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Software & other ramblings...
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Software & other ramblings... // Roundtable
Post by Alien // Apr 6, 2006, 2:30am
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Alien
Total Posts: 1231
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Just thought I'd start this thread so that geneg can have his bucket excavator thingy thread back. :) [& maybe to use for further ramblings if I or anyone else start to wonder too far off topic in another thread]
I did look at the gimp but had a severe case of UI rejection
That's a pretty good way of describing how I feel about anything made by Adobe.
It just didn't strike me as user friendly interface
Yeah, I wasn't particulary enamoured by it either.
I'm tempted to rave a bit more about Irfanview as I think it totally rocks but I'll spare you...
Well, I just grabbed it, plus the plugin pack. It doesn't get me as excited as it does you ;), but at least I can now see what those .hdr files look like. :)
Re MS Word and Publisher - when I upgraded to XP I also upgraded my MS Office suit (Office 2003). I originally learnt word processing etc on MS Office apps (back when I was well enough to work) and I couldn't live without them - the ability office stuff is a bit lightweight by comparison and now quite old especially compared to Office 2003.
I don't really remember Ability Office, just that for whatever reason it didn't appeal to me. However, have you tried OpenOffice (http://www.openoffice.org)? It's completely free, & also includes a publisher-ish prog. It is a bit on the big side for dial-up, weighing in at about 91.2MB [I estimate just under 5 1/4 hours at dial-up speed]. There is a slightly bigger download that includes the latest Sun Java release [apparently it provides some extra functionality in OO, but I don't know what], but I figured you might already have that. Alternatively, I've seen it on various magazine cover discs over here, so it's possible you might be able to grab it that way over there.
On the subject of downloads, you should really think of using a download manager. I don't know of any specific free ones off the top of my head [I use MassDownloader], but I'm sure there are plenty to choose from. Actually, I think there's a plugin/extension for firefox that will do the job, if you have FireFox. With a decent download manager, you wouldn't need to worry about losing your connection or leaving your computer on all night, as many of them are able to redial on dialup & resume the download automatically, & then shutdown the computer when finished [if you want it to].
More free stuff:
I found this last night, Wood Workshop (http://www.spiralgraphics.biz/ww_overview.htm). It's a free seemless wood texture generator. There is a paid for version that does way more than just wood textures, but it's also well into the 3 figure price range! |
Post by W!ZARD // Apr 7, 2006, 12:05am
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W!ZARD
Total Posts: 2603
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Speaking of elegant and effective solutions...Just thought I'd start this thread so that geneg can have his bucket excavator thingy thread back. (& maybe to use for further ramblings if I or anyone else start to wonder too far off topic in another thread) Good thinking!
That's a pretty good way of describing how I feel about anything made by Adobe. Adobe... that's mud bricks isn't it ;) ?
Re Irfanview - it has a couple of irritating quirks - particularly the way I won't remember the last file tree view - but as a solution to my MS products refusing to read .TGA's and other formats it works very well for me. It actually took me a wee while to realise just how clever the program is - now I wouldn't want to do without it. And you certainly can't argue about the value for money with this one!!:D
However, have you tried OpenOffice? It's completely free, & also includes a publisher-ish prog. No I've not tried Open Office as I've always had MS Office - I've read a lot of good press about Open Office though. The sole reason I have Ability Office is for the layering capability of Photopaint - I've never even opened the other Ability Office Apps, again because of having MS Office. Does Open Office have a GFX app like Ability Photopaint?
On the subject of downloads, you should really think of using a download manager Actually I used to have one that worked brilliantly. Not sure what happened to it - I think I must have lost it when I upgraded my OS to XP. Casting my memory rays into the distant recesses of my mind I think it was called 'Download Accelerator' and was free (apart from it's irritating tendency to display unsolicited adverts IIRC).
I've not really had many problems downloading stuff - apart from last night trying to grab Genes cool digger model. Dunno what was happening there - I just downloaded a slightly larger .zip file from another source with no probs.
(wait one) Ok I just went back to the digger thread and grabbed your .RAR exe - (4 minutes 6 seconds:( ). Thanks for doing that for me, that was very kind - I'll unpack it and have a play later tonight.
FWIW I do have WinRAR. The .RAR format is pretty popular these days from what I've seen.
That Wood Workshop sounds interesting. I may check it out although I think tS is brilliant for making/tweaking textures. I often map a basic texture on a cube or a plane and tweak it with tS material editor, add bump and distressing and dirt etc, adjust the UV and lighting, render to .TGA or something then use the resulting image as a texture for whatever. The flexibility and potential is amazing and I just love using the tS material editor this way.
