Re: online assets and resources, was Re: Framestore jobs?

[Andy Jones <andy(at)thefront.com>]

Yeah, maybe part of the .xsiaddon creation process should be putting 
information in the addon that makes it immediately postable in netview. 
A really cool thing would be if you could basically check out plugins 
from NetView. So, your machine would maintain a list of all the plugins 
you have checked out (meaning they're downloaded and installed on your 
machine), and then it could automatically interface with NetView to 
check for updates and such. Probably, this would be a button in the 
plugin manager or something.

Ideally, this design could be set up so that it's not just netview that 
works this way. Your plugins would all have a url where they can check a 
location online for updates. You can see how this would be great for 
internal plugin distribution as well. We currently do something like 
this for our workgroups, in that we check out a local copy of a 
workgroup stored on the server, using SubVersion for revision control. 
What's cool about this setup is that you could have XSI-specific 
compatibility information included in the plugin header, so that your 
system could be smart about what upgrades it does.

So, in summary, there would be a generic specification for how an XSI 
plugin should be exposed on the web. XSI would be updated to provide 
features for taking advantage of that specification. Netview and XSIBase 
would be ported to the new spec.

Ideally, we could brainstorm for features the online plugin shares 
should have. Like automatic bug tracking, feature requests, support for 
robust mirroring on multiple sites without having things get out of 
sync, etc.

Just read Alan's post -- yes, automatic submission would be a start, but 
I'm thinking go two steps further and a) beef it up with some more 
metadata and b) allow it to be hosted on any url, not just netview. Of 
course, there should be options in b) to tell netview to mirror the 
off-site post and/or link to it.

- Andy

Chris Marshall wrote:

