ANDREW SCOTT  I don’t think I’ve touched SuperDuper! since Time Machine was released. Time Machine saved my bacon when our old PowerBook died unexpectedly and it’s great to have however I’ve realised it’s not good to rely on just one backup mechanism. I’ve just re-started using SuperDuper! alongside Time Machine and what a pleasure it is to use. It’s been a reliable safety net in the past and I’m glad to be using it again.  
(Version 2.5)

ANDREW SCOTT  I was excited to see this application and keen to try it out. Periodically I need to record drawings and images larger than my scanner and this promises to make short work of tidying up the camera images. It seems to do a good job of of taking distorted images and producing clear, straight outputs. However it’s clear that Prizmo is still developing and it has many rough edges and opportunities for improvement:

- The zoom view slider appears below the output image but affects the viewing size of the original image. Why not position it below the image it controls just like iPhoto?

- Adjusting the output image proportions is very hit-and-miss. There are no visual indicator of proportion or ratio while you’re dragging other than guesswork. It would be very useful to have a visual indicator of ratio while dragging, perhaps showing when common ratios are established, such as square, golden rectangle, metric paper sizes (eg. A4), letter size, etc.. user definable ratios would be even better. The Page Options Pane suggest some control over output proportion is possible but seems buggy, sometimes generating width and height values such as “5.018e+04”

- The grid placed over the original image is useful but the blue outer border is too bold and obscures the edges of the object you’re trying to frame. This makes it difficult to achieve accuracy with out a lot of trial and error. Perimeter grid lines should be adjustable in thickness or possible to replace with corner or trim lines only to facilitate precision. You can adjust the colour of the grid lines but not transparency so that’s of little help.

- The Image Processing Pane allows some control over the exposure values in the photograph which is good. In ideal situations you’ll be able to use the resulting image without modification. Unfortunately it lacks a white point control, meaning more trial and error adjustment is necessary. Also many images are taken in less than even lighting circumstances. It would be good to be able to adjust levels across the image over a gradient, defined by the user. This would help eliminate dark corners or edges and avoid hot spots. Without this control it’s necessary to process the image again in Photoshop—which raises the question, “why not use Photoshop for the whole process?”

- Sometimes saved output is just a blank document for no apparent reason.

In summary, Prizmo is very promising but also unfinished and costly for its features. At US$10 I’d buy it as is and make do with it’s rough edges and idiosyncrasies but at US$40 I’ll just have to wait to see if it gets a lot smoother and more powerful before I jump in. I wish the developer well and await developments with some anticipation.  
(Version 1.0.1)

ANDREW SCOTT  No problems like that for me: downloaded flawlessly, works well. Interface is a mite too minimal for my taste but it works. Little Snitch reports no external calls. Seems fine.  
(Version 0.2)

ANDREW SCOTT  This is my favourite Twitter widget and I've tried quite a few. It's responsive and easy to use. My one complaint is that I can't resize the window to see a lot more tweets at once but apart from that it's pretty good.  
(Version 2.0.2)

ANDREW SCOTT  Airmailr v 0.3 seems to work just fine on my MacBook Air (under 10.5.6). I like the way you can resize the window to see more Tweets (unique in Dashboard Twitter clients my experience). The interface is a little rough though:

- Tweets jitter as you mouse over them

- interface elements are a bit crude, for example "x" characters for close buttons

- it's slow to respond when you open the Dashboard. It seems like every other widget is updating before this one becomes responsive

- avatar images are way too small

Despite this niggles I quite like it. It's early days so hopefully it'll lose those rough edges.  
(Version 0.2.1)

ANDREW SCOTT  I can confirm this. I just tried using my Bluetooth headset. With audio input set to my headset = instant fail as soon as the Keynote presentation starts. With audio input to to the built-in mic = success. I hope they fix this soon.  
(Version 2.4.1)

ANDREW SCOTT  This worked for me: go to File/Import/From file… and select the "MacHeist Serials.appshelf" file. If it's working you should see all of your bundle apps listed in AppShelf. Very nice.  
(Version 1.1.1)

ANDREW SCOTT  Nicely done.  
(Version 1.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  Has anyone had any luck getting tech support from this developer? I followed the contact link on their web site and it takes me to a "Get Satisfaction" site, where you field your questions and see if it's already been answered. If it hasn't you hope that someone sees your question and helps you out. Ten days and counting and no one has so I'd like to contact the developer for some direct support. Not so easy.

I was thinking of upgrading to the latest version but don't see the point if I can't get help with the software.

