HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: 2719weberj@vms.csd.mu.edu (Joe Weber)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
Subject: Computer of choice?
Date: 3 Oct 1992 00:34:15 GMT
Organization: Marquette University - Computer Services
Reply-To: 2719weberj@vms.csd.mu.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: vmsa.csd.mu.edu

Hi there,

I am fairly new to computer animation.  For the most part I am one of
the uninciated doing simple 2d graphics to demonstrate a point.  HOWEVER,
I have now decided that I would like to learn, and be able to do
at least simple 3d graphics for multimedia integration.  So, my
question is this:  Which computer platform is best, or more accurately,
what are the pluss and minuss of each platform?

At present I am concidering aquiring a Macintosh Quadra 950 with 
a Super Mac video spiget.  However, I already have a 486-50 wich has
all the goodies (or at least a lot of them).  Of course there
is always talk about the Amiga (especially now with the 4000),
how does this fit in?

I am looking for 1)ease of rendering and design 2) speed.

Also, what programs would be sugested for each platform.... oh, 
I currently run MS-DOS 5, Windows 3.1, WIndows NT, OS 2.01 and
I am aplying for NeXT Step 3.0 486 Beta status.  (I do all of
these ligitmately I am not pirating them)  Incase any of that
makes a differance.

JOE

2719weberj@vms.csd.mu.edu
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: axolotl@socs.uts.edu.au (Iain Sinclair)
Subject: Re: database of TV commercials?
Reply-To: axolotl@socs.uts.edu.au
Organization: University of Technology, Sydney
Date: 29 Sep 92 05:42:18 GMT

stgprao@st.unocal.COM (Richard Ottolini) writes:
 >Does anyone keep a list of who makes what computer-generated TV commercials?
 >I am often curious who made them when I see a particularly creative one.
 >Usually I am able to learn the author(s) by asking on comp.graphics.

Here's some from SIGGRAPH '91 (not sure which are advertisements):

COLOR BARS
(Michael Keeler - Kubota Pacific Computer)
[Is this the animation counterpart to the "Ray Tracing Jell-O (R)" paper?]

LIFESAVERS: THE GOOD TIMES ROLL
(Chris Wallace - Topix Computer Graphics and Animation Inc.)

MATCH LIGHT "ONE MATCH"
(Charles Gibson - Rhythm and Hues, Inc.)
"[...] 100% hyper-realism."

NINTENDO DRAGON
(Jill Hunt - Angel Studios)
"Using organic modeling features of SCENIX"



--
 Iain Sinclair    axolotl@socs.uts.edu.au
From: katefans@chinet.chi.il.us (Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
Subject: Re: computer profit making
Date: 29 Sep 92 04:15:57 GMT
Organization: Chinet - Public Access UNIX

In article <1992Sep27.123930.1@jaguar.uofs.edu> pjr7@jaguar.uofs.edu writes:
>To be brief, I have recently found a way to make great money at home with your
>personal computer. If you want more information please email me at
>pjr@jaguar.uofs.edu and please leave your United States Postal address so I can
>send you this valuable information.  

    Please do not infest this newsgroup with pyramid schemes. Thanks.

                                 Chris Williams
                                    katefans@chinet.chi.il.us
From: pjr7@jaguar.uofs.edu
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
Subject: computer profit making
Date: 27 Sep 92 17:39:30 GMT
Organization: University of Scranton

To be brief, I have recently found a way to make great money at home with your
personal computer. If you want more information please email me at
pjr@jaguar.uofs.edu and please leave your United States Postal address so I can
send you this valuable information.
From: philb@cats.ucsc.edu (Philip Brown)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
Subject: Re: Computer of choice?
Date: 7 Oct 92 00:31:42 GMT
Organization: University of California, Santa Cruz
NNTP-Posting-Host: as215-ws-3.ucsc.edu


neil@celia.UUCP (Neil Richmond) writes:

> A typical 30 sec job here can use up
>from 500 megs to a gigabyte of space. A longer piece can use up a lot more
>space.

Then that's a fixed cost for a "large" drive, that you're going to have
to buy, no matter what the system.

Twould be nice to have a breakdown of actual costs, by item, comparing
an amiga 3000 with the works, to an SGI with the same capacity, so
folks can see where the money goes, and they can decide for themselves
whether they "need" an item.

