CJE absorbs Photodesk products | Drobe.co.uk archives

CJE absorbs Photodesk products

By Chris Williams. Published: 17th Jun 2004, 23:42:15 | Permalink | Printable

Graphics in stock

CJE has of now taken over "all sales, distribution and marketing of Photodesk products", according to an announcement issued earlier today by the RISC OS dealer. Photodesk Ltd.'s product range includes presentation package OHP2, the PhotoReal printing drivers, digital camera interface software CameraDesk and the flagship graphics package, Photodesk.

Chris Evans, proprietor of CJE, could hardly contain his enthusiasm, commenting just that CJE "are glad to take on such key RISC OS products". Also, CJE have said Photodesk 3.06 is "expected to be made available shortly".

"The 3.06 release is just the one where Photodesk will complain if its likely to run in to problems with the Dynamic Area location. I prepared it in April, but has been delayed by these events," David Ruck, who worked on the 32bit compatible version of Photodesk, explained earlier this evening to Photodesk users.

Links

CJE website

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Discussion

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I wonder if we can expect some more Photodesk development?

fylfot on 18/6/04 12:58AM
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Whew! Glad to see the deck of cards shuffle goes on after the RISC OS Armageddon few articles the other day. Good on you CJE!! fylfot Are you thinking that 3.06 Photodesk could be the end of the line, or does CJE have the licensing rights for upgrades? I wonder too! Cheers, Steve.

Sawadee on 18/6/04 1:05AM
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"RISC OS Armageddon few articles"

Again I assume you're referring to the conflict between Castle and ROL. But why do you describe it as "the RISC Armageddon". We know so little about the situation at the moment that I don't see why it is useful for such negative conclusions.

You never know, you might be eating your words if things turn out for the better. We just simply do not know.

fylfot on 18/6/04 1:35AM
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"But why do you describe it as the RISC OS Armageddon"

Surely not another ARM pun?

monkeyson on 18/6/04 1:49AM
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I certainly hope after reading many of the comments posted in the past few days turn out to be me eating my "RISC OS Armageddon" expression. It's the overall reaction from many of us got me hooked on a worrying feeling, and you are right, that many of us are speculating on so little "confirmed" information from the horses mouth. I must add though, a bad result from ill informed reactions could do some damage to our market before long. I do hope I eat these words soon for the better future to evolve. Cheers, Steve.

Sawadee on 18/6/04 2:09AM
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Sawadee:

As has been said by others before, those who know what's going on tend to keep their mouths shut. Although I have read people's comments with interest, I keep returning to the fact that there's very little real information out in the open.

What we do know is that no-one is going to take our RiscPCs/Iyonix PCs/VRPCs or whatever away from us. We can continue to use RISC OS for as long as we think it useful. Because of this, I really think people should be less impulsive when it comes to disputes such as the one we are experiencing at the moment. And if you are feeling a bit negative, for whatever reason, remember some of the positive projects that are being worked on at the moment.

fylfot on 18/6/04 2:37AM
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Well said fylfot. It is very frustraing knowing that something serious is going on but not quite what. I can understand that some have reacted to this frustration by writing disertations on drobe - and I too have read them all with interest. Perhaps, once this is settled, it'll be interesting to go through the multitude of comments and see how close they were to what came to pass ? ( BTW, I've not forgotten I owe you a drink from a drobe exchange several months ago ! )

martin on 18/6/04 7:53AM
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Just to get back on topic, this is very good news. The photdesk products are rumoured to be excellent and are on my shopping list along with ArtWorks 2 which, I'm embaressed to say, I also have not yet got around to buying. Photography is definitely an area of RISC OS strength and it is important that we continue to build upon it.

martin on 18/6/04 8:01AM
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This is a photodesk announcement and negativity about the recent OS creeps in? The biggest damage done is by those who know very little if any facts (embedded in legal documentation) but speculate endlessly. If everyone just shut up and waited there would be little if any damage done. Remember folks that those search engines will be, potentially, automatically picking up on every news post made here and on CSA for everyone to see.

Consolidation of ownership of the current RISC OS applications is needed and is a good thing since it improves profit margins and therefore the potential for more development.

regards,

Malcolm

mripley on 18/6/04 8:38AM
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fylfot: Thanks for such a positive supportive statement and you are right by trying not to let any negative thoughts or opinions overcome us. Certainly the path or new direction may clear for the better of these positive project being worked on. I am in the same situation as Martin, adding with interest to my shopping list Artworks 2 and Photodesk. I was fortunate enough nearly 2 years ago to have someone quite skilled demonstrate Artworks to me, yes impressive! I totally agree that Photography is a RISC OS strength to build on, the user friendliness of our desktop and most DTP/graphical software stuns most of the PC user teachers I show at my school. PC software I feel is pack well with options etc. but when observing so many teachers using various software, I notice that a more skilled level is required to accomplish what our user friendlier RISC OS does for beginner to lower level users. Just in our school alone, photo and clipart graphics are a downfall in our school PC users to the point where the best is simply an almost unaltered (and often a PC bundled) image dragged and dropped into Word or Publisher. Our Media studies PC computers don't have a vector programme like Corel Draw, but they do have Photoshop. Now I don't have Artworks or PhotoDesk, but I still have to do the school's many types of (graphic) certificates because draw and paint allows me to produce better works than Media Studies. I have spoken recently to our media studies teacher about considering a vector programme maybe like Corel Draw or something similar. Our media studies teacher is not a graphics specialist teacher, but a good PC user ex class teacher 2 years prior his Media Studies position. Has produced numerous excellent work considering what standard software and gear he has to work with. Keep smiling! :grin: Cheers, Steve.

