How about starting Crowd-Funding for a Linux version?
nicstt
Posts: 11,715
How about starting Crowd-Funding for a Linux version?
Title says it all.
There is interesting in a Linux version, but how much is difficult to determine.
How about finding out how interested folks are by using kickstarter, or whatever, to see how much interest there really is.
Just one thing; I don't offer my cash if I am restricted in the benefits because I am outside a country (usually the US, but not always).
It might not apply in this case as tbh, I'd be more interested in a version for Linux. :)
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There has been a linux "DS type" program in development for some years. The big issue is that there is no support from DAZ on creating it and one has to be careful about the API use.
Kendall
I think the point was to show DAZ how much real interest there is in a Linux version of DAZ Studio.
They know there is interest. We've made that clear from the beginning. The problem is the cost of supporting an additional OS. I've covered this in detail in forum posts in the past going back many, many, many years. There is an option in the works, and some have seen proof of its existance. There are still hoops to jump through, but there have been some changes and there is now light at the end of the tunnel that isn't an oncoming train.
Kendall
after they fix the existing and long term bugs in Windows and Mac they can make a version for VIC-20 for all I care, but only after they fix what they have now.
The only way to fix the bugs for Windows is to nuke Windows. Windows IS the bug.
Kendall
Old statement coming from some Linux aficionado :) Let's not begin that war here :)I'd like to see a Linux version of Daz Studio, and of Bryce and Carrara as well, but I don't think it's going to happen. Daz are in to this for the money and I don't see how making a Linux version will increase their profits.
It should be technically possible to create an open source program that can use Daz Studio content since the format is documented, but you wouldn't be able to use 3Delight or Iray renderers since these are proprietary so none of the shaders would work, you wouldn't be able to use the Optitex dynamic clothes engine, and it would take a lot of work to do it.
Best way to fix bugs is to get good bug reports, which is an excellent reason to work on a Linux port for 5.0. The developer of an open source project I'm involved with sends out a message to the mailing list once or twice a month with bug reporting guidelines to assist those of us with knowledge of the codebase in finding and fixing any issues that come up.
I was a MS registered developer working on the versions of "Windows" before Windows even had icons and all you were given was a list of filenames to cursor down to and hit enter on. I've watched the bugs grow into adulthood and procreate.
I still have the floppies that were sent out to "Upgrade to Windows 2"
Kendall
Incorrect. 3DL and Iray both have Linux versions. There is no reason that DS can't be ported to Linux, other than lack of desire to do so. EDIT: Also, DS's UI and underlying datastructures are based on Qt which is a Linux technology to begin with. Many of the support libraries used are OSS, such as opensubdiv, postgreSQL, libpng, OpenImageIO, OpenGL, and others.
As I said, there is a "DS Type" program for Linux on the way, and more than a few people have seen some test videos of pieces of it.
Kendall
Given my own knowledge, I'm nt so sure it really is going to cost significantly more to support Linux, since DAZ already has a staff that knows about tech support on a UNIX-like OS. I know of several open source cross-platform applications that either do not have separate support lists, or have Linux users helping out those who use MacOS.
Yes, they likely are in it for that reason, but since the bulk of the money rhey make is from content foe use in DAZ Studio, and the other applications to a lesser extent, loosing sales because thwy don't develop a Linux version of their applications is a very real possibility when folks get tired of having to deal with a certain other company and its "questionable" software practices.
Please no OS war. I'm out anyway.
all well and good but Daz turned the collaborative bug reporting system into a private system years ago. You cant edit, comment, let alone see any postings or suggestions I make and I can't never yours. I've asked several times over the years to turn it back to a collaborative tool but Daz has preferred to keep the former flexibility this system allowed out of the current system.
I have reported a few bugs and the team they have screening them have been very good in getting more details from me so whoever the solver is knows where to look to solve the problem.
thats good to know, but in the past if the bug was reproducible users could and often did assist in narrowing down the specifics.
I have submitted Studio bugs going for a few years now with the common response being "did the new version fix it?" which if a developer did not look for the bug in the first place is hardly an excusable addressing of the issue. Blender has an open bug tracking system and many of the issues I've reported are fixed or addressed in 24 hours, so I'm inclined to the belief the open ended system has advantages.
I thought of doing an open source software similar to Daz Studio and poser but i do not know where to begin.
the blender community would be where I would start.
