CompuServe Messages

Eric, I picked up a PowerMacintosh 8100/80av. It was a big chunk of change, but believe me, it is worth it. I am a beta tester for Pixar for their PowerPC software, but I am eager to get ahold of Alias for PowerPC–not just Sketch, but the whole PowerAnimator package. I am an Apple Student Rep at NYU (where I am a student) and I was talking with the head of software development for PPC at a training seminar in Feb. He told me that the Alias people said their software was running faster on the low-end PowerMac ($2500 complete) than on an Indy. He also said that the "Toaster People" were very pleased with how their stuff ran–but he wouldn't go into details. The native PPC software won't be out in bulk until the summer, but some of the demo apps that it shipped with are unbelievable!! Gryphon Morph for PPC renders a 24bit frame in 4 seconds! Strata is 8 times faster than a Quadra 840av (40MHz 68040)! Electric Image Animation System claims that their software on a PowerMac will outperform Alias on an INDIGO!!! I thought aobut my decision to go Mac very carefully. What it came down to was PowerMac vs. Raptor vs. Indy. The PowerMac won out because the Raptor is nothing more than a dumb renderer, software for the Indy costs more then the damn machine, and the demos I had seen on the PowerMac were beyond belief. I strongly urge you to go down to your local Mac store and check one out. I still have my Toaster, and I will continue to use it until I get the proper software for the PowerMac. It's sad, but I could pick up any trade magazine and see where Apple plans to be in the next five years. Meanwhile, no one answers the phone a t Commodore. I personally could care less about what happens to Commodore. I just hope that NewTek takes the leap to PowerPC. AT LEAST WITH LIGHTWAVE!!! After all, the Raptor connects to the AMiga via Ethernet–Every PowerMac has ethernet BUILT IN!! Oh well, we will see what happens. Take care, and if you have any questions about the PowerMacs, please feel free to ask. Andrew S. Milkis Digital Euphoria — Three Dimensional Imagaing and Animation