Sawadee on 18/6/04 9:36AM
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In reply to Sawadee:

Xara is also worth a look on the PC, being Computer Concepts 'port' and further development of Artworks1.

markee174 on 18/6/04 9:49AM
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'in reply to markee174:' Yes I remember that name... Xara... but never exactly knew what the software did. Something in my memory recalls the name Xara in relations also to the Clares CD software samples which I got back in early 1995 when I first bought my RISC OS, I could be wrong. Thanks for that, I will mention Xara as software worth looking at to the Media Studies teacher. He is quite interested in these suggestions, Xara may be listed in that 'Nutshells' site so I wonder who owns Xara now though. Cheers, Steve.

Sawadee on 18/6/04 10:54AM
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In reply to Sawadee:

"Look at www.xara.com"

They have some interesting web design tools as well.

It was the same company as CC (different name) and Xara was effectively Artworks for Windows.

markee174 on 18/6/04 10:59AM
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Personally I still prefer Artworks 2 for RISC OS!

Martin has put so much into Artworks 2 without "over-engineering" it and keeps improving it.

markee174 on 18/6/04 11:03AM
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Xara X is certainly not over-engineered - it's very simple, as vector packages go. It brings RISC philiosophy to software: Don't have thousands of features, have a few powerful ones.

nunfetishist on 18/6/04 11:09AM
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Couldnt agree more - and Xara X1 (the latest version) just builds upon this. It's a fantastic program.. shame I've just got Virtual PC to run it on. (Hmmm... thinks to himself... maybe it's time I got a new PC).

riscdomain on 18/6/04 11:40AM
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Shame the way Corel treated Xara though. Corel bought the exclusive marketing rights a few years ago, called it CorelXara and effectively buried it as it was so much better than CorelDraw.

I loved the way Xara mimicked some RISC OS aspects - you could open a window in Xara and still work on the window underneath, true scrollbars on windows showing percentage of window area, drag and drop, etc.

quatermass on 18/6/04 11:44AM
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In reply to Quatermass:

Corel paid Xara a lot of money for the privilege...

markee174 on 18/6/04 11:58AM
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The other thing that Xara Studio, and I *think* CorelXARA! had, but X and X1 don't, were hourglasses with percentages under them. It may well still have them, but it's so damned quick I never notice.

nunfetishist on 18/6/04 12:37PM
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La la la! I can't hear you! Stands to reason that Artworks on RO must be better!

Ahem. This is great news. RISC OS can no longer really support so many small companies each developing and selling their own software. It's good that the marketing and selling operations {and sometimes development too} are being consolidated into a few companies like CJE that have the expertise to market and supply a large catalogue of products, rather than us losing these products.

ninja on 18/6/04 1:03PM
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Consolidation is OK but it generally means the loss of enthusiast presentation. OK APDL / CJE may have the products 'in stock' but there is no one to demonstrate the products at shows. Now if someone can find a way to bring back that more personal presentation alongside 'consolodation' that would do us all a favour. Ideas anyone?

Q on 18/6/04 4:38PM
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In reply to Q:

Except in this case CJE are at the shows whereas photodesk has sometimes been there...

markee174 on 18/6/04 4:40PM
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Q: I'm sure druck would be happy to demonstrate Photodesk on CJE's behalf.

dgs

dgs on 18/6/04 4:40PM
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Yes - I do know how to spell consoladation/consoludation (!). If only the Drobe Preview option would work. [Chris!?]

Q on 18/6/04 4:40PM
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If someone can arrange such demonstrations for Ovation, Tablemate, OHP, Composition, ProArtisan, &c then the next RISC OS Show could turn out to be rather good. [now can markee & dgs beat their 2 minute response record?]

Q on 18/6/04 4:46PM
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markee174 on 18/6/04 4:47PM
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Sorry, but photography is not a RISC OS strength. Photodesk is embarrassingly out-of-date, especially when held up against Adobe PhotoshopCS. For example, I can drop an image into PhotoshopCS and correct exposure with the click of a button. I can also have Photoshop analyse the colour levels and make automatic correction, which is just about always spot-on. Oh yeah, it's rendering is much sharper and therefore suited to commercial printing. Oh, then there's Web gallery creation, lense and filter imitation, high-quality special effects, plus all of the Web and print stuff.

