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Comment on Virtual Villagers – The Secret City by Aurana Books

Aurana Books — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 02:21:20 +0000

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Comment on Virtual Villagers – The Secret City by New Zealand Mart

New Zealand Mart — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:42:04 +0000

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Comment on Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 for Windows [Download] by Jeffery P. Lorig

Jeffery P. Lorig — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:36:12 +0000

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

Best Deal, December 7, 2011

Jeffery P. Lorig (O'Neill, NE) -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 for Windows [Download] (Software Download)

Don't waste your money on the pro version that Adobe offers unless you are actually getting paid for doing graphic design.

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Comment on Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 for Windows [Download] by Bob "Bob in Big Bear Ca"

Bob "Bob in Big Bear Ca" — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:11:49 +0000

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

Great set of digital darkroom tools for the best in Photo Software, December 13, 2011

Bob "Bob in Big Bear Ca" (Big Bear, Ca United States) -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 for Windows [Download] (Software Download)

I was really angry when my version of Photoshop 6.2 quit working on windows ME or Vista not sure it was years back, I really loved that software and though I did try a few versions of inexpensive Adobe products in the past, none has come close to what I had in that software that MS took away by not allowing older software to migrate to their new OS I think I was running XP at the time but wasn't too happy that a pretty expensive bit of software was gone because of MS decided to make their not make their OS backward compatible.

Anyway It took a few years and a few sub-par products to finally find something that works as well or nearly as well as that old software did, but there are allot of are inexpensive replacements these days. In fact shareware and freeware products have gone comercial and are charging as much or more than this version of Adobe imaging software, and honest I find that hard to beliieve.

I bought the download becuase I needed something fast to import and fix some old photo's ( for safety reasones I saved it to my external hard drive just incase something happens to this machine or I buy a new PC ), but after a few hours playing with this software and I'm pretty happy, it made the correction in faded yellow photo's I wanted it to do, and for the money... forget it. Compared to the other two imaging software packages I've purchased recently this is like going from a decent shareware product to a solid photo imaging platform again.

I know we have our own favorites, and there's allot of opinion concerning these products, but in this case I've been expecting to spend allot of money and found this package to do just about everything my old ful version of Photoshop did, plus it has some features that the old Photoshop didn't have ( primarily concerning digital imagery ) so I'm very happy, and would recommend this product to anyone I know with no hesitation or concerns that they might find it lacking perticularly for the money.

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Comment on Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 for Windows [Download] by 35-year Technology Consumer "8-tracks to 802.11"

35-year Technology Consumer "8-tracks to 802.11" — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:18:09 +0000

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

Powerful and feature dense image editing (and Adobe *really, really* wants you online!)..., November 16, 2011

35-year Technology Consumer "8-tracks to 802.11" (Mid Atlantic, USA) -

This review is from: Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 for Windows [Download] (Software Download)

Photoshop Elements (PSE) 10 --like its predecessor versions-- has enough features to rapidly surpass the skills --and time available to tinker-- of most amateur digital photographers...even highly skilled ones. The overall interface will be familiar to user of PSE versions as far back as PSE 6 or 7. It incorporates most of the multiple image merge functions that have been around since PSE 7. As with previous versions, PSE 10 offers this for a fraction of the cost of its professional (and professionally priced!). big brother, Photoshop CS5. Most amateur photographers --and even some frugal professionals-- can perform all but the most advanced digital editing with PSE 10 (and then use the money saved for some nice new hardware!).

Note: This review assumes some familiarity with digital photography and digital image concepts, and previous exposure to earlier PSE versions.

Installation:
-No issues with installation on a machine with a fresh (less than two weeks old) install of Windows 7, a dual-core 3 GHZ processor and 4 GB of RAM.

-Unlike PSE 8, PSE 10 does not require users to decide whether to continue using an earlier version or use the new version exclusively. You have the option to use --or remove-- both version 10 and an earlier version (but you can't do so at the same time: I tried!).

-The license for this product permits installation on one primary and one "mobile" computer, with the restriction not to use on both computers at the same time.

-Total installation time (including entering the registration code and skimming the EULA) took less than 10 minutes. This was followed by PSE 10's "Organizer" peforming its own indexing of the digital images on my computer. Cataloging nearly 50,000 digital images took slightly less than an hour. If you're a Windows user and store your images in a non-default "My Pictures" location under your user name: you'll have to tell PSE where to browse for this indexing.

Function and features:
-The interface, function and features of PSE 10 will be familiar to users of recent PSE versions. The .psd files are still manipulated using layers and selection tools. The complete range of image effects ("filters"), image enhancement and editing tools are essentially unchanged since version 6. Still present are options to open, edit and save in wide range of file formats.

