Serif Software

[Rogerp]

Hi, Anybody use/used Serif Photoplus ? I've just found an old copy and they keep sending me offer's to update to photplus 6 at a very reasnoable price, any comments.

Roger

[Geoff F]

Is it Photo Plus 6 or X6 Roger?

There is a lot of difference between them (10 updated versions to be precise).

I started with Photo Plus around 6 years ago with version 8 which was when they started 'getting their act together' and regularly updated until X3 which worked reasonably well for me.

X4 wasn't a great improvement in my opinion and became needlessly complicated with some items that weren't as good as the previous model. It seemed like a direct copy of the then current Adobe Elements.

At that time, a friend wanted to do some fairly difficult masking work and asked me if I could offer some advice. Photo Plus has this option but with some limitations so I suggested Adobe CS5 would do everything he wanted but at a horrendous price. However, I downloaded a trial copy and had a go.

It worked beyond my wildest dreams; so I eventually decided I would keep CS5. Still retained PP X4 on this internet only computer until I had to format everything following a serious virus problem.

But I'm starting to wander!

Another friend was momentarily seduced by a special offer on a recent version of Elements and switched allegiance from his PP X2 (he had tried my X4 but returned to X2). However, he never found Elements as user friendly as Photo Plus so he then purchased PP X6 at a good price. He said that all the bugs from X4 have been sorted out and for him; it is better than Elements. But I haven't personally tried this one.

So to sum up, Photo Plus probably has the options to do everything that you would want in photo editing. But the versions which I used weren't as good as Adobe CS5 for the more complicated procedures concerning selection and masking. But there is a massive price difference.

Photo Plus is certainly user friendly. Although I would warn against officially registering your software as I found the sales team aren't 'user friendly' anymore. In fact their forceful sales pitch was one reason why I stopped using them. You have to be equally forceful in reply; downright rude in fact!

Otherwise, I would recommend the product for an average user.

ps. There is an independent Photo Plus Forum on the Serif website where you can ask directly for advice and opinions on the latest PP software.

[Rogerp]

Is it Photo Plus 6 or X6 Roger?

There is a lot of difference between them (10 updated versions to be precise).

I started with Photo Plus around 6 years ago with version 8 which was when they started 'getting their act together' and regularly updated until X3 which worked reasonably well for me.

X4 wasn't a great improvement in my opinion and became needlessly complicated with some items that weren't as good as the previous model. It seemed like a direct copy of the then current Adobe Elements.

At that time, a friend wanted to do some fairly difficult masking work and asked me if I could offer some advice. Photo Plus has this option but with some limitations so I suggested Adobe CS5 would do everything he wanted but at a horrendous price. However, I downloaded a trial copy and had a go.

It worked beyond my wildest dreams; so I eventually decided I would keep CS5. Still retained PP X4 on this internet only computer until I had to format everything following a serious virus problem.

But I'm starting to wander!

Another friend was momentarily seduced by a special offer on a recent version of Elements and switched allegiance from his PP X2 (he had tried my X4 but returned to X2). However, he never found Elements as user friendly as Photo Plus so he then purchased PP X6 at a good price. He said that all the bugs from X4 have been sorted out and for him; it is better than Elements. But I haven't personally tried this one.

So to sum up, Photo Plus probably has the options to do everything that you would want in photo editing. But the versions which I used weren't as good as Adobe CS5 for the more complicated procedures concerning selection and masking. But there is a massive price difference.

Photo Plus is certainly user friendly. Although I would warn against officially registering your software as I found the sales team aren't 'user friendly' anymore. In fact their forceful sales pitch was one reason why I stopped using them. You have to be equally forceful in reply; downright rude in fact!

Otherwise, I would recommend the product for an average user.

ps. There is an independent Photo Plus Forum on the Serif website where you can ask directly for advice and opinions on the latest PP software.

Geoff, Thanks for the detailed reply, I've got photoplus X5 (forgot I'de got it) they are offering X6............Didn't think to look on there Forum, will go and look.
Thanks
Roger