EnigmA Amiga Run 1997 July/EnigmA AMIGA RUN 20 (1997)(G.R. Edizioni)(IT)[!][issue 1997-07 & 08][EAR-CD IV].iso/lightwave/lwmlist/96.lightwave-0401/[e-mail] _Fri Apr 5 16:47:43 1996.msg

Internet Message Format | 1996-04-08 | 4KB

Received: from e55.webcom.com (e55.webcom.com [206.2.192.66]) by keeper.albany.net (8.7.5/8.7.5-MZ) with ESMTP id QAA27675 for <[e-mail]>; Fri, 5 Apr 1996 16:47:41 -0500 (EST)
Received: from localhost by e55.webcom.com with SMTP
    (1.37.109.15/16.2) id AA133120802; Fri, 5 Apr 1996 13:46:42 -0800
Date: Fri, 5 Apr 1996 13:46:42 -0800
Errors-To: [e-mail]
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
Errors-To: [e-mail]
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Originator: [e-mail]
Sender: [e-mail]
Precedence: bulk
From: Brett Tribble <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: how cool it is ...
X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas
Status: RO
X-Status:

> >I fully grok LW, and
> >hope that the guys will get it together in the next release.
> >
> >Brett
> >
>
> Hey Brett,
> I've also got a copy Max for eval on my desk. Don't be fooled by all the hype.
> I don't know where Autodesk gets it's ideas for a good interface, but I
> can't stand Max's. Just shows you how a merged modeler and layout shouldn't
> be done. Not all those big hyped tools are that useful (they're great if you
> want to twist and bend boxes) LW may not have everything they have but they
> don't have everything LW has. Not to mention that LW is a hell of a lot cheaper!
>
> Sorry I'll quit ragging.
> -Ace
>
>  Ace Miles * Senior Animator * Time Warner Interactive
>    [e-mail] (work)  or   [e-mail] (home)
>  My opinions are not necessarily those of my employer.
>  Although legally they own everything I come up with.

I certainly understand your views on the interface, although I
believe that much of your gripe can be attributed to "modalism".
ie. You are used to the LW interface, and therefore biased
towards it. To be honest, I am very comfortable with the same
and would find it hard to use MAX. However, those who get into
MAX will find as many flaws in the LW interface as you will it
the MAX one. All in all though, you must admit the the Yost
Group (those who were contracted to do MAX) did a pretty good
job _compared_ to the current 3DS (which is total crap). One
of the things that I like in MAX is something that Tim Jennison
always pushed hard for, and that is an interface where your
workspace doesn't get covered up by menus, pop-ups, and such.
(A rule which Allen & Stuart were allowed to ignore obviously)
This does lead to the obvious space saving requirements such as
buttons leading to buttons, to buttons, &c. But they did pull it
off fairly well. Rather, they did it in a way that you can
easily become _modally_ (sp?) attached to it. This is especially
true if you are a longtime Windows user, as it obviously has
arisen from Windows roots, whereas LW maintains a generic,
portable, machine/os independant interface. Most windows users
will take the former over the latter in my oppinion. This is one
advantage of the current LW interface... portability! However,
it does leave Allen and Stuart having to code every little piece
of minutia. For example, where is the handy color picker in LW
that other programs have been sporting for years? Even
Toasterpaint has a pretty good one, but since the LW coding
method prevents them from plugging in an "off the shelf" one,
it is still lacking. When it does get one, chances are that
it will be a specific to LW, and not one you have run across
before (and are used to).

This discussion could obviously go on for days, and if it does,
I hope that everyone realises that I'm playing devil's advocate.

Brett

ps. I haven't heard any "hype" all my impressions come from
trial and error. As far as the price goes, I think that they
are rapidly approacing each other.