Month: May 2017

2017 Viewer release summaries week 20

Posted on by Inara Pey
Logos representative only and should not be seen as an endorsement / preference / recommendation

Updates for the week ending Sunday, May 21st

This summary is published every Monday, and is a list of SL viewer / client releases (official and TPV) made during the previous week. When reading it, please note:

  • It is based on my Current Viewer Releases Page, a list of all Second Life viewers and clients that are in popular use (and of which I am aware), and which are recognised as adhering to the TPV Policy. This page includes comprehensive links to download pages, blog notes, release notes, etc., as well as links to any / all reviews of specific viewers / clients made within this blog
  • By its nature, this summary presented here will always be in arrears, please refer to the Current Viewer Release Page for more up-to-date information.

Official LL Viewers

  • Current Release version: 5.0.4.325124, dated April 3, promoted April 19th – formerly the Maintenance RC viewer overview – download page, release notes – No Change.
  • Release channel cohorts (please see my notes on manually installing RC viewer versions if you wish to install any release candidate(s) yourself):
    • Maintenance RC Viewer, version 5.0.5.326444, released on May 18th – new trash purging behaviour, support for estate access overrides (download and release notes)
  • Project viewers:
    • No updates.

LL Viewer Resources

Third-party Viewers

V5-style

V1-style

Mobile / Other Clients

  • No updates.

Additional TPV Resources

Related Links

Space Sunday: planets, stars and spacecraft

Posted on by Inara Pey
Artist’s impression of the planet Proxima b orbiting the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Solar System. Credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser

Proxima b, the planet discovered orbiting the closest star to our own, Proxima Centauri (see here for more), has been the subject of much speculation regarding its potential habitability (see here for more). Now a new study is underway which may bright us a lot closer to understanding the conditions on the planet.

Located 4.25 light years away, Proxima Centauri is a M-type red dwarf star. Such stars are highly variable and unstable compared to other types of stars, and this might weigh heavily against Proxima b having the right conditions for life to arise. The new study involves a team of astrophysicists from the University of Exeter, England, and staff from the UK’s Meteorological Office, who have been using the latter’s state-of-the-art Unified Model (UM).

This infographic compares the orbit of the planet around Proxima Centauri (Proxima b) with the same region of the Solar System. Credit: ESO

Used to study Earth’s atmosphere, with applications ranging from weather prediction to the effects of climate change, the Unified Model allowed the team to simulate what Proxima b might be like if it had a similar atmospheric composition to Earth, and also what it might be like if had a much simpler atmosphere – one composed of nitrogen with trace amounts of carbon dioxide. Last, but not least, they made allowances for variations in the planet’s orbit.

This last point is important because given the planet’s distance from its parent – around 7.5 million km (4.6 million mi) – Proxima b is likely to either be tidally locked so that one face constantly faces its sun, or it is in a 3:2 orbital resonance, rotating three times on its axis for every two orbits around its sun. In the former situation, the main atmospheric gases on the night-facing side would likely freeze, leaving the daylight zone exposed and dry; in the latter, a single solar “day” would last a long time, resulting in the sunward side of the planet being extremely hot and day and the night side very cold and dry.

Taking all of this into account, and using data from previous studies, the UK team found that Proxima b, with either a complex or a simple atmosphere, could have regions where water might exist in liquid form. In addition, any substantive eccentricity in the planet’s orbit around its sun could further increase its potential habitability.

It will still be some time before more can be directly discerned about Proxima b, but it is hoped that the study will help in our understanding of the potential habitability of other exoplanets, and demonstrates how the study of conditions here on Earth can be used to predict what may exist in extra-solar environments.  It may also improve our understanding of how our own climate has and will evolve.

US Military “Close” To Awarding Spaceplane Contract

The US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is reportedly “close” to awarding a contract to build its XS-1 spaceplane launch vehicle.

An artist’s impression of the Boeing XS-1 concept vehicle

Announced in 2013, the XS-1 is intended to provide the US military with the means to rapidly deploy small satellite payloads to Earth orbit using a re-usable first stage and expendable upper stage which may be carried piggyback by the first stage vehicle. The goal of the programme is to provide an uncrewed launch vehicle capable of delivering payloads of up to 2,300 kg (5,000 lb) to orbit, which can be rapidly re-used – the target of the development programme is to have the vehicle complete 10 launches in 10 days. In addition, the vehicle must:

  • Be capable of hypersonic flight to Mach 10 (12,250 km/h) or higher
  • Lifting an expendable upper stage unit which it can then launch, and which can carry the payload to orbit
  • Operate with a launch cost less than 1/10 that of current launch systems (i.e. around US $5 million per flight).

