Linux Client -- Spoke too Soon?

Just downloaded the new 1_12_0_51742 version of the SL linux client and I must say that I am pleasantly surprised. It has addressed most of the issues that have been reported since the alpha client was released... finally!

I do hear that LL is trying to release the client without the static libraries this time. It's causing some issues for certain users -- but thanks to the wonder that is the Internet, those problems are being addressed on the forums pretty quickly. For myself, I simply needed to install an older version of the Berkley DB libraries (libdb-4.2) and I was good to go on my Ubuntu 6.06 box. Work arounds currently exist for Redhat users and others.

Rumour has it in the forums that icculus.org is involved in porting the linux client now. Browsing through his site you may notice a few projects he's simply abandoned half-way through, so lets keep our fingers crossed that he sticks to this one. I'm a big fan of is work for sure (and even read his book on linux game programming). If he does stick with it, I think we'll finally see the linux client catch up quickly with the others.

This release makes me very happy. It's almost up to speed with the windows client which means I now have one less reason to boot up Windows. With the Genuine Advantage program just being released, that's a good thing. Only a handful of programs I now rely on windows for (and a couple games, sure).