In case someone here knows the answer: I've never had any luck with the "don't show Tags matching these regular expressions" feature in FlickrExort for iPhoto and I've been using it for years. The ? button takes me to a fairly technical site with information on Grep expressions. I can't figure it out. Can anyone tell me how to make this feature work?  
(Version 3.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  Very useful: just was I was looking for.

I don't like to leave the lock-on-sleep setting switched on on my Macs because I find it inconvenient but sometimes I do need to lock it when I know I'll be away from my screen for a while. This widget lets me do so quickly without needing to have fast user switching activated. This is an advantage on my MacBook Air's smaller screen.  
(Version 1.3)

ANDREW SCOTT  Nicely done themes with a touch of humour. I'm not sure how useful the "Running Girl" theme is—only seems to make sense if you're a girl and a runner but I guess that's OK. The notepad theme looks great but is very much for short messages since it doesn't expand. The wanted poster is also fixed in length but is obviously designed for short invitations and the like. The fourth style is my favourite: and expanding text area with a sense of humour.

Good fun.  
(Version 1.1)

ANDREW SCOTT  Does anyone know if it's possible to get this version working with iPhone 8.0?  
(Version 1.4.3)

ANDREW SCOTT  I've only had this software a short time but it's quite ingenious. It takes some getting used to but the outcomes are worth it. You can get a more polished result if you export the composition as a midi file and modify the instruments in GarageBand but the results are good are completely your own property, royalty free.

However, the registration process to get a license key is easily the most byzantine, counterintuitive series of steps I've ever encountered. I buy a lot of software and this stands out as the most complicated I've ever been forced to use. I'm not sure I'd have bought the software if I'd have known ahead of time. It felt more like a MacHeist mission!

I understand software developers want to protect themselves from piracy but this method must generate a few disgruntled customers.  
(Version 2.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  The point is well made about typing noise. It does tend to be quite obtrusive in the recordings when you use the internal microphone. I haven't tried using an external mic but I'd like to try. Perhaps the ideal arrangement would be a USB (or wireless) webcam with it's own mic.  
(Version 1.1.2)

ANDREW SCOTT  ChronoSync just gets better and better. It's been a while since the last upgrade but that hasn't stopped this software from being something I rely on constantly in the background. I always recommend it to people who need this kind of function.

The fact that 4.0 is a free upgrade is great value and demonstrates Econ Technologies' support for their customers.

One last, small thing: the menu bar icon has been redesigned so that it is no longer easy to confuse with Sync or Time Machine—thank you!  
(Version 4.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  Oops! Strike that. I made the mistake of downloading the earlier version from the developers site ("download and install" gives you the earlier, non-beta version, not 1.4b2). I should have looked more carefully.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction! It's great to have Keywurl back.  
(Version 1.4b2)

ANDREW SCOTT  That's interesting. I just installed it again and got this error when I launched Safari:

"Safari 3.2.1 (v5525.27.1) has not been tested with the plugin Keywurl (null) (v1.3.5). As a precaution, it has not been loaded. Please contact the plugin developer (not the SIMBL author) for further information."  
(Version 1.4b2)

ANDREW SCOTT  Wow! The latest VideoDrive features quite a significant user interface overhaul. My earlier gripe about the metadata functions has been answered. I haven't had a chance to use it much yet but at first glance I'm very impressed.

Great work, Aroona!  
(Version 1.7b1)

ANDREW SCOTT  Interesting. The shaped selection option is something new in screen capture applications. Although I can't think of a lot of use for this feature in my work others might find it more useful. There are lots of call-out features and most settings seem customisable, eg. drop shadows, giving you lots of control. For me the online sharing features of Skitch are indispensable so I don't think Voila can replace it at the moment but this is a respectable first version and worth a look.  
(Version 0.1b)

ANDREW SCOTT  Nice work. Installed just fine via double-click as well.  
(Version 1.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  Nice work!  
(Version 1.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  I've come to rely on VideoDrive quite a bit since setting up my media centre. I routinely use it seek out cover art for my video collection as well as adding useful metadata.

It does, however, have its idiosyncrasies, mainly to do with the metadata functions. For example, it has a distinct penchant for turning up "Doug's 1st Movie" for many automatic metadata searches. (It did this just now when searching for "Citizen Kane"!) If you re-type the movie title and search again it usually finds the correct movie.