Three groups of companies were awarded initial design concept contracts:  Boeing and Blue Origin, Masten Space Systems and XCOR Aerospace, and Northrop Grumman and Virgin Galactic. None of these may be awarded the development contract, which is intended to see the project to a point where test flights could commence in 2020.

To be successful, the vehicle will make use of advanced materials, cryogenic tanks, durable thermal protection, and modular subsystems. These, coupled with a reliable, re-usable propulsion system, would make it possible for the vehicle to achieve the hoped-of low-cost, rapid launch and re-use capability.

Continue reading “Space Sunday: planets, stars and spacecraft” →

Costa Blanco in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey

Costa Blanco, Costa Blanco; Inara Pey, May 2017, on Flickr Costa Blanco – click any image for full size

Update, December 2017: As per the comment from AJ, below, Costa Blanco appears to be under new ownership; the build has described here no longer exists.

Caitlyn and I first visited Costa Blanco in January 2017, but I didn’t get to blog about it at the time, so a re-visit seemed in order.

Designed by Gabrian Lascelles (Gothicgaylord), the region is described as “situated in the southernmost province of Sweden, and is connected by weather and theme with Bretagne in France.” It’s an interesting description, and the general environment for the region has much of a feel of being suited to either southern Sweden or Bretagne (or even here in the UK!). However, the design of the region throws in multiple elements – a Mediterranean style villa by the landing point, for example – such that Costa Blanco has an eclectic feel to it which makes exploring interesting and offers many opportunities for photography.

Costa Blanco, Costa Blanco; Inara Pey, May 2017, on Flickr Costa Blanco

The aforementioned landing point is in the north-west part of the region, directly outside of the villa. Grapes are growing on the vine here, as a cobbled drive leads down the slope of a low hill to where a scattering of farm outhouses and barns sit. Some of these have clearly seen better days, as their boarded windows and doorways can attest, while the tractors sitting in and around them also speak of age and hard-working lives. Given the way the hay is baled, it would seem this is still a working farm, but the overall impression is that the focus is now more on providing stables for horses, than working the land.

Costa Blanco, Costa Blanco; Inara Pey, May 2017, on Flickr Costa Blanco

Dirt tracks run around and through the farm, offering multiple choices for wandering. To the south, a single track runs along a finger of land pointing eastwards. At the end of this sits another old outhouse in which sits a little display of photographs captured in the physical world. This tumbledown galley shares the headland with an old barn and a cosy little cove, around which places to sit and snuggle can be found, some of many to be found throughout the region.

A sandy beach sweeps  down the eastern shoreline of the land from the north, and out onto the slender headland, giving the impression that this is a stretch of coastline facing east, looking out to where a smaller island sits. Reached via a little motor boat available from a beach-side pier, this rocky island offers a little retreat, complete with summer-house,  and a look-out point in the form of the disintegrating wreck of a boat made fast against the rocks. As the motor boat poofs when you leave it, getting back the mainland appears to be a case of flying or of teleporting back to the landing point.

Costa Blanco, Costa Blanco; Inara Pey, May 2017, on Flickr Costa Blanco

Given the number of cuddle spots here – we particularly enjoyed the secluded hot spa – Costa Blanco is ideal for romantics. Those seeking more active pursuits can ride the region’s horses while photographers can have a field day with the setting as a whole. There is something about the air of age and general shabbiness present in the buildings, coupled with the natural unkempt nature of the trees, grass and bushes which make Costa Blanco an eye-catching visit.

Costa Blanco, Costa Blanco; Inara Pey, May 2017, on Flickr Costa Blanco

SLurl Details

Bay City celebrates nine years in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Credit: Marianne McCann / Bay City

Bay City celebrates its ninth anniversary on Sunday May 21st, and the Bay City community is marking the day with a another special time of festivities and fun to which everyone is invited!