(gee, how much will you have to strip off the sgi.. :-)

-- 
  --------------------------------------------------
"How do I love sea? Let me count the waves.." |philb@cats.ucsc.edu
P.Anthony, "The Colo(u)r of her panties"      |philb@soda.berkeley.edu
From: epetelhb@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Erik Peterson)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
Subject: Grinnel vs .Pixar
Date: 28 Sep 92 18:28:19 GMT
Reply-To: epetelhb@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Erik Peterson)
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX
Originator: epetelhb@louie.cc.utexas.edu

I am about to produce a 600 image animatio. I have access to a Grinnel and
Pixar for the video production.  I have heard that the Pixar is alot better
for text viewing than the Grinnel but I don't like the borders and open
space around the edges of the screen..

Does anyone have any hints on which one I should use.  This is my first 
attept at this type of projec



Thanks,
Erik
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: katefans@chinet.chi.il.us (Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago)
Subject: Re: John Whitney (Re: artists and programmers united for better animation)
Organization: Chinet - Public Access UNIX
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1992 21:22:36 GMT

In article <1a2fh8INNkv8@calvin.usc.edu> alves@calvin.usc.edu (William Alves) writes:
>
>He currently works on a composition system based on his theories as explained
>in _Digital Harmony_. It's a DOS program currently (he runs it on a 486 VGA),
>but the programmer who wrote it has also put together an Atari version (I
>think). Whitney and the programmer have tried in the past to interest soft-
>ware companies in publishing the software, but none have expressed interest.
>The programmer, naturally enough, does not want his code to be released for
>free, so it sits in John Whitney's studio.

    If this software was ported to the Amiga, I am sure it would do well.
It would fit in perfectly with the general ambience of that machine.

    BTW, has Autodesk been approached? Their "Chaos" program and interest
in Ted Nelson's "Hypertext" would seem to make the a good prospect.

                              Chris Williams
                                 katefans@chinet.chi.il.us

Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: gpivar@gong.mitre.org (Greg Pivarnik)
Subject: MultiGen Users 
Reply-To: gpivar@mitre.org
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, McLean, Va
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 15:59:13 GMT


Are any of you out there using Software System's MultiGen?
E-Mail me at "gpivar@mitre.org"
-- 
Greg 

--  Be still, be silent...the rest is easy.  --
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: wilsont@orac.holonet.net (Timothy Wilson)
Subject: Pixar's new movie...plot? info? don't tease us!
Organization: HoloNet (BBS: 510-704-1058)
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1992 21:47:43 GMT

Hey pixar! whats this new movie about??
Did disney write it? (I hope not)

length?

is there anything you can tell us?
like "look for posters in may?" 

please, spill some more beans.

Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: lev@ipxed5.nswses.navy.mil (Lloyd E Vancil)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation,comp.multimedia
Subject: which what where how??
Summary: how do i get there?
Keywords: sunos, sparc4
Date: 28 Sep 92 18:05:34 GMT
Organization: NSWSES, Port Hueneme, CA



What hardware/software combination have you found
best suited to creating and displaying animations
on the sparc4 platform under sunos 4.1.2 and 
openwindows????

EMAIL please...


I will summarise to the group.


TNX



--
|suned1!lev@elroy.JPL.Nasa.Gov|lev@suned1.nswses.navy.mil|sun!suntzu!suned1!lev|
|S.T.A.R.S. The revolution has begun!|  My Opinions are Mine mine mine hahahah!|
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: kettyle@cbnewsi.cb.att.com (john.jr.kettyle)
Subject: Animation Programs on the PC
Organization: AT&T
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 15:05:05 GMT

I have done sketching and line drawing before and linked up pages to
start rough animation before. Now I want to us my PC to do all this.
Could anyone recomend some programs that would be good to start with,
and others to get when I am more proficient? 

Thanks.
John
From: G.Coulter@Daresbury.ac.uk (Out on a limb)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
Subject: Re: Pixar goes to the Movies
Date: 1 Oct 92 15:10:07 GMT
Reply-To: G.Coulter@Daresbury.ac.uk
Organization: Daresbury Laboratory, UK

Can anyone out there particularly Craig from pixar.com tell me
just a little bit of info regarding the new techniques used on
the Abyss and T2 productions.

And also who does what .......

Are computer graphics FX shots done by ILM (Graphics Division)
Or are they done by PIXAR.

