5 comments about Adobe Creative Suite CS3 Design Premium [Mac] [OLD VERSION].

1. Great product. I use CS3 every day and I'm still learning better ways to use it. I rely on Illustrator and Photoshop for most of my work, but I'm also using InDesign.



2. As a Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign user since the very start Adobe has it easy. They have made the dominant series of software for so long it is a given that they should continue their regime.
   
   The problem is they have gotten insane with power. Without anyone to check them, the price grows along with the absurd use of memory.
   
   Examples:
   - Adobe used the worst installation process ever created by man and made a quick joy of using new programs into a day or two slog through hell. If there ever was a reason to pirate software, this punishing of paid users is definitely it.
   
   - You can't throw this application away. You need to find a hidden program in your computer to uninstall it first, then trash.
   
   - If you accidently trash it you need to run a script that they provide. The problem is this script (which isn't exactly simple) could erase you hard drive. Have fun!
   
   - If you decide that you'd just like to reinstall after trashing you can't. You need to use the script. A bit of DRM will not allow this to be installed, thus forcing you to potentially destroy your computer so they can avoid possible piracy.
   
   - Bridge while in concept is nice, is in functionality, less then useless.
   
   - Stock Photos? See above.
   
   - And Acrobat is the crown jewel of uselessness. It is so bloated and unintuitive it makes me wish Adobe had some real competition. When every other program can open a PDF faster then the company who created the file type you know there is an issue here.
   
   - Updates are welcome. Auto-updates are even nicer. That is until you learn the hard way that auto-updates delete preferences and color-palettes. So behind the scenes you are about to lose all of your work randomly. Sweet.
   
   - The improvements to all other applications are fairly minor outside some solid GUI tweaks
   
   My main complaint here is that the much touted connected community of applications still doesn't work. Transferring from one application to another is meant to be seamless and quick, but it is still a chore. These are not streamlined apps nor are they speedy workhorses - they are stuck in between and set to make very few power users happy. Even less for first time folk.
   
   On the plus side, the intel boosts are wonderful. And the rewritten InDesign makes me love that I switched from Quark so long ago. The new Flash is nice, and it integrates the best of all, but Actionscript 3 is a major step backwards in my opnion. It is far too code oriented for designers, and almost useless to coders.
   
   But in total, if you have a version of any of these apps on your computer this simply isn't worth your money or your time.



3. This is a must-have package for creative professionals. Amazon offers this suite at the most competitive price I know of.



4. The CS3 software is, as previous Adobe releases have been, great. Very great potential for creating and altering your own work, easy to use once you got your head around it, and with good interconnectivity.
   
   However, there are a couple of problems, as one reviewer also points out. Firstly this software is rather pricy and quite greedy memory wise, which is a bit of a bother. Secondly, as the same reviewer also remarks on, installing and uninstalling these products can quite quickly turn into a proper nightmare finding small obscure files in obscure places on your harddrive and risking your entire hard disk in the process. Thirdly, and this is connected with my second point, Adobe dosen't seem to care about anything but themselves. Their obsession with anti piracy implementations becomes a weight around the paying users ankles, and, as far as I know, dosen't slow down the pirates. Their customer service is unfriendly at best, and their greed second to none (this is sort of expensive software).
   
   In the end though, I wouldn't recommend any other software because this is the best out there, but it would be nice with an alternative. If only for the sake of shaking up the people at Adobe.



5. All products are superb. e,g the Workspace feature in Photoshop is a dream, it opens preselected floating windows that relate to the type of tasks you are performing.
   
   But the licensing is draconian. I thought I was buying a product bundle that I can install on different machines. But it turns out that you need to install all products in the suite on the same machine.This needs to be very clearly declared in all promotional materials for this suite so people like me can make better purchase decisions.

3 comments about Microspot Macdraft Professional.

1. The Mac Draft I received in the mail is labeled version 5.6, but the program is a 2.5 at best. Maybe when they get to version 11.2 MacDraft will have it together.
   
   This version is 5.6 Professional and overall is hard to work with. Templates are timely to make and do not save or duplicate themselves in a window. Changing scale can only be done in the beginning of the drawing, pages appear in the open window and cant be deleted from view. There is no library with the program.
   
   I downloaded the trial demo version and expected the full version to have improvements and many more features. The full version adds only the print and save function. I would say its worth about $150.00 full retail (list is $350.00ish). I am going to send for the paperback manual, but if its anything like the PDF included in the software package its better left as a tree in some forgotten forest no one will ever hear fall.
   
   
   Have had the program for a 3 weeks and have completed some shop drawings. Overall seems a bit limited for a pro-grade label. Catchy price tag though.



2. MacDraft Professional definitely IS the easiest and most professional CAD program available, in my opinon. I wish I had purchased this one first. I have tried several other similar programs, but none can compare with the speed, accuratecy, and ease, associated with MacDraft Professional to produce industry quality floor plans, mechanaical drawings, and other technical detailed schematics. It's no wonder this program is considered an industry leader. Super easy even for the beginner, yet highly professional results with best compatability to just about any format requirement. I've tried the others... THIS IS THE ONE YOU WANT!