The other thing is an unfortunate interface arrangement. There is a "Set Metadata" button for starting a search on your iTunes selection(s) and below it a "Preferences" button. If you want to switch between manual and automatic metadata you have a trip to the preferences ahead of you. If you just hit the "Set Metadata" button there is no cue to what you'll get—you have to remember what you set your preferences to last time you used it. Surely it would make more sense to have a few more buttons at this top level such as "Auto-set metadata" and "Manually set metadata" (with a brief summary of the settings that will be applied)?

In summary, it's a bit rough around the edges but it's better than doing everything manually in iTunes and I gladly keep using it.  
(Version 1.6.8.01)

ANDREW SCOTT  Lately I've found that my iMac is awake when I return to it after a day at work or in the morning. I don't know what's keeping it awake but it really annoys me. PleaseSleep does what it says quietly and efficiently. Although I've only been running it a short time I'm very pleased with the result. I'm happy to make a donation in a week or so when it's proven to be stable.  
(Version 1.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  Sadly Keywurl seems to conflict with Safari 3.2.

What a pity, I really miss it.  
(Version 1.4b2)

ANDREW SCOTT  I'm happy to report that, so far, 1.0.1 seems to fix the problems. Count It Off now works as it should and synchronisation with the web site works as well.

The developer is extremely responsive and I look forward to watching the evolution of this app.

I'd still suggest that users east of the GMT 0 (eg. London time) wait until version 1.0.1 hits the app store or else run the app without synchronising with the web site.  
(Version 1.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  This is a promising product but sadly it's very buggy and ultimately unusable in its current form.

The interface is clean, even sparse, but pleasant. It's not immediately clear how to do some things, for example many screens lack an "Edit" button but deleting can be initiated with a horizontal wipe. Sometimes it's just a bit too simple: while you can save meals the app gives you no assistance in calculating meal composition. You can only enter a single name and total energy for each entry. I'm familiar with the Diet Club software which allowed you to create a saved meal made up of multiple food components and entries could be made in calories or kilo-joules on the fly. Much easier. Although Count It Off allows weight to be recorded in metric or Imperial measures it doesn't yet do the same for energy. However, the developer seems responsive and plans to add this.

There is a free Count It Off web site that synchronises quickly with the app. Entries made in the app are uploaded to the site however this doesn't seem to happen reliably in the other direction making the running total of daily consumption on your iPhone useless.

Ultimately the big problem with this software is that it just doesn't work yet. After one day attempting to use it I have 9 days of random duplicate entries and no accurate running total of how much I've consumed.

Count It Off is very promising but I'd advise postponing purchase until the bugs are squashed.  
(Version 1.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  Apple's Preview lets you drag and drop to combine PDFs as well—and you already have it on your Mac.  
(Version 1.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  An important difference between Keynote's audio recording and exporting ability and ProfCast's is that the former produces video with an audio soundtrack while the latter produces an enhanced podcast, which is to say an audio track with integrated still images. Although enhanced podcasts don't record slide transitions the file sizes are much more compact without sacrificing visual information. Each slide becomes its own chapter, taking the title from the slide title, which makes navigation of large recordings a lot easier. Students love this feature because they can easily jump to the portion of a lecture that they want to revise.

Moreover enhanced podcasts will play on a greater variety of players (iPods and the like) which makes them more accessible to a larger audience.

If you don't need to record actual video ProfCast recording are a great balance of quality and file size.

ProfCast does seem a little unstable and occasionally unreliable but the developers are responsive and sincere in their efforts to help.  
(Version 2.2)

ANDREW SCOTT  I restarted Safari a few times and suddenly my keywords are retained. Excellent!  
(Version 1.3)

ANDREW SCOTT  Very nice, useful software. I think it needs a bit more by way of a help file though. I tried creating a search for MacUpdate:

http://www.macupdate.com/search.php?arch=all&keywords=@@@&os=macosx

It works well except I can't get the keyword to stick in the Preferences file (I had to replace the expansion string for discogs). Maybe it's a bug or maybe I just can't work it out.  
(Version 1.3)

ANDREW SCOTT  This kind of thing leaves a bad taste in my mouth but I'm not that surprised. The same kind of thing has happened to software bought under previous Macheists and is something I take into consideration when I decide to purchase. It's kind of like fire sale for soon-to-be-obsolete software, though they don't put it in those terms of course.

