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A look at METAbolt -- a non-graphical Second Life viewer
Ever log in to Second Life, run around awhile, and then shake your head and think, "this place is nothing but a glorified chat room! And that's what I like! I don't care about all this graphics stuff!" Well, frustrated, graphics-hating Second Life user, METAbolt has what you crave. When we heard someone had written a text-based Second Life client for computers that just couldn't hack the graphics, we were sort of expecting something like a regular graphical client, except where all the images were made of tiny little text characters... like the picture above, which is not from METAbolt, alas. (It's Second Life on Linux run through the aalib graphics-to-text library)As a chat room, though, METAbolt has some good points and some not so good points. For one, every time you log in, you are placed in the Welcome area. While this may be the fastest way to put you with potential chat-mates, it's not really the sort of thing you expect. Gone were all saved landmarks as well. You will arrive in the Welcome Area, and you will enjoy your time there.
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CCP responds to EVE source code concerns
News that the source code for EVE has been hijacked has been traveling faster than the speed of light. Damage control units in tow, the CCP crew is making a valiant attempt to clear the space lanes of hazardous debris. This effort reached Massively in the form of a kind note and a link to a press release published earlier.In response to allegations of a galaxy wide crack down on posters in the EVE forums, CCP announced that "there have been no mass bannings." They wish to remind everyone that discussions concerning compromising the source code on the forums are a violation of the EULA and Terms of Service. They are actively enforcing this policy and any attempts to violate it will be met with a torrent of anti-matter and pulse lasers.As for the possibility of a security breach, CCP stated that they have completed an internal investigation. They have determined that the code was not leaked by an employee nor stolen. EVE, which is coded in Python, could easily have been decompiled. CCP says there is nothing to worry about since they have systems in place to protect the game. Your billing is safe, your stores of rockets and missiles are not at risk, and you can continue the business of destroying one another at any time.
EVE's source code has been stolen and seeded
It was a rather peaceful day in the world of EVE. Ratters happily uncloaked and went searching for a few vessels to destroy. Pirates were eagerly tracking down their prey. Miners were digging into asteroids and hauling their goods back to station. Just when you thought it was safe to log in and join your fellow capsule pilots in a quest for money and power, news reached us that the source code for EVE had been stolen. The code has now made an appearance in the form of a torrent on a few notorious websites. Luckily for us, in space, no one can hear CCP scream.The anonymous soul behind the theft supposedly flaunted the achievement to a CCP employee. If this is the case, sad memories of stolen lunch money and taunting bullies come to mind. As they brace to control the impact of the theft, CCP has stocked up on turret ammunition and kicked in the afterburners. They are reportedly seeding the stolen source code in an attempt to ban anyone downloading the file who also maintains an EVE account. This merciless tactic comes as quite a shock and some claim that this is a classic example of overreaction. In addition to this, users on the EVE forums who even mention the torrent are having their posts edited and locked or simply deleted. Bans are flying around the forums and EVE players are warned to do their best to avoid a collision. Keep an eye out for more details as they arise.
Mad Patcher's final fling
Nicholaz Beresford has released one final viewer. The EC-e "Eye candy" release is designed to run against 1.19.1(4). This version plugs a key memory and changes the viewer icon. As one happy user said to us today, "The worst edition of the Nicholaz viewer is better than the best viewer Linden Lab has ever released." -- Many would find that hard to disagree with, including a few Linden Lab employees.
llMozlib2 source code now available
The source code for llMozlib2 (an essential piece of glue library enabling in-world and in-viewer HTML rendering for Second Life) is now available on Linden Lab's public subversion version control system, and is now the single source of the code, rather than having a second (possibly divergent) version tucked away in an internal repository. Linden Lab so far is continuing to release source code for both viewer and server-side components progressively (a process initially announced in late 2005 and given an expected timeline of several years), despite some fears that the process might suddenly cease after the departure of Linden Lab CTO Cory Ondrejka. While only a few server-side components have so far been released, there is no sign yet that that process will be or is being stemmed.