3. Wow, what a poor excuse for a layout or drafting program! I could do better with a ruler and a pencil (at least the pencil has an eraser). Please stay
   away from this program. It's no wonder none of the three Apple stores in my
   area had one on the shelf. Have you ever used Visio or Google Sketchup?
   Well, then what was I thinking, this is so 1980's software programming.
   Zero ability to drop anything into a drawing, Doorways,Windows, Cabinets,
   Plumbing,Electrical appliances, Furniture.....Forget It! It's not there!
   Oh, and don't be fooled by their symbols upgrades; Street signs & Bushes cut out of a 1968 textbook!!!!!!!
   You have to draw everything from scratch! And for $300 that's a RIPOFF!
   I was in a hurry and I choose poorly, don't you do the same.
   
   UPDATE 8/2/08 Read Linda Sniffen's review again...........Employee or distributor of Microspot's Macdraft?? You be the judge........!

No comments about Poser 6.

No comments about Teach Yourself to Play Piano Deluxe.

5 comments about eMedia Guitar Method Version 3 (Vol 1) [OLDER VERSION].

1. I've played in the past but had been quite awhile, this product is excellent. Takes you step by step but quickly progresses. Really like the application, can play along, show's you cords (or hides them - your choice), records, etc.
   
   I plan on buying the intermediate level once I've completed the beginners



2. e media has made this simple and easy to understand and use. Depending on playing level it can be too easy. However, as a beginning guitar play I learned and implimented 8 chords in the 1st hour or so. The system worked flawlessly. i would recommend this system to anyone starting to play. If you have a good understanding of your chord then maybe skip this one and go on to the next.



3. For anyone who has NEVER picked up a guitar before this product is for you! There are great tutorials with videos that are easy to follow. Before you know it you will be playing some really cool (read: easy) rock songs. Using this software and a little practice you should be able to amaze your friends and family with some neat little dittys. If you consider yourself an intermediate guitar player, I would look elsewhere.



4. If you want to learn how to play guitar forget everything else and buy this. Grab a guitar and get started with lesson 1 and in a few moments you'll actually be playing! This amazing program contains all the tools you'll need to get started; animated fret board, a metronome, a chord dictionary, a tuner (yes, that's right) and a recorder. The interface is very easy to learn and navigate and there are many nifty gadgets built in to make it even easier and more fun to learn. You can click on a chord diagram and hear it being played. You can highlight several measures and hear it repeated over and over. You can click and hold the song and get the midi version where you can slow it down or speed it up. I like to print out the lessons so I can take them with me and leave the computer behind. Printing the lessons also keeps me from jumping ahead - but you can go at your own pace! No pressure to advance until you are ready.
   
   Some of the other reviews mentioned the instructors voice is annoying. Honestly, I don't mind his voice at all and I found it very easy to increase or decrease the volume. If you don't like the singing at all, then switch to MIDI and you'll just get the instrumental without the vocals (although very computery sounding).
   
   I'm on lesson 63 after six weeks of playing and I feel I'm doing quite well. There are 165 lessons in this program - it will keep you busy for a long time and it covers many aspects of guitar playing and many different styles. There is even a chapter on reading standard notation!
   
   This is a very complete and comprehensive program - you won't be sorry buying this. It even comes with a pick, so skip that too.



5. Software does not work with Vista as described by Techs ( I called eMedia to make sure it would work - they said 'yes', but it did not). Primitive user interface leaves much to be desired. Don't trust eMedia Techies.

No comments about Windows Draw Graphics & Print Studio 5.

3 comments about Landscape, Deck & Patio Designer V12.

1. Used for landscaping yard, generally easy and definitely helped in selecting a final layout. Video tutorials are good but there is lots to learn so resorted to finding how some aspects of the program worked via Google searches. Plant pictures seem overrated - every plant is shown in full bloom even though many only bloom for one month a year. Makes it difficult to see how landscape will really look at different times during the year. Has nice function for laying out a sprinkler system. All in all a very good program for the price.



2. If you haven't kicked the dog or beat the spouse recently, you'll want to after using this software. From an ease of use standpoint, this stuff is crap with a capital "S". I write software for a living, and if I wrote this, I would expect to have users with pitchforks and torches outside my door by nightfall. From what I can tell, this product can (or would like to) do some pretty sophisticated things for software in this price range. They even give you a nice thick user guide and some video tutorials to help you get started using the various designers. It's not enough. Plan on spending more time wrestling with this software than you'll spend actually building your house or deck or patio. Plan also to spend a lot of time in the Punch Software forums asking and reading questions. That's how I learned that, since there's no actual patio designer despite the name, you can use the deck designer to create a patio. You know, just create a deck and remove the steps, railings and skirting, change the wood to some other material, and there you have it.
   
   If you're in prison, you might want to try to get the warden to pony up for this product to while away the time. On second thought, don't! It will make your sentence seem longer than it actually is.



3. This software is extremely difficult to use, with this difficulty compounded by the fact that it doesn't always work as it should. I have experience with various CAD programs and understand how things 'should' work. This Punch stuff is far from it. I also write software and agree with the first reviewer: I would be hiding if this were my product. Don't waste your money unless you like being frustrated.

No comments about Nero 5 Burning ROM.

No comments about Marvel Heroes Comic Book Creator.

No comments about Powerslides Pro.