Pixar Switches to Mac OS X and G5s

fmorgan writes "No big surprise here: when Apple introduced the G5 at 2003 WWDC, it become more a question of 'when' Pixar will move to G5s, than 'if'). At the same conference, Apple showed a new codec for Mac OS X named 'Pixlet,' developed with Pixar. In last year O'Reilly's Mac OS X conference, there was a presentation on how Pixar moved their desktop/office environment to Mac OS X. Now it seems it's the main production work: 'Apple's Don Peebeles said that Pixar has used Linux and Intel-based architecture in 2003, but that Pixar was switching to Mac OS X and G5 workstations for its production work: Peebles went on to say that this switch was "a move that no doubt made common CEO Steve Jobs very happy."'"

Comments

Re:Here's what I see coming...

[crimoid]

I'm sure that Pixar didn't buy these things at "retail" prices. I'm sure that 1.) Apple cut them a sweet deal, 2.) Pixar's hardware was aging and in need of replacement or 3.) Both.

Re:Steve Jobs as CEO can redefine "necessary"

[FreeUser]

First, Open Source != Free Software

Second, check out some of the Linux threads on the mac fora (I have a mac, so I lurk there). The anti-Linux and anti-GPL feeling is quite deep, and includes some remarks from Apple's leadership as well.

I'm sure they are perfectly fine with GPLed applications running os OSX. They are much less enthusiastic with infrastructure which is GPLed, and are frankly quite luke warm to any free software that competes, even indirectly, with their products. Understandable, mind you, but taking every bit of Apple spin and PR as gospel is more than a little niave.

Modding an informative post from +4 insightful to -1 insightful is rather interesting, and smacks of a rather coordinated onslaught of moderators. One wonders who pays their paychecks to be moderating comments during the work day.

Either that, or moderators with no business experience are unusually gullible today.

Reference:

Really though do they need to change the Linux farm? I'd be surprised if they did, there's no real need...

There is no need to, strictly speaking, and long term this move will likely be rather costly to Pixar and their shareholders, but with Steve Jobs as CEO of both Pixar and Apple, and the probability that this initial transaction was conducted "at cost," it is hardly surprising.

My overall take on this is a little controversial (tin-foil hat optional):

Steve Jobs isn't a particularly staunch fan of GNU/Linux, nor of software freedom. He sees an opportunity to close out a rival (Linux) before it threatens him, kill off a competitor or five (SGI and a dozen small Linux rendering solution companies), and to do so while our attention is occupied by SCO and Microsoft.

Remember, software freedom is, long term, as big a threat to Apples business model as it is Microsoft and SCO's. The difference is that, as a non-monopolist used to competing, the threat isn't as immediate or acute. It is, nevertheless, quite real, and Jobs would like to have Apple well entrenched (and Linux perhaps starved of the multi-media applications that make it a competitor today) before the paradigm shift to software freedom threatens his company with relegation to a mere hardware vendor directly.