Silo (almost) dead... :(

dacad · 1 Jul 2009, 09:56

yesterday i've come across this bad news: http://cgdigg.com/story.php?title=silo-is-almost-dead

It seams that the developers of silo are quiting developing actively silo because they are now doing a new project (a game-engine). you can see the original post from the devs here http://silo3d.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16390

After truespace now Silo, i've read trough the silo forums and everyone is really upset (from what i understand a update isn't release for 2 years now) and some people bought silo recently thinking it still had much development that would be done... what a backstab.

My fear now with this recent events, is google stop developing sketchup for pro users and turn sketchup to a google earth tool...the worst part is i really believe this is happening and they are preparing the people for that (hope i'm wrong and better don't give them ideas...)

A sad day indeed, especially for silo users...

pilou · 1 Jul 2009, 11:25

holmes1977 · 2 Jul 2009, 05:21

@unknownuser said:

yesterday i've come across this bad news: http://cgdigg.com/story.php?title=silo-is-almost-dead

My fear now with this recent events, is google stop developing sketchup for pro users and turn sketchup to a google earth tool...the worst part is i really believe this is happening and they are preparing the people for that (hope i'm wrong and better don't give them ideas...)

A sad day indeed, especially for silo users...

I would have to agree with you. I really hope not. I would love to see this programme of ours developed further. But cant see how that would really benefit google as a company. Their driving force for SU is google Earth. Cant see them spending time to develop it to the standard of other competing software.

Hope we are wrong.

dacad · 2 Jul 2009, 09:58

well i have to say that i'm one of the biggest critics of the sketchup develpment today, but it would "kill me" if they would pull the plug to sketchup or just turn it into a GE add-on. (Guess that's why i'm such a critic...)

The developer said that they're not dead they will just not develope ACTIVELY from now one, and this for an app that doesn't have updates in some years now (litle like sk development works too...lol) My question now is how will this affect Silo? would anyone still buy it knowing that? It's a strange post for a developer to make... honest, but strange.

Stinkie · 2 Jul 2009, 11:20

Honest? Don't think so.

"As we embrace this approach, it means that we no longer devote all our time and energy to the development of Silo -- and we feel like Silo has reached a point of maturity where it doesn't need that. We still have a plan for Silo, and it is still under active development, but you'll probably see that development happen in shorter bursts at key times."

If they were actually honest, they'd written:

"Okay, here's the deal. We all know Silo's got annoying bugs and serious stability issues. As such, it's hardly a finished product. We could of course take care of these problems, like we promised we would - but we're not gonna. I mean, what's in it for us? We already got your money. Bye! Oh ... don't forget to check out our new products!"

remus · 2 Jul 2009, 11:59

Ever the optimist stinkie

Stinkie · 2 Jul 2009, 12:04

Black! Everything is black! We are all gonna die! Woe is us!

kwistenbiebel · 2 Jul 2009, 16:35

Maybe now is the time for sketchup to go open source (SourceForge).
With the new 'Saab' engine driven technique to automaticaly populate a virtual earth , making modeling buildings for Google Earth obsolete, not even the GE component of Sketchup would survive.

Just imagine the death of Silo, Spaceclaim and Sketchup.
Autodesk would get the absolute 3D power.
I guess they would easily wrap up a Sketchup clone within a year for 10 times the price.

dacad · 2 Jul 2009, 16:50

never heard about that kwistenbiebel. What's the Saab engine for google earth and how does it work? the only saab i know is the car manufacter...

But a open source sketchup would be great

remus · 2 Jul 2009, 21:05

mmmmm, open source goodness, now that would be good.

Aerilius · 11 Aug 2009, 18:50

I also have the open source idea in my mind for a long time now. I think Sketchup is the most untypical software that Google offers (all other software fit Google's profile).

For me, SU development seems to be a bit unprofitable for Google. They can not finance it with advertisement like in web-apps, I don't know if Google has any other software that is commercial ( 5 0 0 $).

The Sketchup team has a lack of personal. We do not know what happens with (secret) development although we regularly contribute suggestions for new features or improvements. I think the secret and closed development is the most important obstacle towards innovations. The extremely wide distribution and use of that program means also a high potential of the community. I think there are even many developers that have no possibility to contribute to this closed source app.

It is not preventable that linux operating systems will become part of the major operating systems (the windows kernel is one of the last surviving not-linux/not-bsd kernels).
The fact that SU is not yet really cross-platform (not like firefox and many others), means that Google Chrome OS will not be able to run a Sketchup version. For netbooks, that may be acceptable or not (I have none). But the new OS is also supposed to storm the desktop market (if it's not a flop).
So in near or far future, Google will have to give it up or let it free for open source.

Maybe the development of the new 3d format O3D will initiate a change when 3d graphics will be usable in the browser (-> web-apps)?

Pixero · 11 Aug 2009, 19:36

@pixero said:

@unknownuser said:

never heard about that kwistenbiebel. What's the Saab engine for google earth and how does it work? the only saab i know is the car manufacter...

But a open source sketchup would be great

SAAB also makes airplanes. The technique Kwistenbiebel talked about was developed for SAAB 39 Gripen (a fighter jet).
You can watch the technique on a swedish website called http://www.hitta.se
Under the logo click on Karta (maps) and zoom in on for example the capital of Sweden, Stockholm. Then click on "3d" above the map. In the lower right corner there is the controllers and a "Luta karta" that tilts the map.

Pixero · 11 Aug 2009, 19:36

Double post.

Aerilius · 11 Aug 2009, 21:23

What is double?

Pixero · 12 Aug 2009, 06:00

@tom2 said:

:roll: What is double?

Somehow when I edited my post above it came out twice so I erased the content from one of them and put in the words "Double post".

Dantheman · 13 Aug 2009, 02:21

FYI the "google chrome os" is just a web browser

Stinkie · 18 Aug 2009, 19:27

Back on topic for a sec.

Anyone checked out the tutorial vids on Nevercenter.com? There's a lot of them, they're good - and they're totally free. For those interested, Silo + those vids may prove a very affordable way of getting into poly/sub-d modeling.