[Skinny]

Hope someone can help with some advice. I'm in the process of buying a new computer system. I'm don't use it much now other than web surfing and EBay. I have used an old Ulead program to restore & edit old photos. With my new system I was thinking of going with Photoshop. But I'm having questions on which one to get. GS2, GS2 Elements etc. Or try a newer Ulead program, by the way I never fully understood anyway. Which one is the better buy for the buck? Does on do more than the other and what are the "Elements"? Hope you all have some advice. Thanks for your help.

[Adama]

Skinny said:

Hope someone can help with some advice. I'm in the process of buying a new computer system. I'm don't use it much now other than web surfing and EBay. I have used an old Ulead program to restore & edit old photos. With my new system I was thinking of going with Photoshop. But I'm having questions on which one to get. GS2, GS2 Elements etc. Or try a newer Ulead program, by the way I never fully understood anyway. Which one is the better buy for the buck? Does on do more than the other and what are the "Elements"? Hope you all have some advice. Thanks for your help.

Hi Skinny, and welcome to PCWorld Community.

You didn't specify which OS you have in your new computer, Vista or XP. If it is a new computer I suspect that it might be Vista. I just did a quick search of CNet, and none of the Ulead programs there seem to be Vista compatible.

Photoshop is an excellent program, and you would be able to do a gazillion things with it. The price depends on which program you want. The Photoshop CS3, at $999.- is way more expensive than the Element. Right now you can purchase Photoshop Elements 6 at Amazon.com for $79.49 and if you have a previous version you can get $20. rebate.

You can take a look at Photoshop Elements 7 (their newest version) which is listed for $94.99, again with a $20. rebate when you have a previous version. The Elements are a more pared-down version of their full CS versions.

If you don't want to get too heavy into photo editing, then there are several other options. You can start with Serif PhotoPlus 6 (which is Free,) or upgrade to PhotoPlus 8 for $9.95. That's how I started. :)

Check out Serif PhotoPlus X2 their newest version, which is what I use. It's an excellent photo editing program, and it comes pretty close to Photoshop without the higher price. The learning curve with any of the Serif programs is not quite as steep as with all of the Photoshop programs, plus they come with great instruction manuals, as well as very accessible tutorials.

I'd like to invite you to visit my [SolarWings|t-38503] thread to see some examples of sigs I have made using Serif PhotoPlus X2. I've only being making graphics since May and I'm having a ball making them!

HTH :D

[rgreen4]

Must be a old review on CNET, Ulead Photoimpact 12 runs fin in Vista.

[Adama]

rgreen4 said:

Must be a old review on CNET, Ulead Photoimpact 12 runs fin in Vista.

Hi RGreen,

I don't know about that being an old review or not. I do know that some months ago, when I was looking for Ulead GIF Animator, I ran into the same problem, that it isn't Vista compatible.

That's the reason I copied the whole page with the list of Ulead products for the poster.

[rgreen4]

Did you actually try it or was it a review? I had Ulead Video Studio to convert and remove commercials from some recorded video. I received a notice of the upgrade to Video Studio 11 and for a "slight" additonal fee I could download Photo Impact 12. There is a module with it called ga.exe which I assume is the GIF Animator. I have never used it, and really don't know what a GIF Animator does.

I'm on my laptop, and all the Ulead are on my Vista desktop.

[Adama]

rgreen4 said:

Did you actually try it or was it a review? I had Ulead Video Studio to convert and remove commercials from some recorded video. I received a notice of the upgrade to Video Studio 11 and for a "slight" additonal fee I could download Photo Impact 12. There is a module with it called ga.exe which I assume is the GIF Animator. I have never used it, and really don't know what a GIF Animator does.

I'm on my laptop, and all the Ulead are on my Vista desktop.

Hi RGreen,

No, I didn't actually use the program, I just went by what the review said. I was merely wanting to download the GIF Animator, not the Video Studio 11 nor the Photo Impact 12.

With GIF Animator you can take images and add special effects, etc., and create an animated image in the GIF format. However, it's not only not compatible with Vista, it has been discontinued, according to its maker, Corel.





The red text reads: "Please note: This product has been discontinued and is not compatible with Windows Vista...."

[alchav21]

Hi Skinny,

Well I have both, but it depends on what you want to do. Ulead is very good making Slide Shows, and burning them onto a DVD or CD. So if this is what you want to do then I would go with Ulead. If you just want to do basic photo editing, get Adobe Elements. For basic photo stuff, you don't need to spend your life savings. Down the road if you get serious with photo editing, then you will have the knowledge to spend more depending on your needs.

[piyushsingh]

Adama said:

The red text reads: "Please note: This product has been discontinued and is not compatible with Windows Vista...."

Thats strange. One of my friend uses ulead gif animator on vista 32-bit.

[Adama]

Hi Piyush! It's good to see you, my friend. :D

That is truly strange indeed... So, I wonder why the Ulead Home Page says that the product is no longer available Hmmmm

Maybe your friend has it because you guys live outside of the USA? And, maybe it's still available for sale overseas?

This has turned out to be a mystery, indeed... ?:|

[rgreen4]

When I downloaded the Ulead suite with Video Studio 11 and Photo Impact 12, GIF Animator came with it. This was in November, 2007. I have installed it in Vista and opened it. I was able to turn their sample into an animated GIF.

However, since that time Photo Impact 12 has been apparently replaced with the upgraded Photo Impact X2.

The GIF Animator is not listed with it. Very Interesting.

[Skinny]

Hi Alchav21

Thank you for such a short and to the point answer, Also thank you to all the rest of you out there. I really didn't want to start a giant discussion on what is and and is not compatible with Vista. I learned a lot more than what I was looking for. My new system will be running Vista. Most of the photos I will be working with are old family from the late 1800's and early 1900's. It sounds like elements may be the way to start with. I guess if that is not what I'm really looking I will have to spring for the full blown Photoshop.

If should have to go to Photoshop, does any one have an opinion on which one is better of is just a matter of preference?

Thanks again for all you help and input.

[Adama]

Hi Skinny,

It really does depend on you. The Photoshop CS series are more for people who are heavy duty into professional graphic design. So, I think that Elements 6 or 7 would do quite well for your needs.