Thanks 

  (*) 
      \    __
   AMIGA  ///  Gary Coulter
     __ \///   SERC Daresbury Laboratory
     \\\/X/(*)       
      \X//\/   G.Coulter@Daresbury.ac.uk

PS Nice joke about the room full of Amigas.
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: good@pixar.com (There is no truth to the rumour about me and Iman.)
Subject: Re: Pixar goes to the Movies
Organization: Pixar -- Point Richmond, California
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 02:11:57 GMT

In article <1992Sep28.081855.10251@cc.tut.fi> jk87377@cc.tut.fi (Juhana Kouhia) writes:
:
:Maybe you can verify following things...
:
:Genesis demo in Star Trek

Yes, we did that effect, but it predates my joining the group (and back then
I wouldn't have known a micropolygon if it bit me (which has since happened)).
Trust the SIGGRAPH papers on this and the other technical questions.

:Also, there was algorithms to compine separately rendered scenes
:to one image.

That would be the Porter/Duff compositing algebra, I'll bet.

:>The Adventures of Andre & Wally B. (1984)
:
:Demo for non-illuminating particle systems like trees and grass.
:Also, motion blur with z-buffer (type?) algorithm.

I had forgotten that A&W was indeed our first film with animated motion blur.
Yes, the flora was all done with Bill Reeves' particle systems

:>Luxo Jr. (1986)
:
:Micropolygon (dicing) system added with shadow algorithm as presented
:in siggraph '87.

The semi-official "excuse" to do the film was to demo the new lighting and
shadowing software.  Uh huh.  Right.  ;-)
:
:>Red's Dream (1987)
:
:Maybe there's improvments in animation; I don't know for
:sure. Maybe something other too I don't recall immediately?

We had a little "mandate" to demo an ill-fated product called ChapReyes, which
was a stripped down but blazing fast renderer which ran on the Chap processor
in the Pixar Image Computer.  The entire dream sequence was rendered with it.
That's why that part of the film has, for example, no motion blur.  Of course,
as it turned out, we never would have been able to finish the film if not for
the 5 to 7 minutes per frame we got out of ChapReyes.

:>Tin Toy (1988)
:
:What is your Motion Doctor anyway? Was it called by such name?

Our first and second generation animation programs were named "md", for
Motion Doctor, by Tom Duff.  For a time, all of our tools had to conform
to the vaguely silly naming convention of "two letters, the first of which
is an 'm'".  In our new system, it is now "some number of letters, the last
of which is a 't'", where the 't' stands for "tool".  As a nod to history,
the animation tool is called "mdt".
:
:
:>Knickknack (1989)
:
:Hmm.. humm.. 3D :-)

Technically, KK was a big demo for RenderMan, especially the notion of
procedural shaders.  The patterns on the wall, the shelf, and everything
else (except for the writing on the bases of the knickknacks) were all
procedural.  We were motivated to keep texture reads to a minimum because
the prototype hardware we used to render the film slowed down a lot when
it had to ask its host for pixels.


		--Craig
-- 
	good@pixar.com
-
Vote for a change this fall! 
Vote all those Liberal Tax-N-Spendocrats out of Congress!
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
Subject: 3D Studio..
From: tasdevil@netlink.cts.com (Adam Spragg)
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 92 21:51:43 PDT
Organization: NetLink Online Communications, San Diego CA

...

> From: hliao@calstatela.edu (Henry Liao)
> Date: 23 Sep 92 20:10:31 PDT
> Reply-To: hliao@calstatela.edu
> Distribution: world
> Organization: Cal State University, Los Angeles
> Keywords: autodesk, 3d studio
> Nntp-Posting-Host: venus.calstatela.edu
> Lines: 9
> 
> Does anyone know of any good book on Autodesk 3D Studio?
> 
> -Henry Liao                                     o
> California State University, Los Angeles         )>
> Networks & Distributed Systems Group         ___./]___
> VOICE:  (213) 343-4537, 343-4530        hliao@calstatela.edu
> FAX:    (213) 343-4575                  hliao@csula.bitnet
> #include <std/disclaimer.h>


yeah, me too! me too!  If there was ever an answer to this, could it 
please be posted or mailed to me?  I have a book called Using Animator 
from QUE.  Is there any similar book?  Thanks...

--                    
INTERNET:  tasdevil@netlink.cts.com (Adam Spragg)
UUCP:   ...!ryptyde!netlink!tasdevil
NetLink Online Communications * Public Access in San Diego, CA (619) 453-1115
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: cs318b23@ibmb5.cs.uiuc.edu (JAMES R LANGER)
Subject: IBM BASIC
Summary: I want to know basic "basic" commands for graphics.
Keywords: BASIC commands for graphics
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1992 21:49:45 GMT

Hi, about 10 years ago I did a lot of programming graphics on Apple computers.
Now, I have an IBM, but I don't know the commands for graphics.
I know basic is a stupid language, but I am still interested in the commands.
Like, how do I get into the graphics mode?  
Do I type something such as, "30 gr" ???
Or do I need a package for basic to support the graphics commands?

