UPDATE, you'll now find this at http://zachariasreinhardt.com/

UPDATE, you'll now find this at http://zachariasreinhardt.com/

Originally shared by AgenZasBrothers

AgenZasBrothers Blender Sculpting Cheat Sheet

Free Download:
https://agenzasbrothers.com/…/blender-sculpting-cheat-sheet/

Created in cooperation with Manuel(https://manuell3d.wordpress.com/).

Have fun! ‪#‎b3d‬ ‪#‎sculpting‬ ‪#‎sculptjanuary‬
~Zacharias

P.S. Sharing makes happy!

He used a Burroughs B-5500 to make music.

Originally shared by Laura Ess

He used a Burroughs B-5500 to make music.
http://priceonomics.com/the-father-of-the-digital-synthesizer/

cool tips

cool tips
http://electricalice.tumblr.com/post/68701008868/10-typical-perspective-errors

Model download: Bush Pack - Addicted to CG offers a set of four bushes for download.

Originally shared by BlenderNation

Model download: Bush Pack - Addicted to CG offers a set of four bushes for download. Addicted to CG writes: This is a bush pack giveaway. The pack includes 4 bushes with the particle systems not applied so that you can add further customization. What is more the bushes also come with 4 branches that they use for their particle [...] The post Model download: Bush Pack appeared first on BlenderNation.
http://ow.ly/39u69i

This is a good introduction to texture painting done entirely in Blender.

Originally shared by Serene Jewell

This is a good introduction to texture painting done entirely in Blender. He's using Blender 2.72 rather than the current 2.76, but the process hasn't changed much. I think this whole series is a good intro to low poly creation in Blender for things like Unity and OpenSim.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr_itixx0Yo

Has a neat magnifying feature to examine the textures.

Has a neat magnifying feature to examine the textures.

Originally shared by Chic Aeon

Texture Resource

Varying licenses, some public domain, some creative commons, some perhaps other things :D.  Fast server. Easy to get around.

http://www.cltextures.com/
http://www.cltextures.com

An online Colour Scheme designer.

An online Colour Scheme designer.
http://paletton.com/#uid=30S0t0k61FU7gJ969J161CC5+-C

This looks interesting.

This looks interesting.
http://www.colourlovers.com/

"Darktable" indeed. ;)

"Darktable" indeed. ;)
http://libregraphicsworld.org/blog/entry/darktable-2-0-released-with-printing-support

a mixed bunch of replacements

a mixed bunch of replacements

Originally shared by Danie van der Merwe

49 Open Source Office Tools - Ideal for Startup Businesses and Established Ones

Top open source office tools for everything from graphics to CAD to Web design to CRM. All free downloads, of course.

The good thing about open source office tools: you can use them to save major cost in office productivity. As you’ll see on the list below, some of these free office tools replace highly expensive commercial software. In some cases, a business could equip itself for thousands of dollars less.

In many ways, the following list of open source office tools shows just how far open source has progressed in the last several years.

See http://www.datamation.com/applications/49-open-source-office-tools-1.html.

There is also my own list that I maintain at http://gadgeteer.co.za/opensourcesoftware/ which is grouped by category.

A Win/Linux plotting/writing thingamie.

A Win/Linux plotting/writing thingamie.
http://www.bibisco.com/en

An open source Screen Writing program.

An open source Screen Writing program.
http://www.trelby.org/

A Java based writing program.

A Java based writing program.
http://quollwriter.com/index.html

Seems legit, though many of the links take you to Youtube.

Originally shared by Laura Ess

Seems legit, though many of the links take you to Youtube.
http://www.openculture.com/freemoviesonline

Paramount Now Streaming 175 Free Movies Online, Including Westerns, Thrillers & Crime Pictures

Originally shared by Open Culture

Paramount Now Streaming 175 Free Movies Online, Including Westerns, Thrillers & Crime Pictures
http://www.openculture.com/2015/12/paramount-now-streaming-175-free-movies-online.html

Linux Mint Upgrade Sparkles

Originally shared by Danie van der Merwe

Linux Mint Upgrade Sparkles

The Linux Mint upgrade to version 17.3 Rosa is one upgrade regular users do not want to skip.

This latest release in downloadable ISO format, available in the MATE and Cinnamon desktop editions, hit servers earlier this month. Several days later, the upgrade was available from within the package management repository for existing Linux Mint users. That eliminates the need for a clean installation and having to set up all the apps and configurations to use the new release.

