Advanced SearchUser Name freevito
Member Since 2002-02-09
Total number of Feedback Posts: 112
Total number of comments: 33
Last 10 Feedback Posts by freevito [ Search for All ]
EasyCrop 2.2.6 (Mac OS X)
I last reviewed EasyCrop about a year and a half ago, at version 2.1.2. Everything I posted in that review is still true, except that Yellow Mug has continued to update the application with useful features. It's still a huge time-saver, it's still easy to to use, with a fully intuitive, fully Mac-like interface, and it still provides the following features:
- Consumes little system resources and launches quickly
- No confusing file dialog
- No temporary files to erase
- Live preview
- Customizable constraint settings
- Built-in screen capture tool
- Full drag-and-drop support (e.g. drag image directly from Finder or browser to EasyCrop)
- Originals remain intact
The bottom line is that Easy Crop is one of a very few killer apps that I rely on DAILY to facilitate my workflow. It performs with spectacular reliability and ease of use, and is worth every penny of the one-time license fee. [alert admin]
Friday, May 02 2008 @ 06:51 PM PDT
Synchronize! Pro X 5.1.3 (Mac OS X)
I've been a Sync Pro X user since version 1.0.1. Throughout that time, I've seen the application evolve from being the only OS X backup application to being the best one.
The feature set in Sync Pro X is what makes it a winner. One of those feature sets is the automation capability. For any given backup, sync, or bootable backup routine, you have a full range of start options and completion options. Among them are the ability to specify "Before syncing, open the file..." in the start options, and "Open the file..." in the completion options. Those features alone enable Sync Pro X to chain a series of backup functions to perform complex backup operations that would be very tedious to perform manually. For example, I can do a progressive backup of a server database (meaning, it will back up only the things that have changed since the last backup) to a .sparseimage file located on another computer on the same network. Sync Pro X fetches the .sparseimage file from the other computer, mounts it on the server desktop, runs the progressive backup, and then unmounts the .sparseimage file...automatically, at a predetermined time every night.
The possibilities with Sync Pro X are limitless. Because of the aforementioned file opening capability, it will run AppleScript files as start or completion options. Very handy!
The only gripe I have really isn't a problem with Sync Pro X at all. I would like to be able to make a bootable backup to a networked volume located on a remote computer. Unfortunately, due to a limitation imposed by the way OS X handles permissions on a remote computer, there is no backup application in existence that can perform that task. Data backup to a remote volume is no problem in Sync Pro X, mind you; it just shows up when you want to make a bootable backup.
And it's not just for networked volumes. Whatever drive you select as the destination drive for the bootable backup must be connected to the host on which you're running Sync Pro X via an interface that supports booting. That includes certain external hard drive controller interfaces. For example, if you have an external eSATA hard drive connected directly to your computer, you can make bootable backups to that drive using Sync Pro X only if the eSATA controller card supports booting. If it doesn't, you can sync to it or run a normal backup to it, but you can't make a bootable backup to it. Makes sense, because you wouldn't be able to boot from it anyway.
A few comments are in order here. If you're reading this review because you're looking for a serious, professional backup application, you've probably noticed the abundance of negative reviews and one-star ratings. That would give me pause if I didn't already know that Sync Pro X is solid, reliable, powerful backup application. I don't know what problems others have experienced, but I can tell you that Sync Pro X does precisely what it promises to do, and it does it consistently, reliably, and predictably.
With any application that provides as much power as Sync Pro X does, the user has a responsibility to understand how to use the software properly. Part of that is making certain that it's the right tool for the job in the first place. It really is the Rolls Royce of backup apps, but if you don't need the full range of features it provides, you'd probably be better off choosing one of Qdea's other backup applications.
Support is responsive and excellent. The developer has always replied to my support requests within 24 hours, usually less.
