***garyW: Ok let's start. There are several things to cover tonight. First off Angley is going to be coordinating questions

*Ph's tech support: may i suggest one thing, gary?
***garyW: Sure PH
*Ph's tech support: technical questions should be saved for later...
***Gary W: Yes, we have a few things to cover first. Let's start with commercial servers. Mark, can you give us an overview

***Mark Jeffrey: Sure ... As many of you may know, we previously gave away a version of the UNIX Palace server. This is was an enabling half-step -- not a full blown and tested product. We called it an 'unsupported beta'. Since then, we have completely rewriteen the UNIX server. It is now fully tested, has many bug fixes and new features. For the full story, see the commercial server section on our webpage

***Mark Jeffrey: It now takes advantage of multi=processing and is much more scalable

Trip: I have a question, can you send the load of the server to many machines or just processors?
***Mark Jeffrey: Many machines
Trip: cool
?puddles: cool
***Mark Jeffrey: There is a 'front end' process that can be running on the same machine as the server or another machine
Wolfie: hence 9998, 9999, 10000

***Mark Jeffrey: This means: throw more hardware at the problem and it goes away.
We are now selling the servers based on number of concurrent users connected There is a special offer in effect right now If you buy a server before Dec 15, we give you special pricing -- see the website

Phil: is the palace geared up to handle the new influx of users it is now seeing
***Mark Jeffrey: You mean Mansion, etc.?
Phil: we are all seeing a lot of lag....is that going to go away in the future?
***Mark Jeffrey: We are continually adding new machines and bandwidth handling ... and new Palace servers are appearing all over the Net every day ...So the overall ability of the net to handle the Palace server demand is actually quite good

CyberMatt: question...what are some of the new features to the UNIX server?
***Mark Jeffrey: Basically the increased load handling capabilities and auto-registering with the Palace Directory. These have been significantly enhanced. Soon you will see NT servers also

***Mark Jeffrey: The Mansion machine is handling several Palace servcers at once right now. As well as our website and some other things .... We are working on moving some of this load off right now . And we are not taking full advantage of our own improved technology yet. You should see improvements on lag soon
BUT ... two things: Some lag is just THE NET ....and ... some traffic should move from Mansion to one of the thousand or so palace servers that have sprung up. The capability to handle the demand is there now

mad Dingo: I was asking what the pioneer Register numbers were for :)
***garyW: Those are for the personal servers. We'll get to that in a minute.

Trip: will the server beable to send data to web pages, like how many people are on?
***Mark Jeffrey: Not yet ...
Trip: bummer
***Mark Jeffrey: But there are similar capabilities coming
Trip: simmilar? how?
***Mark Jeffrey: Some things we are still debating internally .... Would you find it useful to interface PERL scripts to Palace servers?
Auto: Yes!!
?Arctic Frost:Yes!!
*Ph's tech support:absolutely, mark

***Mark Jeffrey: That's one thing being considered. There may be better ideas which you would like even more that I can't discuss yet

Trip: allz I want is a way to find out how many people are on without having to log on to check
***Mark Jeffrey: Yes -- absolutely. That is something we have targeted very highly to solve. We're on it :>

Wolfie: Is that (the server load of the Mansion machine) why the Haunted Palace, and Rainbow Palace are rearely up, if at all.
***Mark Jeffrey: No ...I think Haunted is down because it's not Halloween now ...And Rainbow was getting a little crazy
Wolfie: haunted was up in July I believe

Neecie: Twice I have had trouble with losing all my props when I shut down the palace for the night, both times it has happened for several days and then just stops. What is causing this?
Star:me too neecie
***Mark Jeffrey: Not sure -- but we recoimmend you 1. Backup your propfile and 2. Call tech support and 3. Make sure you have a recent version of Palace -- older versions had more volatile propfiles.
?Arctic Frost: Need to close the prop bag before shutting down
Neecie: I did backup ... it cleans them all out
Star: thx AF =)

***Mark Jeffrey: One more thing to announce -- we have integrated Shockwave into Palace

******Applause noises.******

***Mark Jeffrey: This means you can author with Director -- again, see the website for details
Star: cool!
***Mark Jeffrey: It will be formally released in Jan

The Man in Black: what about people who don't wish to buy Director to author in Palace?
***Mark Jeffrey:
You still can. This is another option for you if you want it. Also: we have a full SDK now for you to extend Palace using C. This is available to Palace Developers -- sign up if you are interested on the website
***MikeM: this means that there will be palaces with cool audio, animation, and video that plays in the shockwave environment
mad Dingo: Wait hold on...what is SDK?
***Mark Jeffrey: Software Developer's Kit

