Pixar switches from Sun to Intel

[santiago]

That's interesting...
Steve Jobs is the Mac man, right?
I like the fact that large studios are switching to Linux. It seems to be the OS of choice for animation production studios.

[BrandonD]

Originally posted by santiago

I like the fact that large studios are switching to Linux. It seems to be the OS of choice for animation production studios.

I think it's most attractive to studios that have relied so heavily on flavors of unix, like IRIX for example.

[tropistic]

What?!? You mean, Pixar isn't moving to all Apple servers & workstations? Sure they're kindy pricey, but they could probably get a discount...

Hey - Pixar won't be able to use OSX-only software! For example, they won't be able to use Shake; I know, maybe they can swap some Shake licenses for NUKE :rolleyes:

Jay

[jsh3d]

Pixar using macs :surprised. that'd be interesting :surprised

macs :rolleyes:

-Jsh3d

[paultheplumber]

"Hi, I'm Steve Jobs and I'm a switcher."

(Honestly though, this probably had more to do with the bean counters and IT people than the CEO. I don't imagine Jobs spends that much time on site. Did you see Steve's Pixar office on the Monster's Inc DVD? I'm not sure but I think the computer was one of those cardboard machines that you see in the desks at office supply stores.)

[Sgt_Bukkake_Man]

Or perhaps it has something to do with the fact that they are already using linux on the desktop, all of their tools for desktops were ported from Irix to Linux progressively starting some time ago, macs price performance ratio is horrible, especially comparing an x-serve to a dual xeon 1U render server, oh yeah... and there's NO RENDERMAN ON OSX.
Even if there was, I doubt Pixar would want to use anything but the tried and true.

Linux is going to dominate the render farm for years to come.

It's amazing they've stuck with sun as long as they have! The price performance ration on those cant be too great - I understand that the original reasoning behind sun was that their Richmond, CA location was very cramped and sun had the best performance/space ratio - like 16 procs per system. Hrm.

I wonder what they're doing with all those old procs - i remember them having a 1400 proc farm a few years ago all Sun procs that was moved to another department when they put together a new 2200 proc system... Maybe they were all leased?

[Pixelmaestro]

I heard that building a Linux/AMD/Intel emergency rendering farm at ILM really helped production the last few months of Episode 2. Remember that they are also using the farm to process compositing. Systems that you can put together with available components.

Sun/SGI systems typically are a high margin profit systems, and take a few months to pull the order together.

Now you can upgrade the farm with cheaper components that are constantly gaining performance, and more than likely resell the equipment.

SGI still says it is after the highbandwith server market in the Linux arena, and will probably sell servers that are still connected to the network.

[lapin]

:lightbulb Pixar switch :
1024 Intel PC only for render.
They choose Intel PC just for ratio price/performance ! :D (you have probably choose the same !)
That's just something for save money, so don't be affraid/happy/...
And for the work they use many kind of OS/computer : Sun (solaris) - Sgi (irix) PC (Linux & Windows) and some Mac (OS9 & X)
:wavey:

Pwet ! :p

[santiago]

I remeber reading that one of the big studios donated workstations to CalArts... that may be a possibility

[Thalaxis]

Originally posted by tropistic
What?!? You mean, Pixar isn't moving to all Apple servers & workstations? Sure they're kindy pricey, but they could probably get a discount...

Hey - Pixar won't be able to use OSX-only software! For example, they won't be able to use Shake; I know, maybe they can swap some Shake licenses for NUKE :rolleyes:

Jay

Most Shake users are running Linux, I think... at least that was the case when Apple bought Nothing Real.

[Sgt_Bukkake_Man]

Nuke is a piece of shit.
Only useful to DD staff.
Nuke is no more useful to a third party user than Sony's Bonsai or ILM's CompTime would be.

These are packages designed in house primarily due to the fact that the technology beneath them is known and mostly standardized, and that it is far cheaper for the large houses to develop their own compositing package which fits into their pipeline - with unlimited render licenses and workstation seats. The development cost of making your own app like this is far cheaper than that of buying say - 300 seats of Shake & 3000 render licenses.

