After keeping us waiting for years, Robert McNeel finally released Rhino 4.0. It's a completely new version of the popular Rhinoceros 3.0 NURBS modeler, mostly known by its nickname: Rhino 3D.
Rhino 4.0 includes over 800 improvements based on users' feedback
The development team put a lot of effort and energy into improving a product that is already one of the most powerful of modeling systems. According to McNeel the product includes over 800 improvements based on users' feedback and several enhancements for almost every feature of the program.
I received the not-for-resale version and immediately installed it on my computer to see what was new. First of all the new Rhino comes in a different box – there is no longer the traditional heavy carton box, now it's a light DVD case.
Inside the case:
The traditional 500 page printed manual is gone, replaced by a full set of users manuals in digital form. The installation is simple and the new Rhino can coexist with the old Rhino 3.0, without any side effects. Personally I do not recommend this configuration if you have any Rhino plug-ins installed on the the same computer.
Once you have the program installed you can start to enjoy all the improvements and enhancements in several areas, such as:
The list price for Rhino 4.0 is higher than the old Rhino 3.0 price, and you can check on our Novedge website for the best deal. If you own a copy of Rhino 3.0 you can upgrade to 4.0. For a list of improvements and new features you can check the Robert McNeel website.
As with the previous version, Rhino 4.0 doesn't require any special hardware to run. Unless your PC is from the Dark Age you should be able to run the program with no problem. Rhino 4.0 is also compatible with the latest Microsoft operating system, Windows Vista.
Franco Folini