Skip to main content

New Software Blues - Forgetting What You've Learnt

Serif DrawPlus X5
Image: Serif Website.
There was a time when I could skim through a manual for virtually any application software in the space of a weekend and that would be all I'd need to find my way around the program from then on.

There was even a time when I could work out applications based on my previous experience of using similar software.

Whilst those days aren't completely gone I'm finding it harder and harder to learn new software simply because the software can do so much more than it used to.

For example, I got very used to using Corel Draw 8 and the suite of tools that came with it back in 1995. I learnt to use it over the space of a weekend so I could complete a large commission I was working on for a client.

I'm from the school of if it does the job then don't upgrade. Corel Draw 8 has done the job I need it for well for nearly 15 years. Plus I don't like spending money unnecessarily on upgrades - I just don't buy into the whole concept of computer software and hardware being obsolete from the moment it's released.

However after 15 years, even I can see there's a need to upgrade so I did. I went with Serif Draw X5 because it worked with my graphics tablet and because it was far  cheaper than an upgrade to Corel Draw X6.

The problem is I seem to be really struggling with learning it. Sure I know the very basics. The common features that most drawing programs have such as the Pen and Pencil tools, how to adjust line widths and change colours etc. It's all the advanced stuff that I'm struggling with.

Serif Draw X5 comes with a lot of built in context help that you can read as you draw. It has a help panel that you can keep open for a refresher of how to use any tool as you select it. Despite this I still don't seem to be able to make things stick in my brain.

I've done all the tutorial videos for the program at least twice to help out but even that isn't really working - even though the tutorials are really good with step by step examples.

It's not helping things that I've bought quite a lot of software lately and am experiencing similar problems learning them as well.

I know I'll get there eventually if I keep persevering but it's very frustrating knowing that the tools I have are the right ones for the job if only I knew how to use them confidently.

I guess the analogy I could liken it to is learning how to walk again after an accident. You know how to walk  but until you strengthen all the muscles it's going to take time to get back to where you were before.

That said, if I"m having trouble learning some of these programs, I can only imagine what difficulties someone with less experience of using application software packages must be having.


TET Life Topics:

Comments

  1. Mum60January 12, 2013 8:04 PM

    It's bad enough for me as everytime I get my head around some new technology, something else new comes out for me to learn.

    VCR's faded away and we had to learn to use DVD players, thus also having gone into CD's instead of cassette tapes. I've replaced a lot of my videos onto DVDs now, but would still like a VCR to play my manually recorder material, as my VCR doesn't play now since it started chewing up tapes, (only the DVD player side of it works) and apparently not worth having fixed, but people that fixed them seem to have disappeared or don't do it anymore.

    I'd still like to have a VCR to play all the tapes I've got recorded from TV such as concerts and such things that haven't been put to DVD, as they've been lost, apparently, but they have to be transferred onto DVDs by yourself now.

    I'm still on a basic Sony Ericson mobile, but wouldn't mind one of these Smart phones with internet and that you just use your finger to scroll etc, but people seem to have a lot of trouble with plans and prices sometimes. I don't necessarily want to be using them while I'm out or checking emails etc, as that's bad enough to do when I'm home.

    All my DVD and stero system needs up dating now. I've got out of taping with having the Iview for ABC and can catch-up other channels if I want, but I've gone back to the old way of just selecting what to watch and what to miss, it doesn't bother me as much now, and I used to do a heck of a lot of taping before.

    Just wish technology wouldn't keep bringing out new things when we've just got used to something! What was wrong with VCR's anyway, apart from not having tapes to wear out or chew up?

    It just goes on and on!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TET (David Arandle)January 13, 2013 8:38 PM

      I'd suggest you get hold a VCR player from someone and buy a thing for your computer that can record the video tape to digital video and then burn it to a DVD (the hardware you need you can buy for under $20.00) but it would be another bit of technology for you to work out. Might just be easier using a service that can do it for you.

      Delete
  2. GipsyJanuary 12, 2013 10:22 PM

    As much as I liked the post, I have to say I absolutely adore the comment. I see myself in that situation in a couple of years!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TET (David Arandle)January 13, 2013 8:39 PM

      You and me both. I like to hang on to old technology until I absolutely have to replace it. By which time things have progressed so much it can be more than a little confusing.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Comments are moderated by an actual human (me, TET) and may not publish right away. I do read all comments and only reject those not directly related to the post or are spam/scams (I'm looking at you Illuminati recruiters... I mean scammers. Stop commenting on my Illuminati post!).

Buy Gifts and Apparel featuring art by TET.

Popular posts from this blog

Checking in on Tesla's Optimus Robot - Managing Expectations

Last year Elon Musk announced at the first Tesla AI day the Tesla Bot, which has since been renamed the Tesla Optimus, that is basically a general purpose humanoid robot assistant with human like appearance and proportions. Elon expected they would have a working prototype by the end of 2022. While very little has been released about the project since, in June Elon took to Twitter to announce that they would delay this year's Tesla AI day until September 30 in anticipation of having a working prototype of the robot by that time. Elon Musk announces the Tesla Bot at the 2021 Tesla AI day. When I initially wrote about the Tesla Bot I noted that both Boston Dynamics and Disney Imagineering are developing robot technologies that demonstrate a streamlined, humanoid robot like Optimus is certainly possible. However with precious few details, and the occasional appearance of static, concept manikins of Tesla Optimus bots at places like the Cyber Rodeo Gigafactory Austin, Texas  (see vi...
Post a Comment
Continue Reading »

