The Object Network technology stack comprises four elements:

• persistent objects (bundles of properties) linked up (just another property) and observing one another
• a protocol to allow these objects to observe and notify their state over the net, where links now act like URLs
• a set of object formats or types that map to input/output or interfaces, including 3D user interfaces and adaptors to external systems
• a declarative rule programming language describing how the state of an object depends on the states of peers it observes through its links to them

This model is especially appropriate for building virtual worlds - the "Metaverse". Now, the object types would be scene objects, including users, linked up into worlds and observing one another over the net.

In current systems, our data is trapped and hidden inside isolated "walled gardens" formed by each system, and even within those systems, we have isolated worlds:

There are three steps to applying the Object Network to building an open Metaverse.

Here's the first step - to free up our objects! We have region and asset objects owned by you, visible to you and editable by you in-world, and including an object representing you:

The second step is for us to add links between our objects, to build a scene and express relationships:

The final step is having updates between our objects:

One of the most useful updates is from all scene objects to a person viewing the scene.

While awaiting a suitable name for the Object Network Metaverse, it's called the "Meta-Web" and "LinkCraft" in the following.

Here's an intro deck describing the "Meta-Web".

It's name alludes to the concepts of the "Next Web" and the "Metaverse" - a 3D Web to evolve from the current 2D one. Second Life and Minecraft are clearly exposing the basic human need to create and explore, which would drive the expansion of a Meta-Web.

It argues that no-one is actually creating a Web-like Virtual World - which would be as open and scalable as the current Web. Even 3D Web technologies like WebGL or X3D aren't meeting the challenge.

The deck explains that the reason for this is that they've forgotten one absolutely crucial ingredient that underpins the Web: links! Identifiers pointing to chunks of data. This time around, though, we'll need links to world chunks, that can update and that can be shared peer-to-peer.

Here's another deck that describes an Object Network application for building this Meta-Web, called LinkCraft:

LinkCraft is an Object Network application that uses its autonomous, mutually-observing objects.

This slide deck describes the way everything in the LinkCraft virtual world is identified by a link, which allows unprecedented flexibility, interoperability and scalability. It allows a global, seamless world to be constructed by its users, without application, server or ownership boundaries - without the "walled garden" effect which keeps an entire world under a single owner.

Any object in the world, owned and hosted anywhere - including on a user's wearable or home hub - can link to and interact with any other. It's like a 3D browser of a P2P Web of dynamic world entities including other people.

LinkCraft is entirely open and free, and there are many potential opportunities for generating income from it around identity, hosting, entry fees, search and placement, etc.

Also see this imaginary future review of LinkCraft.