Linux Mint 17.3 is based on Ubuntu 14.04 LTS and is supported until 2019. It is a major upgrade from version 17.2 Rebecca.

Compared to the many recurring bland Ubuntu releases cycles, Linux Mint does not disappoint. Each decimal advance has been marked with should-not-miss improvements to the constantly evolving Linux Mint distro.

For my long term support upgrade next year I'm thinking of switching from Kubuntu to Mint's KDE. I am a bit surprised to hear though that the latest update allows the selection of a localized mirror servers for faster downloads.... I've certainly seen this before and have been using it in Kubuntu for the last two years.
http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/82889.html?rss=1

Today is the last day for me to ever bake textures in Blender!

Originally shared by Fred Beckhusen

Today is the last day for me to ever bake textures in Blender!  Substance Painter V 1.7 contains an important and long awaited new feature for Opensim and Second Life  users :  super-easy baking of lighting into your color/diffuse maps.  

Watch the video at the 14:30 minute mark.  Substance Painter also produces compatible bump/normal and gloss maps with just a few clicks.  
https://www.allegorithmic.com/blog/substance-painter-17-enhanced-workflow-and-content

Very cool look at the original steampunk vessel.

Originally shared by Laura Ess

Very cool look at the original steampunk vessel. You might also being interested in http://jogrid.net/abyss/nautilus.htm which relates to a Second Life/OpenSim reconstruction of it as well (at http://jogrid.net/abyss/nautilus.htm).
http://www.vernianera.com/Nautilus/

This looks like lots of weird fun, in a 3D way. Not entirely sure what practical use it has though.

This looks like lots of weird fun, in a 3D way. Not entirely sure what practical use it has though.
http://structuresynth.sourceforge.net/

I think in some ways Blender is like Firefox and GIMP - it succeeds at being what it is because of a huge supporting...

I think in some ways Blender is like Firefox and GIMP - it succeeds at being what it is because of a huge supporting community of developers and users, and has gadzillions of addons to extend it (see http://blenderaddonlist.blogspot.com.au/) further. And like those other two opensource programs, there's always another update in the works.

Earlier this year I decided to commit to Blender as my main 3D modelling editor, but this year has also been one of deferred, delayed and drawn out projects, so I will get to that eventually. Like most capable stuff, you have to sit down and play with it until you learn/understand it. Look forward to that.
#opensource  
http://www.blender.org/

I always thought that I "ought" to like Sketchup, but don't.

I always thought that I "ought" to like Sketchup, but don't. That might be because of it's interface. Looks simple enough and even has a built in guide, but, mmm, bleaugh. I made backgrounds for a webcomic using it ages ago. In some ways the best thing about Sketchup is the 3D Warehouse.
#freemium  
http://www.sketchup.com/products/sketchup-make

I have a history with Wings3D.

I have a history with Wings3D. I used it and DOGA (gasp, see http://www.doga.co.jp/english/) to make 3D models for an old webcomic of mine (which can still be seen at http://lauraseabrook.comicgenesis.com/d/20060207.html). I'm likely to revive that webcomic, but probably use OpenSimulator to make it. The last update was in August 2015, but the documentation is mostly online.
#opensource  
http://www.wings3d.com/

I've always been impressed with this as well, but like most of the 3D programs, you only get good results by...

I've always been impressed with this as well, but like most of the 3D programs, you only get good results by spending lots of time learning to use it. Seems you can make avatars for OpenSimulator as well with this, via Avastar and Blender (see http://www.makehumancommunity.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=11970).
#opensource  
http://www.makehuman.org/index.php

I looked at this a few times when looking at 3D modelling suites.

I looked at this a few times when looking at 3D modelling suites. The results look impressive, but there seems to be a distinct lack of a manual for it (maybe a list of shortcuts at http://www.openfx.org/resources/shortcuts/designer.html ?). Last revised in March of 2015.
#opensource  
http://www.openfx.org/about.html

And this, which is described as a "3D modeler designed to help you create content for your game project, whether...

And this, which is described as a "3D modeler designed to help you create content for your game project, whether you're a professional or indy game developer" seems to quietly chug away in the background, while apps like Unity and Blender get a lot more publicity. Or does it? The website shows a 2011  date, and the last update at source forge is 2013-04-26.
#opensource  
http://www.delgine.com/index.php?filename=product_deled

Have always been fascinated by the model examples made with this - they all look like they've been made with plastic.

