Ars Virtua & The CADRE Laboratory for New Media will host a workshop on open source alternatives to the Second Life(TM) grid, in conjunction with the 2nd Biennial 01SJ Global Festival of Art on the Edge.

This two hour workshop provides an overview of open-source, third-party virtual-world server technology based on Second Life(TM), and the opportunities afforded to artists and experimenters who are now able to cheaply host tailored synthetic spaces.

The first hour will be devoted to a brief overview of Second Life and the “OpenMetaverse” initiatives (libsl, opensim, etc.) Bennett Goble of Ars Virtua will discuss features and show demos of the most popular alternatives (OpenSim, OpenLife & realXtend), their qualities, strengths etc.

We will consider the issues surrounding installation, maintenance and function of the OpenSim server and will be connecting participants through third-party clients and through modifications of the Linden Lab Second Life client.

During this session participants will have an opportunity to look at code, and to consider the space as a place for artistic experimentation and collaboration. Special consideration will be given to coding within the environment and control afforded by building and running servers.

We will also discuss the relative merits of running sims on cloud systems (such as Amazon’s EC2/S3) and instantiating a foothold sim for further experimentation.

For more information see Aldon Hyne’s ‘An idiot’s guide to OpenSim.’ (http://www.orient-lodge.com/node/2956)

“Typically, people running OpenSim set up a grid, similar to the Main Grid, the Teen Grid or the Beta Grids that Linden Lab runs.” - Aldon Hynes

The workshop will be held from noon - 2 p.m. Friday June 6 in room 237 of the art building on SJSU campus. This workshop is free and open to the public.

Bennett Goble is a synthetic world junkie, new media artist and info-addict that spends 12+ hours a day overviewing dual computer monitors with his independently operating eyes. He is heavily involved within the digital world Second Life, working on coding, design, and art projects.

Ars Virtua is a new media center and gallery located in the synthetic worlds. It leverages the tension between 3-D rendered game space and terrestrial reality, between simulated and simulation. AV has active initiatives in Second Life, World of Warcraft and in the open source simulator space. Ars Virtua is sponsored by the CADRE Laboratory for New Media.

The 2nd Biennial 01SJ Global Festival of Art on the Edge is North America’s newest and largest festival of digital arts, and a great deal more. Festival organizers expect it to be a perspective-altering experience that entertains, enlightens, educates and involves attendees in a new understanding of our changing world.