Software Review

Lineform 1.3.1 Export Capabilities Fall Short

May 08, 2007

May 2007 | MacCompanion

As a freelance graphic and web designer, I create and massage images for print and the web. I was interested in reviewing Lineform as a possible replacement to the expensive upgrade to Adobe Illustrator CS2 or CS3 in the near future. Like many freelance graphic designers, my needs are relatively simple. I need to be able to create logos, import and edit logos and PDFs that have been emailed to me, create and edit simple logos and illustrations, and reliably prepare all final files for offset press or the Internet. Since Lineform is marketed as an application to create simple logos to complex designs and illustrations, similar to Adobe Illustrator, Macromedia Freehand, CorelDraw and Canvas, I thought that Lineform might meet my modest needs and those of other freelance graphic and web designers. Lineform, however, is not ready to take the place of these more capable illustration packages, despite its strengths. Though Lineform’s features compare favorably to other modern illustration packages, it is not designed to be used as an import/edit/export tool, which is a requirement in the graphics world. Lineform’s user manual only lists the file formats it will export, not import: BMP, JPG, PDF, EPS, SVG, PNG, and TIFF. Nevertheless, importing and exporting is a common use for illustration software, so I tested Lineform’s import and export capabilities, and found that Lineform 1.3.1 falls short of my expectations. Though sample artwork included in the download is appealing and professional, Lineform isn't yet up to competing with the entrenched illustration packages used by graphics professionals today. Read my full review of Lineform 1.3.1 >

Feral Interactive's Family Fun Pack 2 Featuring Rayman 3, Ghost Master & Worms 3D

March 13, 2006

March 2006 | MacNN

Usually, any kind of bundled pack (software or magazines for example) means bundling one good item and two much lesser items together and charging a bit more for all three, to create the illusion of value. Feral Interactive's Family Fun Pack 2 is nothing like this practice. Instead, it is a collection of three great 3D games that entertain the entire family through atmosphere, strategy, and problem solving, and a throw-in Children's Encyclopedia Britannica. Rayman 3 is appropriate for ages 5+, Worms 3D for 8+, and Ghost Master for 13+, IMHO. All three are challenging, and for adults with the time, suitable for adults, too. Rayman 3 is a cartoony adventure with mild violence, something like Mario Brothers, where the only things shed are coins, treasure and stars, and game play is relatively simple to grasp. Worms 3D is a more challenging, due to the physics involved in and around the playing fields and the weaponry, and a tad bit more violent, but not much. Ghost Master is not violent, but it is at times risque -- the training haunt is called Haunting 101 and features a girl’s college dorm with hree floors of college coeds in bathrobes, towels, and pajamas -- but nothing more than the standard SIMS family of games (Ghost Master plays like the SIMS). My children and I enjoyed all three games to varying degree, according to our age and experience. The graphics in all three titles are bright, game play satisfying, and puzzles challenging. Problem solving is an important skill to develop in our children, and these games encourage players to consider multiple paths and strategies to complete missions and solve puzzles to reach their goals. Worms 3D, Rayman 3, and Ghost Master pack enough atmosphere and quirky charm to keep your family entertained for months. Of course, the Children's Encyclopedia Britannica will also help children with their homework. Read my review of Family Fun Pack 2 >

CSSEdit 1.7 - Near WYSIWYG CSS Stylesheet Editing for Mac OS X

March 03, 2006

March 2006 | MacCompanion

I'm no novice to CSS or stylesheets. I'm a prosumer, a freelance web/graphic designer who builds several web sites a year while maintaining existing web sites (I also worked in a corporate environment doing same for nearly 9 years). CSS is the holy grail for web development in many ways, but looking at a page of CSS code can get...well...dull. The built-in tools in Macromedia Dreamweaver and Adobe GoLive just aren't as good or as current as they need to be to keep up with developments in CSS styling. MacRabbit Software's CSSEdit 1.7 relieves this dullness and writes CSS code in a near-WYSIWYG environment while still allowing access to raw code. Though Dreamweaver and GoLive feature built-in CSS editors, CSSEdit is better than both. Even if you use a WYSIWYG HTML editor like Dreamweaver, GoLive or FrontPage, you'll find CSSEdit more than useful. MacRabbit developers have studied how CSS coders develop stylesheets and designed CSSEdit to seamlessly slip into their workflow. CSSEdit is easy to use and has many powerful features: 1) Comment-based grouping to simplify locating and arranging styles; 2) Font family and style tag favorites that help simplify stylesheet editing; 3) Real-time previews in the application itself, an external browser, and click-and-drag preview window; and 4) Displays both raw code and interface controls. CSSEdit 1.7 offers professional reliability and results. All it needs is a CSS stylesheet to get to work. I have used CSSEdit to edit the stylesheets on ColaCollectables.com, Kansas Learning Center for Health's redesigned web site and PHP calendar, U-Save Tire's e-commerce site, and RapidWeaver web sites. I have CSSEdit loaded in my dock, along with the other applications in my web design arsenal. Read my review of CSSEdit 1.7.2 >

RapidWeaver 3.2 - Template Based CSS Web Site Design Software

February 01, 2006

February 2006 | MacCompanion

RapidWeaver 3.2 is superb and inexpensive web design software. It is based on Apple Computer's iApps motif, and publishes websites that incorporate media from Apple's iApps, as well as other content. Blogs, photo galleries, file sharing pages, contact forms, movie galleries and custom pages can all be created quickly and easily with RapidWeaver 3.2. RapidWeaver 3.2 is based on a template system and comes pre-packaged without 25 templates. Other templates are available for free or a small fee across the Internet. RapidWeaver takes the user's content and inserts it into a pre-determined design (like this site). These templates can be altered, and custom templates created from revising existing templates or from scratch (I recommend revision!). Content is king on the web. RapidWeaver lets users get that content onto the Internet quickly. Best suited for personal web sites, or small business web sites, RapidWeaver suitsthe needs of all users but high-end professional web designers building sites that cost tens of thousands of dollars. For most freelance web designers, RapidWeaver can be used to create and then pass off maintenance to most small business clients. This new Swope Design web site was built with RapidWeaver 3.2. Read my review of RapidWeaver 3.2 >

Feral Interactive's Family Fun Pack 1 (Games)

January 01, 2006

October 2005 | MacNewsNetwork (MacNN)

DiskWarrior Battles Hard Drive Corruption

January 01, 2006

October 2005 | MacCompanion

Pzizz Napping Software

January 01, 2006

September 2005 | MacNewsNetwork (MacNN)

Where's the Free Space?

January 01, 2006

August 2005 | MacNewsNetwork (MacNN)