Shake is a much better product than Nuke, having used it...

I would only use Nuke if I had the DD software guys right next to me, and if DD was forcing me to use it because I was working there.

This is just DD cashing in on their assets because they arent thriving in vfx anymore.

[Pixelmaestro]

and one of my rule of purchasing software is never invest in a version 1 release.

I have read about some features in Nuke that are noteworthy.

Motion Analysis

ability to import true 3d objects into the compositor

[tropistic]

Originally posted by Thalaxis
Most Shake users are running Linux, I think... at least that was the case when Apple bought Nothing Real.


I can think of at least one Shake user whose still running Windows...and I'm still pissed at Apple's decision(s).

Jay

[Emrys]

This is just DD cashing in on their assets because they arent thriving in vfx anymore. [/B]

Got a bit of an axe to grind have we?

I don't know where you get your information from but its plainly not true. DD has been on the biggest hiring spree in years for the last few months, and they still can't fill all the positions they need.

Check yer sources

Emrys

[santiago]

cool, I need a job... but nobody loves me :rolleyes:

[santiago]

I sent that message twice... how do you delete posts?

[Thalaxis]

Originally posted by tropistic
I can think of at least one Shake user whose still running Windows...and I'm still pissed at Apple's decision(s).


As a (former) user of Logic Audio, I feel the same way but with a smaller investment, but since any other decision would have required that Apple break with their own tradition, I knew what was coming the moment that I saw the announcement that they had purchased EMagic.

[tropistic]

While the Apple buyouts technically make me an Apple customer for the time being, this Apple "tradition" will certainly LOSE me as a customer in the end. Did they really believe it would be otherwise? "Oh gee, well okay, sure, I'll just buy an overpriced under-powered mac then..."

I won't be strong-armed into stupidity. I've got that covered all on my own :scream:

Jay

[beaker]

I'm still running it happily on linux(and they are still producing updates for it). Not sure what everyone elses problem is. It's still a good tool that people paid good money for. I guess if you can afford to just throw away 10k based on pure principal, then go to it. I personally don't like to waste money like that.

[Thalaxis]

Originally posted by beaker
I'm still running it happily on linux(and they are still producing updates for it). Not sure what everyone elses problem is. It's still a good tool that people paid good money for. I guess if you can afford to just throw away 10k based on pure principal, then go to it. I personally don't like to waste money like that.

They cancelled support for the windows version, leaving those users high and dry.

Seems pretty clear to me.

[tropistic]

Originally posted by beaker
I'm still running it happily on linux(and they are still producing updates for it). Not sure what everyone elses problem is. It's still a good tool that people paid good money for. I guess if you can afford to just throw away 10k based on pure principal, then go to it. I personally don't like to waste money like that.

If and when Apple announces continued support for linux beyond 2003, then I'll probably switch to linux keep using my 10k investment.

But if I'm forced to choose between investing in another +5k in a mac to keep using it, or sticking with my never-to-be-updated windows version, I'll go with the latter and ultimately switch to another compositor when I can afford it.

It *is* economics to me - although it's personal too :annoyed:

Jay

[beaker]

>>They cancelled support for the windows version, leaving those users high and dry.

They cancelled the windows version, but not the support for the windows version. Those are two separate things. If you were allready on support you recieved 2.5 and all the bug fixes for it till the next version comes out. After 2.5, then your SOL, but you can move to linux without a hitch(or osx). You only have to change operating systems, not even hardware.

I wouldn't call it high and dry. High and dry is when discreet bought 5d Cyborg/Commander and put them under a rock, or when apple bought spruce and cancelled all their products(didnt even come out with mac versions, dvd studio was based on a product from another company they had allready aquired). Or when Avid cancelled all their SGI products even though they were still widely used(Matador, Illusion, Elastic Reality). Atleast you still have options.

[tropistic]

>>At least you still have options.

For now. And as long as Apple gives me the option of using the platform/hardware of my choice, I just might stick with them. The moment Shake becomes OSX-exclusive however, I'll go with another non-Apple option.

Jay

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