Linux Users:

     I just found this news group and wanted to let you in on the status
of the Linux release of POV 3.1.  About the time that the initial
version 3.1 releases appeared, I started using linux in a partition on my
PC.  I talked about it some in the Compuserve POVRAY forum and since
Chris Young is familiar with my use of POV-Ray over the past few years,
he asked me if I would like to be the Linux support team member.  I said
yes without realizing how much effort would be required to get up to speed
with Linux while at the same time working full time and carrying a
Graduate Engineering course.  I still intend to get an official Linux
version out as soon as possible, and now have the time to work on it, or
rather work on learning enough Linux to create the port.  My intention
is to make the initial release of POVLinux version 3.1 be a
straightforward adaptation from the version 3.02 release.  I suspect that
this should not take very long to do, but I don't want to mess it up due
to inexperience with Linux.  I noticed that Mark Gordon has released an
unofficial version, and have looked at his web site.  I am impressed
with the effort he took to follow the rules for an unofficial release,
and am going to look at his version and intend to stay as compatible as
possible with it while developing the official release.

     Also, I have been reading your comments and will definitely keep them
in mind during my effort.  I have no intention of developing an editor for
POVLinux since as you have said each unix user has his own favorite.  I
noticed someone mentioned nedit which is my favorite as well.

     Now that I have found this haven for POV enthusiasts on the internet,
I intend to keep in touch, but will likely be infrequent until the
official release in ready for you to look at.


Axel Hecht wrote:

> Hi there,
> I'd like to bring up the discussion about the unix-version for 3.1
> again.
> I have the feeling, that the povray-team is quite satisfied with the
> existing unofficial versions of 3.1, as there are no statements
> whatsoever as to when they would release something. They must have been
> in a quite final state a while ago (talking about months), as the issued
> the request for Solaris-maintainers, to which i weakly volunteered and
> got no reply.
> I really see only two reasons for the current timeframe:
> 1) Holydays. A really good one, I agree, but ...
> 2) Porting Delphi, just to bring the editor to the unix folks :-)
>
> Anyway, I would propose putting one unofficial version in some kind of
> 'state of confidence', just to give all the patchers something to work
> on. In my understanding, users as well as programmers are eagerly
> waiting on a 'accepted' version, one version that is known throughout
> the community. That would not necessarily be an official one.
>
> Axel

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I would like to say a big THANK YOU for your efforts and also for
clearing statements!!!

You should be able to get a lot of support here if any problem with the
port should arise (well, it's true for me it I think it's true for all
the other linux and unix users of POVray).

Happy new year!

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George Ganoe wrote:
>  ...without realizing how much effort would be required to get up to speed
> with Linux while at the same time working full time and carrying a
> Graduate Engineering course.

Yow!   

If  Official POV-Ray Linux Supporter were an elected position, here's my
campaign speech:


I work at a "full time" job, but really put in an average of four days a
week, and take no classes. I have two years intensive experience with
Linux.   I have already ported POV-Ray 3.1a to Linux.  My computer uses
24-bit color at 1024x768.  I have a mustache.  Vote for me, and free
chocolate ice cream for everyone!

George, are you the one and only offical POV-Team member using Linux? 
Are they "hiring"?    Are you sure you can pull it off along with your
other obligations?   I know at least three people (including myself) who
would love to help with the Linux version.


-- 
Daren Scot Wilson
dar### [at] pipelinecom 
www.newcolor.com
----
"A ship in a harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for"
                                            -- William Shedd

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I suppose "linux" means here the same as "unix".
  Not everyone here is using linux, you know...

pikkusirkku:~>uname -a
SunOS pikkusirkku 5.5.1 Generic_103640-24 sun4m sparc SUNW,SPARCstation-5

assari:~>uname -a
OSF1 assari V4.0 1091 alpha

-- 
main(i){char*_="BdsyFBThhHFBThhHFRz]NFTITQF|DJIFHQhhF";while(i=
*_++)for(;i>1;printf("%s",i-70?i&1?"[]":" ":(i=0,"\n")),i/=2);} /*- Warp. -*/

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I'll sign up for the iced cream:)  