Is AI Art 'Art'? The Say NO to AI Art Movement, and Why Human Artists Will Adapt

AI Art No T-Shirt by TET Also available on other items . Right now there is a big debate over not just whether AI art is 'art' but whether AI's are actually ripping off the work of actual human artists, without their consent, to create their images - particularly images 'in the style of' specific artists. From my own observations this debate started to get more traction when artist's signatures began appearing in the output of AI Art  image generators. Is It Art? Cool Froyd the Cat Sketch by TET. My style is very much influenced by classic Disney and WB character styles. To get some clarity on how real human artists work (of which I am one)... we, that is all of us... take influences from the art that has come before. i.e. whatever artists we like, have studied, seen etc. we are influenced by. It shows up in our work, intentionally or not. If you really study my own cartoony art style you'll see I'm heavily influenced by early Disney and Warner Bros cart...
Post a Comment
Continue Reading »

James Gunn's Social Media Monkeys Joke Was a Highlight of His Superman Movie For Me

B efore James Gunn's Superman Movie was released there was a whole rumor going around that the movie would feature monkeys on computers trolling Superman's social media, sparking much outrage. #supersh*t. I didn't know this was even a thing until just prior to writing this article. I did a search to see if anyone had posted a clip of the monkeys scene from the movie and got pages of discourse featuring videos and articles prior to the film. Most of it from Gunn detractors (let's say) seeing it as some kind of childish swipe at them... well not them specifically but, you know, those other people who have every right to hate on anything sight unseen. Anyway, I'm not going to give even one such example a link or air because it's kind of sad watching someone devote so much commentary to a throw away gag that is absolutely a nod to James Gunn's Superman trolls.  The whole reason this post exists, is to say I loved the joke, because fourteen years ago, and I...
Post a Comment
Continue Reading »

1X's NEO, The Home Robot, Fails to Impress But It is Progress For Home Humanoid Robot Assistants

1X's NEO, The Home Robot, Tends some Plants. Image: 1X website . J ust over a year ago I wrote about new robotics start up, 1X and their Plans to Build 100,000 Humanoids by 2027  in the form of their NEO Home Robot  household assistant. About a year later and NEO has undergone a bit of a makeover, and you can pre-order your own NEO in one of three stylish colours, for delivery some time in 2026. At USD$20,000.00 the price is a bit of buzz kill but 1X does offer a $499 monthly subscription plan as an alternative. Unfortunately the launch hasn't been the show stopper 1X might have hoped for because NEO isn't a fully realised, autonomous robot just yet. While it can learn to do tasks around your home autonomously, there's a bit of a learning curve between when you first receive it, and when it actually becomes useful in a meaningful way. Which was not helped by a video released on The Wall Street Journal's YouTube channel,  I Tried the First Humanoid Home Robot. It Go...
Post a Comment
Continue Reading »

Dusting Off the Board Slider - Second Sunday Skate Sessions S02/Ep01 (Skateboard Basics)

My home made 'curb' board slider. S eason 02, Episode 01 of my ten part, Second Sunday Skate Sessions Series is here. I'm still working to master the tricks of Braille Skateboarding's Skateboarding Made Simple Volume One, however, this season will be more focused on my 'curb' Board Slider, that I built, and seeing what tricks I can learn on that. If you're actually interested in following my full progress of relearning to skateboard, the first season can be viewed in these posts: Introducing the Second Sunday Skateboard Sessions - Doing Less to Skateboard More Second Sunday Skateboard Session Ep 2 - Some Improvements Second Sunday Skateboard Session Episode 3, 4, and 5 - Definitely Seeing Progress Second Sunday Skateboard Session Episode 6, 7, and 8 - Shuv-its On Lock (Pretty Much) Second Sunday Skateboard Session Episode 9, and 10 - Shuv-it Revelation and Did I Improve? In this episode I do a quick run through of Skateboarding made simple tricks just to sh...
Post a Comment
Continue Reading »

Boom Crash Opera Born Classic But Not Again

Boom Crash Opera are an Australian Band that reached the peak of their popularity in the mid to late nineteen eighties. They are a band that I knew about at that time but was never really excited by until they released their ill fated double album Born and Born Again in 1995 (Album cover pictured). At the time of its release I was very much into emerging Australian musical acts and was also looking out for new sounds that were different and had kind of a futuristic/electronic sound. Artists that I was buying at the time included; Swoop , Nine Inch Nails and Pop Will Eat Its Self . As well as a really interesting release by David Bowie, the concept album, Outside . Born was a fairly radical departure for Boom Crash Opera (BCO). The first single, Gimme , was often compared to the sounds of Gary Glitter, particularly his single, Rock n Roll part 2 , because of the pounding drum loops. Watch the video below. My favorite single from the album is dissemble which probably went now...
16 comments
Continue Reading »

How to Transfer Any Line Art to Your Griptape - Easy Skateboard Griptape Art Tutorial

Dog Star Griptape Art by TET Griptape art is once again gaining popularity amongst modern skateboarders. For those of us who have tried to create our own griptape art, using paint pens, you'll know reproducing your design onto the grip, without making any mistakes is incredibly challenging. Mostly because you just have to go for it and draw the design freehand, with paint pens, directly onto the griptape. You can make the odd mistake here or there but if you get the proportions of the design completely wrong, it can be very difficult to fix. Often you just have to live with the mistake. To address the problem I've come up with an easy way anyone can transfer a line art design to their griptape, removing almost all the anxiety of getting the proportions wrong. In fact, you could do this with any line art design, even if you have no drawing skill at all. Watch the video below to see my technique in action and/or skip past the video where I highlight the basic steps to get your de...
Post a Comment
Continue Reading »