Finding a favorite old tool again: PaintShop

I did not know that PaintShop still exists! I used the Jasc versions in Windows 95 and XP.  Granted, I didn't use it particularly well. Using speech recognition to draw is… INTERESTING. Still, I could do what I wanted to do for the most part.

Then Jasc was sold to Corel. I could not afford the next upgrades, so I made-do. It worked. I could still do what I wanted to do for the most part. It was really getting clunky to use software that was designed for Windows Xp on a Windows 7 machine, but I've always been the slowest part of my computer.

I've tried installing on Windows 8. Yeah… It was time to find ANYTHING Else. I knew that Photoshop prices were way out of my league and I want all legal software. Besides, my niece showed me her copy. It didn't do anything that PaintShop used to do at well under $100, it just was slicker…

I tried GIMP, and did not like it. It was well worth the price. Other people swear by it, but I would wind up swearing at it.

Aviary had some interesting online editors for a while. SUMO Paint is really good for what it does and has an inexpensive desktop thingy. It just doesn't quite work with my brain.

My nieces and nephews still think that PHOTOSHOP is the gold standard. Next time I win two or three lifetimes worth of Publishers Clearing House, I will think about thinking about trying that overpriced bit of fluff.

For now, this fits my budget:

I am GUILTY! I want this robot!

I was just sitting here minding my own business and reading my email, when I got a link from TED Talks.  I should NEVER have clicked on that link!  You see, it showed me a control device to connect to the computer (and, by the way, an Assistive Robot Device) that I deeply desire.

We are not just talking, "O, that's cute.  I'll put that as item 420,612,008 on my list of things I might like someday…"

I

WANT

THIS control and robot!

I have to find what this guy uses for his "minute movements" for control.  I don't know that head movement trackers are the answer for me, but I'll bet these people know how to to be creative. http://www.ted.com/talks/henry_evans_and_chad_jenkins_meet_the_robots_for_humanity.html

In some ways, it's an even more creative approach than makeymakey.com, although I often prefer the DIY approach.

Even bigger mistake…  Now ANOTHER short story is forming in my head.  I need to get off this fairly quickly…

But here is the link for "Robots for Humanity" <http://www.willowgarage.com/blog/2011/07/13/robots-humanity> before I go.

SkillfulSenior.com Computer Tutorials

SkillfulSenior.com (and other links) may also help With Mother's computer-related frustrations.  Don't get me wrong, she is far from computer-illiterate.  She can search the web and do e-mail with the best of us.  She uses an iPhone far better than I would, but then, I don't even want a cell phone of any flavor.

Still, there probably are gaps in her new knowledge of computers.  Uploading and downloading work best with me alongside prompting her.  Saving and retrieving documents work best the same way.

One of my friends pointed out that I'm not quite as patient as I could be when it comes to helping Mother with the computer.  She's right.  I'm trying to remedy that by learning about different tools to help Seniors master the intricacies of technology.  I'm also trying to learn how *I*  can present things more clearly, simply and patiently.

• The first on this is SkillfulSenior.com  -It Starts with some pretty basic tutorials.  How to sit comfortably at the computer…  What the different mouse buttons do -and why.  Returning to the basics and having that information on hand is an important tool for helping folks retain information.
• If she decides to stay with Microsoft Word, maybe this tutorial will be useful  http://www.gcflearnfree.org/word2010

Helping Mother with her computer?

The Mother hates her word processor.  Granted, she is using the free version of Microsoft Word that came with windows seven when she updated.  If that was what I had to use, I would hate it, too.    I replaced it with OpenOffice because it does the kinds of things I need it to do.  As a writer, I use several bells and whistles.
 
I think that OpenOffice would be even more annoying for Her than the one she has.  It needs to be simpler and less cluttered.  I suggested wordpad, but it still doesn't meet her needs.
 
I will be testing various Word Processors for Her.
 
This is the one I am testing this week.  http://www.jarte.com/   it is based on Microsoft's Wordpad engine and retains some of that simplicity.  It has a little bit more to it, though.  I will slowly review it over the next few weeks and let you know what I think.