#Microsoft buys SoftImage
37 messages in this thread
Has anyone heard about this? SoftImage makes a high end 3D Studio
like product. What does this mean? Will Autodesk finally throw more
resources toward 3DS. Will a Windows 4.0 or NT port finally appear?
An OS/2 port will be nice as well since there is hardly any players
and the market is wide open for the taking.
Here are the details:
Microsoft Corp. has signed an agreement to acquire Softimage Inc., a
Montreal-based developer of computer animation software, the companies said
Monday.
The stock transaction, worth about $130 million, has been approved by the
boards of both companies.
Each share of Softimage stock would be exchanged for 0.279 of a share of
Microsoft stock, with an adjustment factor designed to provide not less than
$21 nor more than $24 per Softimage share. The agreement is subject to the
approval of Softimage's shareholders.
Softimage, founded in 1986, develops and 3-D animation and simulation
software. The company also produces software programs for two-dimensional
purposes, including post-production editing of graphics, text, sound and
special effects.
Its products are used by film studios, animation houses, broadcasters,
graphic artists, designers and engineers.
"The market for digital media is growing rapidly and Softimage is a
technology leader in this area," Microsoft chairman Bill Gates said.
"We share with Microsoft a common vision of the role that authoring tools
will play as the digital media marketplace unfolds," said Daniel Langlois,
chairman, chief executive officer and founder of Softimage.
Langlois will continue to head the development organization in Montreal,
which will operate as part of Microsoft's Advanced Technology division.
———————————–
ILM STUFF:
SI said Microsoft was really interested in Digital Studio and
will committ to developing that product. Softimage will report
to Microsoft's Advance Technology group.
Since Microsoft is now signed on to use OpenGL from SGI, you will
probably be seeing SI (and other products) running on the new PowerPC
architecture (which is potentially much faster than the current SGI
risc-based CPUs).
The acquisition is stock-based: .237 shares of Softimage for
1 share of Microsoft. Offical press releases are forthcoming.
I do hope AD does pump more resource into 3DS. Although I would prefer
to own a Softimage system and an SGI box its a bit heavy on the purse
strings. The first thing one should do when MicroSoft buys Softimage
is buy Softimage stock! In all seriousness I'm learning Softimage and
find it to be a wonderfull feature rich product. One can produce
highly sophisticated work in a short period of time. It runs under
SGI's GUI IRIX (Unix) OS which is also a pleasure to work with. The
Softimage interface is very similar to 3D Studio. If you know 3DS you
can learn Softimage, although it is more sophisticated the principals
are the same. I think Microsoft buying into an animation software
company will only lend more credibility to an industry that is
already booming.
Jim,
>> buy Softimage stock!
It was up over $6 today; a jump of more than 33%!
John
Yeppers, bought me a few. What really ticks is that I was contemplating buying
it when it was at 13 last week and procrastinated. Oh well, thats the name of
the game. I would speculate that we will see some of this washing over to SGI
also when SI comes out with Digital Studio.
Digital Studio? What's that? (or should I say "Quest que ce?" <sp?>)
Ian.
Yes, booming, but limited. I really can't imagine what Microsoft plans
to do with softimage and how softimage origined 3d software could fit
in any multimedia authoring platform. It sounds elitist, but I really
think that 3D animation (and general animation, and art, etc.) is not
for all the monkeys out there. The big game for a company like
Microsoft is Business, not art based packages, not special effects no
3d animation… business people doesn't need a 3d package to create
character animation. There is a "hobby" market, but I don't think
that this could represent too much in Microsoft income. But back to
the business thing, when 3d fits in a presentation. Presentations with
IMPACT! they say. I say ********. Business presentation with impact
are so awful, so style-less, so inneficient, so stupid that I can't
believe that people don't get an eyes disease watching them. They
fill them with horrible clipart, monster colors and now, with 3D
effects such as Pixar Typestry or CorelDRAW! 🙂 Ok, go ahead, let's
put $99.99 3D animation packages in everybody's hands. Soon,
computer screens will start to look as those old pink cadillacs with
airbrushed flamingos, fire in their wheels, cheetah fur in the seats
and some kind of gold crown in the front (and I HAVE SEEN ONE of
those 🙂 Computer art, pop(ular) art to the max!
But what I'm saying! You don't have to wait for 3d programs! Just have
a look to those desktop windoze programs… yes!
Iconize-it-all-with-violets-frames or Divinize-your-desktop or
And-now-for-the-most-awful-gif-and-stupid-font!