-PSE 10 recognized the scanner on my system, and immediately allowed imports of scanned images using both the scanner's proprietary interface (Epson software) and the generic WIA Windows Image Acquisition, the successor to TWAIN) options.

-Output to the printers on my system was trouble-free. Accepting the default printing options yielded fine results, but advanced options for those who like to tweak are readily available. PSE 10 successfully offered options to print to the two physical (laserjet, inkjet) and two virtual (Acrobat and Microsoft Document Writer) printers attached to my desktop.

Issues:
-PSE 10 and Adobe continue to assume plenty about user connectivity. All of the help files for PSE 10 are online. Select "Help" in the menu bar (or press the "F1" key), and you are not taken to local help files...you are taken to adobe.com. This is fine if you are connected to the Internet, but less fine if you are not (and some people are NOT connected at all times). You can optionally download a 27 MB .pdf user guide. This is an option you'll want to exercise if you anticipate needing help while not online or if you have bandwidth constraints where you work.

-Adobe also continues to also push its online services hard. At install, and *every* time you launch PSE 10, you will be invited to enter your "Adobe Online ID". If you register (and you'll probably want to just for update notifications), you'll get some free services (2 GB of storage and some sharing functions). This seems to be aimed at two things:
(1) tracking use habits of users (my opinion only; but read the EULA carefully!)
(2) enticing you into the $49.99 per year "PSE 10 Plus" services (20 GB of online storage and some sharing and effects services). While I suppose the integration with PSE is nice, you can register your own domain --with unlimited storage-- from hundreds of providers for much less than this. Resist!

As long as you download the .pdf file so you have access to help files when offline, and remain aware of what *any* software company may be doing when they solicit you to use the online extensions of their products: these are not serious shortcomings. But my suspicions about how Adobe might track user behavior and over-reliance on online help files are what move this from a 5-star to a 4-star review.

Summary:
-PSE 10, like... Read more

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Comment on Sid Meiers Civilization IV: The Complete Edition [Download] by Spencer McCormick

Spencer McCormick — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:05:03 +0000

51 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

an addictively great game, May 21, 2009

Spencer McCormick -

= Fun:

This review is from: Sid Meiers Civilization IV: The Complete Edition (DVD-ROM)

a lot of depth and as such endless playability. everything is really well balanced. lots of interesting trade offs and strategy. yet, it's easy to get into and you do really get the feeling that you, one humble man [or woman], is guiding the path of a mighty [or meek] civilization. i especially enjoy the late game warfare. as history marches forward the warfare and economic mechanisms do change.

but buyer beware, it is addicting. for my first two days with the game - luckily during a weekend - i did not sleep or eat. i am still too tired to capitalize letters...

unfortunately, i did experience multiple game crashes, despite running up-to-date Vista. you'd think by this edition they'd have gotten that muck sorted out.

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Comment on Sid Meiers Civilization IV: The Complete Edition [Download] by dev25

dev25 — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:51:49 +0000

98 of 108 people found the following review helpful:

Good game.... Easy to avoid the time limit., September 5, 2009

dev25 -

= Fun:

This review is from: Sid Meiers Civilization IV: The Complete Edition (DVD-ROM)

I really don't spend much time ever writing reviews, but I do find them helpful at times when I am evaluating a product.

I'd like to point out a few things based upon other reviews:

1. You can easily circumvent the time limit on games. I personally ate that "feature" myself. If you are playing a single player game, click on single player and at the next screen click on custom game. You can select victory conditions from that screen. Don't care about a space race? Uncheck it. Couldn't care less about cultural victories? Uncheck that as well? From that screen you can tailor a game to whatever you want to play. Hate islands? Easy enough to choose a huge landmass so your chariots can sweep aside the other cultures. Want to island-hop your way to victory? You can do that as well.

2. Its a game. Relax. Enjoy it. Is it perfect? Maybe not, but it is fun for those of us who enjoy this type of challenge. Don't think free market should be followed by Environmentalism? That's ok, but a free market, by definition has not limits placed upon industry. Think of all the industrial pollution in the world. The environmental movement has changed that in some places and has allowed industry to continue with some restrictions because people wanted clean water and cleaner air. I'w not going ot get into debate here, but there is logic to the choices presented in the game if you understand what the developers were getting at.

I like Civ4 just as I have enjoyed every version since Civ1 that I played years and years ago. Its one of the few games I return to after months of not playing, which is rare in any game these days.

But that is just my opinion. I just wanted to clear up a point or two.

