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Andrew B. · 10-04-2005, 09:08 PM

ACDSee is a photo file manager and viewer that runs on the Windows platform. It started life as possibly the fastest image viewer around. So fast that it bragged by showing the load time on the status bar. It also cached the next image in the file list, to be ready for viewing. This made things even faster.

I first tried it out of desperation, when ThumbsPlus developed a problem. Pretty soon it displaced ThumbsPlus as my primary image manager. But I must also add that it did not completely replace ThumbsPlus. I continue to use ThumbsPlus for some tasks. But ACDSee became my main tool. In fact, it became the command center for all my photo work. I have shortcuts for all my photo applications right in the ACDSee interface. So I can quickly find my pictures (using its browse and view features), and then launch and load into the editor of my choice.

Then ACDSee 3 came along, and it became a rocky ride. It started slowing down. Some features were redesigned and came out worse. And bugs started to creep in. ACD Systems seemed to understand that this was not the same old ACDSee, and they rebadged version 2.x as the Classic version and sold it as the tool for people who need something that is fast and efficient. Then went on with upgrades, each of which I tested and rejected. But during this time ACDSee also became one of the most popular consumer photo managers, if not the most popular.

I think it might have been version 6 when it got its speed back. And then in version 8, enough features had been healed that as I was testing it, I found myself preferring it to the Classic version. And so now I've finally upgraded.

But it is not bulletproof. I had a couple shut downs since I got it. And some of the features are less than refined. Still, I am liking it better than anything else I've used.

http://www.acdsystems.com/products/acdsee/index

Andrew B. · 12-23-2005, 06:37 AM

Update. As I used ACDSee more, other problems started showing up, and I was seeing no update patches from the company. It finally got so bad I removed ACDSee from my computer, and I'm finding other ways to work.

terrie · 12-23-2005, 12:29 PM

Quote:

andrew: As I used ACDSee more, other problems started showing up, and I was seeing no update patches from the company. It finally got so bad I removed ACDSee from my computer, and I'm finding other ways to work.

Going back to ThumbsPlus? Just had an email from them recently...hmmmm...let me go find it...

Ok...here ya go--note, the sale ended 12/10/05 but...'-}}

>>Are you enjoying your new digital camera? Do you know someone who is
getting one this season? Buy ThumbsPlus 7.0 now and save as Cerious
Software is having a holiday sale!

New and upgrade sale pricing is as follows:

Order ThumbsPlus 7 Pro for $69.95
Order ThumbsPlus 7 Standard for $39.95
Upgrade to ThumbsPlus 7 Pro for $19.95 (from prior versions or Standard)
Upgrade to ThumbsPlus 7 Standard for $9.95 (from prior versions)
Network (per user): $75.00

Note: THIS IS A LIMITED TIME OFFER AND EXPIRES AFTER December 10th, 2005!

Digital camera owners, we offer the Digicam plug-in to all ThumbsPlus v7
Pro users at no charge. This Digicam plug-in supports the majority of
digital camera raw formats. This plug-in works with the PRO edition and can
be tested on either the Standard Edition of ThumbsPlus and/or the latest
ThumbsPlus trial version! Download the latest and greatest ThumbsPlus
Digicam plug-in here:

ftp://ftp.cerious.com/pub/cerious/tp_digicam.exe
http://www3.cerious.com/binaries/cerious/tp_digicam.exe

Just a few of many new features and options that ThumbsPlus v7 offers:

1. ThumbsPlus version 7 includes new toolbar buttons and graphics with a
Windows XP feel, improved menus, and a much wider selection of buttons to
choose from.

