Second Life News Week #22

We have not had a Deploys post since 5/6, 3-weeks no post. Some have speculated that since viewers have a new release notes system the server’s release notes will be updating. But… rumor is no. Also, the wiki release notes have not been updated.

Centaur Photoshoot & Parade

Centaur Photoshoot & Parade

Monday was a holiday in the USA, Memorial Day – remembrance of those Americans that died in WWII.

So, the Lab was closed Monday. Things may be a bit rushed and behind today. I didn’t really expect a main channel roll today, but we got one. Also, I suspect the server update sequence is likely out of pattern from the TP-Crossing Disconnects problems. Continue reading

Second Life News 2018 w07

Servers

Monday Caleb Linden posted the Deploys notice. The main channel is getting a restart. But will continue to run the same server version, #18.01.17.511913. The restarts are said to have started rolling across the grid at 3AM PT.

Blue Steel may get a new package Wednesday. The Deploys notice says they have not yet decided.

Heart Shaped

Heart Shaped

Le Tigre and Magnum will continue to run #18.01.17.511913, the package they ran last week. I doubt they will get a restart…

Viewers

The main viewer is now 5.1.1.512121. This is the upgrade with fixes to the voice features. The previous version 5.1.0.511732 released in week #2. Continue reading

Second Life News 2017 w47

Servers

The Main channel was restarted with version #17.11.11.510664. This update includes Internal Fixes and a fix for BUG-139176 Issue with OBJECT_REZZER_KEY reporting incorrectly after linking and delinking prims. This version has run on the RC channels for a couple of weeks.

The Fire Within

The Fire Within

There will be no updates to the RC channel this Wednesday. The next day is a holiday in the USA. So, the RC channels will continue to run the packed just promoted to the main channel.

The internal fixes are typically security fixes and data collection changes. Recent some of those changes had to do with various copy exploits. Simon Linden says they have caught a bunch of people trying to use those exploits.

However, there are still exploits allowing copying without the Lab being able to detect it. So, Simon asks that people keep filing JIRA and Abuse Reports. Lindens are still working on closing the exploits. So, the reports guide their work. Help by filing a report, if you have actionable information. Continue reading

Second Life News 2017 w/32

Servers

Corrections made 8/9

The main channel was updated with version #17.07.27.327933 this morning, Tuesday. Last week the main channel was running version #17.07.11.327548. Both of these are listed as having “internal changes”. Geek-speak for changing data reporting, debugging, and performance information… usually.

Street at sunset

Street at sunset

Blue Steel, Le Tigre, and Magnum were supposed to update to #17.07.27.327933 tomorrow, Wednesday. But, Simon tells us that isn’t going to happen. There probably won’t be a restart as they restarted with last week’s update. The Lindens try to restart regions once every two-weeks even if there is no planned update.

No big problem, but enough of one the Lindens decided to hold the RC update back. It had to do with regions names not being applied correctly in the restart, so they never appeared to come online.

The Deploys thread is dying. There is very little discussion or information to be gleaned from reading the posts. They are basically a day, time, and link to release notes. So, I suspect fewer people are reading the posts. I expect the posts to go away at some point. Continue reading

Alchemy Viewer Updates Main Release – 5.0.6.41161

Cinder Roxley

Cinder Roxley announced the release of a new viewer version a couple of days ago. I just noticed. If I am reading right, this is the only main version update in a year. There have been beta updates. But, this one is an official main release, no beta.

See: Alchemy Release 5.0.6.41161. It comes in 32 & 64-bit versions for Windows, Mac 64-bit, and Linux 64-bit. Download links are on the announcement page. The release notes are here.

I find the viewer slower than the Linden and Firestorm viewers. In a crowd, I run about 15 to 20 FPS. In places where FS and LL run in the 80-90 FPS range Alchemy runs in the 50’s. In isolated places where LL & FS run 100-110 FPS Alchemy runs 130 or so.

Alchemy doesn’t support RLV, yet. Bummer.

I describe Alchemy as a nicer LL Viewer. Nice clean U.I.

Second Life News 2016 w51

I thought we would be in the no change window all this week. But, the Lindens have decided to roll last week’s RC update to the main channel… or they automated the forum posting like they did the status reports… naw.

♥ Believe in the Magic of Christmas ♥

♥ Believe in the Magic of Christmas ♥

The package rolling to the main channel is listed as having ‘improved internal server logging’. So, it makes sense to me that there is little likelihood of new bugs being introduced by adding and changing logging features. The week in testing probably revealed no performance change problems for this package. So, why not roll it out?  Continue reading

Second Life: Third Party Viewers and Project Bento

I don’t cover the Third-Party Viewers as much as I used to. I think Project Bento is a change that will make any viewer without Bento capability obsolete. Some Third Party Viewers are already Bento capable. Here is what I have found.

{Meghindo's}

{Meghindo’s}

…and I may have made mistakes about which viewer does and doesn’t have Bento capability. If you see one please correct me.  Continue reading