Necessary (Paint Shop Pro 6.0)

Member Name: JRW

Product:	Paint Shop Pro 6.0
Date:	28/07/00 (42 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Powerful, Easy Once You Know How

Disadvantages: Poor Help Facility, Initially Difficult To Use

What do you need a graphics program for, I hear you cry. Well, the reality is that most computer users will be able to get buy without one. However, there are a large number of users out there with certain hardware and demands that need to be met who really do need a graphics program. Most people who have used Paint Shop Pro will praise it very highly. Is such praise justified we have to ask?

If you need a graphics program then you’ll already have found out. If you have a scanner or digital camera then you’ll probably already using the bundled software that came with the product. Also, if you have a website (but not the money) then you’ll also need image-editing software. And for those of us who don’t want to pay extortionate amounts to Adobe for their software, Paint Shop Pro is an extremely attractive proposition.

Initially available in a 30-day trial version, Paint Shop Pro boats an almost inexhaustible number of features. If you want to do it then the chances are it can be done in Paint Shop Pro. You can create nice text effect, web page button, edit your scanned/digital photos and more. However, if you’re to fully benefit from Paint Shop Pro then you’re going to have to persevere with the product. Looking at my own experience, the product seemed to receive a standing ovation in every review I looked at. Therefore I downloaded and installed the software but was fast sinking in this deep end. There is a certain “what now?” effect when using Paint Shop Pro for the first time – and you don’t really get adequate assistance from the poor help file. However, Paint Shop Pro is somewhat of a darling amongst web users and so you’re bound to find instructions and examples on the web, somewhere. Once you get to know the product you will wonder how you ever managed without it – it is that good (and necessary). And for experienced and power-devouring users, I believe that Paint Shop Pro
will satisfy your insatiable appetite. Incidentally there are a large number of plug-ins that work with Paint Shop Pro to add even more functions (- what, you need even more?).

If you have enough discipline to cope with “learning” Paint Shop Pro, then you’ll definitely reap the rewards of an excellently designed and powerful product. For beginners, however, I’d perhaps get some information from certain websites, such as tutorials, to prepare you for your march into the image-editing wilderness.

If at first you don’t succeed, then try again.

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