Another Way for Apple to gain Market Share:

[MacManiac1224]

Another Way for Apple to gain Market Share:
I just read an article from Architosh about Elsa and Nvidia working on a workstation graphics card for Mac's. This got my mind working: Maybe Apple is going to make a big move into the business world, which would be incredibly good. Let's hope. I think it will focus on businesses, Hollywood, and Sci-tech. Those are nice markets where Apple can gain some market share. Let's see what happens in MWSF: What do you guys think?

 

[agreenster]

Interesting

I do find it interesting that Job's OTHER company, Pixar, do not use Mac for nearly any of their pipeline work. Im sure some scattered few use mac for post editing and miscellaneous work, but not for their 3D stuff.

This is probably because they write their own programs for Unix OS, and have it down to such a science that there is really no need to change. Nearly every other 3D graphics studio does the same thing. Unix/proprietary software, so there is really nowhere for Apple to fit........

Except with actual Film editing. I think Apple could probably fit the needs of many pros in the film industry by using FCP, and many of them are. But a high-end workstation (like the 15 grand Intellistation with the Itanium Processor ) is typically for 3D/post effects, not film.

However, now that Apple has moved to a Unix core, maybe there will be little to no learning curve for the Unix-heads to switch to Macs at Pixar. If that happened, that would seal the deal for the floundering SGI boxes. (Silicon Graphics)

 

[evildead]

Pixar

Pixar uses Linux clusters to do the bulk of their work. Shreck was made almost totaly with a linx cluster (like 20 1u server) and Maya.

[Edited by evildead on 12-19-2001 at 04:02 PM]

 

[agreenster]

Linx?

Do you mean Linux? Regardless, we are still talking Unix here, arent we?

Dreamworks (Shrek) uses Maya for most of their charater MODELING, but their animation and effects are all proprietary. They use PR RenderMan for their rendering. (also made by Pixar)

 

[evildead]

gosh...

I need to check my posts.

Yeah.. we are still talking UNIX basicly. And your right about Mac OS going UNIX, it could help to move some developers over to Mac. They could probably port over some of the software that they have all ready with relitivly little effort. That is if Apple had a nice fat workstation or a rack mount server that could be clustered to do big jobs.

 

[agreenster]

Agreed

Didnt mean to pick on ya, just wondering if linx was something Id never heard about.

Yeah, Id love to see Apple develop a rack server to make happy little rendering farms, and a fat workstation. And it's so silly to me that Jobs hasnt already pushed into that industry with his clout at Pixar.

HOWEVER, I could see them easily saying, "Hey Jobs, we're bringing in 140 million a year using Unix. If it aint broke, dont fix it."

 

[evildead]

true

Pixar is doing a dam good job as is. Disney is about to loose them soon too... they dont need the mouse.

It's ok.. I wasnt offended about you pointing out my typo. The only thing worse than my spelling is my typing. I am a programmer... all my errors are allways sytax... never logic.

 

[agreenster]

Yeppers

Pixar had been up and down at the beginning, doing odd commercials here and there. (Listerine, LifeSavers, etc) But after they released Toy Story, they blew up. They signed with Disney to do Three Films (sequels excluded), but now its five. Toy Story, A Bugs Life, Monsters Inc, Little Nemo (the next one, working title), and _________________. Then they will be on their own.

It will be interesting to see what happens after that. Jobs is making a ******** of money from Pixar, but only a buck a year from Apple. As JeffHatfield puts it, Apple is just s little computer hobby for him. Pretty sweet hobby.

 

[evildead]

Jobs

well.. if Jobs gets sick of Apple... he can always give it to me.

 

[GeeYouEye]

Not quite

Since Jobs dropped the i from iCEO, he gets paid more than a dollar. A LOT more.