New official OpenSim release is out

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The new official release of OpenSimulator — OpenSimulator 0.8.1 — came out this week, with only minor changes compared with the preview release.

Justin Clark-Casey
Justin Clark-Casey

“The most significant being a fix for a regression where script state was being lost for hypergrid transfers,” core developer Justin Clark-Casey said in an announcement.

Compared to the previous version of OpenSim, 0.8.1 improves teleports, physics, varregions, scripting and general stability. Read more about it here.

Where’s the Wifi?

The Diva Distro version of OpenSim 0.8.1 isn’t out yet, but some users have been jury-rigging a temporary work-around.

The Diva Disto is a self-contained, pre-configured version of OpenSim, a standalone mini-grid that comes with the Wifi front-end.

A typical Wifi screen. Not to be confused with wireless Internet.
A typical Wifi screen. Not to be confused with wireless Internet.

According to Mike Hart, to enable Wifi, OpenSim users need to add the following line to the “Additions for Hypergrid” section of their Robust.ini or Robust.HG.ini files:

WifiServiceConnector = "${Const|PublicPort}/Diva.Wifi.dll::WifiServiceConnector"
Alexsandro Pomposelli
Alexsandro Pomposelli

“It does work,” said AviWorlds grid owner Alexsandro Pomposelli, also known as Alex Ferraris in-world. “Mine works fine: http://aviworlds.us:8002/wifi. I have been running the 8.1 release since it came out with no problems. Regions very stable and don’t crash ever. I had a party last night and it held more than 30 people.”

In addition to showing grid statistics, the Wifi front end allows users to create new accounts and change their passwords.

Should you upgrade?

OpenSim is complex, quickly-evolving, cutting-edge software and grids need to be careful about which versions of it they run, depending on their appetite for risk:

  • Most risky: Experimental preview releases. Only testers should be using these releases. Commercial grids should use them only on their “beta” grids. Remember to report bugs so that they can be fixed as quickly as possible.
  • Moderately risky: Recommended releases right after they come out. Although most of the major bugs should have been caught by the testers trying out the experimental preview release, some might slip through. Good for personal grids and individual regions.
  • Less risky: Recommended releases “post fixes.” Best for commercial, school and company grids that need the features of the latest release.
  • Least risky: The previous release of OpenSim. For the most conservative and risk-averse grids, or grids that need time to update custom modules and Web front ends.
Maria Korolov
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