"Autodesk's Discreet Inferno system on a blazingly fast dual-core Linux workstation allows our artists more time and opportunity to do what they love best -- be creative," commented Wilaiwan Leelachart, Managing Director, Fame Post. "Moreover, the system has strong brand recognition and incomparable performance, delivering top results that help us attract and retain the prestigious clients that drive our business. We've adopted the Discreet Inferno system because we need to deliver complex, high-end visual effects work without compromising quality or wasting time." "Autodesk's Discreet Inferno visual effects system provides the ultimate interactive experience," said Martin Vann, vice president of Autodesk's Media & Entertainment Division. "With the Discreet Inferno system's rich toolset on a high-powered, multi-core Linux workstation, users will benefit from even faster processing speeds and greater interactivity. For customers who create demanding visual effects with multiple layers and heavy data sets, the Discreet Inferno system on the Linux workstation can offer up to five times the performance (per CPU) of previous SGI platforms such as the Onyx 2." In November 2005, Autodesk launched a Linux-based configuration of the Discreet Inferno 6.5 system exclusively for the Japanese market. As a result of global customer interest and immediate success in Japan, Autodesk is extending a similar offering worldwide. The Linux-based Discreet Inferno system will be available worldwide on an IBM dual-core AMD workstation. The Discreet Inferno system is already available on the IRIX operating system. Teruo Shirakawa, Director of Video Process Group, Video Imaging Division, IMAGICA WEST Corp. in Japan, explained, "We chose Autodesk's Discreet Inferno system running the Linux operating system because it delivers project efficiency and high-quality results. The system helps us keep our clients satisfied and excited about the projects we present and deliver to them." The Discreet Inferno system is renowned for its interactivity, allowing digital artists to explore visual concepts with their clients in real time. Shirakawa continued, "We use Autodesk's Discreet Inferno system running Linux primarily for our client sessions. Each time we use the system, we're pleasantly surprised at its real-time response rate and high rendering speed, in addition to its stability and reliability. The efficiency of our workflow has dramatically improved; it has removed all barriers as we consider moving our complete facility to Linux." Availability The Discreet Inferno system running on Linux-based workstations will be offered in addition to the currently shipping version of Discreet Inferno on the SGI Onyx 350 Visualization System. The Discreet Inferno visual effects system running on dual-core IBM, AMD Linux-based workstations will begin shipping worldwide in late April 2006. For additional information on Autodesk Discreet systems, please visit: its Web site. For information on configurations and pricing, please contact Autodesk's Media & Entertainment Division at 800-869-3504.