2. Support for 16 bit per channel images: loading, viewing, editing and
saving.

3. Create Alpha Channels.

4. A new EXIF option, "Rotate based on EXIF orientation".

5. ThumbsPlus now calculates an MD5 digest when making thumbnails.

6. AOL .ART file support.

7. Support for PSP and PSPImage files.

8. Vastly improved batch IPTC Editor.

Other new features in ThumbsPlus v7: http://www.cerious.com/featuresv7.shtml

Ordering ThumbsPlus:
http://www.cerious.com/ordering.shtml

ThumbsPlus v7 Standard Edition vs ThumbsPlus 7 Pro
Edition: http://www.cerious.com/thumbnails.shtml#standard

Downloading and installing ThumbsPlus v7 for
evaluation: http://www.cerious.com/download.shtml

ThumbsPlus users may also wish to visit our feedback pages for discussion,
advice, and help with ThumbsPlus: http://www.cerious.com/feedback.shtml

"...this tool is a must for anyone who is into digital photography."
John Dvorak, PC Magazine

"The batch conversion process is terrific."
PC WORLD

"We were impressed not only by its vast feature set but also by how easy
the program was to use..." Rating: 5 of 5 stars at CNET (download.com)

Best regards,
Cerious Software
http://www.thumbsplus.com
support@cerious.com
orderdesk@cerious.com <<

terrie · 12-23-2005, 01:42 PM

I decided to check out TP7 and decided to upgrade and the sale is still on so I was able to upgrade to TP7 Pro (I have TP6 Pro) for $19.95...

According to Cerious Software's Upgrade Policy Page, if you own basically any version (1 to 6), you can use the upgrade path...

Terrie

Andrew B. · 12-23-2005, 05:12 PM

I'm going back to ACDSee 2.43 as my general photo manager, and the center of all my photo editing (if I ever get back to photo editing). ThumbsPlus will continue as my primary tool for archives, which include a broader range of file types. And Antares10 looks like it might be the best choice for viewing movie files. I'm testing it now.

terrie · 12-24-2005, 11:25 AM

Quote:

andrew: I'm going back to ACDSee 2.43 as my general photo manager, and the center of all my photo editing (if I ever get back to photo editing).

I really am going to have to start investigating photo management more closely.

I've been able to avoid it so far but when I start scanning all the slides I have and I then add the images from my new digital slr (did I mention I bought a Canon Rebel XT?), I'm going to become overwhelmed with images and not be able to find anything...

So far, I've just used TP to print thumbnail pages for my equine clipart. I need to look at it more deeply to see how it will work (or not) as an image manager.

>>ThumbsPlus will continue as my primary tool for archives, which include a broader range of file types.

As noted above, I've not done anything with photo management but...what is it that ACDSee offers in that area that TP doesn't?

Terrie

Andrew B. · 12-24-2005, 06:43 PM

At this point I can't recommend ACDSee. It is like half done software that is rushed out the door. I was getting blue screens at the point I gave up. And before that some of us were getting a bug where it could not even sort correctly, features not working that used to work, and no patch in sight.

As for the older version I switched back to, this is what they called "ACDSee Classic" version, but they stopped selling this recently.

BTW, ThumbsPlus is not the only old-timer that just keeps getting better. There is also CompuPic. You could also take a look at the photo manager that comes with Photoshop.

terrie · 12-26-2005, 02:43 PM

Quote:

andrew: BTW, ThumbsPlus is not the only old-timer that just keeps getting better. There is also CompuPic.

I tried CompuPic many eons ago and didn't like it...if I'm remembering correctly, I was, again, look for something to use for thumbnails. I got TP originally for free because I was a sysop. Cerious software was really nice to do that...

>>You could also take a look at the photo manager that comes with Photoshop.

You mean the one in PSCS and PSCS2? I have PSCS2 but have not installed it yet and from what I've read about the "new" file browser, I'm thinking I won't like it but who knows...

I hope to get PSCS2 installed soon...

Terrie

Andrew B. · 12-27-2005, 08:13 AM

Might as well try Adobe Bridge. I could not warm up to it, but maybe you will.

And even though I cannot recommend ACDSee 8, others might have more luck with it than I did. Not everyone ran into the "can't sort correctly" bug. Not everyone cares if the interface looks half done because icons are missing. And other people were not getting the blue screen of death. Take away the problems, and it is probably the best set of interface and features out there. And I can't really explain this. It just works faster and better (assuming it is working).

terrie · 12-27-2005, 03:09 PM

Quote:

andrew: Might as well try Adobe Bridge. I could not warm up to it, but maybe you will.