It still stinks though.  
(Version 5.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  I've been finding exactly the same problem with the current beta version. It's very annoying to hear the fans of my MacBook Pro go into overdrive and find out the CleanApp daemon is grabbing 98% of the CPU for no good reason.  
(Version 3.0b1)

ANDREW SCOTT  I don't know, then the world might not have heard of "AceReader Pro Deluxe Plus Super Ultra Mega-Platinum Ultimate Extreme". :)  
(Version 5.0k)

ANDREW SCOTT  As you'd expect, I don't think this works with iMovie 08. The FAQ states:

"* iMovie Plugins works with iLife version 5 or 6."  
(Version 1.5.6)

ANDREW SCOTT  Inquisition is pretty smooth but just recently concerns have emerged about biased search results:

inquisitor-raises-some-questions

Worth looking into.  
(Version 0.7b4)

ANDREW SCOTT  Photon has an appealing interface and it does indeed work quickly. However it's overpriced and lacks features of competing software. It's really quite limited.

My current tool for photo sorting is PhotoReviewer which is also very fast and, for my needs, better suited to habitual photo sorting where your categories or destinations are well defined in advance. (If only the author could update it to work properly with Leopard it'd be perfect.)

I hope Photon continues to evolve. It wouldn't hurt if it could handle video as well since many cameras generate this too. But $49? "Tell him he's dreaming."  
(Version 1.0.2)

ANDREW SCOTT  Yes. Some of the most significant features seem identical to Disk Utility, while others do not. I still think a side-by-side comparison would be revealing.  
(Version 10.4)

ANDREW SCOTT  I've tried using Automator as well as many of the competing applications but A Better Finder Rename is so much more flexible, usable and powerful that it beats the test hands down.  
(Version 7.9.5.1)

ANDREW SCOTT  It might be prudent to remove the time delay (and "Try" button) during the trial period. I've been trying Speed Download but the experience is more annoying and intrusive than convenient and addictive. Perhaps the delay should only start to happen after you've tried it for a week or two?  
(Version 4.1.18)

ANDREW SCOTT  I think the Bento™ User’s Guide is like many Apple software manuals: it attends well to the details but doesn't provide many examples.  
(Version 1.0v2r1)

ANDREW SCOTT  Mea culpa. I'm sorry for the confusion.  
(Version 1.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  This looks very promising but it really needs a better manual and some more extensive examples. I just can't seem to get the hang of it at the moment. Perhaps my past experience with FileMaker is getting in the way.  
(Version pb1)

ANDREW SCOTT  Another quick way to put your Mac to sleep, Leopard or no, is to hold COMMAND + OPTION then press EJECT.  
(Version 1.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  It would be nice to clarify what advantages this product has over Apple's free Disk Utility, which has long had most of the features listed for FileGuard. Is increased convenience the main thing FileGuard offers? The price seems high in that case.

If you're thinking of buying you might consider Exces as well.  
(Version 10.4)

ANDREW SCOTT  Very elegant software. Easy to use, everything is pretty much as you want it to be. The "Manage Constraints" feature is especially useful if you find yourself using particular sizes or ratios repeatedly.  
(Version )

ANDREW SCOTT  This looks like a comprehensive product range. The naming scheme seems a bit over-the-top though. What's next? AceReader Super Xtreme Pro Double Plus? :) Perhaps something simpler might be easier to understand?

AceReader (single or multi-user)

AceReader Pro (school)

AceReader Network (school network)

None of my business of course. Just a suggestion.  
(Version 5.0.1)

ANDREW SCOTT  I tried this application only briefly and found the interface to be very dated.

I was interested in the stamp feature. I imported a scan of my signature but it only seems to accept JPEG and GIF formats so devising a stamp with alpha channel transparency, so that it simulates writing your name, say on a dotted line, is rather ineffectual due to the bounding box of the image.

It may be that this software has the power and flexibility you need but for my limited purposes it's too expensive and too unpleasant. Oh well.  
(Version 4.5.2)

ANDREW SCOTT  This looks like an elegant little app that simplifies HDR image creation. It could do with some tool tips or a manual though—even though the interface is clean some tips on how to get the best from it would help avoid a lot of trial and error.

One suggestion: it's not immediately obvious how to actually generate the final image. A nice "Save HDR Image" button wouldn't hurt even though there is a menu command that does the same thing.  
(Version 1.01)

ANDREW SCOTT  I just bought this and am pretty pleased with it though I haven't used it for long enough to write a proper review yet.

I would like say that new users should be wary of upgrading to the latest OS version 10.4.10, since it seems incompatible with certain head sets.

