I am now in the process of updating this page, adding pics and commentary -- they are not in any particular order
I still have a couple to add -- check back again for more complete info
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I have relatively simple needs when it comes to software, mostly photo processing and web site design. I am not one to keep several similar applications on my computer if they duplicate what I can do with what is already on it. Thus, I normally use AOL for web browsing, emails and the 2 or 3 message boards I frequent -- I use Netscape [and more recently, Safari every so often] for listing items on eBay, Yahoo / Canary Island auctions and YardSaleNet.net simply because AOL frequently has a glitch of some sort that disconnects me from the browser while doing these activities -- I never encounter this annoying problem when using Netscape or Safari. Many tell me that I should use FireFox -- but it mirrors what I already do and takes up space on my hard drive -- I attempt to have as few apps as possible on the HD All of the following specialty software I have personally used -- much of it is still in use on my first version G5 iMac which is the last model that allows what they call Classic, or legacy apps. I have given each app shown a personal rating, from 1
apple 5
apples I have a LOT of other software most of which I loaded to check out at one time or another, but they did not interest me at the time for whatever reason. The really old ones were transferred to each new computer I acquired and I am still using them when the need arises |
Links / thumbnails open in new browser window for convenience
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I have used Adobe PageMill 2.0 * ca. 1996 * as boxed set with manual * since it first appeared in about 1996 to make my web pages on my main top level domain, Kardas.net. It is extremely easy to use and automatically does all the html work for you -- one does learn some coding basics over the years. Those pages were relatively primitive and a LOT smaller in format than what I use today -- I was just learning, slowly but surely, how to get information on the Internet, which was my intent. The updated v3, see below, was much more useful for formatting pages faster and included several options not present in this version One may still find the boxed set with manual offered online -- I always prefer a hard copy manual rather than some online pdf or whatever simply because it is a lot easier to work with at my leisure, rather than scrolling through perhaps hundreds of virtual pages -- should I also mention that if the computer crashes it would be impossible to access! Mac & PC versions available
Adobe PageMill 3.0 * ca. 2000 * as CD with no manual and Boxed set with thick manual * the CD was often included bundled with early digital cameras -- is the primary tool I use for all of my web pages and online auction / sales item descriptions. As with all updated versions of anything, it offers more options, albeit very simplistically. What I find odd about it is that it produces image file sizes which are larger than the exact same image processed via PageMill 2.0, so all of my illustration work is done using the older app as the last step after the original processing from a PICT to a JPEG file employing yet older apps which came with my first digital camera, a Kodak DC50 [which was their second model], and other digital cameras Yes, I acquired and have tried newer apps having loads more bells and whistles, more complicated option lists [mostly things one does not have a clue about and never uses, unless they are super geeks], but deleted them because they were wasting my time -- I could do things a lot faster with PageMill. Mac & PC versions available |
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Polaroid PhotoMAX Pro 1.1 * ca. 1997 * bundled with early digital camera on a CD * I use this to open screen shots -- the other photo apps I have listed do not open them. I save each as a pict [millions of colors] file at the best resolution -- the file size is about 4x greater than my final jpeg [thousands of color] product the NeXT step is to the New Color It! |
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New Color It! 3.0 * ca. 1997 * bundled with early digital camera on a CD * I basically use this app to crop that which may need same, resize the image and to switch from millions of colors to thousands, thereby reducing the file size by half I found the last update of this app, 3.0.5, on the Internet in about 2002, and deleted the previous 3.0 version |
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PhotoEnhancer for Kodak 2.1 * ca. 1997 * bundled with early Kodak digital camera on a CD * with this app I frequently make an image lighter, more focused or otherwise tweak it to make it more to my liking -- at this point I change the pict to a jpeg file, resulting in another reduction of about half in file size the final photo processing step is to drag and drop this pic into PageMill 2.0, which once again reduces the file size by another half, resulting in a faster loading web page, which should be the goal of every Webmaster / web designer For more information about how I process my photos, go to --> PHOTOS |
