Microsoft challenging Adobe?

[donmcc]

I found this story interesting, with another suggestion that MS is about to go after Adobe in the graphics world, with a new Fireworks/ImageReady type application to complement the Photoshop clone they have already talked about.

They even mention putting together a designers suite. No doubt, with Publisher in it, professional designers across the world will be rushing to purchase it. <grin>

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5833285.html

[ktinkel]

… suggestion that MS is about to go after Adobe in the graphics world, with a new Fireworks/ImageReady type application to complement the Photoshop clone they have already talked about.Sounds like web/presentation stuff more than print to me. Anyway, MS will do what it will do.

It doesn’t always succeed, though, does it? I still have a copy of their small database program from 1985 lying around somewhere.

[donmcc]

I still have a copy of their small database program from 1985 lying around somewhere.

That wouldn't be Access, would it? It has become a major player on the PC side.

Don McCahill

[TheGraphicsReport]

Acrylic is, or was, version 3 of Expression, which is a rather cool vector application.
It has been around for a while, comes from Taiwan, and version 2 was once sold by MetaCreations.
It does a "natural media" type painting with vectors.
I think that it is still free, and if so is worth playing around with if you are into vectors and even more so if you have a Wacom tablet.
The PDF killer part is rather lame I am told. But still may become popular with Office users, as it will be built into the next OS whenever that comes along.

[ktinkel]

That wouldn't be Access, would it? It has become a major player on the PC side.

Don McCahillNope. It was called File[something] and was killed off before version 2.

[annc]

Nope. It was called File[something] and was killed off before version 2.Microsoft File, I think. A lame, flat-file database that deserved to die.

[Shane Stanley]

Microsoft File, I think. A lame, flat-file database that deserved to die.

Lame and flat, for sure -- but it had a pretty decent interface for the times. And I actually coaxed it to print invoices on an ImageWriter II -- people mostly paid, so I class the exercise as successful.

Shane

[ktinkel]

Microsoft File, I think. A lame, flat-file database that deserved to die.At that point, many so-called database programs were flat (all of the inexpensive ones).

I remember when FileMaker became relational (not the date exactly) — it was a big deal.

How quickly we forget, of course.

[ktinkel]

Lame and flat, for sure -- but it had a pretty decent interface for the times. And I actually coaxed it to print invoices on an ImageWriter II -- people mostly paid, so I class the exercise as successful.Your bills probably looked really cool, too! Did you set them in bitmapped Avant Garde? I confess that I did that for a while [she says, looking a little embarrassed].

[annc]

Lame and flat, for sure -- but it had a pretty decent interface for the times. And I actually coaxed it to print invoices on an ImageWriter II -- people mostly paid, so I class the exercise as successful.Yes, but you probably coaxed a lot more out of it than most would.

When I got my Mac Plus in April 1986, it came with a trial version of a relational database whose name I can't remember. I bought it and used it for about a year before swapping to Double Helix. Wish I could remember what its name was, because it was indirectly responsible for my joining CompuServe.

[annc]

I remember when FileMaker became relational (not the date exactly) — it was a big deal.Yes, I remember that too. It was around 1993, with version 3, and that version was very, very unstable, at least on Windows. We used to have to recover files all the time, and usually lost some records during the Recover. Version 4 was very stable.

[ktinkel]

Yes, I remember that too. It was around 1993, with version 3, and that version was very, very unstable, at least on Windows. We used to have to recover files all the time, and usually lost some records during the Recover. Version 4 was very stable.Gee, maybe that was why I stuck with it. I remember considering upgrades after v.4 but not going for them. Now, of course, I have a Model A when I could use at least a Corvette!

[annc]

Gee, maybe that was why I stuck with it. I remember considering upgrades after v.4 but not going for them. Now, of course, I have a Model A when I could use at least a Corvette!If it works, why bother? I used to have to keep up-to-date when I was earning my living with it, but now I'm stuck on version 6, while version 7 has been out for about 18 months.

[ktinkel]

If it works, why bother? I used to have to keep up-to-date when I was earning my living with it, but now I'm stuck on version 6, while version 7 has been out for about 18 months.Because I loathe working in Classic.