Finally, a word about the license terms. It is absolutely NOT true that the Sync Pro X license is good for only two years! I'm still running versions of Sync Pro X going back to v3.x on various computers. Once you buy a license a renewak, all versions covered under that license will continue to work (...well, as long as you run them with a compatible version of OS X). The software does not expire. Keep your installer .dmg files so you can reinstall your older versions if you need to for any reason. Qdea does not archive older versions of the software.
[alert admin]
Read Comments (3) | More Info | 2 of 2 users found this helpful
Saturday, April 12 2008 @ 09:05 PM PDT
Synchronize! Pro X 5.1.3 (Mac OS X)
I've been a Sync Pro X user since version 1.0.1. Throughout that time, I've seen the application evolve from being the only OS X backup application to being the best one.
The feature set in Sync Pro X is what makes it a winner. One of those feature sets is the automation capability. For any given backup, sync, or bootable backup routine, you have a full range of start options and completion options. Among them are the ability to specify "Before syncing, open the file..." in the start options, and "Open the file..." in the completion options. Those features alone enable Sync Pro X to chain a series of backup functions to perform complex backup operations that would be very tedious to perform manually. For example, I can do a progressive backup of a server database (meaning, it will back up only the things that have changed since the last backup) to a .sparseimage file located on another computer on the same network. Sync Pro X fetches the .sparseimage file from the other computer, mounts it on the server desktop, runs the progressive backup, and then unmounts the .sparseimage file...automatically, at a predetermined time every night.
The possibilities with Sync Pro X are limitless. Because of the aforementioned file opening capability, it will run AppleScript files as start or completion options. Very handy!
The only gripe I have really isn't a problem with Sync Pro X at all. I would like to be able to make a bootable backup to a networked volume located on a remote computer. Unfortunately, due to a limitation imposed by the way OS X handles permissions on a remote computer, there is no backup application in existence that can perform that task. Data backup to a remote volume is no problem in Sync Pro X, mind you; it just shows up when you want to make a bootable backup.
And it's not just for networked volumes. Whatever drive you select as the destination drive for the bootable backup must be connected to the host on which you're running Sync Pro X via an interface that supports booting. That includes certain external hard drive controller interfaces. For example, if you have an external eSATA hard drive connected directly to your computer, you can make bootable backups to that drive using Sync Pro X only if the eSATA controller card supports booting. If it doesn't, you can sync to it or run a normal backup to it, but you can't make a bootable backup to it. Makes sense, because you wouldn't be able to boot from it anyway.
A few comments are in order here. If you're reading this review because you're looking for a serious, professional backup application, you've probably noticed the abundance of negative reviews and one-star ratings. That would give me pause if I didn't already know that Sync Pro X is solid, reliable, powerful backup application. I don't know what problems others have experienced, but I can tell you that Sync Pro X does precisely what it promises to do, and it does it consistently, reliably, and predictably.
With any application that provides as much power as Sync Pro X does, the user has a responsibility to understand how to use the software properly. Part of that is making certain that it's the right tool for the job in the first place. It really is the Rolls Royce of backup apps, but if you don't need the full range of features it provides, you'd probably be better off choosing one of Qdea's other backup applications.
Support is responsive and excellent. The developer has always replied to my support requests within 24 hours, usually less.
Finally, a word about the license terms. It is absolutely NOT true that the Sync Pro X license is good for only two years! I'm still running versions of Sync Pro X going back to v3.x on various computers. Once you buy a license or a renewal, all versions covered under that license will continue to work (...well, as long as you run them with a compatible version of OS X). The software does not expire. Keep your installer .dmg files so you can reinstall your older versions if you need to for any reason. Qdea does not archive older versions of the software.
[alert admin]
Post a comment | More Info | 2 of 2 users found this helpful
Saturday, April 12 2008 @ 09:00 PM PDT
App_Pauser 1.0 (Mac OS X)
Gotta pass on this one for now
It looks like this might be a useful app. Ditto for his Virtual DVD 1.0.1, but there's no way to get detailed information. The developer's web site is broken...clicking on links to any of the various product pages returns a 404 error...there's no way to contact the developer directly and let him know about the broken site or request additional info...uh, no thanks.
