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http://www.cgcookie.com/articles/blender-25-overview


Check this out.... looks like a MASSIVE upgrade to the Blender UI. I love the looks of this! No more searching the forums for hours upon hours just to find simple functions you should already be able to use right off the bat!

As a max user, this new version looks more comfortable to use than the old blender did.

Cool. That was the biggest hurdle to competing with the Autodesk products.

Hey. Blender works with ubuntu! I just found that out

Blender was made by Linux junkies. I'm surprised it works with both the other major operating systems.

I'm not a programmer but wouldn't you just compile the source code for another OS? It doesn't sound that hard if that's all it requires.

It depends upon which libraries are used to compile the program. I believe that on Blender's web site they have pre-compiled binaries for Windows and Linux. I know for Kubuntu Blender was in the repos, though I don't know which version it is.

Octopus wrote:I'm not a programmer but wouldn't you just compile the source code for another OS? It doesn't sound that hard if that's all it requires.

Correct, it wouldn't be that hard if that were all it required. Sadly, that isn't the case.

The main reason for this is that to do very much with a program you need to interact with the operating system, and they all work in different ways. The facilities one provides will probably be provided by another, but you will probably need to use them in such different ways that it can't be addressed by a simple recompile.

You can get around this problem by using "standard" libraries - ones that exist in both operating systems, where someone else has put in all the hard work for you to ensure they're compatible. (In practice, virtually all cross-platform open-source software - such as GIMP, Blender, Inkscape, and I think OpenOffice and Firefox as well - takes this approach.) When you do this, only a small amount of extra work has to be taken to port between the operating systems where those libraries are available; you will, however, still have to consider that the build system supported by one OS may not be supported by another - there may be subtly different requirements for linking and so on. However, it's not nearly such a nightmare to do that and you certainly don't have to change much source code.

Blender runs on OS X as well last time I tried. That was a couple years ago but I don't see them pulling the plug on compatibility.

Sirius, I think I understand. Thank you!

Just had to fix this for you as far as blender is concerned....

DarkHorse wrote:Blender was made by Open Source junkies. I'm surprised how well it works with all the other major operating systems.

That is the Point of open source

Actually, it's just about unusable if you're on one of those ridiculous Mac machines with a one-button mouse. It's been rock-solid everywhere else though.

Blender's UI was always a bit off to me...I could never get the hang of it. I've used Max before, and was able to do quite a few things with it, hopefully this'll help Blender become more easily usable to many UI-challenged such as myself.

Basically they made a workflow, Blender never had one at ALL.... this will be great for MAX Users no SPACEBAR menu might deter Maya users

DarkHorse wrote:Actually, it's just about unusable if you're on one of those ridiculous Mac machines with a one-button mouse. It's been rock-solid everywhere else though.

I just had to Laugh... a MAC user who does not know how to use CTRL-Click

DarkHorse wrote:Actually, it's just about unusable if you're on one of those ridiculous Mac machines with a one-button mouse. It's been rock-solid everywhere else though.

Have you tried the new Macs? There are no "buttons". You click on the side of the mouse you want for left or right. Pretty cool, really.

Yeah, I have. Those mice are still a little dodgy - you have to make sure you press properly to the edge or it can get the wrong button. God forbid Apple actually design a mouse with an unseemly split that works properly.

It's much better than the old days of single-button pointers, though. Even Wacom tablets have always had a second button.

The Ctrl button has other functions in Blender. I haven't used a Mac in a couple years at least now, and Blender for almost as long, so I can't quite remember why, but Ctrl-click wasn't a viable solution.