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Final app added: VectorDesigner unlocked when $300,000 is raised
Looks sweet! Another Delicious Generations app?
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January 21, 2008 2:27 pm
I think we should all give the application some time before passing the final judgment on it - my feeling is that this isn't another AppZapper/Disco-type of software but rather software developed by a serious developer and that this program will be undergoing further development for the foreseeable future. At least that's my feeling about it - but I wouldn't expect VectorDesigner to beat Adobe's Illustrator for quite some time ...
January 21, 2008 2:42 pm
Can someone explain to me what exactly vectors are (I kinda understand it from wikipedia) and more importantly.... what they're used for. It's like, to make artisitic kind of silhouettes and icons??????
I guess I just want to know what exactly this app is supposed to do........... :-) Thanks!
January 21, 2008 3:01 pm
swruler9284, I think of it like this. There are two ways to draw a picture using a computer.
One way is to take each pixel and give it a color. This lets you create exactly the picture you want, however once you go to a different display (someone else's computer) the image will be a different size, since their pixels will be different sizes (resolutions).
The other way is vectors. Vectors don't describe each pixel, they describe lines and percentages (this isn't the technically accurate explanation, just a good "mental model"). So this line is 20% thick, starts on the left edge of the picture 50% up, and goes across to the right edge 50% up. You can also describe a circle line, centered on some point in the picture, and again with some line thickness. Now this picture is described using a "formula" and can be re-drawn on anyone's computer, at any resolution, and it can even be resized without any problem because it's just a formula.
In practice, I think vector art is a challenge to learn, and is only appropriate in some situations. Still, there are a lot of things that can be done as vectors.
Eggplant, I'm curious: why do you have that feeling? Any evidence you've observed, or just your intuition? I haven't looked at the app so no idea from my side.
Whistle while you work. Patience is key.
January 21, 2008 3:15 pm
Yet more proof why MacHeist rocks! I never would have considered purchasing this app on it's own. If I need to edit a .svg file I usually fire up the free and open source InkScape. If we unlock VectorDesign I'll definitely download and install it and I'll also be looking at their site to see if their other software looks as cool and is as useful.
slighty insightful | tweets | MacHeisters
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January 21, 2008 3:39 pm
step wrote:
Eggplant, I'm curious: why do you have that feeling? Any evidence you've observed, or just your intuition? I haven't looked at the app so no idea from my side.
I don't have any profound basis for this, it's rather a feeling that I got from looking at the developers site. He seems to develop mac software for quite some time now (at least more than two years according to his site) and has several other applications on sale. Plus, drawing applications are, in general, more complex to develop than some little CD burning or cleanup-utility. I think if he had planned on abandoning the software after being part of the MH bundle he'd rather developed something else.
BTW, anyone searching for a very powerful yet free vector drawing solution might be interested in http://www.inkscape.org - sadly it's GTK+ interface doesn't look quite right on the Mac OS. But it's still very usable.
January 21, 2008 3:49 pm
January 21, 2008 3:53 pm
alloutmacstoday wrote:
jenningsaske wrote:Alright, I don't really have anything to add. Just upping my posts total so I can post a URL.
NEWB
er, n00b... (-;
January 21, 2008 4:04 pm
eggplant: >>I think we should all give the application some time before passing the final judgment on it ...<<
sure! don't misunderstand my post. i don't want to point fingers. every software has bugs in the beginning - that's natural. the only thing i want to say is that a shareware - which is obviously in beta-stage - shouldn't be sold for 70 bugs! that's a pretty high price for constantly freezing shareware. i'm willing to pay a good price for good software. but in this case i guess starting with a public beta would have been the much better choice ... just my two cents
January 21, 2008 4:10 pm
At the current rate Vector Designer should be unlocked in about 9 hours!
Whether or not it feels like a beta, I like it because it's just icing on the delicious cake that is MacHeist.
Orange and black... that reminds me of something...
Craptastic.
January 21, 2008 4:29 pm
I tried VD on my MBP (10.5.1) and I have to say that this app is very unstable. As said before in this thread its still very much beta software. I'm also bit puzzled by this application and the intended target group. I can see no particular reason why consumer would need a vector based drawing application and professionals (or anyone that is serious about graphics design) will definitely choose Illustrator (or FreeHand for that retro effect 
).