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Comment on Sid Meiers Civilization IV: The Complete Edition [Download] by Patrick Loveless

Patrick Loveless — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:10:17 +0000

59 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

Not a Civ fanatic, but this is a very good game., September 20, 2009

Patrick Loveless -

= Fun:

This review is from: Sid Meiers Civilization IV: The Complete Edition (DVD-ROM)

Civilization is a turn-based game where you essentially have to build up a civilization, and move in turn with other civilizations. They may decide to make war with you, they may trade with you, you may crush them. Anything can go on.

When I got Civilization 3, I loved it. It was brilliant for a TBG. The graphics were (for my computer) very fluid and animate. The city graphics were very nice on the map and in detail mode. Diplomacy, war, and construction were all easy to handle (but I usually ended up losing wars or making many very costly amounts of units).

Civilization 3 was great. And Civ 4 was even better.

Now, it does require a decent GFX card. The first time I tried to play it on some archaic piece of dreck of a card (came with the machine), I couldn't see the map - it was black. But when I upgraded to a GeForce 2 card (a relatively old but reliable card), it all came to life. Unlike Civ 3, the map looked very, very realistic. Hills weren't just large bumps in the ground; mountain ranges looked more nautral. Furthermore, you can see where your workers are working ON THE GAME MAP! They're represented by little huts on the map. That's a good improvement over any of the previous versions.

Also, you can build MORE than just farms and mines now. You can build at least three different types of building on any one square of terrain (except a few like desert and ice), and sometimes five or six, including towns (+ gold), windmills (+ food), and foundries (+shields, - food). It's much more complex than before. And that's just the economy.

You can also build more units than before. And it's no longer just simply the rock/paper/scissors method of countering units anymore. Units LEARN what to fight and how to fight it! They still use the experience system (kill a random number of units and get an upgrade), but the upgrades are different. Now, instead of simply hitpoints, you can configure your units to be excellent city attackers, or counters to cavalry, infantry, or artillery, or even capable of healing other units around them. There's more, but I don't want to spoil ALL of it for ya.

One thing I will note, though, that was particularly useful to me: Civ 4 allows you to see the survival rate of any units you have versus the enemy if you should so choose to attack them. This has IMMENSELY helped my strategy in Civ 4! I now know that charing with every unit you've got into a city's a bad idea; you need to decimate the walls with cannons or catapults first.

Other notes include the interesting looking figures who play against you (including Julius and Gaius Caesar, Stalin, Saladin, Roosevelt, Churchill, Boudica (an attractive Celtic leader with a mean streak), and even Mansa Musa (no clue who he is, except that he lead the Empire of Mali - that's on Africa's west coast).

Sid Meier has, once again, made genius material. It'a fun, educational, and it now even includes religion. (Sure, it's not exactly historically accurate religion - Christians without being Jews? - but it's a step forward IMHO).

4 of 5 because, well, frankly, I'm not really a TBG type of guy, but this was a great game, and worthy of any Civilization, Colonisation, or other Turn-Based Game fan.

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Comment on H&R Block At Home Premium & Business 2011 Win [Download] by San Antonio Sam

San Antonio Sam — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:07:05 +0000

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Business tax returns are very inclusive and easy to work with, January 17, 2012

San Antonio Sam (San Antonio, TX USA) -

This review is from: H&R Block At Home 2011 Premium & Business (CD-ROM)

I've been using H & R Block Premium and Business tax software for over 5 years now. Since I have a professional separate software package for personal taxes (Form 1040)in my CPA tax service, I use H & R Bock for miscellaneious business tax returns such as Estates and Trusts, Forms W-2, 1099 and C Corporations. This program, forms entry method, is top notch and is highly recommended for the small business owners as well as CPAs and other professionals who need a software program for a small number of returns each year.

I do not like the question and answer method employed in their 1040 program but most similar programs use it as well.

As the previous rater noted, Amazon prices change almost daily on tax software. I will use her method to seek out a lower cost next time since I couldn't wait on Amazon to put it on sale this year.

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Comment on H&R Block At Home Premium & Business 2011 Win [Download] by Ursula Thomas "muffycat"

Ursula Thomas "muffycat" — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:07:59 +0000

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

H&R Home and Business, January 19, 2012

Ursula Thomas "muffycat" (Atlanta) -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: H&R Block At Home 2011 Premium & Business (CD-ROM)

This is a defective program. No version idendification listed on program. Business program for State return not working well - not printing out correctly.
Mailing instructions are wrong - have federal and State returns going to same location.......... form approval still pending messages.
Have been on line with H&R "tech support" for two hours - still no answers/ resolution. Who has the time for that kind.
Perhaps amazon is marketing defective product?

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