Activities will kick-off at noon SLT with a parade line-up at the band shell in Bay City – Harwich. At 12:30 SLT, the parade will make its way down Route 66, and proceed to the Bay City Fairgrounds in the North Channel region. DJ Marx Dudek will be providing the music throughout the parade, which will be followed by at live concert from 13:30 SLT onwards at the fairgrounds.

The line-up for the concert this year comprises (all times SLT):

  • 13:30 – 14:30:  Christov Kohnke.
  • 14:30 – 15:30: Winston Ackland.
  • 15:30 – 16:30: Oblee (Obeloinkment Wrigglesworth).
The Stage is set for Bay City’s 9th anniversary

All Second Life residents invited to participate in the event. Celebration goods, including parade float bases and ideas, are available at the Bay City Community Centre, in the Daley Bay region for those who wish to be a part of the parade. Ample viewing areas are provided. The music event is also open to all who desire to attend — not only Residents of Bay City

About Bay City and the Bay City Alliance

Bay City is a mainland community, developed by Linden Lab and home to the Bay City Alliance. The Bay City Alliance was founded in 2008 to promote the Bay City regions of Second Life and provide a venue for Bay City Residents and other interested parties to socialize and network. It is now the largest Bay city group, and home to most Residents of Bay City.

Anniversary SLurls

Adventures, science fiction and fantasy in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey

It’s time to kick-off another week of storytelling in Voice by the staff and volunteers at the Seanchai Library. As always, all times SLT, and events are held at the Library’s Second Life home at Bradley University, unless otherwise indicated.

Sunday, May 21st

13:30: The Thin Man

New York, 1932. Nick Charles, a retired west coast private detective, and his wealthy socialite wife, are in the Big Apple for Christmas. It’s a place where Nick is perfectly happy getting drunk in their hotel room or in speakeasies. Which is not to say the couple are unhappy; far from it. They enjoy witty repartee and banter with one another, and Nora is every inch Nick’s match in wit and intelligence.

Things change when Nick is visited by Dorothy Wynant, the daughter of a former client, businessman Clyde Wynant, who has apparently vanished ahead of his daughter’s wedding. Nick reluctantly – and to Nora’s amusement – agrees to find the missing businessman (the titular Thin Man). But what starts as a search for a missing man quickly turns into the hunt for a murderer after Wynant’s secretary is found dead, with all the evidence points to Wynant himself as her killer.

Corwyn Allen, John Morland, Kayden Oconnell, and Caledonia Skytower read Dashell Hammett’s 1933 classic, which became the first in a series of films following Nick and Nora’s adventures, as played by the inimitable William Powell and Myrna Loy.

19:00: The Wind in the Willows

Meet little Mole, wilful Ratty, Badger the perennial bachelor, and petulant Toad. Over one hundred years since their first appearance in 1908, they’ve become emblematic archetypes of eccentricity, folly, and friendship. And their misadventures – in gypsy caravans, stolen sports cars, and their Wild Wood-continue to capture readers’ imaginations and warm their hearts long after they grow up.

Begun as a series of letters from Kenneth Grahame to his son, The Wind in the Willows is a timeless tale of animal cunning and human camaraderie – although some in current times unkindly see it as a kind of allegory for the privileged ne’er-do-well upper class (in the form of Toad) with the aid of the middle class (Badger, rat and Mole) to keep the proletariat (weasels and stoats) in their place.

I suggest you join Caledonia Skytower for Magicland Storytime, and go with Mr. Grahame’s intention with the tales – as a ripping yarn for young hearts and minds.

Monday, May 22nd 19:00: Architects of Hyperspace

Humour, hard science and speculative science fiction all combine in this novel by Thomas R. McDonough, who has worked with both the SETI Institute and The Planetary society.

A trio driven by personal ambitions comes together after a dying man’s last words send them in search of the secrets of a lost alien civilisation. Critic’s review:

A wonderful tongue in cheek story backed by great speculative science. The combination of the sometimes screwball comedy with the specifics of how hyperspace could work and the details of the time lags of space communication, etc, made for a believable and well-formed diegesis. There were times reading this book that I just had to stop to laugh. The book reminds me a great deal of Red Dwarf.

Join Gyro Muggins as he reads this unusual story.

Tuesday, May 23rd 19:00: Old Mother West Wind

Welcome to the timeless world of the Green Forest, the laughing Brook, and the Smiling Pool. Here young readers will meet a menagerie of funny and fascinating animal friends — Peter Cottontail, Jimmy Skunk, Reddy Fox, Grandfather Frog and many more — and learn about their exciting adventures.

