Channel Register

'The 3D Flickr' is go

French to take MS Virtual Earth into another dimension

Free whitepaper – Essential archive requirements for eDiscovery

French firm Dassault Systemes today launched a site for sharing three-dimensional models that it hopes will become "the 3D Flickr".

"3D must be used by all and for all," boss Bernard Charles told Reuters.

3dvia.com indeed has the typical photo-sharing look and functionality, but the content is less jpegs of cats and the iPhone, and more 3DXML models of Lara Croft and the iPhone. If it becomes anywhere near as popular as Flickr that's going to be a hell of a hosting bill, n'est-ce pas?

The firm's modelling expertise, which is called on by the likes of Toyota and Boeing, will also be tapped by Microsoft as it bids to take on Google's Earth's satellite supremacy with Virtual Earth. Microsoft will ask users of its package to flesh out the environment by creating 3D models using Dassault's software.

Google Earth already lets amateurs contribute through its noddy 3D modelling suite SketchUp.®

Free whitepaper – Five essential considerations for Exchange 2007 implementations

Don’t Miss

Pirates ahoy!Sign up, sign up for The Register IT security newsletter

Narrowcasting for the email classes

SunFormer top Sun exec mourns end of a franchise

Watermelons, Elton John, and killing SGI

HTC Touch Diamond 2Win an HTC Touch Diamond2!

Reg Lucky Draw Last call for iPhone botherer promo

thumbs down teaser 75Disties braced for autumn reseller collapses

Is that why they call it fall?