Check the MacSpeech support knowledge base for more information:

"Microphone Unresponsive After Updating To Mac OS X 10.4.10

SYMPTOMS: After dictating to Mac OS X 10.4.10 the microphone becomes unresponsive and no dictation will appear in any application. In addition, the microphone produces no signal in the Sound or Speech System Preference panels…"

http://www.macspeech.com/support/index.php?action=kb&article=188  
(Version 1.7)

ANDREW SCOTT  I am aware of this, having used DEVONthink for some time. My point is, if SOHO Notes changes it's Palm sync methods in ways that I'm unwilling to use then it effectively ceases to have this ability *for me*. Palm synchronisation is just about the only thing that kept me using SOHO Notes and without it I'll probably migrate my data to platforms that offer different feature sets—even if they too lack Palm support.

There are lots of things to like about SOHO Notes and Chronos seem committed to Palm support in some manner or other, it's just for me I think it's time to move on.  
(Version 6.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  I'm disappointed to see that the end is in sight for direct Palm support. I can see that Chronos have good reasons but I don't want to buy a third party package like Missing Sync to replace something I already have in version 5.x.

"Limited Life For Palm Synchronization Conduit

Chronos would like you to know that it will continue to offer and support its Palm conduit for a limited time only. We are in the process of transitioning our Palm syncing to the Missing Sync™ software by Mark/Space. This move will offer our users big advantages like the ability to also sync their notes to other devices like the Black Berry, Pocket PC, Windows Mobile, and more. At this time, we're unable to predict exactly when this transition will occur but we expect it to happen before the end of 2007.

As many of you know, Palm Inc.'s support for the Mac OS X platform has been virtually non-existent for years. This has made it increasingly difficult for developers like Chronos to successfully write and debug synchronization conduits. It's also becoming increasingly unclear as to whether some of the tools we use for conduit development will continue to work under Apple's forthcoming Mac OS X Leopard. We thus can no longer guarantee how long we'll be able to support our conduit and want our new SOHO Notes 6 users to understand this situation upfront."

I appreciate Chronos stating this clearly however it's just another reason for moving all my notes over to DEVONthink.  
(Version 6.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  Beautiful and mesmerising. Thank you!  
(Version 1.2)

ANDREW SCOTT  I recently registered my copy and I'm very happy with it. I like the journalling feature—it certainly seems to get all the pieces.

However there are a few rough edges here and there that need work:

- it's very easy to accidentally delete your main Keychain if an application has a Keychain entry. I did this the first time I used CleanApp, thinking I was deleting the Keychain password entry just for that application. Luckily didn't empty the Trash before I discovered the consequences. I think Keychains should be protected from this somehow, or at least the user should be warned of the consequences. I realise I don't know much about Keychains and that CleanApp is very powerful… so I need protecting from myself! (The log window provides a way of restoring deleted files but that is really a last ditch response.)

- It's not very easy to find the developer's email address. I found it in the ReadMe/Help file and in the About CleanApp window but neither of these addresses are hot-linked for ease of use. Many shareware applications place a "contact the developer" link under the Help menu. Perhaps this is worth considering. Also the CleanApp web page lacks any contact information at all. Not good practice.

- The Applications window, which can produce a very long list of applications, doesn't respond to the keyboard letters. In the Finder typing some keys will jump to the first file starting with those letters. This seems like an obvious feature to replicate in most CleanApp list views.

- The CleanApp Log window, which is useful, doesn't allow the date field to be resized even though the date and time information doesn't fit in the column.

- The Cache Files window: the Mac icon at the bottom left, which "reveals in Finder", shows the tooltip "Unmark" just like the Unmark icon next to it.

- The "Unmark" button should be labelled "Unmark all"

- On a cosmetic note I think using a square root symbol ? for the "Select All" icon instead of a proper tick mark ? is somewhat sloppy and not up to Mac application standards. The same might be said of the "X" when a proper symbol ? is available. I know these are small, finicky details but I think addressing them would improve the polish of the application.

Other than that, well done. It's great software.  
(Version 2.2.2)

ANDREW SCOTT  This might make an interesting widget, memory permitting.  
(Version 1.4.3)

ANDREW SCOTT  My university library changed it's log-on page yet again, just enough to stop Library Books working. I emailed the developer and he already had a beta version (2.6b30) ready that fixed the problem! Amazing support for freeware.  
(Version 2.4)

ANDREW SCOTT  I have some sympathy with the developer's predicament—he should be recompensed for his hard work and anyone can make mistakes in their early days. However this does seem like a breach of his contract with his early customers (and might be challenged on legal grounds if someone felt it was worth the effort).