Looks like this the guy is new, so I'll reserve judgment to give him a chance to get his $h!t together, but there's no way I'm going to install an app created by someone who hasn't paid attention to such fundamental details. There'll be the devil to pay... [alert admin]
Read Comments (3) | More Info | 1 of 1 users found this helpful
Sunday, September 30 2007 @ 11:13 AM PDT
CrushFTP 4.2 (Mac OS X)
I wasn't completely new to file servers when I went hunting for remote server software, but I had never set up an FTP server. At first I thought I wanted to set up some sort of secure FTP server, but once I found CrushFTP and began exploring its features, I quickly learned that the download speed, user-friendliness, and security features I wanted were best provided by WebDAV SSL with a web interface. CrushFTP provided everything I needed to set up a working secure server and customized interface that is accessible from any standards-compliant web browser.
I spent an entire day messing around with another server app (PureFTPd Manager) in an attempt to set up a working server, but at the end of the day I still couldn't get it to work. Was that due to my own newbie ignorance? Perhaps -- but then again, applications should be so well-documented that even a newbie can figure out how to use them.
CrushFTP excels in that regard. In fact, just reading the documentation and viewing the training videos is an education in itself. The setup instructions and explanations of the features are vastly better than anything else I've seen. I got my own WebDAV SSL server up and running with a customized web interface in a few hours. Once I got the server working, I gladly bought the 10-user license.
CrushFTP provides a enormous range of features. Here's a partial list of the features I particularly like:
- The ability to specify blackout periods during which there is no server access
- The customizable HTML web interface
- The .ZIP download feature, which allows the user to select the files to be downloaded and package them all up into a single .zip archive file
- Automatic e-mail notification identifying every user that successfully completes a download
- Fully detailed logging of all server activity, with lots of options for automatic saving of the server logs to a local directory
If you need a remote file server app that offers secure connections, lots of options, great documentation, and terrific support -- all at a price that can't be beat -- I don't think you'll do better than CrushFTP. [alert admin]
Post a comment | More Info | 2 of 2 users found this helpful
Wednesday, April 18 2007 @ 08:39 AM PDT
FastTrack Schedule 9.1.0 (Mac OS X)
Still not a serious project management application
I'm not rating this because I don't own a license any more and I'm not really writing a review. However, I did own a license once, and I invoked AEC's 30-day money-back guarantee and got my license fee refunded in full. That was the only way to try the software, because AEC belongs to the Seriously Crippled Demo Club (or they did at that time, at least), in which it is impossible to try the software in a real-world application—by which I mean do some actual work with it—without buying a license. Well, I bought the license, and it turned out to be an exercise in futility. FastTrack Schedule does not do resource leveling.
It still doesn't do resource leveling. Without that feature, all the other little bells and whistles are fluff. They won't turn a minor league application like FastTrack Schedule into the kind of powerful PM tool that MS Project provides. I'm no MS Project fan, either. I hate using it. It is barbaric software that forces the user to perform repetitive tasks that could and should be handled globally, had Microsoft put some thought into designing MS Project for actual humans. But it has resource leveling, and it's a relatively simple matter to do the scheduling in MS Project, and then output the data as an Excel file for further processing in Excel for Mac.
When FastTrack Schedule gets resource leveling, I'll consider it. Until then, it's simply not a professional grade application for serious project management needs. [alert admin]
Post a comment | More Info | 1 of 1 users found this helpful
Wednesday, January 03 2007 @ 01:39 PM PST
Apple MacBook Pro EFI Firmware 1.2 (Mac OS X)
I used Software Update to run the firmware update...that has always worked for me.
There's only one anomaly to report. The instructions say that you should hold the power button until the power indicator light flashes. The only power indicator light I know of is the one on the magnetic power connector (the one that's green when the battery is fully charged, and orange when it's charging). I didn't see it flash at all. As I held the power button, the computer made an audible tone (approximatey 512Hz...I found it on the guitar as C above middle C), after which the startup chord chimed, and the screen immediately went to the progress indicator showing the progress of the update.