Yes, you can guess what will be the topic of the next John Waters
movie. It's pity that Divine is dead… I'm sure he-she would do
awesome animations in 3ds. ILM? Oh, yeah, they are good but don't
know about Pulp!
Back to the Satellite of Love!
ana /krazy images
ps.I hope that you have enjoyed this one, boys and girls.
You didn't touch on **the** one thing that Bill G. and several other
"major players" are gambling/banking on. The future of the set-top
computer/tv multi-media tool is quite a big deal, and although we
don't hear THAT much about it now, several large companies, AT&T,
Paramount, SGI, SEGA, and Microsoft included, are dropping SERIOUS
$$$ into this future market, and buying SoftImage is a drop in the
bucket compared to total monies invested in this area. What the
specific needs Microsoft has of SoftImage, I don't know. But I well
imagine it's not to remarket the package, or to collect a percentage
of their measly (compared to MS' other ventures) income. I'm sure
Bill G couldn't give a **** about the sales market of SoftImage,
current or future. My feelings go more along the lines of their
jointly developing technology and product for the upcoming settop and
other computer/entertainment based consumer market.
Why haven't "set-top-boxes" succeeded so far? Lack of interactivity?
Lack of graphics, speed or color? Lack of content? Steering my way
through an interactive movie doesn't sound like the same kind of
"fun" as watching the cohesive, sensible work of a good director or a
good story. I think a better way to look at this is, everyone here
already has a set-top box, except it's not yet connected to your set
or your cable tap. Probably not, except for the Amigans. 🙂
I agree with you. I think the technology, interface, and market are a ways
off, and will need to grow and develop just like the video games, and computer
markets did. But I do see this as a powerful potential market and trend. And
"set top" is really only the one facet – the entertainment center. I see the
trend as spreading to a general digitization of the living environment. We're
seeing it in cars in a rudimentary sort of way, and in appiances at home
(including the computer <g>), and its just a matter of technology getting more
sophisticated, interconnected, and a better interface than the one's we've got
today. I think keyboards, mice, and cheezy plastic buttons are a lousy way to
interface with a computer. Pretty wierd for an industry that is otherwise so
forward thinking and R+D inclined (although I know there are some pretty
esoteric and revolutionary interfaces in development). The keyboard will be
useful for many things, but there's got to be some input options for regular
folks to want to use digital aids. And just think of the market that opens up
for us animators and format conversion gurus when all this stuff starts to take
off…
my 2 pfennigs' worth
John Tissavary (La Luna cie)
John I think you have hit the bullseye on the reason for the
SoftImage purchase. Here are some ideas:
1. SoftImage could form the animation module of an SDK for a TV top
developers package. I am sure there are many other components that
will all be glued together with the Windows API so current Windows
developer community (which is huge) has a clear path. I am sure Bill
wants to take advantage of his large following so when the PC runs
out of steam there is a new box to write software for.
2. Visual Basic might play a role in this–it's the development system
for the WinPad environment and is simple enough that many people can
use it.
3. It may be that Microsoft wants to emulate George Lucas' operation,
with a Viacom and Industrial Light and Magic spin. He may be making
movies soon, then developing multimedia titles to be marketed along
with them.
4. It may be that SoftImage is a tool for the educational market,
forming the bases of a development system for educators making
multimedia.
Bill Gates is THE most visionary businessman in the world, and with a
his billions he can make a product successful where no one else can.
I greatly admire the guy, predatory behavior and all.
I don't know if I'd call Bill THE most visionary buisness man in the
world (there are no absolutes in my world), but he doesn't usually do
stuff for the hell or glory of it.
Mitch,
MS is working on OpenGL for Win32. Perhaps they want SoftImage to lead the way
for SGI apps to be ported to their OS.
Bailey
As I understand it MS is beefing up to SI's development staff among other
things.
So hey John, how are ya? Last time I yacked at you I was in San Fran. After
that I went to FL and Atlanta for a while then to Arlington, VA to learn SI.
Had to haul to LA to do some cost and claims software in LA for the quake thang
but I'm back in VA now. Its great out here. Lots of snow. ergggg.
Jim
PolyGone Cafe'
I'm doing great, Jim, thanks. Things are moving along nicely here, and I've
managed to get a little skiing in, too. Are you going to NAB?
John Tissavary (La Luna cie)
Yes I am. If you go out there would be great to see you and chat. R u going to
be there ?
Jim
>>R u going to be there…NAB?<<
I are <g>. We should figure out a place to meet, since I've never met
you face to face. Maybe someone who's been to Vegas lately can jump
in here and suggest a locale to have an Asoft gettogether like at
Siggraph =)
Great idea but the only thing I've been to in Vegas are the black jack tables.