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GifBuilder 1.0 * ca. 2000 * sent to me by a friend as an email attachment * an unbelievably simple way to make animated gifs -- I use it frequently for small online auction / sale banners -- before this I tried making quasi animations using some form of Java, which took a LOT more work / html programming / space than a single gif animation did -- for example : for a four image Java animation I had to make four different images and then the Java coding to join them somehow. I generally refuse to use Java Script simply because it adds to the page loading time -- it is usually only employed in the countdown timers seen on some of my web pages For more information about my animations, go to --> ANMIMATIONS |
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FileMakerPro 3.0 * ca. 1997 * was my first and only database app, used for keeping track of books in my reference library / Beanie Babies / Star Wars / diecast models and other collectibles / art collection, and of all the several hundred multiple items I sell on eBay and other online venues [organized by title / subject / photo file number -- without it I would never know what was bought and make many mistakes -- with it I simply check the printout, find the corresponding jpeg image file code, and do a quicky search on the computer for the exact image of the book or whatever in question I also used it when I was teaching for certificates for science club special projects and Christmas cards, which was relatively easy to do but always needed tweaking as to correct placement on the print outs, which consumed both time and printer ink -- for these activities I have since switched to PrintShop |
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PopChar * ca. 1997 * I got the free download of PopChar on the Internet in the 1990s -- using Key Caps was a bother to find the hidden symbols for foreign letter accents / umlauts and such that each font has hidden in its stash -- the original German programmer / company was bought out by somebody else and now charges a licensing fee for the latest versions -- this is what you see on the PopChar window when you click the small P on the tool bar
you can then select the font, get the Unicode for the letters / symbols, and various other options -- the older FREE version is still available if you do an online search for PopChar |
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Adobe PhotoShop 4.0 * ca. 2000 * full package with CD, manuals, etc. -- I tried this several times and always found that it took way more time to process a photo than my older apps took, PLUS the finished product was a file LARGER than I would get using PageMill 2.0. Way too many bells and whistles / bloat for what I want to do -- deleted it after each trial way too geeky for me, but probably great for someone who has nothing else to do |
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Adobe GoLive * ca. 2000 * full package with CD, manuals, etc. -- the first [of two] friggin manual has 828 pages -- I would have fallen asleep reading it while all I wanted to do is boot the app and start fabricating web pages in less than an hour as I already can do with PageMill 3.0 -- notice that the packaging is overall exactly the same as PhotoShop -- isn't Adobe creative enough to design two different presentations? The box weighs a few pounds -- what do I use it for? As a weight to press things down / flatten them out on the scanner platten when using it! Works very well, might I add, saving me from having to look for a thick heavy book to use for the same purpose way too geeky for me, but probably great for someone who has nothing else to do |
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Windows Media Player * 2006 * FREE online download, for Macs and PCs. |
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My Label Maker * ca. 1999 * on diskette. This was my first label making app which I used basically for simplistic Christmas card address lists, making a hard copy for my yearly Christmas Card and Gift folders [religiously kept since I was a teenager] as well as the pages of address label print outs. It is copied and updated every year, which means that I have files titled, Xmas 1998 / Xmas 2006, etc., in a main Christmas folder Since about 2001 I decided that printed address labels were NOT as personalized as I intended the greeting to be, simply printing out the hard copy of the names and addresses and hand writing them on the envelopes. |
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Symantec GreatWorks 2.0 * ca. 1997 * was my first write application, able to do stock letter / writing paper / simple note formats -- I still have many older original letter forms in GreatWorks, some of which I occasionally update -- I have been replacing its use with ClarisWorks / PrintShop, which give me more freedom with more complicated documents such as various certificates -- COAs for limited edition books & prints / holiday greeting cards / WAG contest winners. I had used Filemaker for these formats in the past, but one always has to experiment with positioning the form on the self - made template, which takes more time as well as printer ink for the trial runs |