I'll definitely be trying it but my gut says I'll have the same feeling about it that you do...

I'm correct in thinking that with PSCS2, File Browser no longer exists right???

Terrie

10-04-2005, 09:08 PM	#1
Andrew B. Staff Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 4,298	Photo Management Software ACDSee is a photo file manager and viewer that runs on the Windows platform. It started life as possibly the fastest image viewer around. So fast that it bragged by showing the load time on the status bar. It also cached the next image in the file list, to be ready for viewing. This made things even faster. I first tried it out of desperation, when ThumbsPlus developed a problem. Pretty soon it displaced ThumbsPlus as my primary image manager. But I must also add that it did not completely replace ThumbsPlus. I continue to use ThumbsPlus for some tasks. But ACDSee became my main tool. In fact, it became the command center for all my photo work. I have shortcuts for all my photo applications right in the ACDSee interface. So I can quickly find my pictures (using its browse and view features), and then launch and load into the editor of my choice. Then ACDSee 3 came along, and it became a rocky ride. It started slowing down. Some features were redesigned and came out worse. And bugs started to creep in. ACD Systems seemed to understand that this was not the same old ACDSee, and they rebadged version 2.x as the Classic version and sold it as the tool for people who need something that is fast and efficient. Then went on with upgrades, each of which I tested and rejected. But during this time ACDSee also became one of the most popular consumer photo managers, if not the most popular. I think it might have been version 6 when it got its speed back. And then in version 8, enough features had been healed that as I was testing it, I found myself preferring it to the Classic version. And so now I've finally upgraded. But it is not bulletproof. I had a couple shut downs since I got it. And some of the features are less than refined. Still, I am liking it better than anything else I've used. http://www.acdsystems.com/products/acdsee/index

12-23-2005, 01:42 PM	#4
terrie Staff Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 10,435	Thumbsplug 7 sale still on as of 12/22/05 I decided to check out TP7 and decided to upgrade and the sale is still on so I was able to upgrade to TP7 Pro (I have TP6 Pro) for $19.95... According to Cerious Software's Upgrade Policy Page, if you own basically any version (1 to 6), you can use the upgrade path... Terrie

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12-23-2005, 06:37 AM	#2
Andrew B. Staff Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 4,298	Update. As I used ACDSee more, other problems started showing up, and I was seeing no update patches from the company. It finally got so bad I removed ACDSee from my computer, and I'm finding other ways to work.

12-23-2005, 05:12 PM	#5
Andrew B. Staff Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 4,298	I'm going back to ACDSee 2.43 as my general photo manager, and the center of all my photo editing (if I ever get back to photo editing). ThumbsPlus will continue as my primary tool for archives, which include a broader range of file types. And Antares10 looks like it might be the best choice for viewing movie files. I'm testing it now.

12-24-2005, 06:43 PM	#7
Andrew B. Staff Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 4,298	At this point I can't recommend ACDSee. It is like half done software that is rushed out the door. I was getting blue screens at the point I gave up. And before that some of us were getting a bug where it could not even sort correctly, features not working that used to work, and no patch in sight. As for the older version I switched back to, this is what they called "ACDSee Classic" version, but they stopped selling this recently. BTW, ThumbsPlus is not the only old-timer that just keeps getting better. There is also CompuPic. You could also take a look at the photo manager that comes with Photoshop.

12-27-2005, 08:13 AM	#9
Andrew B. Staff Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 4,298	Might as well try Adobe Bridge. I could not warm up to it, but maybe you will. And even though I cannot recommend ACDSee 8, others might have more luck with it than I did. Not everyone ran into the "can't sort correctly" bug. Not everyone cares if the interface looks half done because icons are missing. And other people were not getting the blue screen of death. Take away the problems, and it is probably the best set of interface and features out there. And I can't really explain this. It just works faster and better (assuming it is working).