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January 21, 2008 4:44 pm
kimai wrote:
the only thing i want to say is that a shareware - which is obviously in beta-stage - shouldn't be sold for 70 bugs! that's a pretty high price for constantly freezing shareware.
Constantly freezing?
Perhaps it's your system? Cos I had tried the VectorDesigner trial couple of days ago, and it worked like a charm on both my PowerBook G4 and Mac Mini 1.83... both running 10.5.1.
Then again, being a developer myself, I know how difficult it is to ensure an app or system works on every configuration available once the complexity of the application is past a certain level. It takes time, and most importantly, user feedback to improve stability and mature the app. So, report bugs away to the developer of the app! 
Now... time for me to file another Radar bug report on Apple.com for a Finder bug I found...
Go team Orange!
January 21, 2008 4:49 pm
Andrew Scott wrote:
No criticism of the MacHeist team intended but VectorDesigner is very immature. Having just tried using it for some simple work it's clear it lacks basic features and stability. It rreally feels more like beta software. Its great to see a new product, from a team with some good ideas, get some encouragement and publicity but I hope none of its users intend to produce serious work with it.
Raed23 wrote:
The same here. This program feels like an early beta.
Raed
abeckstrom wrote:
Looks sweet! Another Delicious Generations app?
Those three comments together make sense...
Do you agree?
This is my signature
January 21, 2008 5:33 pm
djspinnet wrote:
Constantly freezing?
Perhaps it's your system? Cos I had tried the VectorDesigner trial couple of days ago, and it worked like a charm on both my PowerBook G4 and Mac Mini 1.83... both running 10.5.1.
Then again, being a developer myself, I know how difficult it is to ensure an app or system works on every configuration available once the complexity of the application is past a certain level. It takes time, and most importantly, user feedback to improve stability and mature the app. So, report bugs away to the developer of the app!
Perhaps the reason is the G5 Dual because of the PowerPC architecture... Seems to run better on Intel Macs. I'll check that later on my MBP. But again ... I'm not judging - I only say this should be a public beta and not something people have to pay for. They can sell their software when it's ready.
I'm also a developer for many years. I too know how difficult it is to code a stable piece of software. Thats why they hire beta-testers (ok some don't....)
January 21, 2008 5:56 pm
I'm disappointed. I actually don't care if the last app gets unlocked, because I own Adobe Illustrator already. I just wanted something to look forward too. Oh well...I suppose it's too late to gift my copy since I already paid for the bundle. Too bad. My brother might have gotten some use out of it.
Dawn | Dawn's Recipes
January 21, 2008 6:52 pm
Andrew Scott wrote:
No criticism of the MacHeist team intended but VectorDesigner is very immature. Having just tried using it for some simple work it's clear it lacks basic features and stability. It rreally feels more like beta software. Its great to see a new product, from a team with some good ideas, get some encouragement and publicity but I hope none of its users intend to produce serious work with it.
What features do you think it's lacking? Granted I've never used Illustrator but it seems very fleshed out. It reminds me of Pixelmator.
http://www.macheist.com/bundle/u/49625/
Whachu waitin for, Wills?
January 21, 2008 6:54 pm
When you look at the developer's product page it lists the following system requirements
Mac OS X 10.5.0 or higher
G4, G5 or any Intel
CoreImage Graphic Card recommended
These differ from those listed on MacHeist, which are the same as the VectorDesigner specific page on the developer site.
So will I be able to run this on Tiger?
PURPLICIOUS!
January 21, 2008 7:07 pm
swruler9284 wrote:
Can someone explain to me what exactly vectors are (I kinda understand it from wikipedia) and more importantly.... what they're used for. It's like, to make artisitic kind of silhouettes and icons??????
I guess I just want to know what exactly this app is supposed to do........... :-) Thanks!
Think Asteroid (vectors) vs. Street Fighter II (rasters)
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January 21, 2008 7:23 pm
I had no trouble w/ the demo on Tiger. Of course I am not a power user......