Vejita: Do we put it in the Plugins folder
***Mark Jeffrey: That's right V
***garyW: Both the plug-in SDK and Shockwave are developer tools. You can write palace plugins

Vejita: What shockwave should we have?
Star: yes....what if the people coming to the palace dont have it....will it be like webpages where they cant view it?
***garyW: The shockwave run time will be distributed in the client
***Mark Jeffrey: Shockwave -- when it's released all registered users will have it
Star: cool
Vejita: How are we gonna get Shockwave will it be e-mailed to us?
***Mark Jeffrey: You'll need to 1. Get the newest version of Palace client form the Website and 2. Download the Shockwave Palace plugin. That's right , right Gary?
***garyW: You got it!
Vejita: Where is the download sight?
***Mark Jeffrey: Not there yet V. ... will be in Jan on our website
Vejita:ok thanx

Auto: how extensive is the tech support going to be for the registered unix servers?
***Mark Jeffrey: VERY ... we have dedicated staff for that now. There is a Standard Care package ... and there is an intensive Tech Support add-on package you can buy
Full Moon: wow
***Mark Jeffrey: This gives you more access to our resources, etc. Same as with most things of this nature the website again has all the details
Auto: great!
***Mark Jeffrey: Check where you download the Unix servers

Vejita: Is a better prop editor going to be made?
***Mark Jeffrey: Ummm .... I know there is a redesign of the user interface coming sometime soon I THINK it includes better prop editing functionality but would have to check on that
***MikeM: the initial user inerface changes will focus on ease of use (i.e. navigation, sounds, etc)
Vejita: Thank you

Princess©: will someone who is grandfather'd in have to pay for the new version and plugins (shockwave) ?
***Mark Jeffrey: Gary?
***garyW: Nope, you will get all new releases for a year
Princess©: thanks :)
***MikeM: a new prop editor will be coming in Q1'97
Trip: I ain't a grandfather, just an uncle
***garyW: free is a very good price

Gavin: Is there or will there be a server version for IRIX (SGI's)?
***Mark Jeffrey: Not soon I don't think. We are making sure we support the versions we do well And there is an upper limit to that right now. You can continue to use the unsupported beta indefinitely

$Big Ben©: Lately for me, errors have occured on the palace and I lose all my props and my screen sometimes freezes. Will this be prevented from happening soon?
Miss Hope: i have the same problem
Wolfie: we all do
Shocker: get a mac : )
$Big Ben©: hehe
***garyW: We are working throug a number of these problems. Please continue to work through tech support. A number of the server issues were fixed with the latest release. We are still working on some of the client ones

koko: tech support didn't answer my email
Phil: I 've emailed tech support and got no answer
***garyW: We are trying to be responsive on the tech support side
***MikeM: we will make sure that tech support answers your email in the future
***garyW: The email is getting read, but we may not be able to get back to everyone right away But the only way we will get these issues resolved is to keep hearing about the problems

!!Regi: Will palace ever have a VRML environment?
***Mark Jeffrey: VRML: Palace addresses the installed base of machines today
VRML is not realistic or compelling for most folks and introduces some serious social issues IF it begins to be a more realistic technology for this ... you will see us in a leadership position
***Mark Jeffrey: Palace and VRML are not necessarily mutually exclusive We just don't see it being a real need just yet

dark: It would be cool if Palace had itz own Email.....sorta like AOL....that would be cool
***garyW: I don't think Palace is the right place to implement email. Perhaps links to email?
dark: ooooh
Les: On the issue of e-mail to tech support ... could u at least acknowledge reciept ???? even if can't answer question right away ... so we users don't feel lost ...
***garyW: great suggestion
koko: agree
***garyW: Yes, we'll make sure that happens
?Craig Allen-Mage: thanks
Lynne: excellent!
Phil: good

***garyW: Ok, lets move on to personal servers. I assume most everyone in this room is a Palace Pioneer
!!Regi: i am
?Arctic Frost: I am!!
?MISS P: yeppers!
***garyW: Hopefully everyone got their email
Dr. Crusher, TGS: I should hope so....
Ramoth¨: yep
Wolfie: one of 2
Phil: yep
Miss Hope: i am, but have changed e-mail and have not received my mail
Notabot.TGS: no!!!
Wizzard©: didn't
Cinders: yes thank you!
*Ph's tech support: many still havent

***garyW: Every registered user by November 19 is a Palace Pioneer That means you get a free personal server reg number And updates to both client and server software for a year

******Many asking "I didn't get reg number!"******

?MISS P: there is information on the PUG list today about how to retrieve that info
***garyW: If you didn't get an email - see the web site for details

