No comments about Total Training for Flash CS3 Pro Essentials.

2 comments about Easy CD Creator 4 Deluxe Spanish Edition.

1. This is the best program to use with your CD burner... It's Great ! For all Data and Audio CD's



2. SOY AFICIONADO A LA MUSICA, TENGO MAS DE 300 DISCOS LP, QUE QUISIERA SELECCIONARLOS EN CD's, POR FAVOR CONTESTENME EN ESPAÑOL CUALES SON LAS OPCIONES. EN DR. X ENCONTRE LA DIRECCION DE easy Creator CD DE LUXE

5 comments about PhotoExpress My Scrapbook.

1. I was given this software as a freebie and I find it very very basic. I'm after something to create digital scrapbook albums for all my digital camera shots and whilst it has some neat little features and can do some good things, it has problems completing the most basic tasks such as creating a triangle from scratch or a square with a pattern if you want to make your own design...it just cannot be done easily. I have created them in Publisher and pasted across but they go all stupid and it has a hard time recognising transparency. Also had same prob as previous reviewer about copying things into this program, I measured something in Publisher to be an inch but pasting it into this software it became miniture.

   Clipart is very limited and there is no way to import your own clipart unless you copy/paste from another program. Same with backgrounds, very limited ... no way of importing your own collection to use. I expected that their site would have heaps more templates and goodies to download and they have SOME stuff but it is nothing to write home about and the file sizes are huge for just a handful of add-ons.

   I don't mind using it but I find it very fiddly and dicky when it comes to completing the most basic task such as making something transparent or just creating an everyday shape like a triangle. I'd really like to be able to get my hands on some more templates but just can't seem to find any apart from the limited addition on their site.

   Michelle




2. This was the first scrapbook program I bought and the first thing I noticed was that it doesn't come with much of a manual. It is not user friendly, but once I tinkered with it, right clicked here and there, and basically experimented, I discovered all the possibilities it has. The browse option has allowed me to bring in almost all of my clipart without losing quality, and if there is a white backgound, I simply cut it out. The collages I have created have been so awesome that I am beginning to get requests for side jobs--nice to get paid for something I love to do! My only request (something I have read in another review) is to be able to add frames or shapes in varying colors to border my photos with--the real basic scrapbooking techniques. Other than that, I have to admit I absolutely love it and the final projects are amazing!



3. I use to cut and paste pictures by hand for Creative Memories. Now i can do all my scrapbooking on my computer and print it out. It is a timesaver compared to Creative Memories work. Id love to lead classes on scrapbooking with this software!



4. I've just started using this and it's not bad. I did have to read some instructions to find the parts I wanted to use (I hate to read instructions), but so far so good. It is the best scrapbook program out there for the serious scrapbooker.



5. I just got off the phone with a Hobby Lobby manager who thankfully will allow me to exchange this product, which I'm going to do first thing tommorow. Words cannot express how disappointed I am with this product. I did a lot of research to find a package I liked and several reviews gave this one good marks. The only thing I liked was the photo editing features which were pretty limited. (I guess you get what you pay for!)
   I agree 100 percent with Software User from Tampa. It is difficult to maneuver around in, prints badly and tech support was pretty unhelpful. In addition, after I installed it one of the features (paint/clone) would not work at all, even after I unininstalled and reinstalled. I consider myself a competent, computer literate person, but this system had me pulling my hair out.

No comments about QUICKSTART BAR CODE STUDIO PRO.

No comments about Hal Leonard Beginners Piano Keyboard Course Vol. 1 Instructional Software.

4 comments about National Geographic's Photo Gallery.

1. These photos were a huge dissappointment. National Geographic should be ashamed. The pixel quality is really bad. Don't buy this.



2. Great Pics! I use it all the time for different photo applications. You cannot beat the price too. I will be the first to buy National Geographic's next offering!



3. Images on this CD are excellent. The price thru amazon was very reasonable. The images were accessible thru the software provided with the product but also with other photo-handling, modification software.
   
   I have not yet discovered how to enlarge the images without distorting them. National Geographic has always been a leader in the area of photography; so, I plan to watch for additional offerings as time moves on.



