LSL Protocol/Restrained Love Open Relay Group/Prefix

Prefix Discussion

The current relay specification calls for two prefixes ! for meta-commands and @ for commands to be passed through to and executed by the viewer. For the most part, meta-commands are informational only (!release being an obvious exception). x-tensions fall into two significant categories: those that are largely informational and those that could be (but are not) implemented in the viewer. There is no hard and fast line between these two, for example, the currently proposed !gender add-on to the existing relay spec implies functionality that could, potentially, be implemented in the viewer or could be implemented by a script in the relay.

Clearly, though, there is need of some form of prefix for x-tensions, if only to separate them from the functionality required by all relays. There are a number of obvious alternatives: use the existing prefixes and simply document the x-tensions; create a single, new prefix for all x-tensions; and use multiple, new prefixes for the x-tensions. The first choice seems inappropriate, and choices for the second and third are to either use !x- alone or !x- for informational and # for viewer commands.

Clearly, making this choice needs to be done very early in the life of ORG.