Buzz.3, Buzz.X (new versions) announced

[DannyRaphael]

Buzz.3 (for PCs) and Buzz.X (For Macs) has been announced.

Click here for details.

The prices seem a bit out of line to me. Based on the exchange rate of March 26, 2004...

102.12 British Pound = $184.63. First time owners.
076.59 British Pound = $138.48. Introductory (temporary) upgrade price.

Pul-eeze. I will not be among those hurrying to upgrade based on the trivial new features of the PC version, which are very different than the Mac version.

~Danny~

[mdijb]

Heere is my email to fo2pix regarding the new buzz.x release

I have just downloaded Buzz.x and tried your new software. I am greatly dissapointed!!! you have created a whole new program for the MaC audience that removes all the flexibility a creative power of the program that has been so usefull. Instead of making one program compatible for each platform, you have created 2 completely different programs based on which platform is used, not what is need by the end user. WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING??? The beauty of the 22 filters and the creative potentials of the stacks has been completely removed from the mac version and replaced with a way of thinking I just do not understand. What I need is the old program updated for use in OSX, not some new program that lacks all the features of the previous version. I need an update, not a completely new program that removes all the great features of the previous and replaced with a way of working that is far less flexible and stifles my creativity instead of expanding it.

I do not understand why you would add to the PC version more filters and add creative potential, but for the MAC world completely change the program that restricts creativity and bears little resemblance to the previous version. I realize that there is a great interest in video and movie making in the MAC world, but what does that have to do with the platform you choose to work on? If I want to make fine art does that mean I have to work only on a PC, but if I choose to make movies or animations I am limited to the MAC.

I am interested in making fine art on the MAC(www.mdiimaging.com) and your software which has been so useful and the basis of a business for me has now been rendered completely irrelevant, just because I use a Mac and not a PC. Adding the movie potential is fine, but why would you remove all the previous functionality of the program instead of adding to it, based on which platform I use.

I repeat---WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING????

MD ISENBERG— a long time fan but now confused user of buzz products.

[mdijb]

The more I think about what Fo2pix has done, the angrier I become. I have built a whole business and studio around this software, just like you. It's one thing to sell an upgrade with only a few new changes and charge big bucks for it, but it's another to totallay gut a fine, existing program and replace it with with one that is inferior and goes in a whole different direction. What does that say about their loyalty to their customer base. In order to continue my business, they have made life very difficult and cumbersome. All they needed to do was leave the old part of the software alone and add whatever enhancements they wanted. as I asked earlier, "What thell were they thinking??"

[Noelf]

Originally Posted by mdijb

The more I think about what Fo2pix has done, the angrier I become. I have built a whole business and studio around this software, just like you. It's one thing to sell an upgrade with only a few new changes and charge big bucks for it, but it's another to totallay gut a fine, existing program and replace it with with one that is inferior and goes in a whole different direction. What does that say about their loyalty to their customer base. In order to continue my business, they have made life very difficult and cumbersome. All they needed to do was leave the old part of the software alone and add whatever enhancements they wanted. as I asked earlier, "What thell were they thinking??"

Not being a user of their software, I'm curious about what they have done.

- Noel

[DannyRaphael]

Based on the wonderful works in your site gallery, I can see why Buzz.X would be a disappointment to you.

I suspect the "market" will vote with their wallets and pocketbooks.

~Danny~

[mdijb]

Below is the response I recieved to my complaints about the new Buzz.X.

I am working with them on some work arounds.



I am writing in response to your emails concerning buZZ.X and will try and
explain the situtaion .....

First the problem. The changed, and changing, environment created by both
Apple and Adobe made it very difficult for us, as a very small developer
team, to implement the Stack system on Mac OS X. Indeed we get the
impression that it will be impossible to duplicate our old interface. We
started with the simple goal of carbonizing buZZ.Pro 2 with a view to then
upgrading to a version 3. But it proved too hard, and even after seeking
help from Apple we have simply been unable to find a fix. This is a huge
disappointment for us and consequently a disappointment for our loyal
customers - which makes it difficult for me run my business.

However, our solution was to make those filters that use our key Simplifier
algorithms scriptable i.e. work with Photoshop Actions. We certainly miss
the convenient previews available in the Stack, however, we believe (or at
least until you wrote, we did believe) that it is still possible to achieve
the same artistic effects that were possible in Mac OS 9. In addition we
added new colour, highlight and lowlight filters that we now find to be the
most useful of all the algorithms we have produced to date. We hoped,
therefore, that we have extended the range of artistic work that our
customers can produce. To that end we've included 32 Photoshop Actions that
use buZZ.X and illustrate how to exploit the advantages of Actions that
utilize these filters with the hope that this would help people, like
yourself, improve your workflow.

Having fully integrated the key simplifier filters we explored the need to
create scriptable Fo2PiX versions of the other filters (Gaussian filters,
Spread White, etc.). If you are using one of these in a way that we had not
spotted and does produce better results that the inbuilt Photoshop versions
then please tell us which.

Clearly all the above has caused you some upset and for that I am very
sorry. But I would like to work with you to ensure that your past effort is
not lost. I have become practiced at converting existing Stacks to
equivalent Actions so perhaps you could send me a couple of your Stacks and
I will see if I can convert them. I would be pleased if the experience
would enable us to also help others.

Assuring you of our best efforts at all times.

All the best

Don McCrae
Fo2PiX Limited
Newton Court
Town Street
Newton
Cambs., CB2 5PE
Tele: +44 (0) 8707 520520 or +44 (0) 1223 873018
www.fo2pix.com

[DannyRaphael]

Looks like they are trying to make the best of a difficult situation.

Thanks for keeping us posted.