Steve


Daren Scot Wilson wrote:
> 
> George Ganoe wrote:
> >  ...without realizing how much effort would be required to get up to speed
> > with Linux while at the same time working full time and carrying a
> > Graduate Engineering course.
> 
> Yow!
> 
> If  Official POV-Ray Linux Supporter were an elected position, here's my
> campaign speech:
> 
> I work at a "full time" job, but really put in an average of four days a
> week, and take no classes. I have two years intensive experience with
> Linux.   I have already ported POV-Ray 3.1a to Linux.  My computer uses
> 24-bit color at 1024x768.  I have a mustache.  Vote for me, and free
> chocolate ice cream for everyone!
> 
> George, are you the one and only offical POV-Team member using Linux?
> Are they "hiring"?    Are you sure you can pull it off along with your
> other obligations?   I know at least three people (including myself) who
> would love to help with the Linux version.
> 
> --
> Daren Scot Wilson
> dar### [at] pipelinecom
> www.newcolor.com
> ----
> "A ship in a harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for"
>                                             -- William Shedd

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Glad to hear it!  Of course, the ice cream has to funded from campaing
contributions...<g>

Stephen Lavedas wrote:
> 
> I'll sign up for the iced cream:)
> 
> Daren Scot Wilson wrote:
> >
> > If  Official POV-Ray Linux Supporter were an elected position, here's my
> > campaign speech:
> >
> > I work at a "full time" job, but really put in an average of four days a
> > week, and take no classes. I have two years intensive experience with
> > Linux.   I have already ported POV-Ray 3.1a to Linux.  My computer uses
> > 24-bit color at 1024x768.  I have a mustache.  Vote for me, and free
> > chocolate ice cream for everyone!
-- 
Daren Scot Wilson
dar### [at] pipelinecom 
www.newcolor.com
----
"A ship in a harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for"
                                            -- William Shedd

Post a reply to this message

Daren Scot Wilson wrote:

> ...
>
> George, are you the one and only offical POV-Team member using Linux?
> Are they "hiring"?

Apparently I am the only POV Team member who is using Linux and is aregular in
the Compuserve POVRAY forum.  As for hiring, I would
appreciate all of the help I can get.

> Are you sure you can pull it off along with your
> other obligations?   I know at least three people (including myself) who
> would love to help with the Linux version.

As far as being able to pull it off, I guess I have to since the rest of theteam
is counting on me to get a Linux distribution released.  Since the POV
teams home is on Compuserve, and there is a real scarcity of unix users there,
I intend to try and act as a liason between the team and the unix community
of users who interact here.

I am going to try and set up a mailing list for Linux (unix) POV users who
are interested in helping with the development necessary to keep their version
current.  I am concentrating primarily on the Linux release, since that is what
I use, but with the source for that, most unix users can create a runable build
for their own systems.  Anyone who would be interested in helping is welcome to
email me and I will consider putting you on the mailing list assuming I can get
one started.

                  George

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George Ganoe wrote:
>  Since the POV teams home is on Compuserve....

Isn't it severely limiting itself by confining its membership thus?

The vast majority of programming and raytracing talent isn't on
Compuserve.


Dan

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Dan Connelly wrote:

> George Ganoe wrote:
> >  Since the POV teams home is on Compuserve....
>
> Isn't it severely limiting itself by confining its membership thus?
>
> The vast majority of programming and raytracing talent isn't on
> Compuserve.
>
> Dan


Compuserve has been POV-Ray's home since its beginning.  I think
the long time members feel more at home there, and are used to
the mode of operations available to them there.  There are some
features of Compuserve that don't exist to my knowledge on the
internet which are useful to the team.

You may be right that the majority of networked programming and
raytracing is currently on the internet, but when POV started,
Compuserve had more users than the internet.

                George

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George Ganoe wrote:

> 
> Compuserve has been POV-Ray's home since its beginning.  I think
> the long time members feel more at home there, and are used to
> the mode of operations available to them there.  There are some
> features of Compuserve that don't exist to my knowledge on the
> internet which are useful to the team.
> 
> You may be right that the majority of networked programming and
> raytracing is currently on the internet, but when POV started,
> Compuserve had more users than the internet.
> 
>                 George

Without putting down what you say too much but many a
comapany has gone out of business because of the attitude
"we have always done it like that why change now".

-- 
Ken Tyler

tyl### [at] pacbellnet

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