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Linux and Shrek

Delrin writes "This article on Zdnet reports on how Linux is slowly becoming an important player in the high-end graphic design industry. The latest upcoming movie "Shrek" a perfect example. Dreamworks and others are turning to linux for a large portion of their work, turning away from the likes of SGI and Microsoft." The movie looks visually astonishing: I'm definitely checking it out asap. Hopefully the story can live up the credits (Mike Meyers, John Lithgow, Eddie Murphy) and the visuals (the trailers blow away much of Toy Story 2).

13 of 233 comments (clear)

  1. Don't compare Shrek and Toy Story 2 by danimal · · Score: 4

    Toy Story 2 is almost 2 years old. CmdrTaco is just playing the fool when he compares Shrek to Toy Story 2. In those 2 years technology at both Pixar and PDI has move along quite a bit. He should be comparing Shrek to Monsters, Inc., which will be released this year as well.

    -dan

  2. Re:The Irony is Killing Me by Jason+Earl · · Score: 4

    Yes, but on the bright side Linux is guaranteeing that the tools used to make professional movies become less and less expensive. Pretty soon it will be possible to really break the MPAA by making it possible for struggling artists to produce and distribute their works inexpensively.

    When it is all said and done this is the only way to break the MPAA. As long as making a movie is as expensive as it is today the MPAA will control the destiny of entertainment (because they will be the only ones able to produce it). Trying to "steal" their works after they have created them is a losing proposition.

  3. This is in the Wall Street Journal Print Edition! by Bruce+Perens · · Score: 5
    This isn't just a ZDNet article. It's in the Wall Street Journal print edition.

    The interviews were set up and pitched to the WSJ by HP's P.R. department. So, we do have professionals doing Linux P.R. I was interviewed, although I'm not mentioned.

    Bruce

  4. Shrek trailer online by lart · · Score: 4
    See what Shrek looks like for yourself:

    The trailer

  5. Re:The Software they're using.. by -=Izzy=- · · Score: 5

    Softimage *was* owned by microsoft.. they are now owned by Avid.

    a quote from their website.

    About Softimage Co.
    Softimage Co., a division of Avid Technology, Inc, is the industry leader in 3-D animation, 2-D cel animation, compositing and special effects software, designed to address the demands of the film and commercial/broadcast and games/interactive industries. SOFTIMAGEÒ|XSIÔ, an integral player in Avid's Make, Manage and Move MediaÔ strategy, is the flagship product offering from Softimage. XSI is the industry's first truly nonlinear animation (NLA) system that gives animators and digital artists the freedom to Make professional animation, visual effects and games - from major motion pictures, to cartoons and commercials, to animated content for video games and Web sites. The Softimage product family is designed to help users innovate, create and collaborate throughout the production process.

  6. The Irony is Killing Me by Greyfox · · Score: 5

    I'm glad that our product can further add to the profit margin of the MPAA, which has been nothing but hostile to this community.

    --

    I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

  7. Two words: by Galvatron · · Score: 4
    Final Fantasy. I know a guy above me mentioned it, but let me add my $0.02. The girl was in some stupid guy magazine, and when CNN went around showing the picture (among a bunch of pictures of real models), and people couldn't pick which was the computer model. They didn't do any kind of scientific poll, but certainly there seemed to be a reasonable number of intelligent people (it wasn't like a bit on the Late Show or anything).

    In 10 years, processing power will probably be some 32-64 times faster (to be on the conservative side of Moore's Law), and that by itself will allow almost unbelievable improvements in detail. I think his prediction is perfectly reasonable.

    The only "intuitive" interface is the nipple. After that, it's all learned.

    --
    "The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than that of whether a submarine can swim" -EWD
  8. Re:article won't persuade most potential users by rjamestaylor · · Score: 5
    That, and high per-seat license fees, compelled my small company to switch to Linux in 1997. We had more than one occasion to meet with top-level engineers from Digital to track down crippling bugs in the Digital Unix. It was frustrating to have to rely on the holy priests to interpret the holy source code. We only have a handfull of people who _could_ make use of the OS source, but we're much more motivated to solve our client's problems than any closed source tool/infrastructure maker. Using closed-source OSes means having to describe problems to another party which may or may not be able to find the cause - and, even if the cause is found, may be embarrassed to admit culpability (remember Sun's hardware problems revealed a year ago?). Every time we've had these meetings (client, VAR, OEM conferences) the atmosphere is not friendly, but full of tension, blame-passing, suspicion and butt-covering. Even getting to the stage of having the meeting meant hours and hours of impasse leading to escalation of the problem. Very acrimonious. (Note: we've never had such a meeting with Microsoft, so I have no idea what that would be like).h

    Two years ago we ran into a limit of ptys on an older Linux server. We searched the message boards and, not finding a solution, went through the source and found out what we were doing wrong. I'm not sure if we tweaked anything - that was a while back - but we solved our own problem without any acrimony.

    Cost is an issue, but, with a little effort, the best benefit of Open Source is opened source. Maybe that's why it's called "Open Source" and not "Cheap Software".
    --

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    -- @rjamestaylor on Ello
  9. Someone finally understands by null_session · · Score: 5

    I just happy to see sombody finally stop squabbling over price and cite the TRUE benifit of Free Software :
    "Although we're a shop of 1,300 people, we don't have the clout to get Microsoft to change their operating system," says Andy Hendrickson, director of systems development at Industrial Light & Magic. "With Linux, we can do it all ourselves."

    It's refreshing to see somone tout the value of freedom.

  10. Linux Replaces Tom Cruise! by rohar · · Score: 4

    "Ten years from now, maybe we don't need actors like Tom Cruise anymore, because we've reached the stage where we can render them so well," Fink says.
    This has to be the best thing ever to come out of the Linux community.

    1. Re:Linux Replaces Tom Cruise! by tb3 · · Score: 4

      Hasn't Nicole been saysing something like this for a while now?
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      www.lucernesys.comHorizon: Calendar-based personal finance

  11. The plot and story line... by Roarkk · · Score: 4

    are awesome. I got to see a sneak preview 2 weeks ago, and was amazed at the visuals throughout the entire movie. I also think it was Murphy's funniest movie in a good long while. Three cheers for DreamWorks!

  12. The Software they're using.. by tb3 · · Score: 4
    Softimage Co., whose animation software helped create a colosseum in "Gladiator," expects to ship Linux versions of its two leading products in September. The Montreal firm expects the Linux market to account for 15% of sales shortly.

    Softimage is a wholy-owned subsiduary of Microsoft. I hope Montreal doesn't tell Redmond what they're doing.
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    www.lucernesys.comHorizon: Calendar-based personal finance