From the monthly archives:

July 2009

Update Notifier

28 July 2009

Update NotifierFor me this is a dream come true. Update Notifier.

I keep a folder of all my software installers; in case I have to reinstall my OS without warning everything’s ready to go.  Sometimes I share installers with others through Dropbox so that’s another reason. Keeping the installers up-to-date is a chore, so much so that I have it as a scheduled task on my calendar.

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Canto Single User

25 July 2009

Canto Single UserIt’s official. Canto Single User is the same insanely complex software as MediaDex. (See all posts on MediaDex.)

It has the same help file with the same uselessly-small graphics.

They changed the icons, shape and color, on the main menu. Whoopdeedoo. They removed the most important one (add assets) and added one for configuring the screen layout. (That’s nice.)

The new ‘photo editor’ can hardly be called an editor. It can crop and resize photos and change brightness levels.

The slideshow works now without crashing the program. That’s nice.

The search options in Mediadex were simple to access from the menu bar; this is a pain.

You can create and play QuickTime movies from your pictures. Big deal.

It’s still missing a simple way to rename files.

If you’re an organizing junkie you’d probably like it, but be prepared for a long hard slog to learn this software.

If you’re determined, please read my post called MediaDex Primer.

Don’t get me wrong. I love this software, having made it past the intense learning curve to a basic level of usability. But this software cost me $80 a year and a half ago. I don’t see what suddenly makes it worth $400. Because they changed the color of the icons?

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MediaDex/Canto Single User

24 July 2009

MediaDexMediaDex is no more. Convoluted, but I think the story went like this. In the beginning was (still is) Canto Cumulus, corporate-level digital asset management system with a price tag so high they don’t quote it on the website. Then they came up with a single user version called MediaDex, organization minus the worldwide sharing part. Horribly abstruse piece of software with a support forum full of frustrated users. Nevertheless, potential to salivate over.

Apparently, someone else thought so, too. Now it’s become Canto Single User, being sold and supported through partners in Germany, France and Australia. So far I see there’s an image editor, watermarking and a modernized interface added. It will take more than that to impress me. Going by the price tag, I’m expecting all the bugs to be fixed and a good dash of user-friendliness added. Fortunately, there’s a trial version so I can find out.

User datasheet PDF

$400 USD or $200 for the upgrade from MediaDex.

Windows and Mac compatible.

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My Country, ‘Tis of Thee

14 July 2009

All Ye Faithful,

I know I’ve been gone for a long time.  I’ve seen a few new subscribers.  Or maybe some of you oldies coming back around?

I still like this website.  I put all my heart into it and some of you have followed me through 5 or 6 different re-designs. Thank-you for your astounding patience.  This is post #226 not including the 20 or 30 I deleted during the last move, but who’s counting?

After the college website was finished, another desperate person, also victim of a bad web designer, was referred to me.  There might be a whole town of wounded people here, enough to keep me in business for decades.  Then I received an invitation to a small private forum which, again, has nothing to do with genealogy.  I also still work for the college because otherwise they wouldn’t have anyone with my level of stupendous talent.  I also go to school.  Between this and that I have a to-do list that’s terrifying and hampered only by my ever-aging body.

Back in April I applied for a U. S. passport since I’m still a citizen there and the government has made it so that we can’t go across the border without one.  This is a mind-boggling process.  Here’s the short version: If you don’t live in the U. S. don’t try to get a U. S. passport.

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