4. The high ratings must have come from the people who benefit from the sales of this product. Pictures are not of National Geographic quality, and the software is very poorly designed. Very difficult to navigate, and it keeps crashing. Do not waste your money on this product.

No comments about Midisoft Worship Studio Deluxe.

No comments about The Big Picture: Atmospheric Music For Film.

5 comments about Moonfire.

1. I love paranormal/futuristic romances but I am very picky and rarely find new authors that I like but Anne Clark has just been added to my list! I won't write a storyline for this book as others have done so but I thought the book was well done. I will be looking for more books in the future from this author!



2. I feel bad doing this, since Ms. Clarke put effort into writing a book (one would think), while I am taking the much easier route of tearing it apart. However, in the spirit of fair criticism, I have to say that in my opinion one could fill an entire term paper with what is wrong with this novel. Here are some possible entries:

   (a) I know that the enjoyment of reading erotic scenes doesn't always depend on good writing. Here, however, it is most certainly hampered by crass writing. In addition to fairly formulaic and stereotypical erotic scenes, which constitute the bulk of this book, we often find stuff like: "He had a brief moment of doubt when he wondered if she would breed less easily because of her daintier size" (p.42); "While she never initiated their lovemaking, she had never refused his advances, except once on the first day of her monthly bleeding." (p.190) And more of the same.

   (b) The emotions of the two main characters are agonies of pointless and exaggerated misunderstandings. He wants her, but is put off by her cold demeanor; she wants him, but won't yield just for the sake of it. When at last we think they understood each other and sigh with relief, the book goes right back to "he wants her, but...", as if nothing had happened. The reader often wishes the characters would have a long talk about it and move on to more interesting emotions.

   (c) Although the author makes it painfully clear that the "adventure" part of the plot is as crucial to the book as the dialogue to a porn movie, I was hoping that the "mystery" would be resolved, at least. The whole thing is squeezed in the last 50 pages or so (out of 300) of the book, in which we hear about a strange city, a strange being, and a strange prophecy. At the end of the book, we sort of solve the prophecy, and find nothing about the city, the being, or why the prophecy was important in the history of that planet, for that matter.

   I am sorry, but I wouldn't recommend this book, unless you really have nothing else to read on a train ride.




3. I was excited to see that the sequel to Moonfire has finally been published and decided to read Moonfire again before jumping into the sequel. Once again Anne Clarke took me to an exotic future where two people from different worlds fall in love. I'm a big fan of futuristic romances and always snap them up whenever I find them. Some concentrate on world building at the expense of the romance while others are romances with a bare bones future world. Anne Clarke achieves a good balance between romance and world building and has some laugh out loud humorous scenes. I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading this book and am looking forward to reading the sequel StarJumpers Bride, which is published under the name J.A. Clarke.



4. I thought the book was well written, and I just loved the delima of the heroine. I did not figure out the plot till then end, and I was surprised at the ending.



5. I enjoyed this book very much. The author quickly pulled me into her world and kept me there pretty much non-stop til I finished the book. My compliments on that feat!!
   
   Joanna is a negotiator working to help bring about peace among warring factions in a star-system far from Earth. All of a sudden, she finds herself kidnapped via beam from her ship and married to a commanding (hunkalicious), irritating (drool-worthy), non-negotiating (gorgeous) neanderthal!
   
   Alex knows he has to marry outside his world as part of the peace accords and since he hasn't been able to get the curvy (stubborn), beautiful (disobedient), and sexy (head-strong) Earth woman out of his mind, isn't it handy that she's been declared compatible by the Match Key? Well...rather than go through the whole courting rigamarole, he'll just order them married and get on with it. No problem, right???
   
   When these two titans clash, it's truly marvelous. While at times I was irritated with both of them, I still heartily enjoyed their meandering path to happiness. Several secondary characters deserve a book of their own and I think the author means/meant? to develop this world more as I was left with lingering curiosity regarding some events in the book. But still a satisfying read and I'll look for more by this author.

5 comments about Freeway Express 3.5 (Mac).

