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Free Software that Makes Life Easier

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  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,987
    edited December 1969

    cdordoni said:
    head wax said:
    Freemind
    http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

    this is great mind mapping software.
    Great for writing, planning a big project or even linking to images.

    You can use it to help eg study an art movement because each thread of the mapping software can linkto an image, a web page, a word doc etc,
    So you could use it to eg map out links to a bunch of threads on posing, rendering

    It's main advantage is that ideas are mapped out in an image format., as opposed to a linear, down the page approach.

    FreePlane (a Freemind derivative with additional features), http://freeplane.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
    Dia, a flowcharting tool https://live.gnome.org/Dia

    thanks I will check that out
    mind mapping software is a blessing

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,987
    edited December 1969

    http://www.meshmixer.com/index.html

    mesh mixer - you've probably seen it but great to play with, you could export a posed Daz figure and tweak it to youtr heart's content

    is a free tool for making crazy-ass 3D stuff without too much hassle. Or boring stuff too. You decide
  • Joe CotterJoe Cotter Posts: 3,259
    edited August 2012

    Roygee said:
    I don't believe DEM works directly in Bryce, certainly not in Carrara. Use Wilbur to convert DEM to height-map and it'll work in any 3d app that does height-maps.

    Bryce was actually the first program I am aware of (that didn't cost a fortune) that did work with DEM's. I had played with it and I haven't played with Bryce in over 10 years. The article below talks about it in v4, but iirc, one could do it in 2.x or 3.x but the process of getting ahold of the DEM's at the time, and then converting/bringing them in was a bit complex.

    http://www.shadedrelief.com/bryce/large.html

    Post edited by Joe Cotter on
  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,987
    edited September 2012

    just starting exploring HDri's .... and found

    this old Carrara 3 article is worth a read re HDRi

    http://www.hdrvfx.com/tutorials/3dxtract_aug04_HDRI.pdf

    also http://ict.debevec.org/~debevec/HDRShop/tutorial/tutorial5.html

    could be of interest

    but HDRshop no longer seems to be free for non commercial use tho ugh

    Post edited by Headwax on
  • RoygeeRoygee Posts: 2,247
    edited September 2012

    Bryce was actually the first program I am aware of (that didn’t cost a fortune) that did work with DEM’s.

    As I said, it doesn't work with DEM's directly - they have to be converted. IIRC - haven't needed to use it in a while - Wilbur converts DEM's directly to heightmaps, which can be used in Bryce and any other software that uses heightmaps.

    EDIT:

    Now I remember - get the DEM from USGS, unpack in 3DEM (also free), process in Wilbur, heightmap to Bryce. Here's a quickie of a corner of Utah done in Bryce:roll::)

    Utah.jpg
    858 x 573 - 86K
    Post edited by Roygee on
  • ds-mail_2e0cb9c256ds-mail_2e0cb9c256 Posts: 70
    edited December 1969

    Not specific to only 3D or Carrara:

    - "search everything" = fast, easy, HDD searches

    - "QTTabBar" = adds tabs to win explorer (not IE explorer, but dir/folders) and has many features; I leave it on all the time. It says v1.5 beta but it has been solid for a year.

    Doug.S

  • fixmypcmikefixmypcmike Posts: 19,583
    edited December 1969

    DougS said:
    Not specific to only 3D or Carrara:

    - "search everything" = fast, easy, HDD searches

    - "QTTabBar" = adds tabs to win explorer (not IE explorer, but dir/folders) and has many features; I leave it on all the time. It says v1.5 beta but it has been solid for a year.

    Doug.S

    I use both of these constantly.

  • BurnartBurnart Posts: 0
    edited September 2012

    My personal favourite Wings3D:

    http://www.wings3d.com/

    You might ask why you'd want this when you got Hexagon for free. It's just a matter of taste really. Wings is a very basic box modelling tool that always seemed really straight forward to me. Its still my modeller of choice.

    Post edited by Burnart on
  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,987
    edited December 1969

    Megacal put me onto this one: thanks Cal!

    Top Mod

    TopMod is based on a new paradigm that allows dynamically changing the topology of 2-manifold polygonal meshes. The new paradigm always guarantees topological consistency of polygonal meshes.