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ClarisWorks 5.0 * ca.1997 * a copy was given to me by a fellow teacher, on several diskettes -- an excellent all around write program. Unfortunately, some OSX update, bless its heart, caused clicking on these files on my iMac G5 to result in an error message saying something to the effect that a new app has replaced the older one and it cannot be opened / translated. When necessary I must switch to my older eMac [the last and final model] to work with these files |
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PrintShop * 2002 * obtained for some $18 on eBay in 2005 -- full version in original packaging with CD. I now use this as my preferred app for custom letter / certificate / Christmas card and other special projects -- it is easy to center text and images on any place on the desired finished project in several formats such as full page, vertical or horizontal half page note cards including printing on both sides [which must be done by manually REinserting the paper when the prompt is given] to increase the professional look of the resulting card or certificate, I bought several reams of heavy stock paper having different textures / pastel backgrounds, as well as the special size envelopes which hold half folded 8.5 x 11 inch paper |
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Fetch 3.0.3 * ca. 1997 * a fabulous app for FTP [File Transfer Protocol], to remove and load files to web pages on a server. It was often one of the apps included in software bundles that accompanied digital cameras and other programs [including PageMill, as I recall]. The older version can still be downloaded FREE online -- do a SEARCH to find the source Fetch 4.0.3 * ca. 2002 * the updated version For more info about Fetch, with screen shots of the various steps in the process, go to --> FETCH |
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SystemWorks 5.0 * ca. 2000 * I used this app basically to optimize the hard drive of my pre OSX computers [original iMacs, Cube, TiBook, etc.] -- although it states on the front of the box that it works with OSX Beta, after several OSX updates, the CD would not open after pressing down the C key when REbooting -- when I clicked on the application on the CD, I got an error message telling me that it could not be opened because some dumb application could not be found --- mfsoab I always noticed that the computer would seem to slow down when using different apps for an extended period of time [like several months] -- over time every new or updated file one does is located on a different sector / part of the hard drive, usually quite distant from the location of the originating app that created it. This necessitates a more complicated series of steps for the processor to connect all the underlying code and tends to slow things down considerably. After optimization things are back to normal. I usually optimize about once a month, and / or after an Apple or other software update |
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EMC Retrospect Express * 3 April 2007 * as CD with NO hardcopy instructions * I got this CD with an external dual drive that I wanted to use as a mirrored RAID backup to automatically update anything I do on my iMac. I tried it at least a dozen times, phoned the company I got the external from several times and spoke with a very helpful rep who walked me through the process TWICE [once for over 30 minutes!] -- I scheduled it to update every other day after midnight -- ok, so it updates, BUT is NOT automatic, half way through the process I have to type in my administrator password. When I want to see exactly what was saved, the files saved were in some weird format that could not be opened -- fhy the wuck would I save something that I cannot read? |
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Alsoft DiskWarrior 4.0[ for Intel & Power PC Macs] * 19 April 2007 * CD boxed set with minimal hardcopy instructions * is a powerful tool for finding seemingly lost files and optimizing your hard drive for maximum performance, something I would occasionally do on OS9 with Norton Speed Disk, one of their System Works apps [which does not seem to work on my G5 iMac running OS10.4.10]. Unfortunately it came with no manual, only a smallish four page brochure, which was helpful. It is intuitive enough to do what one wants to, but takes a friggen long time to boot from the CD. I bought this after several operating system [OSX, naturally, bless its heart] updates which made my printer and scanner inoperable, three of my four memory sticks to not be recognized, and it was impossible to watch DVDs which I could do before the updates. Running the optimization app solved all of these problems. I have not yet tried to find lost or missing files with it. At the end of the process, DiskWarrior also rebuilds your desktop file --
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G A M E
