Linux helps sink the Titanic

The designers selected Linux as they needed interoperability and, to a certain degree, compatibility with SGI/Irix-based systems. Alpha Linux provided a factor of three to four over SGI systems.

Interoperability and compatibility with Linux had been demonstrated during a previous effort (Dante's Peak). Digital Domain ported critical infrastructure elements (to support distributed processing) to the Linux environment in days, not weeks, using existing staff. The developers of these tools were able to rapidly deploy to the Linux environment, demonstrating that they could leverage that environment in short order. The designers needed performance, as the schedule for the production, as well as the magnitude of the work implied a 100% or more increase in studio processing capacity.

According to Daryll Strauss and Wook in Linux Magazine Linux systems worked well for the problems. The cost benefit was positive even including the engineering resources the designers devoted to the problems. The Alpha Linux turned out to be slightly more difficult than first expected, but the state of Alpha Linux is improving very rapidly and should be substantially better now. Digital Domain will continue to improve and expand the tools they have available on these systems.

At this time, the Linux systems are only used for batch processing, but Digital Domain expects it's compositing software to be used interactively by the digital artists. The software does not require dedicated acceleration hardware, and the speed provided by the Alpha processor is a great benefit to productivity. Feature film and television visual effects development has provided a high-performance, cost-sensitive, proving ground for Linux.

As to cost effectiveness, The studio would have needed more than twice as many Intel machines as Alphas says Linux Magazine to meet performance goals. SGI was a valid contender, but could not compete on a price per CPU basis.