I went to the library, and got a book titled, "Microcomputer graphics"
it has programs written in basic, but it is not written for any particular
machine.  It has "graphics" to enter the graphics mode.  The book assumes
you know the command to enter the graphics mode, and will replace "graphics"
with that command.  I don't know the commands.

Can someone shed some light on the subject.
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: good@pixar.com ("Forgiveness is easier to get than permission.")
Subject: Re: Pixar
Organization: Pixar -- Point Richmond, California
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1992 07:34:48 GMT

In article <1992Sep21.085630.1@tesla.njit.edu> kpm8447@tesla.njit.edu writes:
:In article <1992Sep17.170350.6074@news.iastate.edu>, lsiwek@cnde.iastate.edu (elizabeth siwek) writes:
:> Excuse my ignorance (I'm not current on the subject), but didn't Pixar go Chapter 11 last year.  Maybe they just got out of the business of selling their rendering computers and have continued to do the artwork.  Anybody know the story?
:> 
:
:From what I've heard, Pixar has stopped producing computers and now just makes
:renderman for every platform out there (unix, mac, ibm, etc) and they are
:doing commercials.  I read in an animation magazine that they joined with 
:Disney to produce a full length 3-d animation movie (it should be out by next
:year)  

Pixar sold off the hardware manufacturing business a couple of years ago.  We
have a software business which sells MacRenderMan, ShowPlace, etc. and a new
product called Typestry.  We also do custom graphics software on a contract
basis for a few companies and government agencies.

Pixar also has an animation production business which has been producing
TV commercials for, gee, nearly three years now.  We are in pre-production on
a feature film which will be distributed by Disney.  For the record, we
approached them when we were ready, not vice versa.  And the thought that the
film "should be out by next year" is terrifying!  It takes time to make
animated movies!  Be patient! ;-)

		--Craig

-- 
	good@pixar.com
-
Vote for a change this fall! 
Vote all those Liberal Tax-N-Spendocrats out of Congress!
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: liboff36@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca (Albert Kemp)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
Subject: Can't use MPEG player
Date: 29 Sep 92 02:33:36 GMT
Organization: University of Waterloo

Recently, I ftp'd an MPEG movie player from PHOENIX.OULU.FI, but am unable
to run the program, because the driver for my Diamond Stealth VRAM card was
not among those provided.  

Stefan Hartmann (leo@zelator.in-berlin.de) was very kind in suggesting that I
contact the authors by phone, to ask for the driver.  However, I would first
like to know if anyone can tell me where I might ftp such a driver from?  

Or perhaps, if anyone knows of another MPEG player that has the necessary
driver for my card, your help would be greatly appreciated.

Albert Kemp
Library Assistant, Systems
University of Waterloo
liboff36@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: stgprao@st.unocal.COM (Richard Ottolini)
Subject: database of TV commercials?
Organization: Unocal Corporation
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 04:17:36 GMT


Does anyone keep a list of who makes what computer-generated TV commercials?
I am often curious who made them when I see a particularly creative one.
Usually I am able to learn the author(s) by asking on comp.graphics.
I realize that most commercials have multiple vendors contributing- the
designers, the software system, the hardware platform, etc.
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: jk87377@cc.tut.fi (Juhana Kouhia)
Subject: Re: Pixar goes to the Movies
Organization: Tampere University of Technology
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 92 13:56:32 GMT


In article <1992Oct1.021157.17297@pixar.com> good@pixar.com (There is
no truth to the rumour about me and Iman.) writes:

Maybe it could be better to type your name to parenthesis after e-mail
address Mr. 'There is no truth to the rumour about me and Iman.' -- IMHO.


>In article <1992Sep28.081855.10251@cc.tut.fi> jk87377@cc.tut.fi
(Juhana Kouhia) writes:

Like that way...



>Yes, we did that effect, but it predates my joining the group (and back then
>I wouldn't have known a micropolygon if it bit me (which has since happened)).
>Trust the SIGGRAPH papers on this and the other technical questions.

Some micropolygon grid ideas could be evolved from the paper
E. Catmull
An analytic visible surface algorithm for independent pixel processing
siggraph '84 proceedings

That was just a thought...


Juhana Kouhia
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: good@pixar.com (There is no truth to the rumour about me and Iman.)
Subject: Re: Pixar's new movie...plot? info? don't tease us!
Organization: Pixar -- Point Richmond, California
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 01:57:32 GMT

In article <Bv9B7M.HF@iat.holonet.net> wilsont@orac.holonet.net (Timothy Wilson) writes:
:Hey pixar! whats this new movie about??

