PiTiVi 0.14 is here

You can get it by adding the Gstreamer developer PPA https://launchpad.net/~gstreamer-developers/+archive/ppa

0.14 is a major step in the development of PiTiVi. This has been added:

2011 May 24 - PiTiVi 0.14
* Audio and video effects
* Completely redesigned project settings dialog, with the ability to create presets
* Completely redesigned rendering dialog
* Welcome dialog that helps you start a project or load recent projects in two clicks
* Ability to preview video, audio and image files before importing
* Add a "best fit" zoom button
* Ability to jump to an exact position in the timeline
* Ability to specify custom aspect ratios and framerates
* Show a progress bar when loading projects
* 300% faster project timeline loading
* Search bar in the Media Library
* Ability to detach all the tabs and the previewer
* New manpage
* Commandline render mode
* Use the standard infobar widget all around
* Lots of bug fixes.

PiTiVi is the most promising Open Source NLE project out there not counting LightWorks that has not had it's source code released yet. The developers behind PiTiVi seems to have a little bit of insight into media production - something I think it's safe to say almost all other projects development teams doesn't have. projects like Kdenlive is very ambitious and I'm the biggest supporter - but the developers behind it has no insight into video production workflows.

UPDATE: I've installed 0.14 and all it's dependencies on two different machines (Ubuntu 11.04/Gnome) and it can't get it up and running. If I solve it I'll let you know. Otherwise we have to wait for some one else to solve it.

Kaltura: Open Source Video Platform

Kaltura: Open Source Video Platform

Ubuntu interface reflections

I used Macs as my main and only computer system for fourteen years. Then I switched to Windows simply because windows had gotten ahead of Macs in terms of video editing software that used GPGPU. So I've been a Windows user for ten years. Seven years ago I started looking at Linux. I installed a distro - gave up - had a break and came back and installed a new one, constantly frustrated at the state of drivers and the crude xOrg.

From using the Finder, Explorer and mostly Gnome desktops and now having a go at Unity two design related issues occur with Unity. When I used a Mac I couldn't ever picture myself wanting the top window buttons anywhere other than on the left side. Then I started using Windows. It took me an hour to realise how wrong I had been all those years. The natural reaction when using a mouse is to drag the pointer down to the right of the screen when "relaxing" it. So the natural place for the buttons is on the right. If your not left handed. And I'm not.

The second thing I loved with Windows occurred with Vista. And that is how you use the "super" button (the button with the Windows logo) to fire off apps and searches. That's the one feature in all of my years using a computer that really triggered a sense of using the system much faster than I had before. Unity copied that. And that's great.

So in conclusion. Unity copied the best from Windows and the worst from OSX.

Ubuntu Studio 11.10 Will Get Xfce Desktop

Ubuntu Studio 11.10 Will Get Xfce Desktop | LinuxNov

Unity may very well be a great solution for most general users that mainly live in the web browser but creative pro's need a desktop environment that is low on resources, fast and has a strong support for multiple applications on the same desktop. I think XFCE is a great choice for Ubuntu Studio. Looking forward to 11.10.

Video editor PiTiVi to be removed as default app in Ubuntu 11.10

Video editor PiTiVi to be removed as default app in Ubuntu 11.10

It is a clear statement from the guys developing PiTiVi that it is not an iMovie. It's basically the beginning of a technical platform (running on the Gstreamer framework) that will continue to develop - and it looks really promising. It's the only video editor on Linux that handles XMF. The developers are doing everything in the right order. Video editing capabilities first. Effects are secondary. Your everyday video amateur doesn't know this - and that's why PiTiVi is a poor choice as a default "iMovie" in Ubuntu.

The Open Source myth

"You can't make money developing Open Source or using Open Source tools"

I found this great blog post over @ Microsofts Open Source community - Port25.
http://www.port25.ca/2011/04/15/how-open-source-helps-businesses-to-innovate/

MakeHuman has come a long way

MakeHuman is a really powerful tool for creating human beings as CG models for use in other 3D packages like Blender 3D.

This is a list of the new features in version 6 Alpha. The MakeHuman project is now hosted under the Google Code program.

NEW: Texture chooser
ETHNIC MODE: partially restored
ETHNIC MODE: Save/load of skin texture, modified ethnics to use correct texture at load.
NEW: Expressions plugin
NEW: Randomize plugin
MEASURE MODE: sliders hide/show clicking on human zones
GUI: better design
GUI: Small font text, Sharp fonts (on default size)NEW: Background tools.
VARIOUS: Fourier tool.
MHX: mhx importer v 1.0.4. New way to assign vertex groups.
MHX: Mhx rig redesign: FK and IK bones removed.
COLLADA: Simplified Collada export. The skeleton does not look so good in Blender, but is more correct.
MEASURE MODE: save measurement
GUI: Show angle when sliding
GUI: Wire button
OBJ: Better obj export, without diamonds option
OBJ: Custom obj exporter which makes better UVs than the standard one.
GUI: New fileselector (WIP)
GUI: Camera key navigation
GUI: Added export eyebrows option, layout cleanup
MHX: Introduced spline ik for the spine as an option.
MHX: Removed hooks for spine spline IK because it caused cyclical errors. Euler angles and better weight painting for legs.
GUI: nicer color control
GUI: speeds up camera movement when holding shift.
MHX: Pose tool: Toggle button for properties, layer visibility panel, lipsync autokey-button aware.
Using separate bone layers for left and right sides. MHX importer: filter file extensions. MHX export even if proxy.cfg is missing.
GENERAL: Persistent settings
NEW: Catmull Clark subdivision (to use as preview and export option, not realtime)
GUI: Better opengl lighting
GUI: Adds a statistics box in measurement
NEW: skeleton visualizer
EXPERIMENTAL: pose2 for experimenting deforming without shapekeys
EXPERIMENTAL: bvh player (to test bvh loading)