Have always been fascinated by the model examples made with this - they all look like they've been made with plastic. The last release, 0.98.  has a 2013 date.
#freeware  
http://www.anim8or.com/

Cool.

Cool.
https://ideas.lego.com/projects/102740

Wow!

Wow!
http://www.scifi3d.com/list.asp?intGenreID=10&intCatID=10

​*Before the Web: Online services of yesteryear*

Originally shared by Richard Wooding

​*Before the Web: Online services of yesteryear*
Before we were watching Netflix movies, video-conferencing with our friends, and playing real-time video games on the Internet, we were using online services, such AOL, CompuServe, and GEnie to talk about movies, type letters to our buddies, and play ASCII, turn-based games.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/before-the-web-online-services/

Today in History: UNIVAC — World’s first general purpose, commercially produced, electronic digital computer — was...

Originally shared by Brad Acker

Today in History: UNIVAC — World’s first general purpose, commercially produced, electronic digital computer — was dedicated, 1951
On June 14, 1951 — 64 years ago today — the United States Census Bureau dedicated the world’s first “general purpose” commercially-produced electronic digital computer, the UNIVAC I, which stood for UNIV ersal A utomatic C omputer. 

The computer model, of which 46 were made, became famous for correctly predicting the presidential election outcome in 1952. In fact, the computer correctly predicted an Eisenhower landslide victory with only a tiny percentage of the votes actually counted; but because traditional pollsters almost universally predicted victory for Adlai Stevenson, CBS withheld the computer’s prediction until later in the evening. At 8:30 PM, the computer was predicting the electoral college vote — Eisenhower 438, Stevenson 93. The actual count ended up as Eisenhower 442, Stevenson 89. CBS, using the computer data, was the first network to call the election. By the next presidential election in 1956, the other two major networks were also using computers on election night.

The UNIVAC was designed by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly, and it was manufactured by the Remington Rand company. The computer weighed 29,000 pounds and could process about 1,905 operations per second using a 2.25 Mhz clock. The machine was 25 feet in width by 50 feet in length, used 5,600 vacuum tubes, 18,000 crystal diodes, and 300 relays; it had an internal storage capacity of 12,000 characters. Each of the original UNIVACs came with 10 magnetic tape drives — all compatible. 

YouTube videos:
•Remington-Rand Presents the UNIVAC (length 17:31). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2fURxbdIZs
•UNIVAC — Then and Now (length 13:17). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4wQJfdhOlU
•History of the Computer — Documentary (length 48:07). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPDy2y4AjSo

Vimeo Video:
http://vimeo.com/52980654

Web sources:
•http://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/?year=1951
•http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/univac-computer-dedicated
•http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/the-u-s-census-bureau-first-dedicated-univac-61-years-ago-today
•http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNIVAC
•http://www.computermuseum.li/Testpage/UNIVAC-FAQ.htm
•http://bitscolumn.blogspot.com/2013/10/computer-projected-1952-presidential.html
•http://edn.com/electronics-blogs/edn-moments/4423752/UNIVAC-predicts-election-results--November-4--1952
•http://www.historyfactory.com/2012/11/06/presidential-elections-and-a-brief-history-of-emerging-technologies/
•http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9904/30/1952.idg/
•http://www.ideastream.org/news/npr/163951263
•http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Presper_Eckert
•http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Mauchly
•http://www.thocp.net/hardware/univac.htm

Book sources:
• A Few Good Men from Univac by David E. Lundstrom [History of Computing]. http://amzn.to/1SenThn
• Computing: A Concise History by Paul E. Ceruzzi [The MIT Press Essential Knowledge Series]. http://amzn.to/1BeJQZl
* UNIVAC: Webster’s Timeline History, 1941-2002 by Icon Group International. http://amzn.to/1cTVIEu

Image credits (top to bottom, left to right):
•Remington Rand’s Harold E. Sweeney (left) and J. Presper Eckert (middle right) demonstrate UNIVAC for CBS’s Walter Cronkite (right). http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/edn-moments/4423752/UNIVAC-predicts-election-results--November-4--1952
•Creators of the UNIVAC — J. Presper Eckert (left) and John Mauchly (right). http://www.thocp.net/hardware/univac.htm
•UNIVAC at the U.S. Census Bureau with 10 magnetic tape drives. http://www.thocp.net/hardware/univac.htm

Additional Events in Technology History on June 14:
•The European Space Research Organization (later the European Space Agency, ESA) was established in Paris, France.
•NASA launched Mariner 5 to explore Venus.

