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RenderMan is now free for all non-commercial purposes, including evaluations, education, research, and personal projects. The non-commercial version of RenderMan is fully functional without watermark or limitation. For further details please refer to Pixar's Non-Commercial RenderMan FAQ. http://renderman.pixar.com/view/DP25849

So this is non-free.

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You can also post renderings / videos you make to sites like YouTube and legally make money off of advertising.

Indeed, that is explicitly permitted. Weird how they consider it indirect. Reading through 11) I thought indirect meant other things.

Its indirect to their business model, and will just mean more talent ready to go for those buying it for movies / tv production.

Free as in beer, at least. I see no problem with that. Good on Pixar for doing some good. Just because they fall short of some sort of arbitrary ideal, it doesn't mean they're bad people or that this licensing method is a useless gesture.

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