Editing Autodesk Maya (section)

==History==
Maya was originally an animation product based on [[codebase]] from [[The Advanced Visualizer]] by [[Wavefront Technologies]], Thomson Digital Image (TDI) Explore, [[PowerAnimator]] by Alias, and ''Alias Sketch!''. The [[IRIX]]-based projects were combined and animation features were added; the project codename was Maya.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mayabooks.org/ |title=History |access-date=December 11, 2010 |publisher=Maya books |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125035450/http://www.mayabooks.org/ |archive-date=November 25, 2010 }}</ref> [[Walt Disney Feature Animation]] collaborated closely with Maya's development during its production of ''[[Dinosaur (2000 film)|Dinosaur]]''.<ref name="micro">{{cite journal|last=Muwanguzi|first=Michael J|date=July 1, 2010|title=Maya 2011|url=http://www.microfilmmaker.com/reviews/Issue56/Maya11_1.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720201920/http://www.microfilmmaker.com/reviews/Issue56/Maya11_1.html|archive-date=July 20, 2011|access-date=December 11, 2010|format=Software Review|journal=Microfilmmaker Magazine}}</ref> Disney requested that the [[user interface]] of the application be customizable to allow for a personalized workflow. This was a particular influence in the [[open architecture]] of Maya, and partly responsible for its popularity in the animation industry.

After [[Silicon Graphics Inc.]] had acquired both Alias and [[Wavefront Technologies]], Inc. in 1995, Wavefront's technology (then under development) was merged into Maya.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-02-08-fi-29352-story.html|title=THE CUTTING EDGE : A New Dimension : Silicon Graphics to Buy Two 3-D Software Firms|website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=8 February 1995 }}</ref> SGI's acquisition was a response to [[Microsoft Corporation]] acquiring [[Softimage 3D]] in 1994.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/02/15/business/company-news-an-acquisition-by-microsoft.html|title=COMPANY NEWS; An Acquisition By Microsoft|website=[[The New York Times]] }}</ref> The new wholly-owned [[subsidiary]] was named "Alias<math>|</math>Wavefront".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.design-engine.com/alias/history.html |work=Alias |title=Wavefront Discontinued Products and Brands |date=December 13, 2002 |first=Sam |last=Weisbard |access-date=December 10, 2010 |publisher=Design engine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090822040628/http://www.design-engine.com/alias/history.html |archive-date=August 22, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In the early days of development Maya started with [[Tcl]] as the [[scripting language]], in order to leverage its similarity to a [[Unix]] [[shell script]] language, but after the merger with Wavefront it was replaced with [[Maya Embedded Language]] (MEL). Sophia, the scripting language in Wavefront's [[Dynamation (software)|Dynamation]], was chosen as the basis of MEL.<ref>{{citation | title = In silico: 3D animation and simulation of cell biology with Maya and MEL| last1 = Sharpe |first1 = Jason | first2 = Charles J | last2 = Lumsden | first3 = Nicholas | last3 = Woolridge | year= 2008| publisher= Morgan Kaufmann Martin | page= 263| isbn = 978-0-12-373655-0}}</ref>

Maya 1.0 was released in February 1998. Following a series of acquisitions, Maya was bought by Autodesk in October 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/autodesk-buys-alias/1030610.article|title=Autodesk buys Alias}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=5983502&linkID=14271593 |title = Autodesk Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Alias |access-date = October 23, 2015 |date = October 4, 2005 |author = Autodesk |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160110190511/http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?linkID=14271593&id=5983502&siteID=123112 |archive-date = January 10, 2016 |url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>[[Wikinews:Autodesk to buy Alias]]</ref> Under the name of the new parent company, Maya was renamed Autodesk Maya. However, the name "Maya" continues to be the dominant name used for the product.