> For me, I'd just like software to be reasonably easy to use. E.g., the 
> Word picture editor is easier to use than Inkscape (although obviously it 
> has only a tiny fraction of the power).

If you accept that using this simple tool you can do less and what you do 
will take longer doing (if you do it more than once), you are right.

What I do not understand: how can anybody who is able and willing to use 
povray (learn a whole SDL, employ sound knowledge of geometry and 
mathematics) have any problems with a comparatively simple GUI. While I 
 >complain< about blender's and the gimp's GUI, I still can use them if I 
have to. It is just a pain  in the nether regions - it takes longer to 
achieve anything, but it can be done. Compared to modelling anything complex 
in povray sdl even blender is a piece of cake.

Post a reply to this message

TC wrote:

> What I do not understand: how can anybody who is able and willing to use 
> povray have any problems with a comparatively simple GUI. While I 
>  >complain< about blender's and the gimp's GUI, I still can use them if I 
> have to.

I use the GIMP from time to time. It's just very fiddly to make it do 
anything nontrivial. I also occasionally use Inkscape; again, it's just 
frustrating to use.

I note in passing that I could have produced my mockup with Inkscape, 
but I chose to manually write a computer program that makes calls to the 
Cairo library because it was *easier* than trying to figure out how to 
make Inkscape do what I want. (!)

> Compared to modelling anything complex 
> in povray sdl even blender is a piece of cake. 

"Modelling" things in SDL merely requires typing. Most people can manage 
that. Modelling stuff in Blender requires navigating a complex GUI, 
which is another matter entirely.

I might also mention that POV-Ray's documentation is excellent...

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

Post a reply to this message

On Sat, 17 Apr 2010 13:02:30 +0100, Orchid XP v8 wrote:

> For me, I'd just like software to be reasonably easy to use. E.g., the
> Word picture editor is easier to use than Inkscape (although obviously
> it has only a tiny fraction of the power).

Then you also have to accept that if a tool is less powerful, it will be 
more difficult to do the same tasks as the more powerful program.  In 
fact, in some cases, it may well be "impossible".

Jim

Post a reply to this message

On Sat, 17 Apr 2010 16:39:45 +0100, Orchid XP v8 wrote:

> I use the GIMP from time to time. It's just very fiddly to make it do
> anything nontrivial. I also occasionally use Inkscape; again, it's just
> frustrating to use.

Frequency of use can make things easier to use - familiarity is something 
that can help with ease of use.

Jim

Post a reply to this message

Invisible wrote:
> I have no idea how that's possible.

I've noticed you've improved, by the way. It's now no longer "obviously 
impossible" when you see something you don't understand. ;-)

Congrats. Keep moving forward. :-)  [And I'm 100% sincere in that.]

-- 
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   Linux: Now bringing the quality and usability of
   open source desktop apps to your personal electronics.

Post a reply to this message

Darren New escreveu:
>>>
http://blog.fluidcreativity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/screenshot-inkscape.png 
>>
>> I guess these take a little more than just time to learn the tools... ;)
> 
> And you thought rendering this in POV-Ray was slow!

well, besides a lot of patience, I actually meant talent. :P

-- 
a game sig: http://tinyurl.com/d3rxz9

Post a reply to this message

nemesis wrote:
> Darren New escreveu:
>>>>
http://blog.fluidcreativity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/screenshot-inkscape.png 
>>>
>>>
>>> I guess these take a little more than just time to learn the tools... ;)
>>
>> And you thought rendering this in POV-Ray was slow!
> 
> well, besides a lot of patience, I actually meant talent. :P

Well, sure. I'm pretty sure even for a highly talented individual, rendering 
that car with inkscape is slower than rendering that car with pov-ray. :-)

-- 
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   Linux: Now bringing the quality and usability of
   open source desktop apps to your personal electronics.

Post a reply to this message

Darren New escreveu:
> Invisible wrote:
>> I have no idea how that's possible.
> 
> I've noticed you've improved, by the way. It's now no longer "obviously 
> impossible" when you see something you don't understand. ;-)
> 
> Congrats. Keep moving forward. :-)  [And I'm 100% sincere in that.]

True!  My congrats too! :)

-- 
a game sig: http://tinyurl.com/d3rxz9

Post a reply to this message

Darren New escreveu:
> nemesis wrote:
>> Darren New escreveu:
>>>>>
http://blog.fluidcreativity.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/screenshot-inkscape.png 
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I guess these take a little more than just time to learn the 
>>>> tools... ;)
>>>
>>> And you thought rendering this in POV-Ray was slow!
>>
>> well, besides a lot of patience, I actually meant talent. :P
> 
> Well, sure. I'm pretty sure even for a highly talented individual, 
> rendering that car with inkscape is slower than rendering that car with 
> pov-ray. :-)

yes, making the software paint for you is a lot faster, though perhaps 
not as fun.  Still, you need a model first and I'm not that sure a 3D 
modeller will do it faster than a guy drawing it.  The good thing, of 
course, is that with 3D "painting" the final model from various 
different angles is a breeze... :)

-- 
a game sig: http://tinyurl.com/d3rxz9

Post a reply to this message

Invisible wrote:
>>> Mmm, interesting. Of course, since I won't be using a CMS, I'm not 
>>> sure it helps, but it's interesting to know that such things exist.
>>
>> Your blog is running on Wordpress, which is a CMS.
> 
> My blog does not allow you to use any themes except the ones provided by 
> the hosting company.

Heck, if I were allowed to do it, I could just install the Black Piano 
theme on my blog. It's for the same bloggong engine, after all. Sadly, 
my ISP does not allow it.

Post a reply to this message