The New Computer Program
By Mr.e
The new program. We’ve all been through this one before. Making it do what
it’s supposed to do can be a damned frustrating. Especially so if you’re
battling unrealistic deadlines, grandiose expectations or you promised a client
that you would spice up their corporate Web site using that ‘new’
program; by weeks end, tomorrow.
Even though there a several ways of coming by that new program, some upstanding
and some not so upstanding, the focus for today’s scribble concerns itself
only with the ‘why you have it’ part.
It [the program] either came with your current system or you laid your greedy
little mitts on it because you couldn’t see yourself without it and like
to dabble in this or that. Why you have that new software will also predetermine
the way you’re going to use it; occasionally, religiously or exclusively
depending of course on what it does.
Another scenario determines that you really needed this new software (read:
TOOL) and you’ve read all the reviews, got positive feedback from your
cyber compatriots and only then decided that the new software was worth the
money.
A slightly more self-indulgent scenario concludes that you indeed have greedy
little mitts and generally subscribe to the notion of having one of everything.
And besides, you’re really curious as to just how much stuff it takes to
fill up that shiny new mega giga byte hard drive.
Well, you have the new software. Now you have to learn how to use it. This can
either range from 1-10 on a scale of difficulty. Hopefully all you have to do
is stumble through an included and brilliantly laid-out tutorial. Now you’re
on your way.
Um … oh yeah, signing up for a course on that program might be worth it
if you don’t enjoy remodeling your home office to install your own software
library.
If you do have the space for that library you now begin to hunt down the book
best suited to your particular program out of at least 10 books dedicated to
various aspects or skill levels of that software. Locating the relevant bits
that will speed you on your way only happens after you find the book that addresses
what you need and want to know.
I recently bought a new program. I’d heard much about it and what clinched
the decision to ‘learn it’ was seeing how it was used on some very
cutting edge Web design. I’d not heard too much about it but what I saw
impressed me enough to go out and get it.
Much to my surprise, learning to drive this one so far has not proved too confusing.
I’m even bumping into functions that have been taken from more familiar
programs and combined to simplify certain steps. That is very cool and every
one of these discoveries just makes it easier to use. Mind you I’ve not
yet figured out how to do the really cool things I want to replicate.
I’m not as enthusiastic about some of the other programs that I think I
need, and don’t yet have a good grip on.
I know what it can do. I know how to back it out of the garage and drive to
the corner store, but as yet I’ve not figured out how to get onto the highway,
so to speak. Because I don’t spend much time playing with it, I usually
start where I started the last time I opened it to scan and store another image.
A friend (computer guru) keeps reminding me to find a program that is useful
to my purposes and concentrate on learning it. Don’t clutter up the brain
with a bunch of new programs at one time. Learn one at a time and try to master
at least the basics before moving on to another funky program that lurks on
your hard drive.
That’s the way it should be. But I’ve not really done it that way.
So OK, last week was exclusively spent on my new program. I’ve not been
this excited about a new program in quite some time and frankly, the vast capabilities
of that PhotoShop program are just too deep to plumb for my current needs.