HowTo: Install make on a Mac without XCode

I love it when things 'just work' and the osx-gcc-installer is a nice, all in one package that will install make and other GNU build essentials for your Mac without having to install XCode. The pre-built binaries are available for both Snow Leopard (OSX 1.6.x) and Lion (OSX 1.7.x). So this is great if you have the older version of OSX.

You can get the installer from the link above or from the download page.

An Oscar Winning Software?

Pixar's RenderMan® | Showcase

"The challenge of shading food for Ratatouille was to work with a stylized look that fits into our world, yet is still readable and recognizable as something appealing to eat. We, as humans, have a built-in sensory system to know what looks edible to our eyes and stomach. Finding that acceptable (and tasty) appearence was the main focus. To achieve this, we used subtle illumination techniques that became a general approach for a variety of objects. Here we will study a brief technical overview, followed by descriptions of different concepts, techniques and systems to achieve the look."

I've been reading iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business for a while now.  Well, with work, studies and other stuff, it's hard to finish reading a book in a single sitting these days, hence the "for-a-while". I'm almost at the end of Part Two of the book and kept coming across a software called RenderMan. RenderMan this, RenderMan that, then how Steve and his early team at Pixar negotiated with Disney to do the very first movie. It was getting too much and I googled it.

I'm glad I did. Read the case study above and you'll see how the software was used in the movie Ratatouille. Forgive me if you already knew about RenderMan. But this software has a historical value too. IMHO, there wouldn't have been a Second Act for Steve Jobs if it wasn't for RenderMan. Kudos to the creators who made it. Wow! an Oscar winning software.. who would've thought?

Creating a loved brand by telling a story: Tether

From the YouTube description of this clip ...

Stanley Hainsworth has been creative director at Nike, Lego, and Starbucks—all brands that have become iconic through good design. He just finished designing the new Gatorade bottle, too. Hainsworth clearly has a remarkable eye for style, but he insists that the key to creating a brand that attracts fans, that people love, is telling the company's story.

Hainsworth says that companies like Apple have a persona. "You could describe what Apple is as a person, because of the personality they've created," he explains. "So when we work with tech startups, the first thing we have to figure out is their story—what sets them apart in the marketplace."

Now at the helm of Tether, his own design studio and retail space in Seattle, Hainsworth keeps looking for new challenges. "When I left Starbucks, people thought I'd want to work someplace really hip, like Diesel or Apple. I told them I wanted to work with Microsoft and Wal-Mart—two great American brands that have never told their story well. They both have incredible stories, if you think about the startups that they were at the time—it's unbelievable. Bill Gates, what he went through, and his story: it's never been told well. They've never used it to their advantage. They've become a product company with no soul."

"Great companies read your soul," says Hainsworth. "They give you something you didn't even know that you needed."

How To Sync Your iPhone Wirelessly in Linux

IPhone: Sync Your iPhone Wirelessly in Linux

"Apple may open up its iPhone and iPod touch devices to third-party apps
next month, but the chances that Linux users will get invited to the
party are slim at best. That hasn't stopped some intrepid hackers from
coming up with a better music-syncing solution than the one Mac and
Windows users have—a two-way wireless transfer, from almost any music
organizing app you like, no wait for iTunes or USB cable required.
Linux users, let's take a look at how to set up your iPhone or iPod
touch for any-time wireless access after the jump."