At that point it seemed pretty clear that the update was in progress, so I released the power button. Everything proceeded normally from there. After the update was done the computer automatically restarted itself, and it displayed a prompt stating that the fimware update was successful. [alert admin]
Read Comments (3) | More Info | 1 of 1 users found this helpful
Monday, November 20 2006 @ 12:33 PM PST
EasyCrop 2.1.2 (Mac OS X)
Still Getting Better, And Still Has No Equal 
I judge the value of any software application using a bunch of different criteria—its versatility, its stability, the responsiveness of the developer, and especially the amount of time it saves me. On that basis, EasyCrop has got to be one of the most valuable apps I use, day in and day out.
If you're one of the folks who had the curiosity to actually try EasyCrop to see what all the fuss was about, then you know all the rest of this. But if you're not an EasyCrop user yet and you're still scratching your head—"I don't get it. What does this thing do that's worth paying $12 for it?"—that's a fair question. Here are some answers:
- It does exactly what YellowMug says it does.
- It saves time.
- In over three years of use, across multiple versions of OS X from Jaguar to Tiger, on everthing from a PowerBook G3 to a G5 DP to an MacBook Pro (Intel), EasyCrop has worked with precisely zero problems.
- It's a time-saver.
- You already know how to use it, even if you've never used it. It's one of the most intuitive apps I've ever used.
- It's a joy to use.
- Did I mention that it saves time?
Do yourself a favor and spend some time playing with it. Mouse over the toolbar icons and let the screen tips tell you what EasyCrop can do. Drag in a photo, resize it, flip it, rotate it, crop it, drag it off as JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and GIF, with or without a thumbnail as its icon.
...and blah, blah, blah. Talk is cheap. The proof is in the pudding. Go download EasyCrop and see for yourself. Either you need what it can do for you or you don't, but the download is free and it will only cost you a few minutes to find out. If you have a need to quickly and easily crop and resize images often, you'll soon earn back the time it takes to see what EasyCrop can do. [alert admin]
Post a comment | More Info | 3 of 3 users found this helpful
Sunday, October 22 2006 @ 11:25 AM PDT
Apple iTunes 7.0 (Mac OS X)
Somebody at Apple is out of control
After updating iTunes to v7.0 on my MacBook Pro, suddenly I find that a huge number of classical music selections are labeled "Explicit". What the...? I'm talking about instrumental music here -- where's the "Explicit" content? Sheesh... [alert admin]
Wednesday, September 13 2006 @ 07:46 AM PDT
Intaglio 2.8.1 (Mac OS X)
I first tried Intaglio a couple of years ago. I thought it was OK, but it seemed a bit pricey, so I didn't buy a license. I continued to play with it in demo mode occasionally, each time discovering that its apparently simple interface contained more functionality than I had previously realized. Every once in a while, I would come back to it and find that it allowed me to do things more easily than I could do them in other drawing apps, and in some cases allowed me to do things I couldn't do at all in other apps. It has an excellent range of output formats, great customizability, and some very powerful features. I especially like its guides and alignment functionality, and its gradients editor is superb.
Eventually I discovered by degrees that Intaglio is much more powerful than I had first realized, and I bought a license. Gradually I have come to rely on it as my principal drawing tool. It's intuitive, conforms well to the Mac interface, and has excellent on-screen Help.
I have one small gripe. Earlier versions had a user definable gradients palette, which has disappeared in recent versions. I probably wouldn't miss that feature if Intaglio's gradients editor weren't so good. It enables the user to create some very complex gradients. It was very handy to be able to save them in a palette for reuse without having to rebuild them from scratch. But that's a minor complaint. The app is on an aggressive development path, and each update brings useful new features. The developer is very responsive.