    Based on our paradigm, by simply adding and deleting edges,handles can be created and deleted, holes can be opened or closed, polygonal meshes can be connected or disconnected. These edge insertion and edge deletion operations are highly consistent with subdivision algorithms. In particular, these operations can easily be included into a subdivision modeling system such that the topological changes and subdivision operations can be performed alternatively during model construction.

    TopMod demonstrates practical examples of topology changes based on this new paradigm and show that the new paradigm is convenient, effective, efficient, and friendly to subdivision surfaces.

    looks interesting.

    No Manual but tuts are available via Youtube

    Examples of work produced

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nsa_dFhRBE&feature=related

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp0ZPqFJ3O0&feature=relmfu

    link to downloads http://code.google.com/p/topmod/downloads/list

  • steggieav_d8c8461672steggieav_d8c8461672 Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    -_Milo_- said:
    Another good Editor I have been using is http://www.editpadlite.com/ free for personal use
    Thanks for the link. Another good free notepad software is Notepad++.
    Free terrain generator - L3DT
  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,987
    edited December 1969

    this is a score
    I;ve been looking for a free program that will export ai files that can be read in the spline room for ages

    http://www.microsoft.com/expression/expression-design/Default.aspx

  • Lobo3433Lobo3433 Posts: 30
    edited December 1969

    After experimenting with numerous back up solutions this very powerful and free back solution has been the best thus far Cobian's backup http://www.cobiansoft.com/index.htm

    Hope it helps some

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,987
    edited January 2013

    free cs2 goodies inc illustrator fo your vector drawings to import into spline room....

    http://www.adobe.com/downloads/cs2_downloads/index.html

    they are old versions but mightbe handy ?

    suggestion: be quick?

    Post edited by Headwax on
  • 0oseven0oseven Posts: 626
    edited December 1969

    -_Milo_- said:

    I use Total Commander (which isn't free, its like the old norton commander but on Steroids) I don't know if anyone has seen a 'good' replacement that I can recommend to people. Again this isn't free but in case someone has a recommended alternative the link is here http://www.ghisler.com/

    you might like

    http://www.wxcommander.com/

    or the one ive used for several years http://www.freecommander.com/

  • 3drendero3drendero Posts: 2,024
    edited January 2013

    head wax said:
    this is a score
    I;ve been looking for a free program that will export ai files that can be read in the spline room for ages

    http://www.microsoft.com/expression/expression-design/Default.aspx

    Good find, now free, previously sold for 149$, reviewed here:
    http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2403940,00.asp
    Bottom Line
    Web design app Microsoft Expression Studio 4 Web Professional costs than half the price of Dreamweaver CS6, yet it offers most of its features of its more muscular competitor, in a clearer, more efficient interface.

    Direct link to Microsoft Expression Design 4 (Free Version):
    http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=36179

    Post edited by 3drendero on
  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,987
    edited December 1969

    thanks for that link too :)

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,563
    edited December 1969

    You all are really super cool for putting this whole catalog together! Thanks a Mill!!! :coolhmm:

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,987
    edited December 1969

    Heh, yes it is handy, in fact it is awesome ! :)

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,563
    edited December 1969

    Very Awesome! Man, you ROCK for rejuvenating this!
    Lots of stuff here I'm absolutely eager to check out. This is great!

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,987
    edited December 1969

    ;)

  • uvavoo_c19d1341b6uvavoo_c19d1341b6 Posts: 16
    edited December 1969

    Crazybump.

    http://crazybump.com/mac/

    Excellent piece of software for creating normal maps, specular maps, displacement and occlusion maps.
    Theres a public beta version for Mac (I've been using it for ages) and I believe there is also a demo for windows users.

    Screen_Shot_2013-01-14_at_11.16_.41_.jpg
    873 x 417 - 122K
  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,563
    edited January 2013

    There is, and here's their homepage. Looks great!
    CrazyBump
    It's $99 USD for personal use license - a deal for what this can do. Not sure what happens in an unlicensed version.

    Post edited by Dartanbeck on
  • BagboyBagboy Posts: 170
    edited December 1969

    head wax said:
    free cs2 goodies inc illustrator fo your vector drawings to import into spline room....

    http://www.adobe.com/downloads/cs2_downloads/index.html

    they are old versions but mightbe handy ?

    suggestion: be quick?

