Advantages: Realistically simulates traditional media
Disadvantages: Some cumbersome interface elements

...can mimic painting and drawing with chalk, pastels, watercolors, oils, crayons, pencil, felt pens, ink, and so much more. In addition, Painter offers numerous non-traditional tools such as image hose, pattern pens, cloners, and special effects. While its strong point is its artistic toolset, Painter also offers features for photo enhancement, Web graphics creation, optimization, animation, video editing, and working with text. Alone or as a companion to Photoshop, Painter brings the maximum in artistic possibilities to digital artists and creative professionals. Keep in mind that you'll need a pressure-sensitive graphics tablet to get the most satisfaction out of Painter. Painter Features: Hundreds of brushes in over 30 mediums with the ability to customize or create new brushes with infinite variety. Paper textures that interact... Read review

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Advantages: Nice looking interface, some great (and long overdue!) features in Outlook.
Disadvantages: Still quite a bit of money for an incremental upgrade. OneNote a little disappointing.

...Having an opportunity to try out Office2003 for awhile, there are some things I like about it very much - though I don't know if it warrants the hefty price tag. As has become commonplace for many Microsoft products, it is another incremental upgrade - it looks prettier (depending on your taste, I guess,) it has a couple nice new details (that should have been there all along?) and a shiny new application (OneNote,) that's pertinent mostly for TabletPC users, like me. The basic attributes haven't changed: Ease of use is as good as ever - most of the basic functions of the basic applications are pretty obvious. If you used Office before, you will be able to do pretty much everything you did before without any trouble. Paper documentation, as usual, is pretty much non-existent - you're going to have to buy a book if you like... Read review

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Advantages: Makes Novices into Experts in no time
Disadvantages: None

...rewritten to give smoother control over brush strokes. It is now much easier to use a mouse for fine detail painting and editing when before a graphics tablet may have been required. Perspective problems in photos are no longer a problem with the Perspective options tool. Distorted photos can be aligned by a unique handle placing system to sort out your image. It is also easy to straighten a crooked picture using the straighten tool. A line is positioned along an item that should be straight in the picture, the horizon for example. The image is then corrected. If the £85 price is a little high for you, I have noticed Earlier versions of Paintshop Pro being given away on Computer Magazine Cover CD`s. Although they will not have all of the features described above they will give you a general feel for the software and may just wet your... Read review

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Advantages: no limit to what you can achieve
Disadvantages: steep learning curve

...It's hard to know where to start on this amazing piece of software, there is honestly no limit to what you can achieve with it. The learning curve is very steep for beginners, but using adobes own tutorials you can learn a great deal. I started using this software about a year and a half ago, and I'll never look back at the other pieces of graphics software that are on the market again, this is the best without a doubt. The main advatages would be the ability to grab images directly from a scanner, the manipulation tools are excellent, and the more advanced features would be the support for graphics tablets, excellent range of brush types. You can literally create anything you want. The main disadvantages would be the steep learning curve that comes attatched to an advanced piece of software, you really need to have some... Read review

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Advantages: Totally free service! Great fun, and an amazing range of extra features!
Disadvantages: None that I can currently think of!

...along side "What I am listening to" in a way. Both appear in the same place, but I am afraid you have to decide which one you want as both cannot appear at once. A personal message is an extra piece of writing besides from your screen name, which will appear on the contact list of others next to your name. Below are the minimum system requirements needed to MSN Messenger 7.0 (Source: www.microsoft.com) • Supported Operating Systems: Windows 98; Windows 98 Second Edition; Windows ME; Windows XP; Windows XP 64-bit; Windows XP Embedded; Windows XP Embedded Service Pack 1; Windows XP Embedded Service Pack 2 ; Windows XP Home Edition ; Windows XP Media Center Edition; Windows XP Professional Edition ; Windows XP Service Pack 1; Windows XP Service Pack 2; Windows XP Tablet PC Edition • Pentium PC with 233MHz processor or faster... Read review

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Advantages: At least Microsoft thought about this one for a year
Disadvantages: Still sacrificing performance for GUI

...and anything I think I should warn you about before you take on the phenomenon which is VISTA! In the past, Microsoft have made "tailor made" operating systems, however they have not been anywhere close to being intended for any certain individual, but more specifically for the hardware they are to be used with. XP Tablet Edition for example was designed for mobile computers and its main feature is handwriting recognition. XP Media Centre is a base for a home entertainment system, and the 64-bit edition of XP was created for those computer users with 64-bit processors installed in their machines. This is all well and good if you have the space and collateral for a seperate home entertainment system, mobile platform, and a desktop PC with a 64-bit processor, but what happens when the clever clogs PC inventors come up with their spanking new... Read review

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Advantages: Safer faster cooler
Disadvantages: Requires a high spec Pc for an upgrade

...everyday tasks and troubleshooting in easy-to-follow, non-technical language. The new Windows Tablet and Touch Technology in Vista Business includes improved handwriting recognition and easier ways to browse documents and programs without using a keyboard. Computers that include Windows Vista Business and an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you to access critical business information even when your computer is turned off. Ultimate Windows Vista Ultimate is the most comprehensive edition of Windows Vista. It is the first operating system that combines all of the advanced infrastructure features of a business-focused operating system, all of the management and efficiency features of a mobility-focused operating system, and all of the digital entertainment features of a consumer-focused operating system. For the person who... Read review

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Advantages: Very quick, HUGE interface update, looks good
Disadvantages: Lack of compatability with old hardware and software

...the advanced business features of Vista Enterprise Edition along with the digital media capabilities of Vista Home Premium so in terms of the old windows XP versions when you buy Vista Ultimate it is like buying Windows XP Home, Professional, Media Center AND Tablet PC Edition all in one, and all the features can be used straight from the box. The updated media center works like a dream and now indexes videos and pictures as well as music, with Windows Media Player 11 doing the same, in addition to this we see a new version of movie maker and outlook express (now windows mail), updated to reflect the vista image. We also see several new applications, Windows Photo Gallery for organising and editing photos, Windows Calendar is self explanatory as are windows contacts and DVD maker, but what is more interesting is the new Windows Meeting Space, a peer... Read review

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Advantages: saves phone bills, many features, fun to use
Disadvantages: words can be misinterpreted

...handwrite. If you have a graphics tablet this is probably easier as half of the things try to write with the mouse is illegible. Again like most messengers you can also change your font and change the colours to make it more yourself. I tend to be boring and stick with black as if someone does a bright colour it really hurts to read. There is an option for talking through microphones as well. You click voice and can start having almost like a phone conversation. This is quite good I have tried this with a lot of people, it's weird at first but if you do it a lot you get more comfortable with it. The only thing I hate is hearing my voice if it comes through the person you're talking to's microphone. Webcam talking is an option again but I don't like the idea of anyone seeing me. You can view anyone on your lists webcam but only with permission... Read review

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Advantages: Slick new user interface, Masses of features
Disadvantages: No go for decrepit machines

...of them are coming to me now. There is also Windows Sidebar, Masses of Tablet PC functionality, System Rating System, Windows Mail, Windows Contacts, Windows Calendar, Improved Date and Time settings, Amazing Wallpapers, 3D Games, Improved Standby & Hibernate, More environmentally friendly power usage, Improved Sound Recorder, 256x256 icons, Hard Drive Usage Colouring, Windows Fax and Scan, Windows Meeting Space, Windows Media Centre and more that I still can't remember. So overall I would recommend you, yes you to buy it. But in the end it is your decision, so try before you buy. Thanks for reading; I hope I have helped you in some small and insignificant way. Alex Hawke... Read review

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