Second Life software goes open source

Linden Lab has released the viewer used to access Second Life as open source software, and plans to follow suit with the server software that powers the company's virtual realm.

The initial move means outsiders will be able to modify the Second Life viewer software. That practice isn't a guarantee for success but it has worked well with other open source projects such as Apache and Linux. Linden Lab chief technology officer, Cory Ondrejka, hopes initially for bug fixes and a better Linux version of the software but in the long run expects more significant changes.

Ondrejka said: "It's pretty clear when building something as open as Second Life, you want the product itself to be open." Second Life participants have already written millions of lines of script code to control Second Life objects, he said. "It would be a little silly to not allow that talent and energy to be applied to the client [viewer software] itself."

Second Life and big business

Click on the links below to see pictures of some of the real-world businesses that have set up in Second Life.

Adidas
Nissan
Sun Microsystems
Reebok
Penguin
American Apparel
Reuters
CNET Networks
PA Consulting
Yankee Stadium
Bartle Bogle Hegarty

Linden plans to eventually make the server software that powers its grid open source software as well, Ondrejka said, though he added the company will proceed cautiously and gave no deadlines.

He said: "We do think that in the long run, Second Life makes much sense as an open source project," arguing that an open source server project will increase the scale of the Second Life project and Linden Lab's revenue. "There are plenty of opportunities for revenue even if the entire kit and caboodle is open sourced. But we want to be careful about that."

Not all are convinced that opening the server side of Second Life makes financial sense for Linden. Raven Zachary, an analyst for the 451 Group, said: "Server-based virtual worlds reliant on subscription fees aren't a good match for a fully open source business model. The value to the vendor is in restricting access at some level to the worlds themselves."

But Ondrejka said there's a "long list" of revenue possibilities: "There are lots of ways to make money on the web that have nothing to do with hosting - domain registration, search, services."

Linden Lab released the viewer software under the General Public Licence (GPL), the licence that governs the Linux kernel, Samba file server software, the MySQL database and thousands of other projects. The GPL requires that anyone may see, modify and distribute a program's underlying source code but anyone who distributes the modified software must make the changes publicly available.

Linden Lab will vet all outside contributions and maintain control of an official version of the viewer software, the company said. Programmers must sign a contributor agreement to submit code.

By signing the contribution agreement, a programmer agrees to assign joint copyright to Linden Lab and grant Linden Lab and anyone who receives the code a patent licence relating to use of the code. With Linden Lab owning copyright, it will be permitted to change licensing terms if it desires.

Stephen Shankland writes for CNET News.com