OK, other threads to follow, CUL8R - and thanks again |
Post by Alien // Apr 16, 2006, 7:31am
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Alien
Total Posts: 1231
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Adobe... that's mud bricks isn't it ;) ?
LOL, yeah, but sadly not in this case - mud bricks would be more user-friendly. ;)
Re Irfanview - it has a couple of irritating quirks - particularly the way I won't remember the last file tree view - but as a solution to my MS products refusing to read .TGA's and other formats it works very well for me. It actually took me a wee while to realise just how clever the program is - now I wouldn't want to do without it. And you certainly can't argue about the value for money with this one!!:D
That's true. I just use PSP for TGAs.
No I've not tried Open Office as I've always had MS Office - I've read a lot of good press about Open Office though. The sole reason I have Ability Office is for the layering capability of Photopaint - I've never even opened the other Ability Office Apps, again because of having MS Office.
I think I initially grabbed OpenOffice out of curiosity, but decided to keep it as it does a nice job of exporting to PDF [The only other free ways I know of either involve having Acrobat reader installed, or PDF995, both of which suck]. Reason I had for wanting PDF format was at the time I was fiddling about with tS7 beta, & back then the manual was still in Word .doc files, & I wanted to read it in Foxit [PDF reader] rather than Word.
Does Open Office have a GFX app like Ability Photopaint?
Hmmm... it doesn't look (http://www.openoffice.org/product/draw.html) like it does. Oh well.
Actually I used to have one that worked brilliantly. Not sure what happened to it - I think I must have lost it when I upgraded my OS to XP. Casting my memory rays into the distant recesses of my mind I think it was called 'Download Accelerator' and was free (apart from it's irritating tendency to display unsolicited adverts IIRC).
Hmmm, sounds like adware/spyware to me. Still, if you want to try it again, I could probably show you how to block them without stopping it from working.
Note: before anyone jumps down my throat about "cracking" or pirating software, all I'm talking about is using a program that amongst other things will tell you any & all internet addresses/domains that you computer tries to contact. It also has the ability to block access to any address you want it to, so all you do is get it to see what addresses are being accessed then block any suspect ones.
W!z, if you remember that thing I posted about the Hosts file - it's like that, on steroids. :) Whilst the Hosts file can only block complete domains [eg ads.whatever.com], this prog can just accept part of the domain [so ads would block anything that had ads in it, though not adsa or mads].
[BTW, it's also free :)]
I've not really had many problems downloading stuff - apart from last night trying to grab Genes cool digger model. Dunno what was happening there - I just downloaded a slightly larger .zip file from another source with no probs.
Yeah, that's where a decent download manager prog comes in handy. Sometimes, for no apparent reason, the server wil just drop the connection.
(wait one) Ok I just went back to the digger thread and grabbed your .RAR exe - (4 minutes 6 seconds:( ). Thanks for doing that for me, that was very kind - I'll unpack it and have a play later tonight.
No big deal dude. :)
FWIW I do have WinRAR. The .RAR format is pretty popular these days from what I've seen.
Yeah, it used to be secondary to WinAce, but I think it's surpassed that now.
That Wood Workshop sounds interesting. I may check it out although I think tS is brilliant for making/tweaking textures.
I haven't even tried out that Wood Workshop myself yet, I just came across it while looking for something else & thought you or someone else on here might be interested. :)
I often map a basic texture on a cube or a plane and tweak it with tS material editor, add bump and distressing and dirt etc, adjust the UV and lighting, render to .TGA or something then use the resulting image as a texture for whatever. The flexibility and potential is amazing and I just love using the tS material editor this way.
Hehe, I've done stuff kinda similar to that in the past myself. 1 occasion that springs to mind was I had to make a model of a convection heater that had [IIRC] something like 4 rows of 83 holes. Now imagine trying to move a scene around that had 2 of those heaters in it on a K6/300 with 64MB RAM & a S3 Virge! [this was tS2 BTW, & not my machine] What I did in the end was make a box the same width & height as the panel that had the vent holes in, subtract the holes, render, then use that as a texture. |
Post by Colfax // Apr 16, 2006, 12:56pm
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Colfax
Total Posts: 49
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Hey Alien, I was just wondering what it is you dislike so much about Adobe? I've been using products like Photoshop for quite awhile now and while certain programs like Illustrator or In Design still seem a little daunting from time to time, I would have to say that their programs always get better, always run stable, and generally contain more features than the average user will ever know about.