It is a common mistake to make the jump that supporting OSX == supporting Linux. As anyone who has ever tried to code in xcode (apple) and g++ can attest, there are some major differences in how Apple's changes to the operating environment affect how things are done. At the core (Kernel), they are both Posix based. At the library level, both can be programmed using ISO methods. Above this, things diverge greatly and quickly. Qt goes a long way to try to "equalize" the situation but can only go so far. Even on the same distrobution of linux and on the same machine, simply rebooting from a GTK based environment to a Qt based environment (vanilla Gnome vs KDE) can cause major differences in look and behavior. And this is using the exact same Qt libraries, just lifted over the GTK framework. Now, imagine the vast differences between not only the Widget Rendering routines, but differences in operating paradigms. Apple has removed a significant portion of the security that Linux prides itself with; to allow the user a more "smooth" experience. Apple allows the use of case independent filenames. Apple's ".app" paradigm itself differs from the Posix/Linux. These differences matter.
Now, lets mix in differing window managers and their tweaks: Cinnamon, Wayland, MATE, Unity, and on and on. Each adding differing features and behaviors to the Desktop. The OSX community has NONE of this -- Apple forbids it. Even dedicated Linux support forums cannot deal with some of the issues that users cause in the different desktops.
It is also true that those using Linux tend to be more "technically oriented" and self sufficient. However, as has been stated many times, there are some very non-technically oriented folks that are only waiting for DS to have a Linux version before making the jump from Windows to Linux. Think about that for a moment. From DAZ's point of view, there's likely no way they want to take on that level of support.
Kendall
I can think of at least one reason that they have taken it private and are keeping it that way; repeated bug reports (sometimes multiple reports without people looking to see if it's already been reported) about things that DAZ has no way to fix, such as issues that they traced to the render engine itself.
That's why you pick one specific configuration as the one you will support and take bug reports from; hell, even Linus and the rest of the main Linux Kernel developers won't even consider your issue if you can't reproduce it on a plain vanilla kernel, and that's been the way of things since 1992 or so. I'm sure other companies that support Linux with their major applications do the same thing; you can run it on any distribution that supports the installer type, but unless you happen to have the specific recommended one, you're on your own if things don't work.
How to answer this without getting into trouble... DAZ used to host a good portion of their "support infrastructure" themselves. Going so far as to custom modify forum software for their own purposes. They used to host a Mantis server that allowed for bug reporting along with collaboration with the reporter and others. However, all of this took time, manpower, and money. Lots of each if I remember correctly. Some years ago, DAZ management decided to get out of the business of managing the whole ball-of-wax and went to external hosting. There are relatively few "big hosting" companies that have Mantis or Bugzilla on their servers for use. GoDaddy doesn't, the last time I was on NetworkSolutions they didn't either. One can pay extra and load specialized software onto a hosting server or pay to co-locate one's own server, but then one is back to operating it themselves.
I think I'll stop there before I get into trouble.
Kendall
I see it working out better for the Sinclair TX-1000, but yeah a version for the VIC-20 could be nice too...
I don't ever see it happening, but if enough of the software I use was available as Linux, I'd flip off both Wndows and OSX as I shoved them out the door... Unfortunately, I think it's just a beautiful dream.
This is another option, which I wasn't going to bring up. ;)
Indeed. Most companies support CentOS/RHEL (Autodesk, nVidia, Maxon). How many would scream bloody murder if their version of Linux wasn't the one selected?
EDIT: And it doesn't help when a user using Ubuntu contacts support and is told "Try it under CentOS and see if it works. If not, call us back." Then the Ubuntu user fires off on the net and FB and twitter that they were "blown off". "I use Ubuntu, and everyone in XXXX uses it too, so DAZ *should* support it. I'm not going to buy anything else from DAZ until they support Ubuntu!"
Kendall
I have three applications that NEED Windows; everything else I use has Linux versions. One I am helping to port to Linux (I helped design the replacement for one of its data mode modules), another I may have to figure out a way to duplicate as part of an application I can use on Linux; DAZ Studio is the only one I can't currently find a compatible replacement for.
As I said above, there is something coming. It's not that hard to find the vids of some of the work on it. Maybe I'll make some time to post some vids of the "full-er UI".
Kendall
Hi forgive the laypersons inquiry.
But considering that we do not have a 64 bit version of the lipsinc plugin because daz does not have the licensing authority from "mimic" to do so and the Genesis 3 figurse are not compatible with aniMate 2 unless"GoFigure" updates their "peice" of Daz studio for G3.
My question is this:
How Would a linux version of DS incorporate all of windows based third party features that many may not know are not even owned by DAZ??
Strictly speaking, the MAC isn't UNIX-like, but a certified UNIX OS
Ummm... the DARWIN kernel is Unix. The underlying utilities are Posix (BSD). The rest is not ANY sort of *ix at all.
Kendall
I'm not arguing that what its component OSs are, only that it is a certified UNIX OS.