Kokua Beta Update
October 24th, 2012 by NickyP
Release Notes http://wiki.kokuaviewer.org/wiki/Kokua:Release_Notes/3.4.1.24848
This beta release should correct start-up crashes with concurrent use of Microsoft Skydrive and Teamviewer that was posted here .
Will you be restoring the ability to export/import our builds?
This feature is very important to me as I do all of my building offline and then import those builds to the various grids that I am on.
The original export/import code was licensed GPL. Imprudence team members agreed that any original code or code fragments from Imprudence would be considered as LGPL and be freely used as such. The code for import/export was taken from other viewer projects. Unless we have releases or re-licencing from the original authors we can’t use the Imprudence import/export code in Kokua. I know this seems like a dance around a direct answer but, at this time there isn’t a Yes/No answer to the question.
Thanks. I appreciate the info and will also post about it on my blog so others know what has happened. I do hope something is done to include an export/import function. Its simply too useful to not do so.
Astra had the HPA format and Angstrom includes it now. Perhaps that is an option? Or some other format?
While I do appreciate all the effort by the development team, I downloaded Kokua-3-4-1 and using it for a few minutes I have to ask: What is the difference between Kokua and LLV3? I played around with it for over 20 minutes and didn’t see anything different other than a purple theme. Oh and the grid manager.
With Imprudence the differences are immediately apparent (different Radar, extra features in preferences etc). With Kokua, I don’t see anything other than the grid manager?
Again I appreciate all the work by the development team but I have to ask what is the point of Kokua if it looks/acts the same as LLV3? And you stopped development on Imprudence over a year ago for this? If I am missing something then by all means let me know.
Thanks for taking time to install, evaluate and comment about Kokua viewer.
We put a good bit of effort into providing an opensource solution for streaming audio that works on linux and windows. We did this because of license restrictions concerning distribution of FMOD. Recently, FMOD removed zip files from their website that allowed building FMOD libraries. From a feature standpoint LLV3 and Kokua have streaming audio. However, opensource solutions tend to outlast commercial ones that are subject to profit motives of the companies involved. We are proud of our solution and have provided it for other projects to use when and if they desire.
Concerning features. With the pace of change from LL we have been able to merge to LL and stabilize the viewer afterward and little else has been done. We hesitate to move entries around in the UI just to display that we are different from LLV3. That is not a true change.
Our Linux 64 bit version requires additional effort to maintain currency with LL and seems to be well accepted. Most of the download counts are for this version.
Please comment concerning the feature you would like most to see in Kokua.
Ok you haven’t had time to do anything other than try to keep up with LL? That is a shame. As for features, basically I was hoping that features I had grown to love in Imprudence would be found in Kokua such as:
The IM system. To be honest this is the biggest one. From what I saw so far you only have the v3 IM system, which to be honest is the main reason why I don’t use it. Those popups and the way the windows (or even if you use tabs) are arranged it is annoying to say the least. Icons at the top for each person, I only need a window with tabs thank you very much. I don’t need buttons as well for each person and IM text flowing in at the top right of my screen. It is too easy to miss when I am trying to watch local chat. Or it is just in the way when I am trying to do something. I had hopes that LL would change this when they did V3 but alas no. And most people I know won’t use a v3 type viewer for the same reason. I am very greatful that there are viewers such as Imprudence because I would have left SL due to this system. Yes it is THAT annoying.
The Radar. The Radar system in Imprudence is the most handy/useful I have seen. Having it with the Minimap was pure genus. And of course the full version as a separate version should one need it.
Group IM’s show the name of the group in the chat console when the messages come in (if you have IM’s show there). I am not sure if Kokaua does this or not, but based on what you said I suspect not.
Profiles with the buttons handy like they are in Imprudence. Such as a GROUP INVITE button. Oh that was wonderful for those that manage groups and land. Otherwise we have to pull up groups (which is another click in v3) then invite..etc)
Inventory: is the design that V3 has (which I find annoying). No extra search abilities such as in Imprudence.
