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Malamute.
Session
Use of Unix Tools for Graphics Professionals
Ted Stevko, Stevko Studios

Track: Multimedia/ The iApps
Date: Thursday, October 03
Time: 2:15pm - 3:00pm
Location: Stevens Creek

Much of the latest development in Mac strategies has been aimed towards programming. Mac OS X merges the Mac OS's solid graphics background and Unix's robust toolset. Artists, graphics professionals, and graphic development groups have a great deal to gain using both this platform, and the Unix development tools in their environment.

Ted Stevko proposes strategies for both print and web graphics developers to integrate Unix tools into their workflow to reduce costs, increase speed, and make life more pleasant. Stevko approaches Unix from a graphics perspective, showing what's possible and available with Unix. He also uses graphics files for demonstrations of the problems inherent with print and web design.

Specific topics include:

CVS

CVS does, in fact, hold graphics files. And unlike Retrospect, can keep track of files while being backed up effortlessly. CVS reduces the number of versions that an artist has to keep on hand and allows groups to work on projects with one set of files.

Perl and Applescript

Perl and Applescript together can do more than most ever dreamed possible. Create scripts in Perl, create an interface in Applescript, and you have an extraordinarily powerful combination to allow users to control their environment.

Apache, PHP, and MySQL

A simple combination that means that artists can be artists, developers can be developers...and no one has to share an environment to work in.

Stevko sums up his presentation: “The main point I want to get across is that while Mac OS X is great for programmers, graphics people get a lot as well, and will start receiving more of the benefits of Mac OS X as time goes on. If you're willing to do a little digging and learn some Unix, you can easily speed up the time you spend on building and working, overcome obstacles that have plagued graphics companies for years, and not spend a ton to do it. I think that's one of the coolest things going: open-source Unix software on my desktop.”

Download presentation file