If you're looking for a versatile, reasonably powerful mid-range drawing application, take some time to play with Intaglio. You'll find that it grows on you
[alert admin]
Read Comments (3) | More Info | 4 of 4 users found this helpful
Thursday, July 13 2006 @ 02:39 AM PDT
Last 10 Comments by freevito [ Search for All ]
How very kind of you to imply that I'm the developer of SyncProX. Alas, I am not. You need only click on my user name and read all my other reviews to see what a silly notion that is.
I stand behind every review I write on VersionTracker. If you dont like my reviews [Radical Concept Alert!] you always have the option of not reading them.
Cheer up, amigo...I don't know what bone you have to pick…
Original feedback item : Read More(1 words)
Friday, May 02 2008 @ 07:52 PM PDT
James: I think I see your problem. You're confusing goatbag with someone whose purpose is to actually help you improve the application, not simply to criticize your work in order to make himself feel superior.
Original feedback item : Read More
Sunday, September 30 2007 @ 11:47 AM PDT
It's definitely worth the price if you need what it does. SyncProX has a reputation as as a bootable backup application—which is well-deserved—but that's only a small part of what it does. If that's all you want, SyncProX might be overkill for you. You'll find less costly applications that do the job, but I doubt you'll find any that do it better.
If you want to synchronize folder contents according to a vast array of user-defined…
Original feedback item : Read More(1 words)
Sunday, October 22 2006 @ 02:41 PM PDT
Your comment is misleading. Any copy of SyncProX that you download during the license period will continue to work after the license period expires. The renewal covers continued upgrades for another two-year period, but the previous versions will continue to work regardless of whether you renew the license.
Original feedback item : Read More
Sunday, October 22 2006 @ 11:37 AM PDT
But you haven't written a review
Xeater: You obviously didn't find EasyCrop attractive enough for your purposes to take the time to explore the features it offers. Fair enough. Different folks have different needs. But you haven't written a review; you've written commentary. Giving the app a one-star review rating when you haven't actually written a review is unfair, and it really dumbs down the VersionTracker rating system.
Do the decent thing; delete your comments, and re-add them as commentary.…
Original feedback item : Read More(1 words)
Sunday, October 22 2006 @ 10:09 AM PDT
Oops...never mind...DUH!! I just spotted your five-star follow-up. Good on ya! Can't help you with that ugly woman thang, though.
Original feedback item : Read More
Sunday, October 08 2006 @ 09:59 AM PDT
Hey Hockpooh777:
Jeez, Dude...lighten up a bit. Considering the following facts...
- Your assumption that you can't turn off the update prompt was incorrect.
- Your assumption that you had to pay full price for the upgrade to v4.x was incorrect.
- The developer took the time to politely reply to your flame with a response that directly addressed your imaginary problems.
Original feedback item : Read More(1 words)
Sunday, October 08 2006 @ 09:48 AM PDT
Markus: Sounds like you might be missing something. I just installed v2.9.1 and launched it. The app opened with the same set of inspectors that was open the last time I used the previous version...that is, the workspace was exactly the same way it looked the last time I used version 2.9. I clicked on the rectangle tool, drew a rectangle, and it appeared with white fill. That makes sense; white was the last fill color…
Original feedback item : Read More(1 words)
Friday, September 22 2006 @ 07:50 AM PDT
Hi John: Thanks for your comment. As it turns out, I had just discovered that Intaglio allows users to save gradients in the library. This is actually way better than the old method, which provided a limited set of user-defined gradients in the gradient inspector window. As far as I can tell, the library allows an unlimited number of gradients to be saved. Neat! Thanks again! freevito
Original feedback item : Read More
Friday, September 22 2006 @ 06:52 AM PDT
Hey spacevirus: I have never had any occasion to use external FireWire drives (well...except in some cases wherein I've used a second computer in target disk mode), so I'm not sure how the system treats and external FW drive. Does it just mount it on the desktop as it would any other network volume? In any case, if OS X does treat external FW drives just as though they were network file server volumes, you should be…
Original feedback item : Read More(1 words)
Friday, September 08 2006 @ 02:57 AM PDT
