The Mark 1 is a simulated computer that operates entirely within the Second Life server via LSL.
- A Practical Scripted Computer: The Mark 1 indirectly runs LSL code and can be interacted with in real-time; it is not merely a prop.
- Simualted File System: The Linkset Data File System stores 128kB of data mapped to a navigable directory tree in linkset data.
- Portable Scripts: LSL scripts are mapped to .exe, .lib, and .svc files, which can be manipulated just like data files, with some restrictions due to Second Life limitations. (An operating system is required to load libraries and services.)
- Removable Media: Data and script files can be copied to and from floppy disks via the terminal, file browser, and other file-aware software.
- Keyboard Input: Users interact with the Mark 1 via the in-world keyboard, either by clicking, or using pass-through gestures from their real-life keyboard.
- Color Text & Graphics: The Mark 1's live, in-world display can render up to 96×20 code page 437 characters (plus a few extras) or up to 192×160 pixels in up to 230 colors (modes vary).
In addition, the Script Controlled Operating Environment (SCOPE), the official free operating system for the Mark 1, provides the following after installation:
- Single-Tasking Program Stack: The SCOPE Script Control Interface (SCI) allows programs to execute child programs and return values to parent programs, although only one program can run at a time. The SCI also dynamically loads multiple libraries and services.
- Terminal & File Browser: Navigate your file system and launch programs in an intuitive terminal or using a simple text-mode UI.
- Configurable Bootloader: Set the program to launch on boot using a terminal command or editing a data file; no script or notecard editing required.
- Basic Utilities: SCOPE includes a text editor and other basic tools.
Finally, a suite of additional software is available that adds additional programs and functionality to the Mark 1.
The Mark 1 implements a set of documented interfaces for various components of a computer - RAM, file system, user I/O, etc. - using a special protocol wrapper for llMessageLinked called the Interface Message Protocol (IMP). This allows software to interact with interfaces using a request-response model.
I just think it's neat.
Real-world architectures are ultimately structured around bits and bytes. In LSL, this can only be done by packing integers into either lists or Base64-encoded strings; both extremely memory-inefficient and slow at large scales. Similarly, interpreting a real-world language requires building an entire language interpreter for a very limited language of some sort. Running code as LSL scripts will always be faster, and there are probably more LSL scripters than BASIC enthusiasts in Second Life anyway.
Some examples of other computers that implement existing architectures and languages:
- Frionil Fang's F65 Computer directly emulates a MOS6502 processor at approximately 40Hz, or about 0.004% of real-life speed.
- Shan Bright's Bright Basic Computer interprets a limited form of BASIC at 5-10 lines per second.
In short, the Mark 1 is designed to be intuitive to computer users, as opposed to being interesting to computer engineers - at least, as much as is possible in Second Life.
The Mark 1 evokes the experience of early 1980s PCs.
The hardware is inspired by the original IBM PC (system unit) and the IBM PS/2 (keyboard, monitor).
SCOPE, the first-party operating system, is roughly similar various DOSes and DOS extenders of the 1980s.
Primnet is conceptually similar to the Internet protocol suite.