Michael B. Johnson

Yea, I'm the guy who used to work at Pixar and went to the MIT Media Lab. Still on the Board of the Cartoon Art Museum in SF. Come visit!

Last Notes

2026-04-11 05:18:27 UTC

If you're a #blender user, and will be at #bcon in TX next week, so will I!
Please say hi.

2026-03-17 05:03:54 UTC

During production of Finding Nemo, we started using Linux boxes in addition to SGIs.
Why?
3D painting software we wrote for laying out coral was written in C++ using templates, and the debug info was too large for IRIX, but was debuggable on Linux.
Was this a 32 bit vs. 64 bit issue?
No.
IRIX reserved half the address space for the kernel, while Linux only did a quarter.
So on Linux, we had 3GB, and the symbols fit.
It was a 32 bit show, both machines had 4GB max.
Plenty for Finding Nemo.

2026-02-24 05:52:23 UTC

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https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/124/047/113/133/756/original/16ecb4d61863d2e5.png

2026-02-24 05:48:51 UTC

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If you donate $500, I’ll donate $500.

2026-02-24 05:18:50 UTC

work has a 1+2 match (i.e. I donate $1, they donate $2, charity gets $3) this month.
Wife and I just burned through a bunch of our budget tonight, but we have 4 more days, so suggestions welcome.
They have to be legit 501(c)(3) US charities, other than that, interested in suggestions.
No promises, and will *not* be reporting back on what we picked, but would love to hear suggestions you know do good work.
Thanks.

2025-12-22 03:28:20 UTC

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look what I just got for Christmas!
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/761/092/078/405/479/original/d07ef6e6f38aba1e.jpeg

2025-10-31 03:31:15 UTC

Hey Bay Area (especially East Bay) folks - any underserved Food Banks you know of that could use some extra $$?
We have a few that we donate to, but checking all the news, they seem to be well served with various other CA funding, so wondering if there's some we don't know about where an extra few $K would be more impactful.
Thanks for any tips.

2025-10-19 02:14:33 UTC

Nice day in #oakland #nokingsday march today - good turnout.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/398/413/462/971/693/original/e8c5f7327430d58f.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/398/414/009/981/555/original/485b3d8e8639c982.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/398/414/373/971/912/original/6445fb9c50adc074.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/398/414/749/220/504/original/d12000b048c62342.jpeg

2025-10-17 04:43:13 UTC

Huh. Maybe my granddad was wrong, and we should head back…
https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:wph2m77nb4kru2m5jhic4dt2/post/3m3bdppe7os2x

2025-10-16 03:51:52 UTC

Didn't manage to see any inflatable frogs on this trip to #portland, but I did see some #PortlandFrogs going up down the street from Powells…
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/383/786/660/597/917/original/c5fc4a5a5ef056cc.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/383/788/024/881/079/original/485790ca49b9a54c.jpeg

2025-04-18 06:17:25 UTC

I do wonder if this happened to me what I would say.
I’d like to think I’d be “who the fuck are you?”, and, in certain contexts that has been my reaction, but these days, especially if I had family members with me, I get shrinking back.
This is so fucking awful.
This is not the America I am a proud citizen of.
This is truly awful and wrong.
https://infosec.exchange/@dangoodin/114356329515407799

2024-09-27 07:54:38 UTC

As I see the hurricane roaring in, I think of the decades when one of my sisters lived in FL, and how awful it was every time this stuff happened.
She was there for specific physical rehab reasons, so it really wasn’t a choice, and it was always awful when this stuff came in - I helped sometimes, but not always.
So anyone feeling mean…
There are lots of folks there with legit reasons they can't easily relocate, so don't be a dick.
Best of luck, folks in the awful zone. I wish you the best.

2024-09-23 15:22:25 UTC

I had all minolta cameras in college - a 9000 and an all metal 9. Loved those cameras (until they all got stolen, sigh)
https://flipboard.social/@coffeegeek/113180690745986980

2024-09-13 06:15:38 UTC

This is good stuff.
https://mastodon.social/@Rhodium103/113118466140842493

2024-08-10 02:33:51 UTC

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criticism from someone you respect is always worth listening to. Doesn’t mean you have to accept it, but there probably is something worth hearing there.

2024-08-01 01:21:46 UTC

If there’s one party I never miss it’s the Pixar Art & Science Fair.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/884/141/377/802/877/original/e0ab9cdf4d1d9b65.jpeg