> I was just about to write exactly the same thing. There was a big 
> discussion on XSI Base a couple of months back about a material 
> presets library, even down to a URL being registered and some guys 
> creating a shaderball model. Where did that go? Why don't Soft provide 
> some decent infrastructure and support for something like this? 
> Netview's got to be the place for this, but it hasn't really happened.
>
>
>
>
> kim aldis wrote:
>
> > The two main resources for this kind of thing, netview and xsibase, 
> > while great resources have become lacking as the community has grown. 
> > Netview isn’t that well organized, the search isn’t really capable 
> > and descriptions in the tools that are there are lacking in both 
> > short description or documentation. XSIBase, on the other hand, 
> > suffers badly from lost links because nothing is held on the site and 
> > the search engine is bad enough that it’s not worth using.
> >
> > The time is absolutely right for a well thought out, well maintained 
> > resources for xsi. One that’s well organized, regularly checked and 
> > cleaned and one with a google caliber search engine. These things, 
> > like the internet, live or die on the back of an ability to search 
> > and find what you’re looking for.
> >
> > *From:* owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM [mailto:owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM] *On 
> > Behalf Of *Kris Rivel
> > *Sent:* 01 May 2007 02:02
> > *To:* XSI(at)Softimage.COM
> > *Subject:* online assets and resources, was Re: Framestore jobs?
> >
> > Yeah, I've been saying this for awhile too. I have lots of shaders 
> > and scripts that I know are not available on the web at all. Many 
> > have been handed to me by peers, other xsi list members and websites 
> > that no longer exist.
> >
> > This brings up the whole netview thing that I know a few of us ranted 
> > about months ago. Great idea but not well executed and badly in need 
> > of an overhaul. Problem is that somone might share something here but 
> > it never makes it out to the public. Some things are posted on 
> > xsibase or other sites. Many of them never make it to netview.
> >
> > You also have weird situations like the whole ctrl-shader issue on 
> > XSIbase.....what the hell happened there? Someone not getting along 
> > or something and bam....can't find the shaders on XSIbase anymore. Or 
> > the L-glass shader....what ever happened to that guy...fell off the 
> > face of the earth. His site is down, email over quota.
> >
> > Kris
> >
> > Eric Lampi wrote:
> >
> > You know...
> >
> >
> >
> > The same sort of thing should be done regarding tools,
> >
> > scripts and shaders.
> >
> >
> >
> > Raise your hand if you've gone to a website only to
> >
> > find that a tool you wanted to use wasn't there
> >
> > anymore.
> >
> >
> >
> > It would be nice if more people would also send their
> >
> > tools to the SoftImage website.  Netview is a great
> >
> > resource, but it seems underutilized.
> >
> >
> >
> > E
> >
> >
> >
> > --- Jennifer Goldfinch <jgoldfin(at)Softimage.COM> <mailto:jgoldfin(at)Softimage.COM> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >  
> >
> > 100 per cent duly noted.
> >
> >
> >
> > Thanks Andy.
> >
> >
> >
> > jen 
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> >
> > From: owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM <mailto:owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM>
> >
> > [mailto:owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM] On Behalf Of Andy
> >
> > Jones
> >
> > Sent: Sunday, April 29, 2007 6:19 PM
> >
> > To: XSI(at)Softimage.COM <mailto:XSI(at)Softimage.COM>
> >
> > Subject: Re: Framestore jobs?
> >
> >
> >
> > Well, for starters maybe there should be a checkbox
> >
> > on both of these job databases that automatically
> >
> > submits the info on the other job database as well
> >
> > so that everything is cross-posted by default. 
> >
> > Otherwise, the database on Soft's site might as well
> >
> > just be a link to XSIBase so that the data would all
> >
> > live in one place.
> >
> >
> >
> > And for available jobs, maybe it makes sense to have
> >
> > some sort of standing listing of companies where
> >
> > people can send reels.  I don't know about other
> >
> > companies, but for us, generally by the time we're
> >
> > ramping up for a job, we already need to have the
> >
> > pile of reels and the list of candidates on hand. 
> >
> > So individual job posts sort of don't even make that
> >
> > much sense.  And it's not like we currently have the
> >
> > problem of getting too many XSI reels in the mail...
> >
> >
> >
> > - Andy
> >
> >
> >
> > Jennifer Goldfinch wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >    
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> >
> >
> > I have been reading the thread for the last couple
> >
> >      
> >
> > of days, and I wanted to pipe in for a sec.. 
> >
> >    
> >
> > I just sent this note out to the training list:
> >
> >
> >
> > "Wow - it's been a whirlwind 3 months. We've been
> >
> >      
> >
> > all over the places, promoting XSI 6. Starting in LA
> >
> > at the first launch event at House of Moves, ending
> >
> > with NAB last week in Vegas - it's been quite a
> >
> > journey. Now that I am back in the office and
> >
> > staying put for a while, I am trying to pull
> >
> > together some information for the Education &
> >
> > Training portion of our website... I wanted to also
> >
> > let you know that recently my role at Softimage has
> >
> > changed slightly in order to allow me additional
> >
> > time and resources to take on full responsibility
> >
> > for both Education and Training within the marketing
> >
> > structure, as well as client relations... And
> >
> > finally, many of you have asked about our
> >
> > certification plans. We are working on a strategy
> >
> > and I hope to have a plan in place and a concrete
> >
> > response to share with you in the near future."
> >
> >    
> >
> > So my mandate now is to focus on training, training
> >
> >      
> >
> > and training, both from the professional side and
> >
