OK  I keep trying and trying to learn blender... the interface is just way to much to take in in one shot... that being compounded by the need to use a 3 button mouse... 2 issues with this..

1, I'm on a mac... OK get a mouse.. which I have.. well a track ball ( kensington turbo mouse) but there is no reference to "right" or "middle" buttons in the set up.

2, I'm left handed... this constant need again for left and right mouse buttons just gets compounded because everything kinda gets reverse. the whole thing just goes beyond confusing on a program that is "strange" when it comes to it's interface...

then trying to follow the manual is just tooooo well technical, even for me. Now I'm no dummy. I have the basic concepts of 3D, how things work and look. But this goes beyond... I just can't seem to grip it.

anyway, enough bitching... is there a "so stupidly simple" tutorial for blender that might actually get me doing something after an hour? cause I have spent many hours and still can't do much beyond move the box up and down.. and even rotating doesn't seem to work right to me. This interface is really confusing.

I really really want to get blender working for me.  I have other 3D programs that work but they all seem limited.  Hexagon is the only other one that "makes since" to me and well.. it's just a buggy mess and I spend more time try to work around thing than actually doing anything.

oK I hope someone can help me out here

Thanks

There are lots of tutorials out there.  I don't know what you've tried, but the ones I like best are the video tutorials on the blender 3d website and the blender "noob to pro" wikibook.

Quote -  OK  I keep trying and trying to learn blender... the interface is just way to much to take in in one shot...

I feel your pain!  For several years now (on and off, but mostly off) I've been having shots at learning Blender.  Usually they've ended dismally - but now I think I'm finally getting somewhere.  I'm trying to make, texture, and animate a human figure, and I'm quite pleased with the results.

For me, this series of video tutorials was a major turning point:
http://ocw.tufts.edu/Content/28/supplementarymaterial/366743

They're all in very short, bite-sized pieces, but each one builds on the previous, and it all slowly begins to make sense.

Like you, I find the manual way too detailed for my present level.  If you don't mind spending a bit, THE ESSENTIAL BLENDER is a great intro to various sections of Blender.

But I think you'll find those vid tutorials helpful.

PS - if anybody wants to see my attempts to make a character, I'm keeping a daily log in words, pics, and vids in a Yahoo group.  You'll find my 'Project Frankenstein' at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/morphys_madlab

But I'm very new to this stuff, so my log might be more useful for learning from my mistakes!

 thanks for the links but it seems that the actual videos are dead links... or that real player can't find...  not a big fan of Real player but that's another story... from the list it looks like that is just what i need... will have to contact them and see if we can get it running

Sorry about that - I tried about a month ago, and they were fine.  Here's another page of .pdf files by the same guy.  They're not as good as the videos, but still not bad.

http://ocw.tufts.edu/Content/28/supplementarymaterial/366744

Yep, the Blender interface is daunting when you see it for the first time. At least you got the cube to move which is more than I did when I first opened it. But persevere, because it is well worth it.

As for your mouse problem, you can change the button assignments in the user preferences window if you are more comfortable with selecting using the left button. At the top where you see the File, add, etc hover the pointer over the border between the title bar and window until you see a double headed arrow appear, then drag the window down to open it. There under view and controls you will see an option 'Select with' where you can change the default setting. Save any changes using CTRL+U.

I've not used a trackball but you should be able to assign the buttons  to do as you wish in the trackball software.

Another good resource for tutorials can be found at http://www.cgtutorials.com/c3/Blender/top/1, which has tuts of varying degrees of difficulty. Also visit the forums at www.blenderatistd.org for additional help.

Just shout if you get in trouble.

Seriously. After all those hours and all those problems, maybe you should just try another program? Maybe Blender was not cut out for left-handed, trackball-using Mac people?

Or you could wait for the big 2.5 update, at which time you will probably have to learn the interface all over again anyways :D

Hint- To rotate the box all you do is press R ???

Attached Link: Blender Basics Classroom Tutorial Manual

An Instructor (J. Chonister), at Central Dauphin High School has written a complete (20mb,) illustrated open source classroom tutorial for his students.

Not only has he written this great tutorial but he and his students have created a number of examples as supplements.

