I wrote this article for Slainthe magazine in Second Life a few years ago. Unfortunately, the newspaper was shut down before the article was published. When I read on Tina's Universe about OpenSim, I remembered that I had it. I thought maybe it was time to put this out.

My grid at the beginning.

Now I have experimented with my own island on OSGrid that everyone can visit. OpenSim is an exciting development. If you have any more questions, just get in touch. Okay, here's the article.

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I think one of the most fun things to do in Second Life is to build and design stuff. All my first year in SL I built and sold so many places that it actually went together economically even though I owned a lot of land. That was then, today there are many more who work and design places in SL. I never cease to be amazed at the high quality of many constructions in SL. As architects, designers and artists discover SL, more and more exciting islands are being built. I have built many great places but never an entire island, I would like to do that. Unfortunately, island rent is not included in my artist's budget so the problem remained , where to get an island from. In addition to my work as an artist, I have a hobby. Computers and software, I wrote my first commercial program on a Commodore 64, something I think is a feat in itself. And it has been on that path ever since. I build a lot of Linux computers and in the open source community I hoped to find something that I could use to create my own island. There are a lot of people out there who write programs for everything between heaven and earth.

And after some web searches, I found a ready-made package, of course. Opensim.

First, let me explain what Second Life really is. A huge grid or a network that connects thousands of computers in a gigantic network. Every island is a computer and an island is really just a large database describing every object on the island. What makes it all understandable is the client or the program that you download from the Second Life website. It translates data in from the island database into an understandable three-dimensional world. So really, the network extends across the globe where each computer, which can be 50,000, is connected to the giant Second Life network. I know that many are disappointed that it does not work as it should always. But for me who worked with this kind of thing, it's amazing that it works at all.

On each computer located at Linden Labs, a program called a server runs one for each island. This is where it starts to get interesting.

OpenSim is the equivalent of the SL server that Linden Lab runs on its server farm somewhere in between the West. In other words, the software that we connect to with the software that is on our own computers. Opensim makes it possible to have your own island or grid that looks just like Linden Lab where you can invite friends or just sit and sunbathe completely in peace.

Of course, there are disadvantages. OpenSim is currently in the Alpha stage, which for a software means that it is largely experimental, there is very much that does not work yet. And it requires basic knowledge in managing a computer and DOS console otherwise you can not run it all, but Second Life remains fortunately. After all, there is an opportunity to have your own island, so I wanted to try to finally build one.

Simply download the software from the website. OpenSim is based on Microsoft NET. On a Windows machine, you need to install NET before you can run OpenSim. Installing NET is also free available on Microsoft's website. If you are using Windows XP, NET is probably already in place very many programs use NET. And then you need a database. opensim can run many different but I like Mysql, Swedish nowadays bought by SUN and can be downloaded on SUN's website, those with JAVA you know. These programs are installed just like any other regular program. Opensim comes in a ZIP file that must be unpacked in any appropriate folder. When it is finished, start the DOS console that is in the Accessories folder and go to the folder with Opensim and start the program. Now there will be some questions where the default options are ok but you need to know the IP address of your computer.

Then you have to start the Second Life program on the computer but not anyway but with special parameters. A good way is to make a new bookmark from your Second Lifeä icon and change the text to (This is my text for my grid."C:\Program Files\SecondLife\SecondLife.exe" -loginuri http://192.168.2.1:8002/ -loginpage http://192.168.2.1:8002/?method=login)

All of this is described on the OpenSim website. There's the documentation. If this is just too much tech for you, there are more variants to test Opensim. There are several open grids on the grid.

There are links to some on the OpenSim website. You just create an account and then there is a description of how to connect. Experiment but feels a bit like when I came to SL the first time before big business and lawyers moved in.

If you are lucky, everything works as it should and once you have logged in you will see your avatar and a whole lot of water time to create your own island, now you can get started and terraform your landscape. If you want something to start with, you can download ready-made landscapes from the net, there are a few.

It's not very hard to get Opensim up and running, I was surprised that it was so easy. It takes a bit of computer skills, after all. If you want to start your own grid, much more is needed, you almost have to be a pro or very interested in computers. Knowledge of databases, networks and programming as well as how to manage an operating system is necessary to get your own grid.

How did it go for me then and my longing for an island of my own? In the end I decided to build my own grid at least with four islands. I've just made it work so I've just started but with a 60000 prims to play with it will surely be fine. I will try to write about it on my blog that you can follow if you are interested in Second Life, game development and how this can be related to the art. http://cyberserenity.net

I don't think Opensim can threaten Linden Lab's big grid, but of course it's fun to be able to experiment and invite your friends to their own island. Open Source really makes Second Life what I think it was meant to be from the beginning. Great personal freedom under your own responsibility. And on my grid, FRA can't check me. I'll do whatever I want.

Finally, a little tech about my grid. I built four Linux servers out of old hardware I have received from various companies that have upgraded. Two run OpenSUSE 10.3 32 bits and two 64 bits of the same operating system.All run VNC and telnet for remote administration and one runs http and dhcp servers to control and administer this small mini network and a wifi access point. Of course you want to drive from the hammock this summer. Mysql server is administered over phpMyadmin. Which I think is best.

Everything built into a converted computer box from Norsk data that I came across sometime in the nineties

Shall just solder together some diodes and make a nice front. Pictures of how the construction is progressing can be found on my blog for those of you who are laid in that direction.