
Apple is shutting down OpenNI - omershapira
http://www.openni.org/
======
stcredzero
Between this and Testflight, I get the impression that Apple wants to _rule_
its app ecosystem in the feudal sense. Whatever "indy" contingent there is, it
is just meant to effectively be the bush leagues for the major league, which
is Apple itself.

Hopefully, Apple will realize that it's sometimes better to co-opt than to
control, especially when what you'd be trying to control is an ecosystem
experiencing dramatic growth. It's this kind of realization that resulted in
the iOS App Store in the first place.

That said, Apple is in a good position to continue its feudal rule, for now,
as (IIRC) Apple's income is far larger than that produced by the App Stores in
aggregate. This would be analogous to the late Middle Ages when the rise of
the merchants began, but their wealth and power were still dwarfed by the
feudal power structure and the church. The merchants were useful to the
existing power structure, but still had to kowtow to it.

So the way to defeat Apple, if that's what you want to do, is to foster the
growth of a better ecosystem than the iOS App Store. (Or, it could be worse,
but still bigger, unfortunately.)

~~~
cjensen
Nonsense! Shutdown of existing product is a pretty common outcome for any
acquisition

In some cases like Google acquiring Sparrow, it's because the acquisition was
really a case of hiring an entire team. In other cases, the shutdown is so the
acquisition can focus their efforts on a new product. This is clearly the
latter case.

I know that in some circles folks make Apple out to be some sort of evil. Be
careful that your bias doesn't lead you to make claims that are unsupported by
evidence.

~~~
nitrogen
If you define "good" as spreading knowledge and access to technology across
all platforms, and "evil" as shutting down multi-platform technologies and
restricting them to just one walled-garden ecosystem, then Apple is definitely
"evil" in this instance.

------
MrQuincle
It's just what Ben Farrell predicted:
[http://www.benfarrell.com/2013/11/28/primesense-purchased-
by...](http://www.benfarrell.com/2013/11/28/primesense-purchased-by-apple/).

Apparently I have to buy something with a fruit symbol on it, to be able to
develop for 3D sensors in the future...

~~~
esonderegger
This is when I'm especially thankful for open source licenses. The OpenNI2
repository on github currently has 148 forks:

[https://github.com/OpenNI/OpenNI2](https://github.com/OpenNI/OpenNI2)

I've been using OpenNI2 with ROS and an ASUS Xtion Pro Live for object
detection and avoidance. What I think the community is missing is missing
right now isn't really on the software side, but is good, cheap, hardware. I'd
be thrilled if I could buy a Carmine or something like it from Apple, but I
don't see how it makes any business sense.

~~~
nickbauman
The NITE driver is what matters, though. OpenNI is just a wrapper and an API.

------
nitrogen
This is exactly what we knew would happen. Apple is not our friend. They are
at best an ally, and at worst prepared to destroy an industry for the sake of
profit and domination.

~~~
al2o3cr
"They are at best an ally, and at worst prepared to destroy an industry for
the sake of profit and domination."

This is everybody in the industry. Convince yourself otherwise at your own
peril.

~~~
npsimons
_This is everybody in the industry. Convince yourself otherwise at your own
peril._

Really? Even open source projects? Or let me guess, you'd argue that open
source projects aren't part of the "industry".

~~~
coldtea
Well, if RMS and similar zealots could have their way, they would have crushed
the software industry for the sake of OSS/GNU domination. If he could
influence policy, for example, he'd probably try to ban proprietary software.

And if you think that's beneficial, well, I for one would rather keep my
Premiere and Logic and the (dongle locked) Reason, than just be forced to use
the crappy open source alternatives out there.

~~~
nitrogen
People who want good software would find a way to make it and pay for it even
if proprietary software were outlawed (which I don't think is a good idea, for
the record).

------
FR6
Apple does not want to contribute to the open source community?

~~~
reustle
Is that surprising?

~~~
rimantas
Yes, repeating this nonsense that Apple is against open source is indeed
surprising. Bus I guess facts should not interfere with opinions.

~~~
spot
so what's your explanation?

------
frik

      Error establishing a database connection
    

...Website down; some info:
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenNI](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenNI)

------
Gracana
Why does the title say Apple is shutting down OpenNI, then link to a page that
says nothing about it? Furthermore, how do you shut down someone else's
company, and how do you shut down a project whose code is freely available?
This doesn't make sense.

~~~
rsp1984
The page states prominently that the website will be closed after April 23rd.
Primesense is Apple's property. Apple can do whatever it wants with it. Lastly
the open source code will still be available, only the website will shut down
as far as I understand it.

~~~
omershapira
The story is a change of paradigm as well. Primesense sold depth capture
hardware, the kind that made lot of open source projects possible. Killing
openNI is the final nail in this coffin. The open source depth capture world
is left in a void right now, and this being open source, it'll take a while
before any competitor will make their API work with all that we've been
making.

~~~
nickbauman
What about libfreenect?

