Benjamin Schroeder wrote:
Well, I only mentioned it to modulate Hugh's comment that "all" design
and animation is done on Mac and Windows. I agree that most of it is,
but it seems that Linux isn't unheard of in that world.
When you've only got a paragraph to write or 30 seconds to speak,
you have to round numbers off. Not all design and animation is
done solely on Mac or Windows, but the number of Linux systems
is so low as to be insignificant. It's greater than Amiga or
SGI O2, and certainly has growth potential, but none of the 3D
app vendors make Linux a priority or highlight the Linux version
in their publicity/web sites.
Instead of a "no, but" answer to the question, "Isn't Linux being used
for 3D anyway?", we could do a "yes, and" - yes, it's being used for 3D
renders on the backend, and there's some limited use on the frontend.
Maybe more open/better drivers would be appealing to studios that
wanted to use more workstation Linux (but I haven't done the research
on that).
Very much so I think. (Sorry Benjamin, I'll have to repeat some
bits you've already seen.)
Using Maya as an example, the installation process for a studio,
small or large, that chooses Mac or Windows is
1. Buy computer
2. Switch on computer
3. Buy Maya
4. Insert Maya CD, run installer
and if anything doesn't work, Alias/Autodesk will be really
helpful about getting it to run.
Maya is also available for Linux. Well not any Linux, only
for Enterprise RedHat X.Y or SuSE A.B. If you're not using the
version that the vendor recommends, you won't get any tech
support.
Maya will be unusable without 3D acceleration. Because of
the IP issues, RedHat or SuSE can't distribute Linux with
an accelerated driver. Installing the nVidia driver has
certainly become easier over the years, but you still need
a Linux geek who knows about run levels and configuring yum
or apt-get and xorg.conf files.
And the next yum upgrade / atp-get upgrade that changes
the kernel is likely to require re-installing the nVidia
driver. So you need your Linux geek around all the time,
not just for the install.
A medium or big studio can afford a Linux geek. A small
design shop can't, so Linux isn't a realistic option.
With the open source drivers, OpenGL apps on Linux can
become as easy to install and maintain as Mac/Windows.
That will be a huge improvement.
--
Hugh Fisher
DCS, ANU
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