RealXtend viewer now on Sourceforge
Sourceforge - billed as the largest open source website in the world -- is now host to the source code project for the RealXTend viewer (rexviewer) for Second Life. RealXtend claims to have replaced all of the license encumbered portions of the viewer with GPL-friendly alternatives, though they are still having some issues decoupling FMOD from their VoIP solution. The project website remains at rexviewer.org, while the project page and source code (available via subversion) is now on Sourceforge. Rexviewer is only in alpha at present, but has a number of distinctly interesting technological features, and more planned.
RealXtend releases updated software
Barely a fortnight after their initial version 0.1 software, Finnish developer RealXtend (in conjunction with OpenSim, Admino Technologies and LudoCraft - I think we might have to just start calling it the 'RealXtend Project' in future to save on typing) has released the next version of their software. An avatar portability system that allows your avatar to be transferred to any compatible world where you have an account is definitely a handy feature now that additional Second Life style grids are starting to spring up all over. "We have been testing and fixing bugs as much as possible and we have a few new major features. One of the new features is the Avatar system, under RealXtend your avatar has been completely redesigned to support transfer between virtual worlds. Earlier avatar systems used by other virtual worlds have been tied to one world or grid only and could not travel with the user," said RealXtend project manager Jani Pirkola. RealXtend's viewer is licensed under the GNU GPLv2 (sans quicktime components), and all the server-side code as a part of OpenSim is under the BSD license, which is a very broadly permissive open source license.
IBM's Chet Murphy joins CHTTP team
Chet Murphy, experienced distributed systems developer at IBM is to collaborate with Linden Lab and open source developers on the Certified HTTP project, one of the next generation technologies that will underpin the new Second Life architecture, and potentially be incorporated into many virtual worlds and MMOs in future. IBM has a solid history of participating in and contributing to open source projects of various stripes, and this marks the first direct, practical collaboration between Linden Lab and IBM since the announcement of their collaboration on virtual worlds standards approximately one month ago.
Standoff over breathalyzer source code in DUI case
Not too long ago, we reported on a case brought to the Minnesota Supreme Court wherein a defendant in a DUI case asked (and was allowed) to view the source code of the breathalyzer machine which was used on him. Well, there's a new chapter in this book, it appears, as Minnesota authorities have missed the deadline for handing over the code to defense attorneys, thus dramatically increasing the chances that the defendant will be getting his case dismissed. Apparently, the Minnesota state public safety commissioner would not supply the source code, and the Department of Public Safety offered no explanation for the refusal. The state previously argued that it doesn't have the rights to hand over the data, as it is actually the copyrighted property of CMI -- the company who manufactures the machines. CMI has not been forthcoming with the source code in the past, leading to blunted or thrown out cases, though Court judges say the state must do whatever it takes to procure the software, even if it means suing CMI. A court hearing scheduled for September 19th will likely decide the defendant's fate, though we doubt this is the last we've heard of this case.
iPhone Coding: Recording Audio
%Gallery-5616% Yesterday, I figured out how to record audio on the iPhone. Today, by popular request, I'll go through the how-to part. And, for those of you paying close attention, I've updated the application with lots of nice new features. For those of you playing along at home, here are the basics you'll need to know to get started with audio recording.
Unearthed memo details possible e-voting negligence
In case the Brits were still wondering if we Americans finally had our act together in regard to e-voting, this should add yet another nail in the coffin. Among the bevy of states that saw all sorts of turmoil when voters turned to electronic machines to cast their support was Florida, and while a recent motion doesn't speak of that specific incident, it does highlight a good bit of potential negligence. Apparently, a note was "uncovered" last September (but was withheld until just last week) which documented a "possible problem" with Election Systems & Software's iVotronic touchscreen machine, but wasn't used to scrutinize the finicky system before loosed to the voting public. The eventually malfunctioning software was linked to a "dispute over the 13th Congressional District race in November," which supposedly caused a high rate of "undervoting," and allowed Vern Buchanan to take the questionable gold by a mere 400 votes. Regardless, it's a little late for a recount, don't you think? [Warning: PDF read link][Via Wired]
Archos unloads source code for all Generation 4 devices
Tinkerers, it's time to rejoice. Archos has gone and released the entire source code to its Generation 4 lineup of products, giving open source gurus yet another avenue to exert their tweaking skills. The ISO is reportedly quite thorough, including makefiles and documentation, but interestingly enough, the files still seem to lack signatures, which has the folks over at ArchosFans a bit bummed. Still, those rocking a 404, 504, or any flavor of the 604 should head on over and give this thing a download, and do tell if anything substantial can be exploited / enabled, cool?[Via ArchosFans, thanks Rick R.]