Oh wait - finding Flickr textures/pics seemed odd. But as far as drawing and playing all seemed fine. I guess all this new software and the knowledge that many developers want to just code for Leopard will make me switch sooner than later.
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January 21, 2008 7:33 pm
I can't wait until we hit our goal! That app looks like the bomb. I just purchased a copy of the set.
January 21, 2008 7:38 pm
Well I've been fiddling about with this software, and I despite all my good will, every attempt at adding a new layer resulted in a weird freeze.
Adding new jpeg to the work area with drag and drop was also very unstable. Preferences are a joke.
Some features are promising, though, and the effects are very handy, when you don't have the time to get into the depths of illustrator... or the money to buy it (which is my case).
Still, this is DEFINITELY NOT a trustworthy software (yet) : nothing you can build a serious project with, unless you hit option-S after every modification...
Hopefully, bug fixes will be quick and efficient enough to make me change my mind.
You are now reading my signature
January 21, 2008 7:56 pm
betelguese05 wrote:
Andrew Scott wrote:No criticism of the MacHeist team intended but VectorDesigner is very immature. Having just tried using it for some simple work it's clear it lacks basic features and stability. It rreally feels more like beta software. Its great to see a new product, from a team with some good ideas, get some encouragement and publicity but I hope none of its users intend to produce serious work with it.
What features do you think it's lacking? Granted I've never used Illustrator but it seems very fleshed out. It reminds me of Pixelmator.
I like the idea of the addition of a vector app ... but I wish they had picked LineForm from Freeverse (http://www.freeverse.com/apps/app/?id=6020). It looks so much better. And I agree with Scott, VectorDesigner is very limited compared to Illustrator.
Granted, I wouldn't expect a $70 app to compare to Illustrator. But it is lacking a whole slew of pretty basic vector features. And the ones it does have are a little buggy or weird on the implementation. For example, the way it handles transparency on stroked objects is aggravating. And the the subtract boolean operation works opposite the conventional way (and opposite the way it is depicted in the icon).
Chillin' with the BLUE team.
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January 21, 2008 8:11 pm
DistantThunder wrote:
betelguese05 wrote:Andrew Scott wrote:No criticism of the MacHeist team intended but VectorDesigner is very immature. Having just tried using it for some simple work it's clear it lacks basic features and stability. It rreally feels more like beta software. Its great to see a new product, from a team with some good ideas, get some encouragement and publicity but I hope none of its users intend to produce serious work with it.
What features do you think it's lacking? Granted I've never used Illustrator but it seems very fleshed out. It reminds me of Pixelmator.
I like the idea of the addition of a vector app ... but I wish they had picked LineForm from Freeverse (link ommitted). It looks so much better. And I agree with Scott, VectorDesigner is very limited compared to Illustrator.
Granted, I wouldn't expect a $70 app to compare to Illustrator. But it is lacking a whole slew of pretty basic vector features. And the ones it does have are a little buggy or weird on the implementation. For example, the way it handles transparency on stroked objects is aggravating. And the the subtract boolean operation works opposite the conventional way (and opposite the way it is depicted in the icon).
Ditto. I was really hoping that the ORIGINAL bundle would have had LineForm, its the No.1 app that I want for my mac but can't afford at the moment.
Also, Does anyone know what formats VectorDesigner can read/write/export?
Alex.
January 21, 2008 9:19 pm
Go here: Order Lookup
If still nothing, go to Support Forum or email the directorate...Or check your junk mail.
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January 21, 2008 9:36 pm
Mindflux wrote:
I did order lookup three times, no emails. Checked spam folder numerous times too.
Mine took an hour or two to finally show up in my inbox.
Orange and black... that reminds me of something...
Craptastic.
January 21, 2008 9:51 pm
Phil,
Thanks for the bundle offer, great deal.
Just saw a banner on macsurfer. It's outdated, stating "10" Mac apps. You should update it to get the most out of the ad.
Cheers,
Julien
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January 21, 2008 10:11 pm
Dahc wrote:
Doesn't appear to have SVG support, odd omission for a vector drawing app.
f***ing hell, really? Wow thats crap... What can it read/write/export?