> > the college side. I am working on several different
> >
> > initiatives to support the market needs for XSI
> >
> > artists & TDs, and looking very forward to sharing
> >
> > it with all of you.
> >
> >    
> >
> > Will things change overnight? No. Is this a huge
> >
> >      
> >
> > priority for Softimage? Yes. There is an opportunity
> >
> > for XSI adoption in the market, and we are going
> >
> > after it!
> >
> >    
> >
> > One thing I'll need the community's help with is
> >
> >      
> >
> > this:
> >
> >
> >
> > http://www.softimage.com/community/get_a_job/talent_bank/
> >
> > & 
> >
> >    
> >
> > http://www.xsibase.com/jobseekersn.php
> >
> > We want to make sure that it's as up-to-date as
> >
> >      
> >
> > possible, so we can 
> >
> >    
> >
> > point our new and potential clients to it, either
> >
> >      
> >
> > at the base or on 
> >
> >    
> >
> > soft.com
> >
> >
> >
> > Occasionally I might be reaching out to you guys &
> >
> >      
> >
> > gals to validate some ideas, as well. .
> >
> >    
> >
> > BTW - our SIG plans are full steam ahead, so please
> >
> >      
> >
> > keep us posted on whether or not you are planning to
> >
> > attend.
> >
> >    
> >
> > PS Kim - expect an email from me tomorrow. Promise.
> >
> >      
> >
> > :)
> >
> >    
> >
> > See you later!
> >
> >
> >
> > Jen
> >
> >
> >
> > Jennifer Goldfinch
> >
> > Manager, Strategic Relations
> >
> > Softimage Co. / Avid Technology, Inc.
> >
> >
> >
> > T: (514) 840-0387
> >
> > C: (514) 912-0387
> >
> > F: (514) 845-5676
> >
> > jgoldfin(at)softimage.com <mailto:jgoldfin(at)softimage.com>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> >
> > From: owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM <mailto:owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM>
> >
> >      
> >
> > [mailto:owner-xsi(at)Softimage.COM] On 
> >
> >    
> >
> > Behalf Of Stefan Andersson
> >
> > Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2007 2:19 AM
> >
> > To: XSI(at)Softimage.COM <mailto:XSI(at)Softimage.COM>
> >
> > Subject: Re: Framestore jobs?
> >
> >
> >
> > To give my pov on the matter (since I'm also in a
> >
> >      
> >
> > maya company now).
> >
> >    
> >
> > XSI talent is hard to come by, let alone TD's that
> >
> >      
> >
> > have XSI experience. I think here is where the big
> >
> > thing is... the lack of high-end XSI TD's. Sweden is
> >
> > a small country so therefor the availability of
> >
> > freelancers/staff is limited. And I would say that
> >
> > 80% uses maya, 15% 3dsmax and the rest (where XSI is
> >
> > along with Cinema4D, Modo, etc.) is about 5%.
> >
> >    
> >
> > Lack of tools/render engines is also something that
> >
> >      
> >
> > they look at (since you can't find XSI TD's you need
> >
> > to buy solutions). I don't think we can blame
> >
> > Softimage too much for this since you can't force
> >
> > companies to code for your application (only MS is
> >
> > allowed to act like that....). "The Setup Machine"
> >
> > for instance is such a tool that would be very handy
> >
> > for many small-medium studios. The biped guide just
> >
> > doesn't hack it.
> >
> >    
> >
> > So, without getting into detail to much. All of it
> >
> >      
> >
> > will be solved if 
> >
> >    
> >
> > tons of XSI TD's are let out in the world :)
> >
> >
> >
> > So my wishlist for future "xsiwillkillmayaversion"
> >
> >      
> >
> > there are a few 
> >
> >    
> >
> > "things" that is used daily that would really help
> >
> >      
> >
> > (but I'm sure 
> >
> >    
> >
> > Softimage are thinking of these things)
> >
> >
> >
> > * UV unwrapper
> >
> > * 3D Paint
> >
> > * 3D Sculpt (even blender has it)
> >
> > * something like "the setup machine"
> >
> > * better particles (like the ones shown that no one
> >
> >      
> >
> > is allowed to talk 
> >
> >    
> >
> > about)
> >
> > * point cache (which also supports object
> >
> >      
> >
> > translation)
> >
> >    
> >
> > At least at our studio people are getting a bit
> >
> >      
> >
> > tired of Alias/Autodesk and that maya is not
> >
> > evolving as it should. Many things that has been on
> >
> > the communitys wishlist hasn't been implemented (and
> >
> > we are talking about things from maya 2). Also that
> >
> > Autodesk is now charge of the ship makes many people
> >
> > worried. Will maya go the same way as 3dsmax? a race
> >
> > with version numbers instead of actual progress or
> >
> > plans of a new generation. Integration problems with
> >
> > mental ray is also a issue. We battle daily with
> >
> > things that renders differently from within maya and
> >
> > how it renders on mental ray standalone. Mainly
> >
> > because they have implemented things in 8.5 which
> >
> > mental ray standalone doesn't support.... but you
> >
> > only notice that once you start rendering....
> >
> >    
> >
> > Oh well... I could go on forever. And I would be
> >
> >      
> >
> > extremely happy if we could jump ship. But being the
> >
> > only XSI person and 16 maya people, there isn't much
> >
> > I can do. And here no schools at all are teching XSI
> >
> > so we can't even get "fresh" xsi talent.
> >
> >    
> >
> > over and out from the dark pit.
> >
> >
> >
> > /stefan andersson
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On 4/28/07, Tim Leydecker <BauerOink(at)gmx.de> <mailto:BauerOink(at)gmx.de> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >      
> >
> > I may add that the Maya guys do envy me for the
> >
> >        
> >
> > rendertree, render 
> >
> >    
> >
> > region and mR´s responsiveness when doing previews
> >
> >        
> >
> > of models. I like 
> >
> >    
> >
> > that, too:-)
> >
> >
> >
> > It´s just that I´m the only one using XSI,
> >
> >        
> >
> > otherwise 
> >
> >    
> >
> > === message truncated ===
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Freelance 3-D Animator, F/X Artist
> >
> >
> >
> > ---
> >
> > Unsubscribe? Mail Majordomo(at)Softimage.COM <mailto:Majordomo(at)Softimage.COM> with the following text in body:
> >
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> >
> >
> >
> >  
>
>
> --
>
>
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