How about the odd way groups are handled in V3? Instead of having a different window for group info it is in the people window with a back button. Can’t have more than one group open at a time this way (or look at your friends list at the same time). And pull down instead of tabs for roles notices land etc? We end up having to mouse to the bottom of the screen or top to switch between roles, notices etc. It was much faster and simpler to just have tabs at the top
How about the terrible notice system that V3 has? They disappear in 3 seconds and I end up telling people over again check your envelope/notice icon for their group invite because I get “I didn’t get it, can you please resend?” Or they log in and never check the thing so they don’t know of any notices or such they received when offline. Why not have the notices pop up and stay up until dismissed by default with a adjustable setting if one doesn’t want to see them or hide them for a bit. Granted since this is LL’s default it won’t help me in needing to explain it others, but the notice and IM system is the largest reason I can’t STAND V3.
Having items available in one click instead of 3 that V3 requires for some aspects. Yes I know you can arrange the icons (and add some), but there are some items that require click a icon get a menu then click a tab, then click something else. Before we could just click one button and done. Not click a icon, a tab, then something else. For example people button the friends or groups seems like a long way to go about it. How about adding buttons for Friends, and groups or such items that normally take 3 clicks to get to? I understand there is a right-click on your AV to get to groups so this is minor compared to revamping the friends/groups windows. Another example About Land, now we have to click World then About land (or the i to get places then click about land). Before we just clicked the location at the top and about land opened.
So again I am not talking about “moving icons around” I am talking about TRUE change under the hood. Better radar like Imprudence, better profiles (group invite button was wonderful for example oh and when you pay someone had option to put in a description) and button access. Items that are not hidden and need 3 clicks to get to. Abilities like derendering a object, and object area search. Again what made Imprudence the best viewer in SL. Without them, Kokua is just a V3 with a purple wrapper (well except for the media aspect which is great I admit.. . . well. . .usability improvements is the main reason people switch viewers).
Again, I am not putting down the developers and I am very appreciative for what has been done. I am just very surprised that Kokua doesn’t have any of the aspects that made Imprudence what it was.
I have downloaded and had a try with kokua 3.4.1.24848 (Oct 23 2012 22:04:23) for more an hour of real time.
I used a laptop with this hardware and OS : “CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2630QM CPU @ 2.00GHz (800 MHz)
Memory: 5892 MB
OS Version: Linux 3.0.0-26-generic #43-Ubuntu SMP Tue Sep 25 17:19:22 UTC 2012 x86_64
Graphics Card Vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
Graphics Card: GeForce GT 540M/PCIe/SSE2″ (GNU/Linux Mint 12 64 bit – 6GB RAM).
I have noted pros and cons:
Pros:
1) in GNU Linux 64 bits version at last a viewer who works round and smooth, and I have to add very stable, out of the box, just the time to unpack it, add the optirun to use the nvidia card, and run it. Media working as soon as I log in. Absolutely awesome!
Cons:
2) Where is the continuity with Imprudence? Where the hell have gone all the Imprudence “pretty unique” features? (Ok… …other than working out of the box on a 64bits GNU/Linux system).
I appreciate a lot your work on the media and the 64 bits native compiled on GNU/Linux, it was one of the greatest Imprudence “feature”, one who made me chose Imprudence as my favourite viewer for much more than a year, but one, and not the only one.
Really, looking at kokua right now it seems a lot far away from what Imprudence was… …kokua seems a really new viewer, with about nothing in common with Imprudence one.
So a question arises: what is the Kokua manifesto? And then, what are your near future plans about Kokua and its features? What features are you working to implement or are you going to?
Thank you for the evaluation and comment.
I would like to have positive response but, unless additional developers participate the addition of new features will not happen.
Due to a medical issue requiring surgery, I will need to curtail some of my contribution.
The past 12 hours have been spent troubleshooting a linux 64 bit bug. Bugs really bug me mentally and that is what I tend to work on. So, it is back to choosing added features or making what we have stable.