Initial release 2011 Written in Squeak-Smalltalk Available in English | Development status Release Operating system | |
Developer(s) Alan Kay, David Smith, Andreas Raab, David Reed, Ron Teitelbaum, Community source | ||
OpenQwaq is open source computer software for immersive collaboration, which enables organizations to implement online 3D virtual world workspaces for their specific needs. OpenQwaq is based on the Teleplace technology, a conferencing platform that has been in the market since 2007, with the name Qwaq Forums until 2009.
Contents
History
Both OpenQwaq and Teleplace are based on the Squeak open source implementation of Smalltalk and the Croquet Project. The main developers of this family of technologies include Alan Kay, David Smith, Andreas Raab and David Reed, whose 1978 doctoral thesis on naming and synchronizations in a decentralized computer system introduced many of the main concepts. Teleplace virtual workspaces were used by companies, universities, organizations and U.S. government agencies, such as the Air Force, Army, Navy and Department of Veterans Affairs for training and collaboration, have applications to telepresence based e-learning, and have been used for popular interactive online technology talks. Teleplace ceased operations in December 2011. 3D ICC Purchased the IP from Teleplace in 2012.
Initial release
OpenQwaq was announced on the Teleplace blog and other IT news sites in May 2011.
The initial release of OpenQwaq was functionally equivalent to Teleplace with the exception of the video subsystem used for webcam videoconferencing, video playback and session recording, because the proprietary video codecs used in Teleplace could not be included as open source. Developers have then integrated in OpenQwaq the open source video and audio codecs used in the VLC media player. Following a standard open source technology business model, companies offering value added OpenQwaq hosting and consulting services have been formed.
Features
Uses
The teleXLR8 project, an online talk program previously based on Teleplace, restarted in August 2011 on OpenQwaq.
QUBE
QUBE is a software program based on OpenQwaq. It was developed by Pentacle (The Virtual Business School), who use it as a virtual classroom for their executive education courses.