“I’ve been following graphics tools on Linux now for a number of
years. Graphics tools are the domain of the desktop user and, as
such, have been slower in coming from both the open-source and
corporate worlds than networking and server-side tools.
Fortunately, this is a trend that’s starting to change. The
importance of Linux on the desktop was recognized by video-card
companies with the advent of video games from Loki and high-end
tools like Houdini from Side Effects Software. But there is much
more to graphics on the Linux desktop than games, 3-D modelers and
renderers.”
“One company that recognized early on the importance of Linux
for graphics users is Photodex, a software development company
focusing on graphics and digital-content management. Photodex,
located in the heart of Texas’ high tech mecca, Austin, started
porting work for their CompuPic product in early 1999, with a first
public beta release in June of that year. Recently I was able to
sit down with a registered version of CompuPic 4.6 to find out just
what this product can do.”
“CompuPic is an X Window System-based digital-content management
tool, which in layman’s terms means it’s designed to assist users
in keeping track of graphical images, animations and sound files on
disks and networks. Although tools like this are most useful to
web developers and graphic artists, the average Linux user will
also find significant value in products of this nature. Available
for Windows, Macintosh and Solaris, CompuPic is currently only
available for Intel x86 Linux, although support for Alpha and
PowerPC users may be available in the future.”