So what did Microsoft do to Caligari?

[Khamsin]

And how did they manage to make ~$800ish trueSpace free?

And how did I not notice this sooner?

I wonder if future versions will be free, too. Sucks that vray and certain other things still cost the same. They should do this with Maya and 3DSMax, too.

[Isiolia]

Well, Maya does have PLE. Didn't 3DSMax have a free low-poly version back in the day too?

[Khamsin]

Well, Maya does have PLE. Didn't 3DSMax have a free low-poly version back in the day too?

Except this isn't a special free version, this IS Caligari's flagship product. And it's the most current one. There isn't a better version to pay for, the free version is all there is. Microsoft apparently just bought it and gave it away for free back in July.

[Isiolia]

They did that with VirtualPC as well, and effectively forced Netscape to be free way back when too.

Apple has done similar things, or at least slashed the prices on things they bought, such as Shake.

3D programs have had full versions given away free, well, quite often really. Older versions anyway. What'll be interesting is, like you mentioned, MS keeps it as a free product.

[Khamsin]

Yeah, Caligari has given away a free older version of trueSpace before, via magazine redemption code or some such. But this is the newest version, which MS just took and went "lol, it's free". Just unusual, when I'm used to Caligari doing something like $800 for the new version, $300 for the previous version, $50 for two versions prior, and free before that.

And I still think MS should do that with the most recent full commercial industry version of Maya and 3DSMax!

[Beckwin]

And I still think MS should do that with the most recent full commercial industry version of Maya and 3DSMax!

agree completely.

I dl'd teh free trueSpace to have an alibi. too lazy to learn the interface.

[Isiolia]

And I still think MS should do that with the most recent full commercial industry version of Maya and 3DSMax!

...and I'd love to have (legal) free copies of CS4, Painter, etc too. However, money needs to enter the chain -somewhere-, at least one would assume. If they can find a way to pay their programmers and give away the product, then cool.

I'd be satisfied with those 3D apps if they at least had a reasonable purchase cost, without the "lease" that's so common for that level app.

[Octavious]

If you're attending a university you can get pretty nice discounts on Adobe software and some Autodesk products. It's not free, but it's much better than having to pay the full blown cost. I'm not saying I don't love free software by the way, I think there should be free versions (maybe scaled down) of some big name products. It's just not possible to purchase overly expensive software if you're not in need of it for a career or something. Incredibly hard to justify it, anyway. >_>;

[Mayareira]

You should definitely use your education discount for adobe products.
You can purchase them from education store. All they ask is a picture/scan of your student ID. They are upgradable too, unlike MS Office Students and Teachers edition.

[Galkaeater]

why not just pirate it autodesk or adobe dont give a shit unless your making money off of it

[Octavious]

why not just pirate it autodesk or adobe dont give a shit unless your making money off of it

Well, when I interview for various companies they like to see example projects and I don't like submitting project work that involves pirated software. It's kind of a personal thing, but I like to keep anything I submit in my resume straight and honest.

[Isiolia]

Well, when I interview for various companies they like to see example projects and I don't like submitting project work that involves pirated software. It's kind of a personal thing, but I like to keep anything I submit in my resume straight and honest.

I don't pirate software either. Not that I'm particularly using my degree right now, but it is good to keep straight with licensing issues. I also believe in that it's the artist, not the
tools (to a reasonable point, when it comes to computer based stuff). So fussing over this program or that is besides the point, to me anyway.

When I was a student, sure, I bought student stuff (technically still can, as I'm staff...), but I own CS2 not-student license, among other things.

I'm not saying I don't love free software by the way, I think there should be free versions (maybe scaled down) of some big name products. It's just not possible to purchase overly expensive software if you're not in need of it for a career or something. Incredibly hard to justify it, anyway. >_>;

While I'd welcome it too, I guess I also see it like, there are more products out there. Some free. Some cheap. If your usage of the program can't justify the purchase price, then perhaps look elsewhere. Adobe -does- offer lower end Elements versions of Photoshop and Premiere, Corel makes Painter Essentials (or there's Artrage). Apple makes Final Cut DV.

That's sort of the oddity about stuff like this though. Here's a perfectly good 3D app. There are other free ones (Blender, POV-Ray, though you need a modeller, etc). There are cheap ones. It doesn't matter, because even novices want the top end programs.
Sure, Maya and such offer features for doing nifty stuff. Once can still do/learn a hell of a lot with something less though. Ya don't need a Porsche to learn to drive.

[Purrrfect]

I'll have to see if I can find the site path, but one of our engineering instructors gave us a link to autodesk where you register in their student thingy and you can get most of the various autocads for free. I don't think the software has any limitations, but it may have an educational watermark kinda thing.

[Isiolia]

That may also be something that's licensed through your school.

[guartz]

So what did Microsoft do to Caligari?

throw money at it?

to be honest, I dunno, but it's a good guess right?

[Lordwafik]

Caligari looks like it's very entry level 3d (from all the stuff on their website I'm not seeing any/many HQ images, lots of standard and basic stuff), but hey it'll be great for anyone new to the art and wants to try their hand at it for free.

[Plow]

...and I'd love to have (legal) free copies of CS4, Painter, etc too. However, money needs to enter the chain -somewhere-, at least one would assume. If they can find a way to pay their programmers and give away the product, then cool.

Microsoft is the perfect candidate to do this.


If anyone can match the Automakers' ability to take good products, turn them into crap, and give them away for less than it costs to make, it's definitely Microsoft, we've just got to convince them that congress will hand them money in the end to make up for it.