This was posted to the Carrara mailing list: ------------------------------------------------ From: steve steve_y@metacreations.com I just wanted to let you know where the product is. It will ship. I'm quoting someone else here, "MetaCreations feels that Carrara and Canoma are "strategic" and these products will continue to be developed." There needs to be authoring tools for Metastream I guess, and how they will be distributed, marketed, and so forth, I have no clue. Now onto the ugly stuff... Pretty much the entire Carrara team is gone except for engineering. That means Greg, Ian, Myself, Pierre, Yann, Joe, and about 7 other guys that you're probably not familiar with because they don't post much, are still employed. Antoine and a lot of our other friends and family, are unfortunately, no longer here. You can contact me via email if you have any other questions. I doubt I'll have answers until after the holidays or if I do, I won't feel much like posting. You can't begin to imagine what a terrible surprise this was to the engineering team. Thanks to all of you who have remained loyal RDS users through all the mergers, layoffs, etc. -------------------------------------------------

WOW! This sucks for all that were layed off and thoes that were not. it,s hard to work for a company that will dump you at the drop of a hat. I for one wish all the Carrara team the best and hope they find a better company that will not do this to them. Spike

My $.02 Sorry about the guys (and gals) that got canned. Been there , done that. (after 17 yrs with a company) Hope the unemployed status is short and everyone involved finds something better. There's a ton of opportunity out there if you just look 4 it. Gook luck to all involved. Looking foward to a better New Year. geep

As an end user know that yyour toil does not go unnoticed. When I use Carrara I will remember the cost on all the hard working staff. My heart goes out to you and thanks for your tireless work, I'm the end user and I know I'm not alone in my appreciation to ALL the loyal and dedicated staff. Appreciation or lack of it is almost common place, I myself work for a company that is nationally known and we are just bodies and quanities.A sort of bottom line financial number. My deepest and best wishes for a happy holiday season to you and your families.

JeffH, Thanks for the info bud! I to was involved in a "downsizing". Was with the company 16 years and wham out of no where, I got layed off with several hundred others. It hurts. I was lucky and got 7 months of pay and insurance after the layoff. Dont know if MC gave out any layoff packages or not. If they are worth anything they would have given decent packages to those that were let go. My deepest sympathies to all of the MC employees that were let go. I wish them all the best in the search for new income. Clint PS - I'm not canceling my Carrara order...

Sorry, but I must get something off my chest. And this seems an appropriate repository for it. This is not directed at anyone or any company but I'll feel better putting it in print and clicking on the "reply" button. Sort of like pulling the trigger to blow away something that, I feel, is evil. So here goes... Something, that can not be described with words, was LOST when large companies jumped on the bandwagen and changed the "Personnel" (i.e personal and people) Department into "Human Resources" (you know, resources like pencils and paper and computers and toilet paper). The $$$$$$$$$$$ is more important to the corporation than a person's life (i.e. mother, father, spouse, son, daughter, etc. etc.) You can not put a price tag on a persons career, but the corporations do just that when they look at the "bottom line" and make a decision to "reduce the headcount". To all you bastards out there in corporate management who have sold your soul to the devil for corporate profits, I have this to say; WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. That is not a threat, it is my personal belief. The only problem is that good decent caring hardworking people (like those in this thread) who have families to support, are hurt badly in the process and will probably never see you get yours. But YOU WILL. (EOR)

Geep! I agree. I am SOO tired of the big corporate giants. Clint

Unfortunatelly the concept of Humanity was replaced by that plague named Greed. I am not against the healthy net gain that results from honest work, but we are all living in the vortice of profit, and I'm really scared about what life will be like at the end of it. Most probably the downsizing of CIVILIZATION. I wish luck for you all.

A good and (I'm afraid) a valid point.

Geep, Worst of all is that we are the engine accelerating that market vortice! We are always pressing hard for novelties, for a software upgrade, for a faster CPU, for better cars and so on... There is a saying: beware what you ask for, you may get it! I remember the times when people used the same car and the same refrigerator for more then 10 years. As an engineer, I know very well the pressures over design people to build things to last the warranty period plus 1 day! We, as humans, were not designed to whithstand that kind of pressure. The end result is collective stress, decreasing efficiency and very wealty shrinks!

Nandus, Sad, but true. I didn't find "hapiness" until I REALLY learned that money doesn't buy it. As a "villan" without a plot to hiss in, I've been happier than when I've had millions (actually, only thousands) of dollars or yen or pounds or marks or whatever. You know what I mean. Ya gotta find it INSIDE and it has nothin' to do with bucks. geep

Geep, Absolutely true!

Working as a technician for AT&T (in Pittsburgh, PA) I know exactly what Steve and all of the other employees at Meta Creations are going through and they have my heartfelt sympathy for their plight. We have been given 3 separation dates so far for the closure of our center here in Pittsburgh and they keep pushing it back (due to mis-management and just plain lack of planning). AT&T used to be known for it's loyalty to it's employees, now their only loyalty is to $$$$. It's a sign of the times, I guess.... Glad to see that Cararra will be around awhile -- I've been holding off until I knew what it's fate would be.