1. Looking for a replacement for old standby Claris Home Page, I found Freeway Express 3.5. This was true "you get what you pay for." It was extremely unintuitive and hard to figure out. I switched to Adobe GoLive, which costs a fortune by comparison, but was far, far easier to understand. Unfortunately, this program is not even worth if for free.



2. I downloaded the free trial for this program and found it so easy to use I purchased the full program! New to the world of web design, I was looking for a package that was easy to learn the basics - with more advanced options (for when I became more confident).
   
   I have just completed designing my very first website - and am thrilled with the results. I can't believe that I did it myself! Freeway Express is so easy to design web pages - and the help menu is ultra concise for the many times I got stuck.
   
   If you're looking for a great basic easy-to-use web design program which provides professional results - Freeway Express is the package for you! You can download a free trial at www.softpress.com



3. This is a very bad program for creating web pages. The result of my time with it has been frustration and a pretty pathetic web site. There are many problems with this software:
   
   1. It is not user-friendly or intuitive. It assumes a great deal of knowledge and it requires a great deal of reading the manual. I can sit down with iMovie and in 30 minutes figure out how to edit a movie. I've spent 50-60 hours with this program and I still can't figure it all out (and I think that is partly due to problem #2...
   
   2. Its buggy. It crashes at least once every session (erasing all recent changes!). Sometimes, for no reason, you can't get it to display a whole picture (you spend hours fiddling wth setting that make no sense to try to fix it!).
   
   3. The user interface is not based on Apple specs. Its like learning a new operating system because nothing works like it should - right click and it zooms in. Screw up and scroll to far to one side or the other and the "canvas" is woppergee for the rest of your session. And finally,
   
   4. Its just a bad program. Poorly thought out. Poorly designed. It just stinks. There must be something better out there. Even if this is the lowest cost "option", I would not consider it an option.



4. I previously used Pagemill 3.0 and never could figure out GoLive. That one was too hard for me. I think the negative reviews here are puzzling. These people must not have read the manual, which you have to print out yourself, because it explains how to do things. You can visit the site I built at www.mindspring.com/~rmjournal/index.html Not fancy, but it functions.



5. I recently purchased my first Mac computer after having used Windows for well over a decade. Naturally I wanted to continue my web design exploits with the Mac but I had a terrible time finding affordable web design software for Mac. The only major choices are GoLive and Dreamweaver which complement a handful of low cost Shareware programs.
   
   I tried both GoLive and Dreamweaver but decided they were not the route to go. I found GoLive too difficult to learn (geared towards creative types that are familiar with other Adobe products) and Dreamweaver was just too time consuming to use to create a basic website.
   
   I accidentally found Softpress Freeway while surfing the net and decided to try the 30 day trial. Overall I was not too disappointed by the latest edition of Express because I ended up purchasing it soon after. Express did have a couple of quirks on my new iMac G5 but after a month or so of OS X updates the problems vanished and the program settled down and worked as advertised. It's drag and drop simplicity is refreshing and makes it a breeze to manipulate graphics for proper placement.
   
   The program is a bit difficult to learn but once you do you'll see how easy it is to create a page. If you upgrade to Freeway Pro you'll have the opportunity to utilize dozens of Actions from third party vendors that complement the basic functions that come standard with Freeway.
   
   I really only have one negative thing to say about the program and that is this; I wish they had more professionally designed templates available for Freeway. If you scour the web you'll note dozens of companies provide great looking templates for Dreamweaver, GoLive, FrontPage etc. and many other web design programs. Templates are a great way to whip up a quick site without having to spend hours and hours with design programs. And if you are graphically or creatively challenged like I am a template can be a lifesaver.
   
   I rank Freeway Express near the top of the pack out of the sub $200 web design programs available to Mac and Windows users. In my book only Netobjects Fusion 8 would get a higher rating while Frontpage and Namo Webeditor 6 rate lower than Freeway.
   
   If you own a Mac and are just getting started with web design then I heartily endorse Freeway Express for a starter program. Just make sure you get the manual or carefully read the instructions that come within the software and you'll be able to master this program.