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From: nick@hp-sdd.HP.COM (Nick Flor)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: There's No Fun At Pixar
Message-ID: <921@hp-sdd.HP.COM>
Date: Wed, 5-Aug-87 03:14:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: hp-sdd.921
Posted: Wed Aug  5 03:14:19 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Aug-87 05:11:38 EDT
References: <1681@cadovax.UUCP>
Reply-To: nick@hp-sdd.UUCP (Nick Flor)
Distribution: world
Organization: Hewlett Packard, San Diego
Lines: 57

In article <1681@cadovax.UUCP> keithd@cadovax.UUCP (Keith Doyle) writes:
>
>Just heard that Leo's been told by Pixar not to distribute his animation
>public domain as it would be copyright infringement (something I would
>say is pretty questionable).  I'd say this just shows you what kind of 
>humorless prima-donna's inhabit Pixar.  If the bozos at Pixar
>had any brains, they'd realize that Leo's animation going public domain
>is as good for them as it is for the Amiga.  And I figured it would be
>a good 'resume' item if Leo was to apply for a job at Pixar, figuring
>they'd be impressed that this kid could come up with such a demo in
>such a short time.  Instead, these guys pretend they have a corner on 

Did Leo really *borrow* this unicycle idea from an animation flick by Pixar?

Because (and for the rest of this article I am assuming he did based
on the content of your posting) if he did, then I'm not so sure that
what Pixar is doing is wrong.

If you already have the tools to create a demo, then implementing it
is easy.  Kind of like structured design -- most of the work is spent
up front.  The implementation is easy once you have the design.

What if you spent months coming up with a unique idea for a demo.
What if someone *borrowed* your idea and proceeded to make a 
similar demo -- acting as if the idea was his own and getting
a lot of fame in the process.

And I think that's where Pixar is coming from.  Rendering the
images is no problem if you have the tools.  (Seems like you
could model everything in the demo with quadric surfaces, and
everyone and his brother's ray tracers take quadric surfaces
as input).  The hard part is coming up with an idea for a demo.

Let me summarize:

A) The unicycle demo idea was a unique one.
B) Leo borrowed the idea and made a demo.
C) Leo had something to gain by making this demo. (fame, glory, apple 
   pie and chevrolet).
D) Leo gained plenty.  (And let's face it.  Many people came away from the
   Amiga booth thinking that Leo came up with this idea all by
   his lonesome)
E) What did Pixar gain? 

I'm not saying that what Leo did was totally wrong. However, I am
asking that you look at Pixar's side before you start joining
Doyle with your ad hominem Pixar bashing postings.

Uh oh.  I feel flame postings on the horizon.  (But of course
no one will address paragraph 3 -- "If you already have the tools, then...")

Nick
-- 
+ Disclaimer: The above opinions are my own, not necessarily my employers'.    +
+ "What's going down in this world,     | Nick V. Flor                         +
+  you got no idea.  Believe me."       | Hewlett Packard - San Diego Division +
+ "We came, we saw, we it's kicked *ss."| ..hplabs!hp-sdd!nick                 +