Photodesk, to my knowledge, lacks such features.

arenaman on 19/6/04 12:57AM
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Q: Good idea for individuals or RISC OS User Clubs who care to give time and with permission of the software owners (who just may not be able to give time) to do demonstrations at these shows? arenaman: I agree to a point to what you are saying that the RISC OS software is dated :blush: and lack so many advanced features compared to PC platform stuff. From my observations of so many PC users (particularly in schools), many of the feature packed PC software confuses and "Dumbs Down" the ability, progress and enthusiasm of it's "Basic Level" competency level average computer user. Recent articles in UK and NZ that I read, actually pointed out that the RISC OS computers in schools were actually achieving more with their classes level of competency with their embarrassingly out-of date software. When competency is gained, PC level software (and it's desktop differences) may be the next option to consider for advanced skill features? Personally I have a RISC OS !Sibelius7 music set up at my school, I have seen a few other local Auckland schools set up with PC Sibelius2 and were sadly not achieving what I do with my out-of-date RISC OS !Sibelius7 (last upgraded - 1998). The biggest problem I have been getting from many of people and other NZ school that visit my school, is that it is not having the most up to date PC version Sibelius to be able to teach music software to beginners and intermediate level learners, but a simple enough software and curriculum in place. So all the features and Plug Ins that come with Sibelius for PC in my views are not important yet (later important?, Yes!) but the learning of a curriculum and it's music theory is what I have found most users lack. A full on feature fancied software may be suitable for a professional or experienced learner, anything under that I teach well with the Out Dated RISC OS !Sibelius7. Over the past few years I have had a number of Sibelius and Cakewalk music software students (musicians, sound studio, teachers etc) wanting help and most of them gained more competency using RISC OS !Sibelius with no problems before returning to their "feature packed" version. I believe that there is a good market for RISC OS to encourage the many lower level skilled PC computer learners to use the RISC OS system dated but simple software. Yes, I agree with the point of out dated software for our frustrated and quite competently skilled the majority of RISC OS users seem to be (compared to most average PC user I mean). Now I am not an expert computer person, these are just my views and experiences as a basic skilled computer user. Do you think that Photodesk (I don't have) and OHP (which I do have) are at a feature for your needs? I find OHP good enough for what I want. Cheers, Steve.

Sawadee on 19/6/04 5:34AM
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Sawadee wrote:

"...RiscOS computers in schools actually achieving more with their classes level of competency".

I firmly believe that to be true, from personal experience of results achieved. The reason is that the PC sets out quite deliberately to conceal from the user those underlying principles which children ought to know and which are to be taught; too many bells and whistles are actually more a distraction than useful. The Windows approach is valid in the context of the PC which is to get some sort of productivity from inexpert users in commercial offices, which is the largest user group by far (not many dollars to be got from education) notwithstanding which I've seen it stated that 5/6 of the world's data processing by volume actually takes place under one derivative or another of Unix.

And further on Sawadee says: "I find OHP good enough"

Having used both professionally,I find OHP2 with Artworks2 is infinitely more flexible than Powerpoint and indeed does a better job. Admittedly with a VARPC laptop it's useful to be able to drop out of RiscOS to show a video clip. (Tip - to dismantle a PPT presentation, copy/paste into Word and save as html. It will make directories containing all the graphics as originally inserted).

Martin

MartinD on 19/6/04 9:11AM
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I've always found RISC OS ideal for design and publishing projects. Unfortunately, my printers disagree and insist that I provide them with PDFs to a specific specification. This tends to mean that RISC OS design projects end up being converted to Postscript on RISC OS, then PDF'd on a Mac; before being checked and occasionally relaid in InDesign for generating yet again as a PDF with accurate colour settings. [particularly applicable for colour work].

What I would add though is that there are still certain elements of guesswork with the 'professional' systems... i'm waiting with baited breath for 10,000 copies of a magazine laid out on a Mac to return at the end of next week.

*fingers crossed it comes out right*

The mainly Ovation Pro-produced Education Essentials came out perfectly.

David

riscdomain on 19/6/04 10:15PM
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Riscdomain: Here too Ovation Pro is extensively used for publishing, mostly journals and leaflets using print to postscript and convert to PDF . But a problem has just arisen - there appears to be a bug in the RiscOS Postscript printer driver where 24 bit colour and transparency are both present. One way round this is to print with RComp's Uniprint to CutePDF/GhostScript, but the resulting PDF 1.3 is 10 times the size of the RiscOS (1.2) version.

anon/81.168.120.188 on 20/06/04 07:45AM
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Even Ovation Pro, fantastic though it is, is starting to drop behind. There's no transparency, no layers, no CMYK PDF output. And is there EPS preview when palced in a document?

The RISC OS GUI lends itself very nicely to DTP and graphics works. Shame the software is falling behind.

arenaman on 20/06/04 10:20AM
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