Solipsis: Python-powered Metaverse

[Paul McNett]

Terry Reedy wrote:
> While the above is not directly on-topic for c.l.p, it does suggest 
> possible design considerations for users of the socket module and packets 
> built on top ;-).
> -- including Solipsis, which is such.

I contributed to the thread going kind of off-topic, so I'll just follow 
up by saying that the Solipsis Metaverse could have the potential to be 
the killer app that gets Python noticed in a widespread, mainstream 
fashion (with no value judgement attached to that - I'm not sure that 
development would be particularly good or bad for Python). The ability 
for anyone to design their own entities and then put them into a common 
metaverse, where they exist in "concrete" fashion just by virtue of 
being there at a given position and size, and that none of the entities 
in the metaverse are managed by a central server, is just amazingly 
cool. The coolness factor could be like that of the web in 1993, with 
Python enabling all kinds of normal people to learn programming so they 
can make their mark with their avatar in the virtual world - indeed more 
and more of daily life may become dependent on dealing with people in 
the metaverse instead of face-to-face. And once the masses learn how to 
really wield the power of their computers, watch out the human race just 
evolved a little more.

But the ability for maliciousness to be unleashed is an unfortunate 
side-effect too, and the Python community should be prepared for the 
language becoming the scapegoat, but then again each entity in the 
metaverse is really its own server, and can limit its input/output just 
like we do now with Python web apps.

Um, when I started this message I meant to bring it back on topic. Oh, 
well. Hiro forgives me, I am sure.

-- 
pkm ~ http://paulmcnett.com