Let’s face it: Windows’ file copying functionalities haven’t improved much over the years. More details can be seen on the dialog, and the progress bar is prettier, but that’s basically it. There have not been any new functions added since… uh since forever? I have proof!
Tag: Open Source Software
Sintel: Independent Movie Made Using Open-Source Software
Remember Big Buck Bunny? The short movie that was made using Blender, an open-source modeling and rendering software? Remember how good it was? It was made using freely-available software.
The feat has been re-iterated. The Blender Foundation and its team of international artists present to us, Sintel, which you can see below (Youtube), or download here.
The plot is not extremely captivating and it’s a sad one at that, but the point of the movie was demonstrating what is capable with free software. We have independent artists producing such a high-quality movie today, without relying on big-capital Hollywood. Imagine what we’ll have in the future!
For now, enjoy Sintel and its 14-ish minutes of greatness! 🙂
Note that the movie might not be suitable to young children due to violence, blood and maybe because of the sad plot (if they manage to understand it).
Firefox 3 Final: The Review
Firefox 3.0 Final has just been released today, 17th June 2008 (it’s already 18th in some countries though), and I already downloaded my copy to help establish the Firefox World Record. Now that it is installed and ready to work, I am going to review it. I’ve been using Firefox since the early 1.x versions, and I kind of saw its evolution. If I could resume Firefox 3, it would be “Shiny Search Boxes”, with respect to the glass buttons and the large number of new search boxes scattered everywhere.
Without much delay, on with the review. But first, you might consider getting your own copy here, and help with the World Record initiative (you need to download from the official mirrors of Firefox, else the download does not count!). Beware though. Some of the pages of the Mozilla website have yet to be updated, and are still showing Firefox 2.0 downloads. Also, the page is taking a significant time to load, probably considering that lots of people are currently downloading.
A word of warning. Before installing Firefox 3, make sure all your add-ons are compatible with the new Firefox. A number of my add-ons are not yet compatible with the Firefox 3 Final. Specially Tabmix Plus, which is not yet compatible. Even Unplug is not yet compatible, according to the default install. So, check beforehand, or simply backup your Firefox profile before upgrading, in case you want to revert. As you can see below, some of my extensions are not compatible with Firefox 3.0. Unfortunately, you will have to check manually via the Mozilla Addons site.
To backup your Firefox profile, you could use the FEBE extension (cross-platform) (doesn’t work with Firefox 3 Final yet), or you could use the MozBackup (Windows only) application. More info about manual profile backup is available from Mozilla, here.
Firefox Download Day
EDIT: In case you don’t already know, the Firefox 3 Download Day is on the 17th of June 2008 (expected). Yes. Tuesday. Pledge now, if you haven’t done it yet.
Firefox 3. This is ONE software the whole of the Internets is waiting for. The expected release date is somewhere in mid-June 2008.For this special day, Mozilla team wants to set a Guinness World Record for the most downloaded software in 24 hours.
Well, I was checking the Pledge site, and guess what I saw. Apprently, 192 person from Mauritius pledged to download Firefox 3 on that day! That’s NOT enough! 😀
So, I’m dedicating this post so that you can go and pledge to download Firefox 3 on the Download Day! Follow the banner above! Let Mauritius be shown on the map!
Edit: (14.06.06) : 292 pledges and climbing! Keep it up! 😀
Big Buck Bunny
What if I told you that the small clip, called Peach or Big Buck Bunny you see above was made using Blender (Wikipedia page), the awesome 3D Modelling and Animation software? It’s free as in no money, and free as in open-source. Surprised?
Blender is extremely powerful, and can somewhat even take on commercial solutions. However, the user interface is a bit daunting to the new user. I’m trying to start learning it, and it’s not very easy.
Why did I post this? Because I was amazed at what a totally free software could do and thought it was worth sharing with you, reader! That movie take a whooping 125 days to render! Open-source really really rulz!
Btw, some interesting information about this clip is available here. Also, check out the previous clip, again made with Blender and other open-source software, called Elephants Dream.