The folks over at Shapeways are sponsoring a 3d modeling competition for TopMod3d users. Here is more info:

A few weeks ago I wrote about TopMod3D, a ‘topological mesh modeling’ tool that allows you to create really far-out and intricate models. I gave it a try and quickly came up with a simple design that I had printed. It’s a crazy little thing, but if you put it on the table during a meeting, everyone will be playing with it all the time

To give you an idea, the model only cost $26 to print because it’s just a wireframe and doesn’t contain a lot of material.

As my skills with this tool are obviously limited, I was wondering what someone with a bit more time and expertise would come up with.

So: I challenge you to come up with a fun and intriguing design using TopMod3D. I’ll hand out a $50 coupon to the designer of the best entry to have it printed.

To participate, place the object in your Shapeways account and leave link in a comment below this post. We’ll select the winner on Wednesday the 18th of June at 9am CEST (Amsterdam time). The winner will be announced later that day.

If you don’t have an account yet, register as a beta user and enter ‘TopMod3D’ in the ‘How did you hear about us?’ field. We’ll keep a close eye on the entries and invite you as soon as we can. Be sure to read ‘How Does Shapeways Work‘ after logging in for the first time.

Have fun!

Bart

-from http://www.shapeways.com/blog/archives/25-TopMod3D-Give-it-a-Try,-Win-a-50-Print.html

I strongly encourage you to participate in the competition!

— from http://www.ohloh.net/about/us

Ohloh was founded in 2006 by Jason Allen and Scott Collison, as a way to provide more visibility into software development. Ohloh is backed by its founders and a small group of individual investors.

http://mays.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_dbOi4h3opZtkHJi&SVID=Prod

FACULTY SEARCH
College of Architecture | Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

We are searching for tenured/tenure-track faculty in our new Department of Visualization.

The new Visualization department is built around our existing M.S. in Visualization Sciences program. The mission of the Visualization faculty is to advance the art, science and technology of visualization and to support this highly successful and innovative program. For over 15 years this academic program has produced graduates whose strong visual problem solving abilities are coveted by many organizations including the most successful entertainment companies such as Pixar, ILM, DreamWorks/PDI, and Electronic Arts. In the near future, expansion of this new department is expected to include an undergraduate program and additional graduate programs. Further information is available at http://www-viz.tamu.edu/.

Candidates must demonstrate experience in collaborative efforts that cross disciplinary lines. A terminal degree (e.g. MFA, Ph.D.) or equivalent professional experience in one or more of the areas of computer graphics, visual art, animation, time-based media, simulation, visual effects, visualization, interactive graphics, visual perception, or other closely aligned areas is required.

Responsibilities include research and/or creative work, teaching and advising at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, and service to the department, university, and the field.

To apply, please submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, samples of work or portfolio, and names and addresses of three references to: search@viz.tamu.edu. Alternatively, send these materials to: Visualization Faculty Search Committee, College of Architecture, 3137 TAMU, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3137. Additional materials may be requested. For further information, contact search@viz.tamu.edu.

Application deadline for full consideration is December 17, 2007. Initial telephone interviews will be conducted in early January 2008.

Texas A&M University is an Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer with a strong commitment to diversity among its students, faculty and staff. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Under Texas law, names and other information concerning applicants or nominees may be subject to disclosure upon request.

Hello again,

Yet another new version of TopMod available on the Google Code Repository. Here is a brief summary of the new features/changes:

• Python version available (requires Python 2.5)
• The program should remember where your script editor window was last placed each time you close TopMod
• Fixed some translation issues
• Added a “twist” factor to doo sabin extrusion
• Added more decimal precision to all tool options that might require more accuracy (floating point values)
• Consolidated some file menu options into an “export” submenu
• Other minor changes I can’t seem to remember off the top of my head

This is the first time the Python version has been released (or worked at all) in Windows. We owe it all to erik at the forum!!! Thank you so much for your help. Test it out and let me know if it works for you. The Python Scripting Guide might help a little as well.

Let me know if it works for you, and keep the feature requests coming.

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to let you know that there is a new version of TopMod available on the Google Code Repository. Here is a brief summary of the new features/changes:

• Auto Save (every n minutes)
• Save Directory Memory – TopMod will remember where you saved the last file, finally…
• Incremental Save (saves copies of the file as you work up to 50 files)
• Texturing Mode works now
• French Translation (under the help->language menu)
• One Button Mouse Support – use ALT +/- to zoom in and out if you don’t have a scroll wheel.

Let me know how it works. I will post the new mac version soon.

A new version of TopMod is now available on the Google Code Repository. Here is a brief summary of the new features/changes:

• Improved selection routines:
• • Select Similar (for vertices, edges, and faces)
  • Grow/Shrink Selection (for vertices, edges, and faces)
  • Selection Painting
  • Crossing Window Selection
  • Select Faces by surface area (with a new “selection options” toolbox
  • New Selection Mask Icons in the toolbar
• New wireframe modeling mode that allows for rectangular cross sections (width and thickness).
• New “modified corner cutting” remeshing algorithm.
• Fixed “vertex truncation” remeshing.
• Fixed quite a few “delete selected edges” crashes on windows version.
• New Dome Extrusion mode (localized version of dome remeshing).
• New planar modeling modes will allow you to cut models by vertices, edges, and faces (only works in “global” mode for now, meaning it will cut the entire model based on the normal of the selected sub-object, and not just effect the local region. Local version coming soon… For now try this mode out on spherical models.)
• New icons!

That’s all I can think of for now. Let me know what you think, and please report bugs or errors/crashes to the forum.

*update: I fixed the cubical rotation error and updated the versions on the google code site to 2.213. sorry about that…

Maybe someday I’ll style it for ie7 but until then, quit using it. If you’re on a lab computer or you don’t have permission to install apps, try out Firefox Portable. It’s a lifesaver at a university computer lab. It even lets you install extensions. Enjoy…