TCS - Review of Human Software Design Collection

Review of Human Software Design Collection

by Paula Sanders
Tulsa Computer Society
From the July 1998 issue of the I/O Port Newsletter

As readers know, I try to keep up with the increasing number of software companies that produce graphic programs and review their products. While I was aware of some of Human Software products, I was not aware of the company until recently. They produce many software products for windows 95/NT and the Power Macintosh. I will be reviewing three products contained in their Design Collection in the next three issues of the I/O Port. Design Collection lists for $229.00 and contains "Sqizz 3.0", "Ottopaths 1.0", and "Textissimo 2.0." The manual is provided on the CD-Rom and can be printed or read as a pdf document. The HumanSoftware web site can be found at: http://www.humansoftware.com. The company is located in Saratoga California. Their phone number is: (408) 399-0057; their fax number is: (408) 399-0157.

Briefly, "Squizz" is used to warp or distort images; "Ottopaths" is used to build, flow, and warp text within Photoshop 4.0; and "Texissimo" is used to create text effects with PostScript 1 and True Type fonts. Also included on the CD is "Select 2" which is a Photoshop plugin for CMYK color correction without masking.

The requirements for use on a PC are: Win 95 or NT, any host application compatible with Adobe Photoshop plugins, CD-Rom drive; and at least 9MB additional memory to what is required by the host. Alone, Squizz 3 sells for $129.

Squizz is a filter that will distort shapes from within the shape with very exact control. It is very easy to use and to preview how the image changes. There are multiple levels of undo within the filter screen. Initially when one enters the Squizz program, one can choose to distort with a brush, a grid, using Bezier paths, etc. One can create still images, quick time morphs, or a quick time movie with Squizz producing all the intermediate frames.

One of the features that separates Squizz from other distortion programs is the level of control that the user is able to input. Thus, it goes beyond some distortion programs and becomes a tool rather than a toy.

A few examples of some forms distorted by Squizz can be found on the TCS web site at: http://www.tcs.org/ioport/squizz.htm. Also on the web site, are two screen captures of Squizz screens

A demo of this software can be downloaded from the Human Software site. I have find this trend in company's providing demo products to be great. I urge people to take advantage of it whenever considering a new purchase.

Corel company has included in their new release of CorelDraw 8, an older version (1.5) of Squizz. With it, one can distort with only the brush and the grid.

Next month, I will review "OttoPaths".



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