CompuServe Messages

Dick: I get the picture with AM Labs needing to power render while animators work away but the scenario you've offered includes X PC's plus 1 Render Garden. Why not buy X + 5 PC's and give yourself the option of having someone use the 5 additional PC's when not in peak rendering demand? Now, if you don't need the monitors, keyboards, CD-ROM drives, etc. then you are really only getting the extra 'network problems' (as you put it) as the major perceived drawback. I say perceived because (knock on wood) I haven't had a problem at all with the Novell network I have in place. With perusal of the 'Confessions of a Network Renderer' file in the libs here I elimanated many potential snafus. My first setup of a network rendering station took about 15 minutes and I can easily set up one in less than 5 minutes and most of that time is the computer copying the required files over. I am certain the machine performs as you and others report, I'm just trying to understand why this is the best investment for me. I am an architect and there is no money in this racket to be spent on equipment that does not offer flexibility and the potential for 100% usability. I don't have the volume of work to have this Garden at my beck and call all day, all year. As this business goes, though, I'll have a few weeks here and a few weeks there when 10 Render Gardens couldn't render fast enough. At the price point of $20k I couldn't entertain the unit. I don't think I am unrepresentative of the MAJORITY of 3DS users. I think the power animators may entertain this new equipment and the rest of us will continue to buy individual PC's. Speculation on my part but heh… Bob