I have been cataloging my book collection in a little specialty DB but it has limitations that annoy me, so I was thinking of going to FileMaker. I have forgotten a lot, though, and OS 9 is irritating me, so I figured I might update. Did they do an intelligent job of it or is it all bells and whistles now?

I can go look. Probably should …

[annc]

Because I loathe working in Classic.

I have been cataloging my book collection in a little specialty DB but it has limitations that annoy me, so I was thinking of going to FileMaker. I have forgotten a lot, though, and OS 9 is irritating me, so I figured I might update. Did they do an intelligent job of it or is it all bells and whistles now?

I can go look. Probably should …The upgrade to version 7 is a fundamental change. It now uses true tables, allowing separation of structure and content. Your old datasbases would be able to be upgraded, probably without any problems unless you'd done fancy (and frowned-upon) things with If functions and date manipulation.

[ElyseC]

I have been cataloging my book collection in a little specialty DB but it has limitations that annoy me, so I was thinking of going to FileMaker. I have forgotten a lot, though, and OS 9 is irritating me, so I figured I might update. Did they do an intelligent job of it or is it all bells and whistles now?Which specialty app? Delicious Library that is talked about a lot at MacInTouch?

[ktinkel]

The upgrade to version 7 is a fundamental change. It now uses true tables, allowing separation of structure and content. Your old datasbases would be able to be upgraded, probably without any problems unless you'd done fancy (and frowned-upon) things with If functions and date manipulation.Who, me? I am not nearly clever enough!!

I’ll try to take a look. Thanks.

[ktinkel]

Which specialty app? Delicious Library that is talked about a lot at MacInTouch?No. And I cannot remember, nor at this minute find my files.

Ugh. I installed Tiger twice yesterday, and in the messing-about (I am back on Panther) lost track of most of my life.

[ElyseC]

No. And I cannot remember, nor at this minute find my files.

Ugh. I installed Tiger twice yesterday, and in the messing-about (I am back on Panther) lost track of most of my life.Ah, that explains why your IM avatar changed to a parrot. <g>

[ktinkel]

Ah, that explains why your IM avatar changed to a parrot. <g>I guess! Ann mentioned the same thing. But I still see my silly typographic one.

I hate computers. Did I ever mention that? <g>

[ElyseC]

I guess! Ann mentioned the same thing. But I still see my silly typographic one.

I hate computers. Did I ever mention that? <g>No, you never have! ;-)

[Shane Stanley]

Yes, but you probably coaxed a lot more out of it than most would.

As I recall, it didn't take much. It couldn't do much, but what it could do was, for the time, pretty well implemented -- or so I thought.

Shane

[Shane Stanley]

Your bills probably looked really cool, too! Did you set them in bitmapped Avant Garde?

Hey, give me some credit!

I confess that I did that for a while [she says, looking a little embarrassed].

;-)

(Who knows, I may well have...)

Shane

[donmcc]

I'm seeing the typographic one too, if it matters. From a PC.

Don McCahill

PS: Yes, you hate computers. But could you live without them?

[ElyseC]

I'm seeing the typographic one too, if it matters. From a PC.Are you talking about her avatar here? I'm not, I'm talking about the one that appears in my instant message software's "buddy list" -- it used to be a typographic avatar, but is now one of the default avatars (might be called just "icons" in this case, I don't recall for sure) that MacOS users can select to represent a user account for log-ins.

[donmcc]

Oh. I see.

[ktinkel]

Oh. I see.The problem is that I still see the typographic one.

So far as I can tell, Adium (chat software) has no cache to clear.

[ElyseC]

The problem is that I still see the typographic one.

So far as I can tell, Adium (chat software) has no cache to clear.Maybe you can try re-pasting your desired one over top of what's showing in your window. Maybe that'll give Adium a little rap on the head, so it starts behaving.

[ktinkel]

Maybe you can try re-pasting your desired one over top of what's showing in your window. Maybe that'll give Adium a little rap on the head, so it starts behaving.Oh, sure. But I was bored with it, and Ann said she saw it all pixelated (or icky, anyway), so may as well wait until I have one I like better, and then try again.

[annc]

As I recall, it didn't take much. It couldn't do much, but what it could do was, for the time, pretty well implemented -- or so I thought.Hmm, I came to databases from a different perspective from most people, so my expectations were probably too high.