Why the Linux Client is a Bigger Deal than You Think

Cory Linden/Ondrejka has reportedly demoed a Linux client for SL by now. This has been promised for so long that I considered submitting it to the Wired Vaporware Awards. Comments at the Second Life Herald suggest the client, when it appears (I'm an optimist) won't make much difference. I disagree.

The naysayers are correct that a Linux client is unlikely to bring a large number of users to the platform. However, it's pretty clear that Linden Labs doesn't want a flood of new residents (unless they all buy private islands :) The staff is small, and it's clear from the recent problem with dwell distribution that SL has all the growth it can handle now.

The reason a Linux client will be a big plus is the kind of users it will bring to Second Life. Linux users tend to be technically inclined, patient, and creative. After all, many people run Linux precisely because they want to do it themselves. These are exactly the kind of residents Linden Labs wants because they are much more likely to become content creators. Cory has said in at least one conference presentation that Linden Labs is relying on residents to create the "cool" content that will attract people to the platform. How many potentially excellent builders and scripters aren't using SL because they won't touch Windows or an emulator? What might the "world" gain if those people come to the table?

All features are equal, but some are more equal than others

This weeks town meeting did and didn't give residents a roadmap to the future of SL. Although some projects 'in development' were listed, the timetable given was 'when they're done'. Essentially, Linden Labs indicated they will release new versions whenever new features are ready.

We see this new mindset in the 1.8 previews. The two new features: P2P teleport and rippling water, also known as an 800 pound gorilla and its trusty sidekick. There is something very egalitarian about this notion that a feature is a feature is a feature. However, it ignores the impact some changes have on SL culture and economics.

Rippling water is pretty and technically impressive but, all in all, doesn't really change how people behave in world. Point to point teleportation and the accompanying end of the telehub, on the other hand, will alter how people live their second lives. Maybe because, in the real world, big changes happen slowly 99% of the time, we expect the same in SL. Now that LL has laid out the features under development, at least we won't be able to say we didn't see them coming.