It's about... an hour and change.

:Did disney write it? (I hope not)

It's our own story, and we are producing it.  Disney will distribute.

:length?
Feature length.

:is there anything you can tell us?
:like "look for posters in may?" 

Oh, there will be *lots* of neat posters in May.  None of them, however, will
be for our movie.  No firm release date has been set to date, which is a fine
idea since we haven't started producing the film yet.

:please, spill some more beans.

I can tell you that it will be 3D CG, just like our previous films, and that
it will be made here in Northern California.

Don't tell anybody, but we're going to render it on a room full of Amigas.

		--Craig
-- 
	good@pixar.com
-
Vote for a change this fall! 
Vote all those Liberal Tax-N-Spendocrats out of Congress!
From: philb@cats.ucsc.edu (Philip Brown)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
Subject: Re: Computer of choice?
Date: 3 Oct 92 01:23:13 GMT
Organization: University of California, Santa Cruz
NNTP-Posting-Host: si.ucsc.edu


2719weberj@vms.csd.mu.edu (Joe Weber) writes:

>Hi there,
>At present I am concidering aquiring a Macintosh Quadra 950 with 
>a Super Mac video spiget.  However, I already have a 486-50 wich has
>all the goodies (or at least a lot of them).  Of course there
>is always talk about the Amiga (especially now with the 4000),
>how does this fit in?

>I am looking for 1)ease of rendering and design 2) speed.

>Also, what programs would be sugested for each platform.... oh, 
>I currently run MS-DOS 5, Windows 3.1, WIndows NT, OS 2.01 and
>I am aplying for NeXT Step 3.0 486 Beta status.  (I do all of
>these ligitmately I am not pirating them)  Incase any of that
>makes a differance.



Why all these total brainwashed, advertising-hype machines?

Why not somehting sensible like an SGI?

(Sillicon Graphics)

-- 
  --------------------------------------------------
"How do I love sea? Let me count the waves.." |philb@cats.ucsc.edu
P.Anthony, "The Colo(u)r of her panties"      |philb@soda.berkeley.edu
From: freedman@cs.colostate.edu (keith freedman)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
Subject: Re: XAquarium
Date: 2 Oct 92 16:22:24 GMT
Reply-To: freedman@cs.colostate.edu
Organization: Colorado State University

There is a program called Xfishtank that is pretty entertaining!


I believe it is in the contrib directory at
export.lcs.mit.edu


Keith Freedman
From: katefans@chinet.chi.il.us (Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
Subject: Re: database of TV commercials?
Date: 29 Sep 92 04:34:34 GMT
Organization: Chinet - Public Access UNIX

In article <1992Sep28.041736.16007@unocal.com> stgprao@st.unocal.COM (Richard Ottolini) writes:
>
>Does anyone keep a list of who makes what computer-generated TV commercials?
>I am often curious who made them when I see a particularly creative one.
>Usually I am able to learn the author(s) by asking on comp.graphics.
>I realize that most commercials have multiple vendors contributing- the
>designers, the software system, the hardware platform, etc.

    The best place I have found is "Millimeter" magazine. It's a trade-only
film and video production journal. It has a "Hot Spots" section with still
frames of the most impressive commercials of the month, and the usual mix
will have all those neat computer animated commercials.

    Now they usually list the production company, animator, designer,
director and ad agency. Any other info is secondary, and is mentioned in
the one paragraph blurb lifted from the press release.

    Another excellent industry mag is "Post," a tabloid sized magazine
aimed at video post-production houses. It has pictures and mini-articles
(basically press releases) scattered throughout. "Post" tends to focus
a bit more on equipment than "Millimeter."

   "Computer Graphics World" "Computer Pictures" and the others tend to
have articles focusing on _trends_ rather than single examples of a
technique.

   How to get'em? Dunno, most of these magazines have opaque criteria
for free subs. I have been trying to get "Post" and "Millimeter" for
_years_, and despite (or maybe because) honestly describing my business
I have never received any issues. Maybe I'll just have to lie like everyone
else and claim to be the "President" of a "multi-million-dollar" post
production facility.

                                 Chris Williams
                                    katefans@chinet.chi.il.us
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.animation
From: mortenk@dhhalden.no (MORTEN KNUDSEN)
Subject: .FLI specs
Organization: Ostfold College
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 17:10:46 GMT


I want to use an animation from Animator in a program I'm writing. Do
anybody have the format of the .FLI files, or know where i can get this?