > it to 0.1 (it's also related to the event system, which may become a
> > central way to tie those components too).
> >
> > That may also be an area where people could help, e.g. making
> > experiements with possible enchancements to how things are in the
> > framework, if there are some experts who could really dig into it.
> >
> > An easier way to participate I think would be for anyone to start
> > looking into implementing their own modules, if you/they have some own
> > needs that are not on our roadmap.
> >
> > Another thing is compiling on different platforms - no one has done it
> > on macosx yet (our small company Playsign is the only Realxtend partner
> > where we use macs too, but are pretty busy with other things so don't
> > when would have time for that .. latest in June I guess if no one else
> > has done it before, but there would be many other ways to use that time
> > on actually developing the viewer too).
> >
> > One thing to note about RexNG is that we are somewhat targetting small
> > devices too, but AFAIK no one here has actually tried running it on a
> > mobile phone or pocketpc or something like that yet. So if someone else
> > is interested in / working on such things (small Linux devices? iPhone?
> > Android? Symbian? .. OLPC?) it might be interesting trying to build for
> > and run on those already now. I didn't check earlier, but googled a bit
> > now and it seems that a patch to add a OpenGL ES renderer to Ogre was
> > made and accepted last autumn, so perhaps that could work out? *OpenGL
> > ES render system implementation
> >
> http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&atid=302997&aid=2053570&group_id=2997*
> > .. a recent forum thread about that is at
> > http://www.ogre3d.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=47788 .. with talk
> > about Android and Pandora etc.
> >
> >
> >> Will ReX-NG have Skype support? Will ReX-NG support spatial sound?
> >>
> >
> > It strives at being a component system for which anyone can make addons.
> > But we'll make defaults for such basic functionalities of course. For
> > communications we'll be in the xmpp and, and we'll use the Telepathy
> > libs for that. I don't know if they have Skype support too, but if not,
> > it should be possible (at some point at least) to plug in another comms
> > implementation. I think spatial sound is in the roadmap for a bit later
> > too (i don't remember if it was bumped to 0.2 or something in the 0.1
> > planning).
> >
> >
> >> Mark
> >>
> >
> > sorry for the bit fuzzy post, should be going to sleep now, but
> > hopefully got some good info cross -- thanks for asking :)
> > ~Toni
> >
> >
> >> On Sun, Apr 19, 2009 at 1:56 PM, Toni Alatalo <[email protected]
> >> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >> Mark Malewski kirjoitti:
> >> > Does anyone know the status of ReX-NG? Is it currently under
> >> > development, or are we still in the early planning stages?
> >>
> >> The implementation started in early March, and the very basics are
> >> there: it runs, loads modules, including a networking module that
> can
> >> connect to a server and talk sludp, and an ogre renderer, tied
> >> together
> >> with the 'rexlogic' module etc. It gets terrain and prim data and
> >> renders at least terrain somewhat, and we are pretty much working
> >> on it
> >> full time with almost all of the Rex team.
> >>
> >> http://dev.realxtend.org/gf/project/viewer/ is the forge with
> >> commit log
> >> and access to svn, where there are compile instructions too.
> >>
> >>
> http://wiki.realxtend.org/index.php/NG_Design_Document/Implementation_Plan
> >> is how planned the work in early March so you can get an idea of
> what
> >> sort of things are targeted for 0.1 now.
> >>
> >> So still early, but exists, functions somewhat, and is progressing.
> >>
> >> > Mark
> >>
> >> ~Toni
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> >
> >>
> >
> >
> > >
> >
>
>
> --
> Paul Fishwick, PhD
> Professor and Director, Digital Arts and Sciences Programs
> University of Florida
> Computer & Information Science and Eng. Dept.
> Bldg. CSE, Room 301
> P.O. Box 116120
> Gainesville, FL 32611
> Email: [email protected]
> Phone: (352) 392-1414
> Fax: (352) 392-1220
> Web: http://www.cise.ufl.edu/~fishwick
>
>
> >
>
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