Maya 4.5 Personal Learning Edition Now Available for Free Download

Business Wire, Jan 7, 2003

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

Macworld San Francisco 2003

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 7, 2003

First Maya Personal Learning Edition Downloaded More Than 1/4 Million Times - Mac OS X Users Prove Desire for the World's Leading 3D

Tool Marking 30% of Total Downloads

Alias/Wavefront(TM), an SGI (NYSE:SGI) company, announced today that the highly anticipated Maya 4.5 Personal Learning Edition(TM) software is now available for free download from www.aliaswavefront.com/mayaple. Building on the success of the first release of Maya Personal Learning Edition(TM) software, Alias/Wavefront is continuing its commitment to make Maya(R) software accessible to everyone interested in learning digital content creation.

"Maya Personal Learning Edition lets anyone experience and learn the same 3D software used to create such major computer graphic rich film productions as Spiderman and The Lord of the Rings series," said Bob Bennett, General Manager of Product Development at Alias/Wavefront. "Mac OS X gives Maya users the stability, speed and reliability they seek when producing their 3D projects." Bennett stated, "Mac users were the earliest and most aggressive to adopt the first version of Maya Personal Learning Edition and have totaled 30% of all downloads to date. We are thrilled to make the free download of Maya Personal Learning Edition available in time for Macworld."

"Mac OS X is the platform of choice for the world's top creative professionals and Alias/Wavefront delivers the tools to bring their creativity to life," said Ron Okamoto, Apple's Vice President of Worldwide Developer Relations. "Maya Personal Learning Edition on Mac OS X is an extremely valuable tool for the Mac community and introduces the power of 3D authoring to a whole new group of users."

Maya Personal Learning Edition Highlights

A significant highlight of Maya 4.5 Personal Learning Edition is the enhancement to the watermark which is no longer visible when working in wire frame mode, allowing users to concentrate on developing their modeling skills. Also with this new release, it is possible to import different data types -- including files from the commercial version of Maya. This gives users access to the many Learning Tools from Alias/Wavefront as well as after-market books and the huge virtual Maya community on the web.

The Maya 4.5 Personal Learning Edition includes all new features found in Maya Complete(TM) 4.5 software, so users can experience the full power of the software. New modeling tools, Subdivision surfaces, integrated 3D Paint and numerous User Interface (UI) and workflow enhancements are a few of the features that Maya 4.5 Personal Learning Edition users can take advantage of, for free.

The Maya Personal Learning Edition Experience

Support for those using Maya Personal Learning Edition takes the form of a web-based resource center, that provides full access to enhanced video tutorials, discussion forums, system requirements and content exchanges, where users can share work and download free sample files. There is also a Maya Personal Learning Edition gallery where artists can exhibit their projects. The Maya Personal Learning Edition resource center can be accessed at www.aliaswavefront.com/maya/ple/resource.> To experience Maya software first hand, visit the Alias/Wavefront booth #3729 at Macworld San Francisco.

Pricing and Availability

Free download of Maya 4.5 Personal Learning Edition is available at www.aliaswavefront.com/mayaple. Maya 4.5 Personal Learning Edition is for Mac(R) OS X and Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 2000 Professional and Windows XP operating systems and is available with Japanese or English online documentation.

Maya 4.5 Personal Learning Edition is also part of the Learning Maya / Beginner's Guide(TM) package which can be purchased for $19.99* at the Alias/Wavefront online store at http://store.aliaswavefront.com. The Beginner's Guide contains a one-hour DVD learning guide with English, French, German, Japanese and Korean language tracks, an introduction to Maya booklet and a Maya 4.5 Personal Learning Edition CD.

Maya Personal Learning Edition restricts users to non-commercial applications through the display of a watermark on images as well as through the use of a special non-commercial file format. Maya Personal Learning Edition does not ship with the Maya API and cannot be used with standard plug-ins. Use of the software is restricted to personal, non-commercial applications only: use in schools and training center classrooms/labs or courses is considered commercial use. As such, educational institutions and training facilities should contact their local sales office for more information about Alias/Wavefront's current academic and training center programs.

About Alias/Wavefront

As the world's leading innovator of 3D graphics technology, Alias/Wavefront develops software for the film and video, games, web, interactive media, industrial design, and visualization markets. Entertainment and games customers include: Acclaim Entertainment, Inc., CNN, Core Design Limited, Digital Domain, Disney, Electronic Arts, Industrial Light & Magic, Factor 5 LLC, Midway Games, Nintendo, Pacific Data Images (PDI), Pixar, Sega, Sony Pictures Imageworks, Square Co., Ltd., Warner Feature Animation and Weta Ltd.