Will Snowstorm affect Emerald? Most definitely. It will affect every viewer. The new SL 2.0 viewer is the product of a software specification contracted out to a third party development team. It is typical of what happens when marketing types or any non-programmer types write a spec and gives it to the egghead geeks to build. Lots is lost in translation. Now the Snowstorm team is racing to fix the viewer and make it into something useful to residents and third party developers. From what I have seen so far, I have some hope.
Another question was whether Emerald will remain a popular viewer? The interesting answer is that it depends on whether the development team can keep Emerald going. In this case I take that to mean satisfy Linden Lab and keep from getting it banned. Jessica says LL is pissed at Emerald team right now. Jessica thinks there is a 50-50 chance they will make it. Survival depends on whether they can meet all the LL requirements and satisfy LL they have. They have no way to know what Linden Lab is going to decide.
I think while many Emerald users feel abused and betrayed, Linden lab feels the same but add to that a healthy helping of embarrassment. Especially with the recent revelation at Alphaville that the Vivox interface was hacked and misused. One of the abuses was monitoring Linden Lab business conversations. I suspect saying LL is pissed off is an understatement. I do think LL is trying to keep things professional and …fair?
Another question is about whether Emerald is going to the SL 2.x code? The simple answer is, yes. I suspect the question was asked on one level and answered on another. For many the SL 2.x viewer means a user interface that sucks. Will Emerald use the SL 2.X interface, I doubt it. But the Emerald interface and all third party viewers are going to have to adopt features of the new 2.X interface. Multi-wearable clothes are a fact of life in SL now. Multi-attachments are coming. The clothes require only minor changes and user education. Multiple-attachments is more of a new feature and requires more user interface change and user training. So, all viewers will change to handle these new features.
For a developer changing to 2.x code is not so much about the interface, it is more about the working code that makes things happen. That 2.X code is going to be adopted by all TPV’s. That does not mean they will have the same interfaces or do things the same ways. So the question and answer in this case may be mismatched.
Jessica feels they may get one or two more Emerald releases based on the Snowglobe code. They envision the change to the 2.x code base as difficult. If that is accurate, then the Emerald and TPV’s will fall behind the LL viewer. Which viewer will be popular depends on how well TPV’s develop a user interface to replace the 2.x interface. It will likely be a race between user preference of viewer interfaces and viewer features. LL is likely to be leading with the addition of new features. They are taking sketches of new user interfaces for Snowstorm now.
Another asked if LL give Emerald a dead line for compliance? Jessica says LL gave the Emerald team the option to specify compliance dates for the items in the compliance list. The Emerald response has been submitted to LL and LL has yet to respond, which is part of the reason that Jessica and Arabella are fuzzy about the future of Emerald. If LL rejects the team’s proposed time line, it could mean the end of Emerald. I doubt that will happen. Emerald is just too popular.
Another wants to know if Emerald will continue to have the RLV features? Yes. Kitty, the one doing the RLV for Emerald and some other viewers is staying with the team.
Someone asked, is it true that LL has said Emerald will be blocked at the end of September? For now everyone in the know thinks this is a rumor. As no one has been able to provide a link to a Linden making this announcement, it’s a rumor.
Another, what is being done to rebuild Emerald team? Jessica has a series of requests out for developers. Some applications are in and some are from very good developers. So, they are building up the team. If you are a developer, contact them.
Another question, since Fractured left the team are developers finding it easier to work together and is the team more stable? They are arguing less and moving along faster. Team members are more focused.
Another is, will there be support for multiple clothing layers? Yes, anything in viewer 2.X code base will be supported. It will take some time. Jessica and Arabella think it is going to take some time and because LL is currently moving Snowglobe 1.4 and 1.5 code into Snowstorm and adding new code and features to Snowstorm, I think the Snowstorm viewer will take the lead on features. It will be interesting to see how this shakes out.
Another question about the separation between Modular and the new Emerald team… The separation is complete. The server purchased by fractured cannot be transferred for a certain amount of time, a limit of the purchase agreement. As soon as it is possible to legally transfer the server it will be transferred.
Two Linden Lab developers joined, are they staying with the Emerald Team? Qarl and Vortex are the former Linden’s. Qarl is a developer and Vortex is a support type. They are still on the team. They are laying low until the team gets the current issues handled.
Is it OK to use Emerald while it is not on the TPV List? Will a user be banned for using it? Any viewer can be used, TPV List or not. Banning is about what a resident does with a viewer. One can use any viewer. There is some confusion about using copybot viewers. If one is caught copying things with a copybot viewer they will be banned.
Is there anything a user can do to support Emerald and keep it going? Best way, get accurate information out. Help stop the rumors. Direct people to the Emerald group to get accurate answers and information.
Is there a reason Fractured and Phox are not doing interviews? There is lots of hate toward them in regard to recent events. So, whatever their reason for now they are laying low.
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No matter what happens i will never use viewer 2 or any other viewer linden lab creates. To me viewer 2 is to complicated and the feeling towards it when i use it is to cold and business wise and no we dont want another internet explorer or browser like viewer probably the most stupid idea to make viewer 2 like that.
Emerald was and is still the best viewer even if it was malicious and for that reason i will use a 3rd party viewer that resembles or is as emerald was.