    Indeed! This is almost too good to be true! Is there a catch? :gulp:

    I almost missed this! As well as all the other CS2 programs.

    Many thanks for this, Andrew! I've been soldiering on with PS5 for so many years/decades.

  • 3drendero3drendero Posts: 2,024
    edited December 1969

    The catch is that it is NOT 100% LEGAL unless you already have a CS2 license.
    Sure, it is only a problem for businesses trying to be fully legit, to avoid risking piracy raids and being sued.
    http://blogs.adobe.com/conversations/2013/01/update-on-cs2-and-acrobat-7-activation-servers.html


    Sticking with GIMP, Inkscape via
    http://portableapps.com/

    100% legal, works on any computer, any OS and always free, with future updates.

  • BagboyBagboy Posts: 170
    edited December 1969

    3drendero said:
    The catch is that it is NOT 100% LEGAL unless you already have a CS2 license.
    Sure, it is only a problem for businesses trying to be fully legit, to avoid risking piracy raids and being sued.
    http://blogs.adobe.com/conversations/2013/01/update-on-cs2-and-acrobat-7-activation-servers.html


    Sticking with GIMP, Inkscape via
    http://portableapps.com/

    100% legal, works on any computer, any OS and always free, with future updates.

    Ah, okay. That makes more sense. Sort of...

    Still, it's out of character for them to do it this way, I think. Not even plastering the catch all over the download page. Usually they are air-tightly controlled to where it is impossible to get even a sniff of this kind of access legitimately. To me they've been the epitome of tight controlling of their apps.

    Curious... for them.

    I do use GIMP when I need those extra abilities that my old, trusty, (a-hem) legit PS5 lacks. I guess that amounts to quite a few features after all these years, but not that many that I've needed so far.

    I haven't yet sat down and fully committed to the GIMP. One of these days...

  • wetcircuitwetcircuit Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Bagboy said:
    Curious... for them.

    It's called having their cake and eating it too... They mass release an "obsolete" (because of OS updates) version with a press release, then have their legal dept say that you don't actually own it if you download it (in otherwords they are legally exempt from supporting it).

    Kinda like when Apple was the underdog and would inflate their OS install numbers by including the number of people using their software illegally.... Kind of ironic to claim software pirates as users, but it's all about "leveraging" reality. In most cases people have owned a pirated or "borrowed" copy of Adobe products before they buy in... It's actually part of their business model.

  • evilproducerevilproducer Posts: 9,050
    edited January 2013

    I DLed the Adobe files, as I still have a legacy computer. I don't feel bad about it either because they had nothing on the download page explaining their reason for release. They didn't even have a link to the page with the explanation. All they had on a public page were the complete files, activation numbers and system requirements for a series of seven+ year old, unsupported, no longer sold, software.


    If I'm a pirate, I suck at it.

    Post edited by evilproducer on
  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,987
    edited January 2013

    3drendero said:
    The catch is that it is NOT 100% LEGAL unless you already have a CS2 license.
    Sure, it is only a problem for businesses trying to be fully legit, to avoid risking piracy raids and being sued.
    http://blogs.adobe.com/conversations/2013/01/update-on-cs2-and-acrobat-7-activation-servers.html


    Sticking with GIMP, Inkscape via
    http://portableapps.com/

    100% legal, works on any computer, any OS and always free, with future updates.

    sorry, didn't know there was anything not legal with it!
    as a few people have said , there is nothing on the download page about the conditions for downloading it

    EDIT: reading this (from the Adobe Blog) , it says nothing concrete about preconditions:

    Effective December 13, Adobe disabled the activation server for CS2 products and Acrobat 7 because of a technical glitch. These products were released over 7 years ago and do not run on many modern operating systems. But to ensure that any customers activating those old versions can continue to use their software, we issued a serial number directly to those customers. While this might be interpreted as Adobe giving away software for free, we did it to help our customers.

    Post edited by Headwax on
  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 38,204
    edited December 1969

    I grabbed it too :red: guilty %-P

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,987
    edited December 1969

    not software but...

    Using Poser 3D Software to Create the Ground-Breaking Graphic Novel Anomaly

    http://my.smithmicro.com/webinars/poser/using-poser-3d-software-to-create-ground-breaking-graphic-novel-anomaly/index.html

    worthwhile watching

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