Open Source vs. Industry Standard?

So, I was looking for some various art programs for linux, and I came across this post. I must confess intrigue as I read through it. The open-mindedness of this particular professor surprised me somewhat, considering the more or less... "not-ness" of much of my particular school in general.

However, the comments on that post basically came down to one of these different boilerplate responses:

1) "OMG, ur liek so TOTALLY right! Macs suxxorrszzz!!1!!!" (When the author made no such mention, or even really any insinuation.

2) "D00d!11! Ur so ruining t3h studentz lives by teaching them OS inst3rd of teh industrie standards!!!"

3) "I admire your open-mindedness in trying to teach your students other options"

What was intriguing to me was that only ONE single person who offered negative feedback suggested they were actually working in "the industry", all other critics offered no such qualifications. The interesting thing to me is the fact that at least with Pixar they often write their OWN plugins/extensions/software. Many large studios use open source programs (I can't find a list, though there used to be some floating around on the 'net). I know a few people who work in "the industry", and I don't know that they're required to use any specific software. But just to make sure I'll ask on the art forum I'm a part of, though I'm pretty sure they use what they're most comfortable with, and it's their actual output that is of the most concern.

The moral of the story? Think critically before you post. Please please please!

Also, exposure to many different types of programs is NOT a hindrance! As a matter of fact, the more you know about various different skill sets, especially if you are proficient in them and skilled in at least one, the better off you will be.

Huzzah!

First day of classes? Mission: Accomplished.

Yeah, it was pretty good. I only had two classes, my writing class and my math class... it seems like they should both be some good classes.

Dr. Forssman Hill is my writing teacher, and Professor Booher is my math teacher, and they both seem like competent, nice ladies. Of course, the way I see it, that basically makes them teachers anyway, this way they simply get paid for it.

Well... I think that's about it for now... I'm rather tired - I've been up since 5AM, see... Heh... it could be fun to take a nap like I learned in the Worst Case Scenario Handbook: College Survival guide... One of the things I enjoy about college is people watching. Especially after being here for a semester... I can pretty much pick the freshmen out like nobodies business - they all seem to have this startled "deer in the headlights" look - slightly unsure and more or less worried. It's cute, really. I wonder if I looked like that my first semester... I doubt it, simply because I've done so much and I'm so easygoing that I was probably like "eh, whatever." Maybe.

Tomorrow I have math again, (bleh, I really need to get books & things) and Biology... what a horrid book. Both of those books will end out around $200 for the two classes. You know, the books should really just be included in tuition or something... about $1500 of random fees is anyway, so why not those?

I'm pretty sure that next semester I'll try to get back with the MWF classes... I just think it'll be a bit easier. Of course that also depends on everything else... like, say work schedule... wheee... so much fun.

So I'm learning myself the Python programming language. It's been a lot of fun so far, I now need to learn how to open/edit files... w00t. And then I wanna start learning how to play with PyGTK+ - it's a programming language/widget set that's pretty darn cool. That's what the GIMP and pidgin are programmed in.

Pretty sweet stuff.

Well, that's enough rambling for now, I think I'll go draft a letter I'm supposed to write for creative writing class... joi de vivre!