Today Ton setup an old Silicon Graphics Workstation at the Institute and installed TRACES on it, the predecessor of Blender. Totally amazing, because it already was very much similar to what later became Blender 2.49, and even in the current Blender you can see these roots.
If you want to see this live and in action come to this year’s Blender Conference!
Silicon Graphics were quite the Rolls Royce of machines as I remember it. Wouldn’t have been cheap anyway. Wonder how Blender and technology will have changed in another 20 years? We’ll get Ton to make a ‘in the old days’ presentation at the 2022 conference. ;)
In 2032, we will still be using Blender. However, by that time, it will have high quality CAD functionality. This will come in handy when you are redesigning your robot hand.
Unless we are being awesome in space.
Whoops 2032 I meant. :)
Ton is happy, isn’t he?
I’m guessing the name changed with it becoming open source? I remember the first time I heard about Blender, it was featured on UK TV, some sort of tech show. The presenter was like “You can make 3D films with free software!” Gave it a try but my computer was too crappy to handle it. Had dabbled on and off over the years and I’m now happy to say that now it’s one of my most valuable tools.
Thank you Ton for making Blender what it is today and I hope one day you can be just as awesome, but in space.
No, the name changed before it became open source. What I understand from the history it became Blender after a rewrite in the mid-90’s. http://www.blender.org/blenderorg/blender-foundation/history/
Doesn’t say anything about the name change on that page, but still, a very interesting read.
It all started as a raytracer on Amiga – called “traces”. It then got ported to SGI, and I learned C programming. After 2-3 years using Traces I wanted to redesign our tool from scratch. That then was named “Blender”, after the showreel we were spreading back then.
I hope, one day you will film a full length documentary about Blender and it’s evolution. I really would like to see and I think, I’m not alone. :)
No, you’re not :-)
Very cool, thanks Ton
Back then I’ve purchased my C-Key and the handbook for Version 1.8. BTW: Is it allowed to make a digital version of the handbook and put it on a server for historical reasons? If so, is anybody interested to have an “early” blender book at all?
Would be cool! I still have Tutor Guide #01 here on my bookshelf, edited by the one and only Bart Veldhuizen.
Yeah I definately enjoyed the insight from last year’s conference on the history of Blender from its conception. I’m still awed by how much 3d technology has evolved over the years.
Awesome to see that so many people are into the history behind modern CG that I am. I’ve always been intrigued by Blender’s history, because it wasn’t always often that you got a professional level program turned open source.