Open Source: Part 2

The Open Source Advantage

Since the start of the open source movement, it has played a major role in the advancement of technologies and in the development of the Internet. With open source software the code of the software is open and available to anyone. So anyone can improve or customize the software if they have the will power and knowledge to do so. The other major advantage of open source is that the software is free. A classic example is that of Photoshop and GIMP, they are both image editing software capable of doing tons of different things and having many different features to each of them. The difference between them is that Photoshop cost, but the GIMP is free.

Another thing with open source is they tend to come out with updates more often. Where as Microsoft comes out with a new version of its Windows Operating System about every three to four years, an alternative Operating System called Linux has major updates about every 6 months, and minor updates that come frequently. A major flaw with the Windows operating systems is the problem with infrequent updates. When a new security exploit is found, it takes Microsoft several years before they update with a new Operating System, which only hurts the users. Microsoft knows that this helps them because they can market it as "security" improvements, and sell more of their software. With Linux, there are very few viruses, and when one is found, its patch in a brief amount of time.

Open Source software is available in a wide variety of software types: from multi-media software, image editing software, office software, and the list goes on. Some open source software compete against major commercial grade software with a pretty big price tag. Blender is a free open source 3D Computer Graphics Software, it is competing with other software like 3ds Max ($3500), Houdini ($1,995 Houdini Excape, Houdini Master $7,995), Maya (Maya Complete $1999 USD and Maya Unlimited $6999 USD), and others with the same high commercial price tag.

Recently Promotion Studios finished a new commercial which used the Blender software.

You can visit the Web site of the commercial here:
http://www.promotionstudios.com/?p=326


Matt Ebb writes: "We've just finished a recent TVC project that's now airing in the US for Striderite Slimers shoes. It involved a fair bit of fluid sim, which we did in Blender, along with all the animation and rendering.

We used Max for modelling, and Blender for fluid sim, animation and rendering."

There have been many other Blender animations made by the Blender Animation Studios, other commercial organizations, and even home users. Here are just a few of them







This software along with many others have the features as revival software that you would have to pay for.

Open source is giving the ability to use all sorts of software to average users for free.