> > I just posted to say that Alias/Wavefront is a Canadian company, based here > in Toronto. I think they came up with some sort of computer animation > software that blew everyone else out of the water, and AFAIK, they're now > world leaders in the field.
Originally Canadian, but bought some time ago by Silicon Graphics. (Actually I believe Alias Research were Canadian; I don't know where Wavefront were based before Alias bought them). Their reputation was built on industrial-strength 3D modelling and rendering software (amongst many other things, Lance Armstrong's Tour de France bike is designed and built by a company using Alias/Wavefront software). The animation software is a minor part of their product set, although it is almost certainly the most widely seen; "South Park" is produced using Alias software because, according to the show's producers, it was the only computer animation package that could produce the cheesy craft-paper look. I wouldn't quite call them world leaders in animation software; I think that position has to go to Pixar. But they are certainly a major player, along with Pacific Data Images (Shrek) and a couple of others.