Second Life abuzz with source code release [update 1]
Linden Lab has released the source code for the Second Life Viewer under the GPLv2 free software license, opening up its virtual world's client to a host of potential new features and improvements. The 'open source' announcement comes amidst a period of scrutiny in which the media has begun to debunk the hype and seriously question Linden Lab's reported SL user base; a recent estimate suggests that Linden Lab has inflated user numbers by more than 2 million.Since the source code release has arrived sooner than anticipated, it's no stretch to suggest Linden Lab is attempting to redirect media buzz. Ploy or not, the open source SL era brings with it an opportunity for an unproven developer to generate some needed exposure.Update: clarified that this is a release of the client (not full game) source code.
EU hits Microsoft with $357 million fine
Even though we've resigned ourselves to the fact that Windows Vista isn't coming out until it's good and ready, EU regulators aren't as forgiving as us when it comes to Microsoft playing the delay game, and have hit the software giant with a $357 million fine based on that 2004 anti-competition ruling. What's more, EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes has decided to slap the company with a three million euro-per-day fine starting on July 31st if the document disclosure stipulation of the original decision -- which requires Microsoft to make the Windows source code more accessible to rivals provide technical information to makers of competing server software -- has not been fulfilled. Redmond, for its part, claims that it has been fully cooperating with regulators; general counsel Brad Smith argues that the commission's original demand was too vague, and therefore the issue is not one of compliance but clarity. In the end, Microsoft can complain all day and night about unfair rulings and unclear requirements, but if it wants to continue having unfettered access to the lucrative European market, it seems the company has little choice but to toe the line on this one.
Hellgate: London source code lifted?
Gamers With Jobs Press Pass passed along their scoop that the source code for Flagship Studios upcoming spiritual Diablo sequel, Hellgate: London, has been hacked right out of their network, like meat from the bone. Ex-Blizzard developer, and co-founder of Flagship Studios, Bill Roper stated "that while they have heard the same rumors they cannot confirm or deny that any code has been lifted from their servers." Can't he check? We'll wait ...... anyways, according to Press Pass' sources -- sources we can only imagine exist in the shadowy, illicit corners of the internet that our library filters won't let us anywhere near -- "the virtual break-in was conducted by a Chinese individual who is currently attempting to sell the code from a personal website." See, shadowy contraband getting pushed on the black markets of the internet ... it reads like a hackneyed beach thriller, but nerdier and not mass-marketable.Let's hope the team at Flagship doesn't follow the historical antecedent that Valve set when the source code for Half Life 2 was stolen in 2003: the already delayed title suffered another year of delays before being released in the fall of 2004. Then again, that delay ended with the release of a fantastic game, so we'll take that back. Half Life 2 is fine company to be in, delay or not. [Thanks, Shawn]
Quake II X goes Universal
Thanks to an independent developer, Quake II has perhaps become the oldest game to have been updated as a Universal Binary on Mac OS X. In order to use this software to play Quake II, you will still need a full copy of the game to grab some of the core game files, and I think the full source from id Software themselves (scroll down about two thirds of the way) might do the trick. While the source code there is listed as a PC version, I think the core game files you need to use this UB enabler for Mac OS X will work just fine. If anyone else knows better, feel free to sound off and list a link, if you could be so kind.Either way, it sounds like setting up this software is pretty simple, and in no time you too could be fragging aliens circa 1997!
