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Chapter 1 ✦ An Introduction to Maya
Since then, as we all know, the price of computers has come down and the speed
of desktop machines has increased dramatically, enabling software packages such
as Maya to blossom and become accessible to beginning animators. A|W has also
become very aggressive in pricing. It offers competitive discounts for those using
other 3D applications, enabling them to get Maya for only a few thousand dollars.
A|W has also introduced many educational programs, enabling students to gain
access to this amazing software during the academic year for next to nothing. A|W
even launched a program, called “A Taste of Maya,” in which anyone can use the
Windows version for one month for free.
Check out the competitive upgrades. Base Maya costs less than it used to be.
UNIX-based animators cringed at the thought of a Windows machine running graph-
ics software. But the truth is, Windows offered a more affordable computer with a
larger user base and desktop gaming forum. When Microsoft ported Softimage to
Windows, it suddenly became an attractive alternative to SGI. It was affordable and,
therefore, more accessible to all. But then Maya, which was owned by SGI, surprised
everyone and announced a Windows port.
Although I’m still not ready to give up my UNIX workflow, it is a viable place to run
Maya software. After becoming accustomed to the new OS and its work-a-rounds
and kinks, I began receiving production through a predominantly Windows pipeline.
The cost of a Windows render farm, shown in Figure 1-3, is less expensive now than
in the days of per processor, node locked, money pits.
Maya for Linux
Because Windows operating systems have limitations that severely restrict the
number of machines from processing large amounts of data across a large facility,
UNIX must be available for large shops to incorporate these new low cost machines.
Linux can be run on most PCs and is often the UNIX alternative. For this reason,
Linux is being used to run Maya render farms. Many studios have adopted a double-
boot system in which Linux automatically boots UNIX for the render farm if a user
does not choose Windows from a timed prompt during startup. By choice, many
animators use Linux as a base system.
The only real disadvantage in using a Linux system for graphics is the limited availabil-
ity of other software packages and support. But many animators, and large production
facilities that prefer UNIX, have turned to Linux as an equally cost-effective solution to
Windows.
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