Perhaps the developer could continue to fulfil his free-upgrades-for-life policy for those early customers, maybe asking only for voluntary donations, while asking new customers to pay for major upgrades. It would certainly avoid negative publicity and damage to his credibility.  
(Version 5.6.1)

ANDREW SCOTT  Very nice work. Fast and efficient.

I really appreciate the auto-rotate option and the speed is very welcome, as is Uiversal Binary. What it does very well is rapidly allow viewing of images within a given folder. I often choose to view a subset of images in a folder and will probably keep using ViewIt for that purpose. PhotoReviewer suits me better for it's sorting options when I'm processing batches of recent photos but perhaps that's just because I'm used to it. Xee's "Move to destination n" feature makes it an excellent (and free) alternative.

Great work and thanks.  
(Version 2.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  In the interests of making an informed choice people might like to check out ChronoSync which offers synchronise-on-mount functionality along with lots more. It is more than twice the price of LifeBoat so I guess they each occupy different niches.   
(Version 1.0.1)

ANDREW SCOTT  Further to my previous comment, my copy of DEVONthink Pro tells me it is up-to-date (1.2.1) and the developer website indicates this is accurate. However the MacUpdate "What's New" listing states that there are updates for "All Editions", implying updates (not upgrades) for DEVONthink Pro and even DEVONthink Personal. The Download Now link points to the DEVONthink Pro Office 1.3 beta rather than the Pro 1.2.1 version and yet the page title is "DEVONthink Pro 1.3b".

I take it that this is the work of an enthusiastic developer trying to get the message out about their latest improvements but it could be seen somewhat more cynically. DEVONtechologies, please be clear about your product range.  
(Version 1.3b)

ANDREW SCOTT  I agree. I think this is misleading marketing. DEVONthink Personal has its own MacUpdate entry and so should DEVONthink Pro (Office). As the developer said in their recent email message, they have "extended the DEVONthink product line with DEVONthink Professional Office".

Incidentally existing Pro users can upgrade for US$60 but that seems a little steep to me.  
(Version 1.3b)

ANDREW SCOTT  I think you've hit the nail on the head. I've owned a copy of LB for a few years and have just become sick of their failure to implement obvious improvements, like iCal integration. And the attitude in the forums tends to be quite patronising.

The thing I don't understand is that if they use LB themselves why aren't they more productive in the development of their software?

I still have hopes: the software is solid and works well within its limitations.  
(Version 3.2.9)

ANDREW SCOTT  This is a sophisticated addition to keyword application in iPhoto. I use a lot of keywords partly because I have a large library and use Flickr, and therefore tagging, extensively. I like the way Keyword Manager applies multiple keywords when you apply a keyword that is a subcategory. Removing a keyword is also much easier than it is in iPhoto.

It could be improved by the ability to alphabetise keywords. Also the price, for me, is too high, especially considering the Keyword Assistant is free. For $10 I'd be converted but for now I think I'll have to stick to KA.

Nice work though. A mature expansion of keywords in iPhoto.  
(Version 1.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  3.0 Beta 1 has just been released, now free.

However I'm reluctant to install it because I use AcidSearch and I suspect they can't coexist. Does anyone know if this is the case? There doesn't seem to be any details on the developers site or any Read Me file included in the disk image.   
(Version 2.6.3)

ANDREW SCOTT  Hi Richy,

Third time was the charm: the disk image opened fine this time. For the record I'm using 10.4.8.

~A  
(Version 1.3.1)

ANDREW SCOTT  I seem to be having a problem with the 1.3.1 disk image: "mounting failed" and "device not configured".  
(Version 1.3.1)

ANDREW SCOTT  Quick work for iPhoto 6.0.5!  
(Version 1.9.3)

ANDREW SCOTT  No worries, Richy. I look forward to seeing what you come up with. It's a great product.  
(Version 1.2.1)

ANDREW SCOTT  I can imagine the interface is the tricky part.

I wonder if it would be useful to capture the icons of all open apps when you take a snapshot as a way of labelling it: as you scroll down the list you'd see all included icons appear. You'd probably need to allow the user to give it a name too.

