cmiVFX has been getting some great training titles going lately, and this one looks to be fantastic if you are looking to use Linux in a 3D, CG or production environment, something that I have always been interested in.

Check out the new title from cmiVFX Linux Usage For Visual Effects & Computer Graphics Production Environment here.

This is geared towards anyone who might be an absolute Lunix beginner, but will show you how to create and set up a Linux environment for Visual Effects and CG production.

Linux Usage For Visual Effects & Computer Graphics Production Environment covers:

Introduction
Linux has a rich history of development and deployment ranging from cell phones to supercomputers. It has worked it’s way into high end computer graphics pipelines and is here to stay.

Installing
Getting Linux installed can be one of the most daunting tasks for new users. Modern installers have made this process much easier to tackle which are leveraged by the distributions shown. Ubuntu and Fedora are covered with step by step installation instructions.

3. The Desktop
Multiple high quality and production ready desktop environments are available for Linux. Get an overview of the most popular desktop environments (GNOME, KDE, XFCE) to make choosing one an easy decision. Tweaks and fixes for common stumbling blocks when using 3D applications are covered so users can hit the ground running.

The Shell
The shell gives organized and streamlined power directly to the user in a way sure to bring a smile to any power user’s face. There are no prerequisites and no programming skills needed to learn by going one step at a time. For the tough commands learn how to find help quickly or lookup previously used commands for reference.

Managing Software
Tens of thousands of production proven software packages fulfilling all sorts of needs are available for free (plus they can update themselves to include the latest patches and fixes). With graphical tools or simple commands users can expand the capabilities of a workstation drastically in a few minutes.

Visual Effects Software
Many visual effects software packages are available as native Linux applications and provide the same capabilities or greater than their Windows and OS X siblings. Step by step instructions are provided for installing Nuke, Houdini, RealFlow, Blender, The GIMP, AMD graphics drivers, and Nvidia graphics drivers.

Managing Resources
Keeping things running smoothly is a breeze with the right tools. Monitor and control every available resource including memory and swap, processor cores, network traffic, and disk usage. Prepare for a worst case scenario with bit for bit backups that can be scheduled to run automatically.

Working With Others
Linux workstations can work hand in hand with existing infrastructure and workstations by using industry standard protocols to interact. For users that really dig the “Linux way” there are tools that enable the application of that knowledge and workflow to other platforms, even Windows.

Closing
Get an honest opinion of Linux from the author of the series, some tips about how to get involved with the Linux community at large, and resources to continue to expand knowledge of the subject.

Princeton, NJ (June 5th, 2012)‚ cmiVFX has released the first video of their brand new Linux In CG Series. Learn to set up a Linux workstation for use with professional graphics applications in a production environment.

This course is aimed at the absolute Linux beginner. Cinematic visual effects and computer graphics push the limits of performance on any operating system. Film production studios need and demand workstation stability. The combination of highest performance with rock-solid reliability means the use of Linux.

Luke Olson will walk you through, step by step the installation, configuration and use of Ubuntu 12.04 LTS AND Fedora. He starts you out from an empty hard drive and finishes up with a fully configured graphics centric workstation. Furthermore the viewer will have a solid foundation on which to function in a Linux based effects studio. You have learned and worked you entire career creating masterpieces, but always within Windows or MacOS.

Now you’ve been hired to your dream position, but they only use Linux workstations. With this courseware you will be useful and productive in a Linux environment in no time. Luke Olson makes this powerful operating system a breeze to setup and use.

  • Buy this lesson if you were ever curious about Linux.
  • Buy this lesson if you’ve been hired to work in a Linux studio.
  • Buy this lesson if you are ready to be serious about graphics.

Short Description
The Linux primer is aimed at the beginner with an emphasis towards heavy demands computational efficiency and stability. Topics covered include the installation, configuration and use of Ubuntu 12.04 LTS and Fedora Linux distributions. Application installations include but are not limited to: Houdini, Nuke, RealFlow, Blender and Wings3D.

3 comments

  1. CG

    This sounds like a really good idea. Only question I have is that he mentions thousands of software titles are available for Linux, but he only explains how to setup 4 of them. I wouldn’t really regard Gimp and Blender as “Standard” software packages. What about Photoshop or any Adobe program, Maya, C4D, any video editing programs, Logic or Pro Tools, Grading Programs?

  2. obviously, it is not possible to show installation of all apps, nor list all available apps. however what is shown are a few common ways to install. check your favorite app download page for a linux version. for example, C4D does have a linux version, but Maxon does not want to support it and so they do not distribute it. linux and film VFX are very deep subjects. watch out for followup lessons on related or more advanced topics!

    lastly, Lester has a discount code for this lesson. maybe you should ask him for it. 😉

  3. CG

    Maybe a stupid question… but can you run Mac/Win programs on Linux? I’m assuming you’d need some sort of translation software?

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