#history #history -tech #UNIVAC #RemingtonRand

Not so sure about the brands they mention, I grew up using a typewriter, so I prefer a mechanical keyboard to some...

Not so sure about the brands they mention, I grew up using a typewriter, so I prefer a mechanical keyboard to some virtual keyboard on a glass screen, or worse - a "dead squid" rubber keyboard thing (ewwww).
http://www.improgrammer.net/mechanical-keyboard-guide/?utm_content=buffer64d68&utm_medium=social&utm_source=plus.google.com&utm_campaign=buffer

6 useful LibreOffice extensions

Originally shared by Danie van der Merwe

6 useful LibreOffice extensions

LibreOffice is the best free office suite around, and as such has been adopted by all major Linux distributions. Although LibreOffice is already packed with features, it can be extended by using specific add-ons, called extensions.

The main LibreOffice extensions website is extensions.libreoffice.org. Extensions are tools that can be added or removed independently from the main installation, and may add new functionality or make existing functionality easier to use.
https://opensource.com/business/15/12/6-useful-libreoffice-extensions

*Combo Maps Revisited - BLENDER*

Originally shared by Chic Aeon

*Combo Maps Revisited - BLENDER*

I know I have been talking about combo maps a lot lately. Many months ago I wanted to learn how to make them. Debbie went to lots of trouble to teach us how. I learned -- well for a minute or two -- and then I lost the skill. I will say that this is one of the most important things I have learned in Cycles Rendering. I don't think there are tons of folks using cycles -- at least to its fuller abilities -- right now, but there is always the future.

Yesterday I went astray with the combo maps. I spent hours trying to figure out just WHERE I went astray, but I couldn't see where the problem lay. Today I think I have it.

So here is what I learned today.

What I wanted to do --- Make a second VERSION of a spice rack that had used combo maps successfully (yeah) including using textures of various sizes AND changing the scale of the texture on one of the UV maps (metalUV).

Here's what I did: 

I renamed the good file as "version 2" so I wouldn't loose my good blend file. I then went in and separated the glass material objects from the metal. With wireframe on, I selected each of the bottles one at a time and moved them to new places.

I then joined the metal and bottle parts again.  I had my combo map from version 1. It was fine EXCEPT I wanted to have a slightly different metal texture placement wise on version 2 so that the set would look more realistically like a set. Rebaking the file with the same three UVs didn't work at all. That would have been too easy!

So I deleted the bottleUV and metalUV maps and made two new maps with slightly different names.  I then deleted the OLD UV map input nodes and put in new ones (possibly not necessary but I was trying all possibilities I could think of at once). I chose the new UV maps as the inputs for each of the materials.

I THEN went in and adjust the metalUV map while the metal material was selected moving the map (JUST for the metal now)  around on the texture plane OF THE METALtexture.

I made sure that #1  the image texture shown in the UV window to bake to was the one I had been using before, that it was the image in the image texture window (far right) and that the far right image texture nodes (not connected to any other nodes) were the active nodes for both materials,

#2   that I had both materials selected and active.
#3 that the COMBO UV map (UVmap in the screenshot) was the active map before I baked.

That worked!

It sounds complicated but it IS getting easier so I heartily suggest that when you feel the need for a new skill you watch Debbie's video and try the process -- a few times :D.

A new version!

A new version!

Originally shared by Bundysoft

The free 'Standard Edition' of L3DT 15.11 is now available for download. For more information, please follow the link below.
http://www.bundysoft.com/news/doku.php?id=l3dt:ann:v15.11se

Whew - finished amalgamating my email accounts and it's all on my Media PC now.

Whew - finished amalgamating my email accounts and it's all on my Media PC now. It was easier to take screenshots of the account details of the RecRoom version and enter them manually than try and edit profile files. I plan to set this up via a network drive as per the instructions on this page. I was going to have it all on an external drive, but after I read about the problems related to that I thought this was a better method.
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-ways-to-sync-thunderbird-emails-across-multiple-computers/

Am about to attempt merging my two versions of Thunderbird.

Am about to attempt merging my two versions of Thunderbird. One set of accounts was kept on the Studio PC, and the other on the RecRoom PC. That initially helped divide up "work" with "fun" (they often involved a LOT of work) but I think it's time to merge them back. So many conflicting pages on how to do this, but the first step is copying the Thunderbird profiles on each. Ain't open-source grand.
#thunderbird #emailclient