In this beloved classic, the first in a series of highly popular animal tales by Thornton W. Burgess, children discover the answers to such questions as why Grandfather Frog has no tail and why Jimmy Skunk wears stripes.

There’s also great fun to be had in reading or hearing about the grand goings-on at Mink’s swimming party, Little Joe Otter’s slippery slide, and Reddy Fox’s fishing expedition. These and many other adventures are told in a warm, whimsical way that combines gentle lessons about nature and wildlife with the fun of a good story.

Join Faerie Maven-Pralou to hear more from Thorton Burgess’ story.

Wednesday, May 24th 19:00 The Further Adventures of Gorak the Gobbler

Caledonia Skytower reads from  her most recent published short story collection, featuring the mischievous, yet wise magical creature: Gorak (also presented in Kitely (hop://grid.kitely.com:8002/Seanchai/108/609/1528).

Thursday, May 25th

19:00: Feyland – The First Adventure

Shandon Loring reads the short story prequel by Andrea Sharpe’s successful Feyland series.

Jennet Carter never thought hacking into her dad’s new epic-fantasy sim-game would be so exciting… or dangerous. Behind the interface, dark forces lie in wait, leading her toward a battle that will test her to her limits and cost her more than she ever imagined.

High tech gaming and ancient magic collide when a computer game opens a gateway to the treacherous Realm of Faerie.

(Also presented in Kitely hop://grid.kitely.com:8002/Seanchai/108/609/1528).

21:00: Seanchai Late Night

Contemporary Sci-Fi Adventures with Finn Zeddmore.

Please check with the Seanchai Library’s blog for updates and for additions or changes to the week’s schedule.

The featured charity for May through July is Alex’s Lemonade Stand, raising awareness of childhood cancer causes and funds for research into new treatments and cures.

2017 Home and Garden Expo in Second Life

Posted on by Inara Pey
Home and Garden Expo 2017

The 9th Home and Garden Expo (HGE) in support of Relay for Life of Second Life and the American Cancer Society, opened its doors to the public on Friday, May 19th. Taking place across nine regions, all called Hope and a number (1 through 9), the event will run through until Sunday June 4th, 2017, offering some of the finest in home, garden, and furnishing designs available across the grid.

Home and Garden 2017: Alia Baroque

With over 100 exhibitors taking part, the event offers something for anyone who is looking for a new home, ideas for furnishing and decor, wishing to improve their building (or other) skills, or who just wishes to keep abreast of the latest building / home trends in Second Life.

With so much to see, it is likely that more than one visit might be required to see all of the designs and gardens – and with the number of exhibitors, pointing to specific creators is a little unfair. However, there are some highlights worth seeing. Two of these are reminders of a past Fantasy Faire – sister event to Home and Garden. One is a design by Alia Baroque, another by Elicio Ember, each of which has wonderful echoes of Fantasy Faire 2015

Home and Garden Expo 2017: Auditorium

Also to be found in the Expo is Eclair Martinek’s winning garden design from the recent Filling the Cauldron event, and very much a place to visit and enjoy.

As well as providing the opportunity to discover the best in housing designs ans itself, there will be a wide range of events going on through the two weeks of HGE, including talks, classes, entertainment, three breedable auctions, a roller coaster  However, at the time of writing this article, the event website is conspicuous for its absence of any schedule or significant list of activities, so an eye should be kept on the Home and Garden website  for updates.

Home and Garden 2017: Elicio Ember

About the Expo

The Home and Garden Expo raises money for Relay For Life of Second Life (RFL of SL). Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature fund-raising event, and RFL of SL is one of its virtual counterparts. You can find more information about RFL of SL at the official website.

Expo exhibitors are required to have two 100% donation items at the Expo. These items must be new and exclusive to the Expo for the duration of the event.

100% of registration fees, sponsorship fees and donation items are paid to Relay For Life of Second Life. 50% of the proceeds from the gachas will be paid to RFL and 100% of the L$10 hunt items.

Home and Garden 2017: Eclair Martinek’s garden

SLurls

All regions are rated moderate.

Hope 1 Hope 2 Hope 3
Hope 4 Hope 5 Hope 6
Hope 7 Hope 8 Hope 9