[https://github.com/OpenKinect/libfreenect](https://github.com/OpenKinect/libfreenect)

~~~
omershapira
They do different things. Not clear what can be discussed online, but the
Kinect 1 is on its way out, and there's no open source replacement as of yet.

~~~
Qworg
The OpenKinect group is working on the Kinect One.

You can totally come participate -
[https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/openkinect](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/openkinect)

------
joekr
It is not about the software. OpenNI is useless if there are NO MORE sensors.
Xtion, structio.io all based in prime sense sensors !

------
pkinsky
What does this mean for the Structure Sensor's integration with OpenNI?

([https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/occipital/structure-
sen...](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/occipital/structure-sensor-
capture-the-world-in-3d#project_faq_68196))

~~~
reteltech
Pkinsky - Adam from Occipital here (we make the Structure Sensor).

As of now, you can use OpenNI with the Structure Sensor on any platforms
currently supported by OpenNI. We’ve also forked OpenNI on GitHub (along with
many others who have done the same) to make sure it remains available after
April 23rd.

For those who don’t want to compile code, we’ll also host binaries at
[http://structure.io/developers](http://structure.io/developers) for OS X and
potentially other platforms.

We’re working on creating new open source Structure Sensor drivers for
Android, Linux, Windows and OS X (these are not based on OpenNI at all). Let
us know if you’d like to contribute to that effort by sending us an email at
structure >at< occipital.com.

Keep in mind that the discontinuation of active maintenance for OpenNI does
not affect the Structure Sensor for iOS at all because on iOS, we use
Structure SDK, not OpenNI.

Keep an eye on
[http://structure.io/developers](http://structure.io/developers), or sign up
for the Structure SDK developer email list for more info.

~~~
joekr
For how long will you be able to provide the hardware? You are using prime
sense sensors so Apple could shut you down anytime, no ?

~~~
reteltech
Despite Apple’s acquisition of PrimeSense, we're on track to fulfill all
existing Structure Sensor demand and beyond. Interruptions are possible if we
have supply chain issues, but we're optimistic that we'll be able to deliver
Structure Sensors for the foreseeable future.

------
patrickyeon
Is there more information available than just that quick statement on the
front page? The about page calls openNI a consortium and lists 5 founding
companies [1].

[1] [http://www.openni.org/organization/](http://www.openni.org/organization/)

------
nnunley
So, is there anywhere that indicates that the github codebase (under the
apache license) @
[https://github.com/OpenNI/OpenNI2](https://github.com/OpenNI/OpenNI2) is also
going to be scuttled? Or just the website?

------
nickbauman
It's more profitable when things can't interoperate.

------
spot
there doesn't seem to be any explanation of how/why apple is doing this.

anyone know what's up?

~~~
roc
The same thing that was "up" when they bought Siri, Inc (from SRI
International).

They acquired a technology that they're going to use to differentiate their
products. And apparently they feel it's a more strategic technology than, say,
WebKit or LLVM.

~~~
zeckalpha
They didn't "acquire" WebKit or LLVM in quite the same way as Siri or OpenNI.

~~~
roc
And no-one said they did.

I mentioned WebKit and LLVM to make the distinction between technologies Apple
has no problem making available to 'the community' and those they do not.

------
emersive
Right before they are set to release a new version of the Apple TV. I wouldn't
be surprised if these two things are related.

~~~
untog
Why would they be related?

~~~
socialist_coder
well, you can put a kinect type camera on the tv and then use it for gesture
based input. just like kinect.

so theoretically maybe people could make kinect apps for apple tv / iOS?

(sorry, i'm using the term "kinect" since i'm not sure what the real term is
for this type of thing)

------
based2
[https://code.google.com/p/interactive-
spaces/](https://code.google.com/p/interactive-spaces/)

[https://github.com/interactivespaces/interactivespaces](https://github.com/interactivespaces/interactivespaces)

------
mindstab
I bought a DepthSense 325 which is the chip behind the new Creative / Intel 3d
cam coming out

[http://www.softkinetic.com/en-
us/products/depthsensecameras....](http://www.softkinetic.com/en-
us/products/depthsensecameras.aspx)

------
nickbauman
Right now I can buy a used Kinect for about $35.00 and write code using OpenNI
that gives me access to the 3D depth map from the Kinect. If I can't do this
anymore, what is my recourse? Will libfreenect remain open?

~~~
Qworg
libfreenect will remain open.

PCL and OpenCV will similarly remain open.

The loss of Primesense is the loss of NITE. The only recourse is a team
building an open source skeletonization alternative.

------
rsp1984
Those who are looking for the OpenNI drivers, they are still open source and
can be downloaded through
[https://github.com/OpenNI/OpenNI2](https://github.com/OpenNI/OpenNI2)

~~~
nickbauman
For how much longer will the drivers remain open? Microsoft was able to kill
OSS libraries that made calls to DirectX and OpenGL hardware interchangeable.
Seems like Apple would like you to get their permi$$ion from now on and could
do the same.