Someone do kick in here and help us narrow down a spot.
Jim
PolyGone Cafe'
set-top? I have an open mind, but potato-couch entertaiment leaves me
cold 🙂 Well, back to the computer! <GG>
I think we're conditioned to think of TV related stuff as couch
potatoe habit inducing, but I would like to see an integrated digital
environment where the TV/monitor performs a lot of functions,
including displaying my own creations, the oven timer, who's at the
front door, the latest pictures from planet Zebulon 4, etc…. TV
will evolve – of course there will always be crappy, boring shows,
but there'll be a lot more when the ability to pipe it in becomes
affordable/feasable. TV's will have to get a lot smarter to do
anything really cool, and set-top (or inside, or whatever) is the way
it'll happen soon.
You didn't catch the fine irony in my potato-couch message, John 🙂 Everyone
talks about how stupid TV is, how stupid interactive TV is, etc. but I bet that
they are the same that are willing to pay $2k for their next
superTVsetwithinteractivecapabilities. Someone has said that this is not like a
good movie by a good director. Of course, IT ISN'T. What people is missing is
that this doesn't have anything to do with conventional movies or anything we
have now. That's not the objective. Like electronic arts and new art trends. No
electronic art will replace more conventional art. Even inside conventional
techniques, you can see that most of them were a vanguardist technique in the
past. Oil didn't replace tempera. And acrylic didn't replace oils. And
airbrushes didn't replace classic brush techniques. There is space for anything
you can invent. The nice thing is that people could use whatever they want for
enjoyment or creativity. The worst thing is that some people, like me, knows
that they will never have enough time to see, experience and use the 99% of the
things that exist on Earth.
ana /krazy images
Oh <g>. Then I guess we agree… <g>.
John Tissavary (La Luna cie)
I don't care what they do with the TV as long as they keep showing my Mr Ed
reruns.
After Nickelodeon fired John Krickfalusi, the creator of Ren and Stimpy there's
nothing they can do to hurt me anymore <g>.
John Tissavary (La Luna cie)
Yeah, kids can't be exposed to a "innocent" <he,he> Krickfalusi
cartoon but yes to "Mortal Kombat" 1, 2 and 3. Ah, censorship you
say? >)
Actually, I don't know the whole Ren and Stimpy story, but I think JK
set himself up for it. He sold them the whole shebang, then they
turned around and fired him. Seems he must have left something
important out of his contract =(
I don't know that he "sold them the whole shebang" so much as he ran
into the "work made for hire" laws in this country. There are a
number of groups of disaffected artists and "creators" in various
fields who have campaigns for creators rights. History is full of
people (like the creators of Superman) who died nearly broke while
the company who _entirely_ owned the rights to these people's
creations (simply because they worked there and created the "product"
while there) raked in millions and millions.
>Back to the Satellite of Love!
Uh oh! I knew there had to be a reason you were so nice to have
around here — you're a MSTY!
As much as I love MST3K, I prefer to think of the sattelite of love as
a Lou Reed-David Bowie kinda thing. I'd bet that's where they got
the inspiration for the name in the first place.
Yes! Absolutely! See my message to Mike, John 🙂
ana /krazy images
Gotcha. I'm hoping for some white-light/white-heat (in the
inspirational sense) for my frustrating flat reflection nightmare
<g>.
Actually, I am a big MST3K fan, yes 🙂 However, I have been using the
Satellite of Love for years (really!) To be exact, since the Lou Reed
song (I'm also a Reed fan 🙂 I always have thought that the guys from
MST3K put the name from the Reed's song. John Foust probably knows
about it since he ACTUALLY is a friend of the krazy crowd up there,
in space <g>
Other names for the series could be the Major Tom Space Cab or the
Ziggy Stardust spaceship 😉 -I'm a Bowie (oldies ones and the
Machine) fan too-
I agree somewhat. The bottom line is to sell as many copies of 3DS, Softimage,
WIndows or whatever as you can. What it means to the animators out there as 3d
software becomes more affordable I don't know. Softimage is pretty much out of
the individuals price range considering a decent SGI box for it a good 50k and
the software, fully featured is almost double that. Then again 3DS is a bit
pricey for the average animation hobbyist. Its worth every penney though for
the guy/gal that makes a living on it. Its a real bargian. I like both packages
and find there is room for both in my work and don't necessarily think there is
a head on collision here.
Jim
PolyGone Cafe'