Viewer Authentication

Note: If you would like to discuss the changes stated in this page, please use the discussion tab at the top. We are reading it and answering your questions there and will update the wiki as needed. Thank you!

Viewer Authentication

Fairly soon, Linden Lab is going to introduce new form of logging in. The current process requires an xml-rpc call from your viewer to our servers that runs along an inflexible code-path that is difficult to maintain. This process will change to a web-based path that is easier to maintain and will allow us easier access to tools for making logins smarter and furthering our anti-fraud efforts.

What Changes For You?

You'll see a couple different changes when this is released. First of all, the viewer's login page will be web-based. It actually won't look that different from the current interface and allows all the same functionality. Secondly, there will be an optional "Go Inworld!" page on our website that will allow you to log into Second Life straight from the web. This lets you to type your password into our website and gain access to any Second Life applications that take in the proper arguments.

(Note: Logging in from the website does not currently work for all Linux installations at the moment. If you are using Linux, you should log in from the viewer directly.)

Keep in mind that if you are developing a third-party application to access Second Life, we will be keeping our old login methods intact until you catch up with the new process - at which point we will shut down the old pathways.

Frequently Asked Questions

"I'm always logged in on the SL website. How does this affect me?"

For security purposes, the website login is separate from the Second Life login. Your cookies on the "Go Inworld!" page will not be saved, but your name will be. This ensures sharing computers with others will not allow those other people to log in on your account.

"On the viewer's login screen, I'm giving the choice of where I want to log into. Will I still have that option?"

Yes. This functionality will be the same both in the viewer's login and on the website's login.

"I use Second Life from a computer that is not mine. How does this affect me?"

Everything works the same as before, whether you log in via the viewer or the website. The website password is not saved, so as soon as you log out of Second Life, other people cannot log in as you without knowing your password.

"Why aren't you fixing bugs? I don't care about login!"

Linden Lab has a team of developers who are constantly fixing bugs in Second Life. However, we also have developers who work on the website, the servers, and specific issues such as security, billing, and fraud prevention. Viewer Authentication is being developed in order to extend the ability of our logins such that they can take advantage of new fraud prevention measures, future account security measures, and be placed in a more flexible and easier to access code-path.

"What happens when I want to use the First Look client or some other third-party application?"

Until they are brought up to speed with the new login process, these extra applications will still be able to use our old login procedure.

The Future

By changing logins to a web-based path, many possibilities are opened up to us in the future. Integration into OpenID, uses with new security measures, faster and better fixes when something breaks.