Another approach is to allow the snapshot to appear as a Relaunch "document". This way you could name it, move it, place it in the Dock, keep it with the files it relates to, etc.. Designate a particular folder as your Relaunch Menu shortcut folder and all those snapshot documents could be available from the drop down menu.  
(Version 1.2)

ANDREW SCOTT  It's an interesting idea. If you could take snapshots and name them by project you'd have a nice way of changing easily from one suite of tasks to another. Use Relaunch by project with Virtual Desktop (or similar) and you've got a powerful little package.  
(Version 1.1)

ANDREW SCOTT  I am happy to report that BDayz does indeed work perfectly on my PowerBook. The developer contacted me and helped me understand what is quite clearly explained in the Read Me file. :)

When you launch BDayz it will appear in the Dock for a moment and then disappear unless there is a birthday recorded in one of your Address Book entries for today. It's useful if you place it in your Startup Items and tend to boot up your Mac every morning.  
(Version 1.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  This software offers an impressive array of functionality. As a CM item it's always at your fingertips and seems noticeably faster than Preview and many of its replacements.

The only problem with it is its interface. It makes use of what a first seems like a welter of icons. The novice user will spend quite some time learning what they mean, along with their keyboard shortcuts, using only a fraction of the features, or giving up altogether. Those who persevere may find its power and flexibility indispensable (I haven't had it long enough to judge yet).

The interface desperately needs to adhere to OS X interface standards, such as the close box position and style, and would be aided tremendously by the addition of tool tips for all icons. A pop-up palette of shortcuts and would also be helpful.

A small point: the developer makes use of the term "diaporama" to refer to, I think, slideshow functionality. I can't find this in my dictionary so perhaps it's a technical term or a translation mistake but I suggest "slideshow" would be clearer to most English readers.

Altogether a useful and powerful addition to the Mac OS but on need to some polish.  
(Version 2.0p3)

ANDREW SCOTT  I couldn't get this to work with iCal 2.0.3 and OS 10.4.7 on my PowerBook G4.

"Can't continue «event wrbraec4»."  
(Version 1.8.2)

ANDREW SCOTT  I couldn't get this to launch under OS 10.4.7, PowerBook G4.  
(Version 1.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  This software has had its name changed to Yep and is up to version 1.1b2.

I've been impressed by its features and ease-of-use and can see it making itself almost indispensable… which makes me a little disappointed about the price:

"Note: This version is free but come September, 2006 we are going to be charging $49. So get it now, while you can!"

I guess I'll have to think twice before I rely on it too much.  
(Version 1.0.1)

ANDREW SCOTT  Interesting. It looks like a powerful way to take control of your Finder comments and enhance Spotlight searches.

However it's not that easy to understand at first glance. I think the Help file needs a little more structure and polish as well as consistency (page headings don't always match menu titles).

It's probably best to do a little more hand-holding for the user. Some examples would be useful as well as sequence-of-use instructions/tutorials.

I can see this is something I'm going to have to play with for a while to see if its how I want to operate but I like where it's heading. Good work.  
(Version 1.4)

ANDREW SCOTT  This looks a little like the feature Apple have just announced for Leopard's Mail.  
(Version .5)

ANDREW SCOTT  The application icon is somewhat idiosyncratic. I'm not complaining: it's refreshingly strange.  
(Version 0.3.6)

ANDREW SCOTT  Some well implemented features but it gives me unpleasant flashbacks to my Windows PC at work. :)

I guess that might make it a great app for people who need to switch between operating systems a lot or are just getting used to the Mac.  
(Version b254)

ANDREW SCOTT  Perhaps the product description could be a little clearer. From the description its capabilities sound very similar to the built-in Command+tab functions in OS X: Quit = q, Hide = h, drag & drop files. LiteSwitch no doubt has additional functions but their benefits need to articulated more clearly for me to bother trying it.  
(Version 2.6)

ANDREW SCOTT  Booxter was one of the first shareware applications I bought for my new PowerBook (some time ago) and it's always born a positive association of shareware done right.

The developer was responsive to a problem with Spotlight searching I had a while back, promptly suggesting a remedy that fixed the issue.

The interface is a pleasure to use and I look forward to scanning in batches of new book acquisitions with a childish glee. Australian books usually show up on the Australian databases searched by Booxter which is really great for me.

Heartily recommended.  
(Version 1.8.7)

ANDREW SCOTT  $35 does seem high, even for wedding related items! I guess if you plan to get married a lot it might pay for itself over time though. :)

Is the real market professional wedding planners?  
(Version 2.1.4)

ANDREW SCOTT  The URL at the bottom of the screen is distracting and seems like overkill. Wouldn't it be better to leave it in a Read Me document or on an "About" pane?

Otherwise, amusing but low on features or interaction… apart from mugging for the camera of course.  
(Version 1.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  The iLife '06 installer seems to allow installation on external drives (I'm doing it as I type this). Click Customise then click on the location of each GarageBank element and choose an external drive location.  
(Version 5.0.1)

ANDREW SCOTT  What a great name for narration software! Well done. :)  
(Version 0.8.1)

ANDREW SCOTT  Simple and tidy.