I'm not looking to start an argument, or to say Adobe is the best thing since sliced bread. I'm just curious what Adobe program(s) you've used that gave you such a sour experience, and then, additionally, what program(s) you turned to instead. Maybe I'm missing out on something. |
Post by spacekdet // Apr 16, 2006, 2:08pm
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spacekdet
Total Posts: 1360
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One word:
Acrobat.
Bleech.
Ok, that was two. |
Post by Loadus // Apr 16, 2006, 2:42pm
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Loadus
Total Posts: 44
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I'll just butt in 'cos I just love the ramblings about Adobe's soft.
Photoshop. Yeah, quality. But the pricetag?! I could by ten other image
processing programs with that and get 64-bit/channel processing on RAW
images (ok, I can get that for FREE).
And isn't it strange when Corel comes up with some nifty processing filter or
gadget, it always later ends up in photoshop and the Corel-copies-Adobe-rave
starts all over again. Hih.
But yeah, NOT a fan of Adobe. Although I'm a huge fan of the Knoll brothers. |
Post by Alien // Apr 16, 2006, 6:33pm
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Alien
Total Posts: 1231
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Colfax: As I said in my reply to W!ZARD earlier in the thread, the phrase he came up with "severe case of UI rejection" is a pretty good description of why, as to which specific progs: Photoshop, GoLive, & Acrobat Reader. Tried & rejected all 3. |
Post by rotcorp // Apr 17, 2006, 2:37am
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rotcorp
Total Posts: 73
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See, I kinda like Photoshop. I used to use Corel photopaint and I liked the way that I could import a rendered TGA file and the background would be gone... the import would be only my rendered objects. Very handy for compositing, and though photoshop can do essentially the same thing, it takes more steps. But I find I still like quite a few things about it.
After Effects is a lot of fun, and I also like Premiere (now that I got past glitchy, buggy version 5). Everybody has their preferences of course, these are just mine, but I haven't had a chance to try out a lot of competing software.
And Acrobat... well, I side with you guys on that. Acrobat can go take a flying leap.
Just my 2 cents. |
Post by Alien // Apr 17, 2006, 2:48am
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Alien
Total Posts: 1231
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And Acrobat... well, I side with you guys on that. Acrobat can go take a flying leap.
Just my 2 cents.
Just out of curiosity, what do you use for reading .PDFs? Foxit, or something else?
BTW, on the subject of people's feelings toward software - I have a .txt file full of amusing &/or interesting quotes & there's 1 in there that still makes me chuckle when I see it:
I once dreamed of having Lightwave. I finally got to open it up once as a cover cd demo of some magazine. I took one look at the screen and hid under my bed.
:D |
Post by rotcorp // Apr 17, 2006, 3:07am
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rotcorp
Total Posts: 73
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Hehe. I'm honored. Thanks.
I still use acrobat to open pdf files, I hate to say. I just don't like it, but at least I have time to have dinner while I'm waiting for it to load up. :D |
Post by Alien // Apr 17, 2006, 9:12am
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Alien
Total Posts: 1231
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Hehe. I'm honored. Thanks.
I still use acrobat to open pdf files, I hate to say. I just don't like it, but at least I have time to have dinner while I'm waiting for it to load up. :D
:D If you feel like trying something different, you could try the free version of Foxit Reader (http://www.foxitsoftware.com/download.htm). Having said that, some people [myself included] have trouble with the search function not finding any results in the latest build [1522], if you have the same prob let me know & I'll bung a copy of 1.3 build 0104 on my webspace for you. 0104's search works most of the time, but sometimes it finds the word but still shows the message about not finding it anyway. :) |
Post by Alien // Apr 30, 2006, 9:45am
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Alien
Total Posts: 1231
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Alien here is my tested result :D
Hehe, yeah, most firewalls pass that test these days, even the 1 that comes with XP SP2. :D
Have a look at this (http://force.coresecurity.com/index.php). Not bad for a freebie, eh?
Warning: anyone reading this who doesn't feel at least fairly comfortable about their level of knowledge of the more technical side of computer use should not install the firewall from the site linked to in this post - it's not the most user-friendly prog I've ever used, & it's not exactly simple to configure either. Whilst powerful, Core Force also has the potential to bring your system to its knees if incorrectly configured - you have been warned. :) [I had to actually uninstall it, but having learned a bit more since am seriously considering having another go.] |
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