T
Trent
Guest
As some of you may have noticed I've been talking about and modelling in a free 3d modeling/raytracing program called blender 3d.
Blender is one of many, many useful fully functional and fully featured programs that are available for free. others are bryce 5.5, anim8or, etc .
Anyone who thinks blender can't be a 'real" 3d modeling, raytracing and animation program because it's free needs to go look for a CGI movie called "Elephant's dream", which was made with blender and other freeware to demonstrate the power of freeware. I've seen it and it's easily the equal of anything Pixar does with it's expensive hardware and software.
So, as to how this relates to traveller, I wonder what free stuff might exist in the traveller universe.
Maybe some old spacehands get sick of seeing bloated megacorps rumphumping honest, hardworking spacers with overpriced software, and they write free versions that get the job done just as well.
Maybe someone writes some freeware just for a specific ship type that he's fond of.
Imagine:
"Well, dammitall! Our copy of "Jumpware" just expired, and microsoft wants 2000Cr to renew it. Sunuvabitch, we don't have that after fixing the holes those ghawddamn stinking vargs put in our hull while trying to steal out cargo out of Thetis last month!"
"Uh, captain?"
"Whut?!"
"Uh, well, sir, there's this free jump software called "Freejump" that's been out for a while, and..."
"If it's free it can't be no stinkin' good, ya idjit!"
"Actually, sir, it's fully recommended by the Traveller Aid society."
"Huh? well, they ain't usually full of fece."
"Yes, sir, it was written by a group of retired spacehands who were tired of seeing microsoft screwing over working people with stuff like limited duration software and license agreements."
"Ya, uncle cleon oughtta bust up that ghawddamn microsoft sumday..."
"Yes, sir, anyway, I downed the latest version of freejump and had it plot a few of our recent jumps. In every case it created a fully successful jump program that would have gotten us thru the jump every bit s well as jumpsafe did..."
"Well, is there anythin' wrong wit' it?"
"Ah, well, it doesn't have the animated holographic aid that jumpware has..."
"Yuh mean no Jenny Jumpme?"
"Uh, yes, it just has a regular audio/visual assistance system, no naked girl hologram."
"Well, damn. I shore liked the way she had a screaming orgasm when you hit the jump drive..."
"Uh, yes, captain. That notwithstanding, freejump's default setting calculates the jump factors to 12 decimal points. Jumpware calculates them to 13 places, but no jump ever done required more than 10 decimal values to be fully successful..."
"Whatever that means. I shore will miss Jenny Jumpme, tho..."
"Well, captain, we save 2000Cr using freejump instead of renewing jumpware, and you could buy a VRP of "Debbie does You." for 19.95 Cr..."
"Well, hot damn. Go 'head an' git that there freejump then!"
"Already installed on the mainframe and calibrated to the ship, sir."
"well damn, that's some good news. I'll be in my cabin, doin' some downloading."
"Yes, captain. Please remember your dropcloth this time..."
Ok, so you get the idea. I wonder if there might be 'freeware" in the traveller era, and if megacorps who make money boofooing people on overpriced underpowered spy/adware loaded stuff would try to stop it, maybe by paying insurers not to cover ships using freeware, and if uncle cleon would get his ass off the iridium throne long enough to do something about that...
Blender is one of many, many useful fully functional and fully featured programs that are available for free. others are bryce 5.5, anim8or, etc .
Anyone who thinks blender can't be a 'real" 3d modeling, raytracing and animation program because it's free needs to go look for a CGI movie called "Elephant's dream", which was made with blender and other freeware to demonstrate the power of freeware. I've seen it and it's easily the equal of anything Pixar does with it's expensive hardware and software.
So, as to how this relates to traveller, I wonder what free stuff might exist in the traveller universe.
Maybe some old spacehands get sick of seeing bloated megacorps rumphumping honest, hardworking spacers with overpriced software, and they write free versions that get the job done just as well.
Maybe someone writes some freeware just for a specific ship type that he's fond of.
Imagine:
"Well, dammitall! Our copy of "Jumpware" just expired, and microsoft wants 2000Cr to renew it. Sunuvabitch, we don't have that after fixing the holes those ghawddamn stinking vargs put in our hull while trying to steal out cargo out of Thetis last month!"
"Uh, captain?"
"Whut?!"
"Uh, well, sir, there's this free jump software called "Freejump" that's been out for a while, and..."
"If it's free it can't be no stinkin' good, ya idjit!"
"Actually, sir, it's fully recommended by the Traveller Aid society."
"Huh? well, they ain't usually full of fece."
"Yes, sir, it was written by a group of retired spacehands who were tired of seeing microsoft screwing over working people with stuff like limited duration software and license agreements."
"Ya, uncle cleon oughtta bust up that ghawddamn microsoft sumday..."
"Yes, sir, anyway, I downed the latest version of freejump and had it plot a few of our recent jumps. In every case it created a fully successful jump program that would have gotten us thru the jump every bit s well as jumpsafe did..."
"Well, is there anythin' wrong wit' it?"
"Ah, well, it doesn't have the animated holographic aid that jumpware has..."
"Yuh mean no Jenny Jumpme?"
"Uh, yes, it just has a regular audio/visual assistance system, no naked girl hologram."
"Well, damn. I shore liked the way she had a screaming orgasm when you hit the jump drive..."
"Uh, yes, captain. That notwithstanding, freejump's default setting calculates the jump factors to 12 decimal points. Jumpware calculates them to 13 places, but no jump ever done required more than 10 decimal values to be fully successful..."
"Whatever that means. I shore will miss Jenny Jumpme, tho..."
"Well, captain, we save 2000Cr using freejump instead of renewing jumpware, and you could buy a VRP of "Debbie does You." for 19.95 Cr..."
"Well, hot damn. Go 'head an' git that there freejump then!"
"Already installed on the mainframe and calibrated to the ship, sir."
"well damn, that's some good news. I'll be in my cabin, doin' some downloading."
"Yes, captain. Please remember your dropcloth this time..."
Ok, so you get the idea. I wonder if there might be 'freeware" in the traveller era, and if megacorps who make money boofooing people on overpriced underpowered spy/adware loaded stuff would try to stop it, maybe by paying insurers not to cover ships using freeware, and if uncle cleon would get his ass off the iridium throne long enough to do something about that...
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