Where are you getting this info? Not supporting SVG is a killer for me... :-( [I use Inkscape on Windows but not on Mac because its quite slow under X11]
Alex.
January 21, 2008 10:12 pm
DBAlex wrote:
Dahc wrote:Doesn't appear to have SVG support, odd omission for a vector drawing app.
f***ing hell, really? Wow thats crap... What can it read/write/export?
Where are you getting this info? Not supporting SVG is a killer for me... :-( [I use Inkscape on Windows but not on Mac because its quite slow under X11]
Alex.
File->Export lists the following:
JPEG
GIF
PNG
JPEG-2000
TIFF
Photoshop
PDF
BMP
TGA
SGI
PICT
EPS
Not sure about import, I tried to import a SVG created in Inkscape, but it crashed. Doesn't seem to be any documentation listing import formats. (Note, i tried ai as well, no good).
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January 21, 2008 10:25 pm
DBAlex wrote:
Ditto. I was really hoping that the ORIGINAL bundle would have had LineForm, its the No.1 app that I want for my mac but can't afford at the moment.
Also, Does anyone know what formats VectorDesigner can read/write/export?
Alex.
Can't find anything about imports. From my test just now, it does NOT import AI, EPS (AI CS3 flavored), PDF, or WMF. It did correctly import an SVG image.
It can export to: JPEG, GIF, PNG, JPEG-2000, TIFF, Photoshop, PDF, BMP, TGA, SGI, PICT (bitmap), EPS. Strangely, no SVG export.
Oddly enough, Preview shows the Photoshop image with a transparent background, but CS3 imports it flattened with a black background.
Some other weird quirks (and these are all everyday, must-have features for me): no eyedropper tool ... no per document color palette ... no duplicate by modifier-key drag ... no zoom tool (you can do it with keyboard, though) ... gradients are 2-color only. Sorry, this is not an in-depth analysis, just my first 30 minutes with the app.
So as not to sound totally negative, I did like its bezier drawing tool, more than Illustrator's even. It's more dynamic; I love how it shows you the way the line will continue BEFORE you click the next point. But this positive is not enough to make up for what's lacking for me.
Chillin' with the BLUE team.
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January 21, 2008 10:29 pm
Dahc wrote:
Not sure about import, I tried to import a SVG created in Inkscape, but it crashed. Doesn't seem to be any documentation listing import formats. (Note, i tried ai as well, no good).
Well, looks like we tried to both answer at the same time. My SVG import worked, but mine was an export from AI, not Inkscape.
Chillin' with the BLUE team.
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January 21, 2008 10:30 pm
I haven't really used ay vector apps before and like the idea behind this app but it has crashed on my 4-5 times in the last half-hour... Also the documentation is not fantastic!
They really need to setup a forum or something so people can report bugs and request features and give each other tips! I think it has great potential and really like the flicker and iSight integration...
As an aside anyone more knowledgeable explain to me how I can make a picture the background image for text, i.e. the text is coloured by the image...
January 21, 2008 10:35 pm
DBAlex wrote:
Dahc wrote:Doesn't appear to have SVG support, odd omission for a vector drawing app.
f***ing hell, really? Wow thats crap... What can it read/write/export?
Where are you getting this info? Not supporting SVG is a killer for me... :-( [I use Inkscape on Windows but not on Mac because its quite slow under X11]
Alex.
No big deal...
Just convert with GraphicConverter:
http://www.lemkesoft.com/
The future is one of my favourite past times.
---------------------------------------------------
January 21, 2008 10:36 pm
O.o its going at ~$20 every minute apparently. Thats WAY too fast. 
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January 22, 2008 12:07 am
January 22, 2008 12:15 am
yeah right... any minute now... tik tok tik tok
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January 22, 2008 12:18 am
So close! 250 or so!
January 22, 2008 12:26 am
Some other weird quirks (and these are all everyday, must-have features for me): no eyedropper tool ...
If you're looking for the eyedropper for color-sampling, control-clicking the magnifying glass on the color palette will let you sample the color. If that's not what you meant, sorry for jumping in.
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January 22, 2008 12:27 am