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sigamy
Jun 9, 2006, 07:54 PM
http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=92075

I really like the comment about commodity hardware being the solution...wonder how Steve enjoyed that meeting.


MisterMe
Jun 9, 2006, 10:43 PM
http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=92075

I really like the comment about commodity hardware being the solution...wonder how Steve enjoyed that meeting.Similar issues have been addressed before. Pixar buys a new renderfarm for each new theatrical production. Before Cars, it used a Mac-based renderfarm. The Mac-based renderfarm replaced a Linux/86-based renderfarm from a no-name company. The thing that you need to understand is that Pixar is not Apple. Renderfarms are specialized tools. Pixar buys the best available for the job at hand.
treblah
Jun 9, 2006, 11:10 PM
Renderfarms are specialized tools. Pixar buys the best available for the job at hand.

Thank you for your well thought out post. :)

"OMG, Jobs doesn't use Macs!!!!1111one11eleven11!" Pixar ≠ Apple :rolleyes:
dejo
Jun 9, 2006, 11:25 PM
Pixar loves Dell Linux boxes!

Loves? Where does it say Pixar loves their Dells?
superbovine
Jun 10, 2006, 12:31 AM
Loves? Where does it say Pixar loves their Dells?

yeah, all the article does is they buy the apporiate hardware to complete the task at hand for the best price. The hardware happened to be Dell.
p0intblank
Jun 10, 2006, 11:46 AM
I knew Pixar used Linux, but didn't know they used Dell. If the hardware does it fine, then it's all good. And plus, I'd rather them use Linux rather than... Windows! ;)
AtHomeBoy_2000
Jun 10, 2006, 02:40 PM
Renderfarms are specialized tools. Pixar buys the best available for the job at hand.

Ding Ding DIng!!! Pixar doesnt need all the functions of Mac OS X. THey need the processiong power.
DeathChill
Jun 10, 2006, 06:49 PM
Ding Ding DIng!!! Pixar doesnt need all the functions of Mac OS X. THey need the processiong power.
At a good price, which Dell provides. xD
bbrosemer
Jun 12, 2006, 09:43 AM
Anyone think that this has anything to do with the fact that Xservers arent out for Apple yet....?
dejo
Jun 12, 2006, 10:03 AM
Anyone think that this has anything to do with the fact that Xservers arent out for Apple yet....?

Hmm, what are these (http://www.apple.com/xserve/) then? ;)
Timepass
Jun 12, 2006, 10:47 AM
Anyone think that this has anything to do with the fact that Xservers arent out for Apple yet....?


no I dont. it all in how much does it cost compared to how fast and how much work can it do.

then you go to the solution that has the best raito. Apple solution may of been better per computer but dell ratio was a lot better so in the long run dell was the cheaper better solution to go with.

On top of that OSX extra are worthless to them for the rendering farms because chance are the software the farm is using was coded for linux so it not going to work as well on OSX. So now you everything down to the hardware cost. now it goes even cheaper to go dell since it might be easier to dell to drop the OS part than for apple to do it. All Pixar wants is hardware. The software from the companies is worthless since all of it is inhouse software and dell may be a lot more willing to work with spiecal request than apple.

On top of that Dell can deliver the products faster and when they say they are going to deleiver them. Apple on the other hand has a long history of delaying shipments and having longer shipping times to begin with. And as I said before dell was more than likely willing to work with the speical request than apple because they are a larger company it is easier to handle these huge speilized request.