Fenris: Is the 64k limit on PC pserver going to change?
***garyW: The 64K limit is still there until we get the 32 bit version
Fenris: Any ideas when that might happen?
***garyW: There are versions today for the PC (16 bit), Mac, and Unix They all went up on the web site last night and today

mad Dingo: Yeah....whats a personal server that you need a registration Number for it
***garyW: All servers now will require reg codes. Personal servers support up to 40 users and are designed for non-commercial use. They will sell for $50, but all Pioneers get a free version
mad Dingo: So does that mean people who were not pioneers but have a palace will soon have to pay?
***garyW: We made everyone a Pioneer that registered by Nov 19. Hopefully all existing users are covered. There are advantates to being first, Hence the name, Pioneers
koko: lol

dark: I think I speak for all memberz when I say on ALL tha palace serverz (finchnest, main, etc) we've been expiriencing MAJOR lag....haz anything been done about it?? And my sever has been connecting 2 a "local server" and I cant get on it.....whatz that mean??
***garyW: As Mark mentioned, we are doing things to improve scalability Some of the issues are related to the net But we are trying to make sure our software scales as well as possible
Phil: define scalability
***garyW: Scalability is being able to add extra users without increasing lag
Phil: kewl
***Mark Jeffrey: Scalability -- up to 1000 users on a single server -- and even these can be daisy-chained with hyperlinks
***garyW: We will keep pushing the performance envelope
***Mark Jeffrey: That's for commercial servers

?Obaki: will there be a 32 bit personal server, and if so is my pioneer reg number good for it? Being a pioneer has no benefits to me yet, dat file too big : (
***garyW: Yes, we are working on a 32 bit version Your personal server number will work, but it is still several months away It will be based on the NT commercial server code base
***garyW: It's going to be hot! or so they tell me
lol
Ramoth¨: lol
***Mark Jeffrey: Yes NT will be a very interesting product -- multithreaded and a multiprocessors
?Obaki: thankyou

Dr. Crusher, TGS: yes...about those 32 bit servers I seem to remember having one some months ago...was I dreaming?
***garyW: No, we had a early version out But we are using the new NT server code base instead, it's much more scalable
Look for it at the end of Q1, there is still a lot of work to do

Gavin: I have something called PServer version2.0.1. Is that the Personal Server everyone is talking about? Also, please define "non-comercial use".
***garyW: Somebody may have to help me here, but I believe 2.0.1 is the right version
*Ph's tech support: yes, gary
Wolfie: yes Gary
***Mark Jeffrey: See website for full explanation -- but basically: You are a non-profit entity. Non-commercial use means not trying to promote a brand (i.e. Coke), or sell a product
Phil: who makes profit?
***GaryW: Non-commercial use means not trying to promote a brand (i.e. Coke), or sell a product. The personal server was designed to let anyone author a palace for cheap

Shocker: Has there been any thought into making DCC in palace?
***garyW: That's the file transfer stuff
The Man in Black: more than that... DCC is Direct Client Connection
Shocker: it is client to client chat...and it is file transfer yes
Wolfie: DCC is a way of bypassing the server and going client to client, correct?
The Man in Black: can do chat direct and bypass servers, send files, etc
***garyW: We'll let Jbum tell you about that at the next session teehee
Shocker: alright gary
***garyW: I promised I wouldn't
Shocker: haha
***garyW: Stay tuned
Shocker: so there has been thoughts about it?
***garyW: Absolutely

zircon: please described differences between capabilities of personal and commercial servers & how about a mac 32-bit server?
Wolfie: mac is 32 bit
***garyW: Primary differences are in the number of people that can be supported The Mac is 32 bit
The Man in Black: What is the commercial server policy/pricing at this time? for upgrades
***Mark Jeffrey: Pricing runs from 995 to about 10K -- based on number of concurrent users supported Check website for details
***garyW: a bargain at twice the price!
The Man in Black: no, I meant for upgrades, is it a yearly fee think like the personal systems?
***Mark Jeffrey: $$ are MUCH CHEAPER than other v-worlds servers. Even some text chat thingies!!!
***MikeM: if you order before dec. 15, you can get the 500 user server for the 100 user price ($995)
***Mark Jeffrey: But we have the personal options for regular people making labors of love
***garyW: Yes there is a 15% charge for the extended care support, and similar charge for upgrades
Auto: labor for sure
?Arctic Frost: labor of addiction, hee hee
***Mark Jeffrey: Some v-world servers are so high, they don't list their prices on their websites for fear of comparison!
Wolfie: heh