It's a little strange to see the clock apparently stop for a second or so: I'm curious about how and why this is. I assume the sweep hand actually moves a little fast and then lets time catch up when it gets to the 12.  
(Version 1.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  All my Rules disappeared after installing but after restarting they had all returned. No problem.  
(Version 1.2.3b3)

ANDREW SCOTT  Downloads and installs fine for me.  
(Version 1.6.8)

ANDREW SCOTT  I'm surprised iPaste doesn't get more attention even in the relatively crowded clipboard enhancer market. It's unobtrusive and flexible. I like the ability to create a number of distinct clipboards and make some items permanently available.

Other applications offer similar features but I think iPaste gets it just right. The only thing that stops me using it is that some of these features are contained in Quicksilver, though not as nicely implemented.  
(Version 1.1.2)

ANDREW SCOTT  Photo Wrangler seems to function quite well as a photo sorter. It's quite easy to have a number of "destination folders" to sort images into. All the important functions are present: rotate, zoom, slide show.

However the interface has some significant failings:

- heavy handed appearance with chunky buttons and overly generous borders around the image

- underlined and bold text labels add to the amateurish appearance

- unable to change keyboard shortcuts for destination folders

- worst of all, it doesn't auto-rotate images using EXIF data which considerably slows down the workflow of processing large batches of images

- animated text prompts at the bottom of the window are distracting and annoying. I suspect they are not limited to unregistered users.

This is a promising application but not as pleasant to use as some of the alternatives such as PhotoReviewer or Xee.  
(Version 1.5)

ANDREW SCOTT  This is a pretty nice little package: well done.

However I really wish you could set "Automatic rotation" permanently on so that it, you know, rotates images using EXIF information automatically!

I'd also like the ability to assign keyboard shortcuts to destination folders.

I'll be watching the development of Xee. Thanks to the developer for creating it.  
(Version 1.2.1)

ANDREW SCOTT  Correction to my previous post: Xee does indeed afford image sorting (moving or copying) but I can't see how to use keyboard shortcuts to select a destination and move a file to it in one action, something PhotoReviewer does by default.  
(Version 1.4)

ANDREW SCOTT  PhotoReviewer seems to do it's job very well. It's fast, easy to use and flexible for sorting through the piles of images that come so easily from digital cameras.

One thing I wish it would do is read the EXIF rotation information that way Photoshop and other programmes do.

My other wish is for a Universal Binary version. I'm keen to buy a shareware image sorter and PhotoReviewer (US$10) is my favourite ahead of Xee (free) and Photo Wrangler (US$15). Xee is very fast too but doesn't let you sort images into different folders as far as I can see. Photo Wrangler is great at sorting but seems very slow. PhotoReviewer seems like the best of the bunch to me but I'm not sure if it's still being updated.  
(Version 1.4)

ANDREW SCOTT  This is an impressive start. In the few tests I've done it makes a noticeable improvement, especially in low light photographs. However the interface is quite primitive and I find it confusing. Without Help files I am not even sure if I'm using it correctly. It needs quite a lot of tidying up:

- perhaps show a progress bar instead of or as well as the technical terms and progress percentages that appear.

- I don't think the buttons on the left should resize when you enlarge the window

- it really needs to use the standard OS X open and save slips

- there should be a "Save as…" button as well as a "Save" button

I feel a little ungrateful giving such a low rating to free software that seems to offer such technical promise but I really think the interface needs lots of work if it is to reach the audience it deserves.  
(Version 0.4)

ANDREW SCOTT  Great fun. My son loves the inverted "Zjvdycboo" mode because he thinks it makes him into a zombie. :)

It would make a great plug-in for iChat video chats…  
(Version 2.0)

ANDREW SCOTT  Gawker's interface is mostly very straightforward and clean. The recording feature seems fine, like a simplified version of BTV Pro and more restrained than iVeZeen. It doesn't give you the same degree of control as an animation programme, such as Stop-Motion Studio but that is not it's purpose.

One of the nicest features, it seems to me, is the ability to combine inputs from two (or more?) cameras into one double width window. Very slick.

I haven't tested the Bonjour features so I can't comment. I was hoping to test the internet cam feature but cannot work out how to. There is no help facility and the web site is little more than an attractive brochure. I think that this feature needs to be made clearer for people like me who don't know what to do with "ports for sharing" or whatever.  
(Version 0.5)