Linux Ebook Chinese PDA -- ILM moves to Dell Linux Workstations

GNU/Linux E-Book to launch in China

GNU/Linux Devices reports
Jul. 24, 2002

Hong Kong -- (press release excerpt) -- Q-Net Technologies of the United States recently launched their Q-Reader, an electronic reading device for the education market in China. As well as reading capabilities, the multi-function device includes Web connectivity, email, and other PDA features, including support for both English and Chinese.

Software developer, Emsoft, of Hong Kong will supply an embedded GNU/Linux platform and web browser for the device that will be powered by Cirrus Logic Maverick processors. Cirrus Logic and Emsoft have been jointly promoting a low cost and high performance GNU/Linux based platform for electronic device manufacturers in Asia.

The handheld device, developed in conjunction with Q-Net's joint venture partner, The Liaoning Publishing Group of China (LPG), is about the size of an average novel. It features a large, readable screen and the capacity to download, store and display the equivalent of 25-30 books, periodicals and research materials of between 200-300 pages each. Known as E-Books, this published material can be displayed in both English and Chinese.

Star Wars" effects studio shifts to GNU/Linux

By Michael Kanellos
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
July 21, 2002, 9:00 PM PT

Industrial Light and Magic has joined the empire, at least in terms of hardware.
The technical effects studio has switched from using RISC-Unix workstations from SGI to using Intel-based Dell systems running GNU/Linux for the bulk of its animation and special effects work, said Cliff Plumer, ILM's chief technology officer. As part of the conversion, ILM recently deployed 600 Pentium 4 workstations.

"The Intel workstations that were deployed were probably 20 percent of the price of SGI workstations we bought a few years ago," Plumer said. "Performancewise, they are about three times as fast."

ILM began experimenting with Intel-based workstations when working on "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace," and used them extensively in "Episode II: Attack of the Clones." The conversion process took about nine months, Plumer said. The company is currently using these machines on "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" and "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines."

Along with replacing its workstations, ILM also has installed a 1,000-processor render farm based on Advanced Micro Devices' Athlon processors and a server cluster built with Compaq Alpha processors.