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Professor Fizzwizzle and the Molten Mystery * * 7 June 2007 * online download * for Mac and PC. This is a really kewl video game -- I have not played computer games since when life was a LOT less complicated with FAR FEWER distractions in the days of the Commodore 64 and the original Mac way back when. It is not as complicated as WarCraft and a FREE demo can be downloaded online [the full version is a couple buckies and is worth it]. The Canadian maker tells us something about the game ... Grubby Games releases a Molten Mystery June 7th 2007. From the creators of 2005's best puzzle game, Professor Fizzwizzle, comes a logic puzzler of volcanic proportions: Professor Fizzwizzle and the Molten Mystery! While on a well deserved vacation, Professor Fizzwizzle's investigation of a strange volcano has landed him in a hot spot of trouble. Now it's up to you to master exciting new gadgets, outwit the Bat-Bots, and vanquish a truly cunning villain! Available on PC, Mac, and Linux, Professor Fizzwizzle's latest adventure pits him against the fiendish foe, Penny Pyroclast, and her island full of mind melting puzzles. Featuring over 210 levels in three different difficulty levels, Professor Fizzwizzle and the Molten Mystery is packed with fun for gamers of all ages and skill levels. And this is no ordinary puzzle game: Grubby Games has done away with the puzzle genre's frustration factor. Stuck on a level? Just use the "Show Solution" option to watch a walk-through. Made a false move? The multiple-level "undo" feature will come to your rescue. Find the action too fast? Adjust the game speed and play at your own pace. I played up to level 10 on the easiest option just to get the hang of it, and did not do too badly -- it is VERY creative, simplistic, user adjustable, and does expand your logical reasoning skills by making you think about all the options to reach the goal at each level while avoiding all the pitfalls you encounter -- try it out and share it with your kids and young at heart pals who enjoy mind stimulating activities -- save the game icon in some folder on your hard drive or in your dock and have it always ready to play when you have a free moment ... I guarantee you will have loads of fun playing it Incidently, as a professional geologist / palaeontologist, with interest in cave, fossils, minerals and related subjects, this game was doubly interesting |
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G A M E
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Kristanix Games has just released Zamby and the Mystical Crystals, a new fantasy puzzle game for Mac OS X. The goal of this non-violent game is to use logic, stealth, guile, and imagination to guide Zamby through a wondrous world of light crystals, monsters, and obstacles. Like all Qwonks, Zamby needs light crystals to illuminate his underground cave. He sets out to explore his vast world, and collect as many crystals as possible. The game's simple interface allows children and adults to begin playing the game immediately. Guiding Zamby through the game's 150 increasingly difficult levels, however, requires moving objects, building bridges, trapping monsters, and using logic to solve each level of the journey. Throughout the exciting encounter, Zamby discovers new things about his mystical terrain, and the challenges in his path. At any point in the game, you can ask for hints, watch a movie on how to solve that level, or undo any number of moves that you've already made. The game's clever logic, intricate puzzles, and professionally produced artwork and music make your journey exciting. In addition to the huge library of puzzle levels, the program's built-in level editor lets you build your own challenges. With all of the objects and monsters that the game offers, you can create custom levels that are tailored to your family and friends' tastes. In the coming months, game players will be able to share their custom game levels with each other, on the Zamby web site. Whether you're a casual game player who is bored with mindless shoot-em-up games, a parent who wants an intelligent game that the entire family can enjoy, or an educator who wants to find more ways to use the computer to develop your kids' problem-solving skills, Zamby and the Mystical Crystals will provide you with hours and hours of challenging fun. Zamby runs on Mac OS X 10.3 and up, as well as Windows. Once again, you can download a FREE demo at the above link -- the full version with all the levels and special features only costs a few dollars, a positive investment for days of stimulating fun for young and even for old coots like myself with an always restless mind |
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Questions
and comments may be emailed to the editor of Apple Bytes at 
Contributors :
Editor/Webmaster - Sonny
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My Closeout Deals & Real Estate -->> Personal Sales
Mis cosas en --
-- Canary Islands, Spain
My Cigars & Goodies on -->> YardSaleNet.net
My offerings on --
-- Singapore
My Items on --
-- eBay
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Free counters provided by Andale.
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COPYRIGHT © 2002 - 2007 by * |
[might
be useful to some super geek, but not to me, OR it
simply sucks chunks], to
[I find it intuitive, easy
to use, does what I want it to without offering me a bazillion
drop down options that nobody except the programmers understand].
-->> 
G5
iMac, the perfect
home / office computer
