Mantis#1591. Thank you graciously, Sempuki for a patch that:

Currently module loading is done ad-hoc. I propose creating a simple 
loader class that leverages Mono.Addins (and perhaps the new .NET 
addins when they become available in mono). Attached is a basic 
patch for review that compiles into HEAD, but doesn't yet replace 
any existing ad-hoc loaders.

2 files changed, 11 insertions, 19 deletions

diff --git a/OpenSim/Grid/GridServer/GridServerBase.cs b/OpenSim/Grid/GridServer/GridServerBase.cs
index 7891c29..010c250 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Grid/GridServer/GridServerBase.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Grid/GridServer/GridServerBase.cs
@@ -116,26 +116,17 @@ namespace OpenSim.Grid.GridServer
             m_httpServer.AddStreamHandler(new RestStreamHandler("POST", "/regions/", m_gridManager.RestSetRegionMethod));
         }
 
-        protected void LoadGridPlugins()
+        protected void grid_plugin_initialiser_ (IPlugin plugin)
         {
-            // Temporary hack to stop mono-addins scanning warnings from coming out on the console
-            TextWriter oldOutput = Console.Out;
-            Console.SetOut(new StreamWriter(Stream.Null));
-
-            AddinManager.Initialize(".");
-            AddinManager.Registry.Update(null);
-
-            // Returns the console.writelines back to the console's stream
-            Console.SetOut(oldOutput);
+            IGridPlugin p = plugin as IGridPlugin;
+            p.Initialise (this);
+        }
 
-            ExtensionNodeList nodes = AddinManager.GetExtensionNodes("/OpenSim/GridServer");
-            foreach (TypeExtensionNode node in nodes)
-            {
-                m_log.Info("[GRID PLUGINS]: Loading OpenSim plugin " + node.Path);
-                IGridPlugin plugin = (IGridPlugin)node.CreateInstance();
-                plugin.Initialise(this);
-                m_plugins.Add(plugin);
-            }
+        protected void LoadGridPlugins()
+        {
+            PluginLoader<IGridPlugin> loader = new PluginLoader<IGridPlugin> (".");
+            loader.Load ("/OpenSim/GridServer", grid_plugin_initialiser_);
+            m_plugins = loader.Plugins;
         }
 
         protected virtual void SetupGridManager()
diff --git a/OpenSim/Grid/GridServer/IGridPlugin.cs b/OpenSim/Grid/GridServer/IGridPlugin.cs
index 47273a2..d51deb3 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Grid/GridServer/IGridPlugin.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Grid/GridServer/IGridPlugin.cs
@@ -27,13 +27,14 @@
 */
 
 using Mono.Addins;
+using OpenSim.Framework;
 
 [assembly : AddinRoot("OpenSim", "0.5")]
 
 namespace OpenSim.Grid.GridServer
 {
     [TypeExtensionPoint("/OpenSim/GridServer")]
-    public interface IGridPlugin
+    public interface IGridPlugin : IPlugin
     {
         void Initialise(GridServerBase gridServer);
         void Close();