Excellent piece of work, and was written and designed to printed and spiral bound so it can lay flat on the desk.

Hey, if a bunch of high school kids can learn Blender, so can I!. ;)

Hope this resource helps. It sure is helping me :D

Only had a quick look through the above tutorial but it explains the basics very well. Worth downloading and keeping. Explains some of the other features simply. Doesn't cover UV texturing though unfortunately which is my weak point. 

Attached Link: http://arungpisyadi.oggix.org

Lucky me, my first experience in using a 3d software was with mr. Blender here, so you can say that i'm learning from real zero than all you guys. But one plus point is that i never found the problem that you guys found. I completely virgin and the first thing i learn in using Blender is select using right mouse key and use the other hand that not holding mouse for keyboard. I don't know the problem with left handed person because i'm right handed, but i guess the most principal thing in using Blender is to use both of ur hand. I've got so many tutorial which i agree with u that those were not made for someone who want to have a quick learning, but hey... Blender is an open source so all the tutorials are made not by one team but by many individual person which has different experience in using Blender. For those i'm gratefull, coz i can get so many knowledge. Anyway i got some tutorial in PDF which i collect and edit so it's easier for some lazy stupid person like me to learn, not that i think that u r like me but hei... if a person as lazy and dumb as i am can use Blender for several things more than just rotating why not u check out my file (haven't got the time to upload it yet, but soon). That's all from me

great picture teewee.

I am also in the process of learning Blender. I am not unfamiliar with 3D design programs as I have designed aircraft models for some time with FSDS and earlier programs. I found GMax intimidating and finally I found Blender.

I have tried several tutorials and each author telling you something that will enable you to open Blender, do some organising and design something that still leaves you with a program that you can not use because you still can not make sense of the thing.

Then:
I came across this page that I have read about somewhere:
www.cartoonsmart.com/3d_index.html
You have unfortunately have to pay for it and it is rather big to download, but after about 20% of the video tutorial, you start to understand and getting somewhere. The files is of a large window and crystal clear. You can stop the video and do something along, over and over until you understand. This is the way to go.
You can also download the basics tutorials from this site:
blenderunderground.com/
The 5 tutorials is also big but do get them.
Then you can also do the tutorials From Noob to Pro, mentioned earlier after you have done the above mentioned tutorials and then most will make sense.
These two links above make sense. The authors understand and know how how to carry over their knowledge.

Blender is difficult to learn, but not more than the others.
After the tutorials mentioned I am going to stay with Blender. I am also sure that Blender is getting there:

See this guys comment about learning Blender:
ragingmon.blogsome.com/2006/12/28/blender-3d/
Stay with learning Blender until you succeed:
www.gfxartist.com/features/articles/9002

And my last link:
www.tdt3d.be/articles_viewer.php
If you look at this comparison table, Blender is one of the best 3D suites available and it is free. Stay with it, Marry it and in the end you will succeed. If you one day dump Blender, you loose nothing, If you dump something else, you loose big bucks.

My opinion is worth about 5 cents (South Africa) and if you convert that to dollars about half a cent.

Quote -
2, I'm left handed... this constant need again for left and right mouse buttons just gets compounded because everything kinda gets reverse. the whole thing just goes beyond confusing on a program that is "strange" when it comes to it's interface...

You are not the only one. I've found a tablet is a great thing, configuration is the same for left and right handeds, also the use of it. I use it for blender and for all.

I find Blender fun to learn. My 70 year old brain has picked up so very much from all the free tuts out there. My approach has been, this is fun and what new thing can I grasp from this tut. Neal Hirsig's video tuts have been the most help. Reading the various forums on the internet has also helped. I have just modeled my first simple thing and did a 10 second fly thru following various tuts. I figure if my 70 year old brain can do it any one can. Never could get Poser figured out. I find Blender easier to use and I can make my own stuff. Good feeling of accomplishment. Can't wait to see what is going to be in the 2.5 build. And just think it's allFREE.

jcrous,
                You have some pretty good information there.  That's the first time I've heard of Blender Underground.  I went to the site, and downloaded part 4 of the video tutorial.  I expected to see a video tutorial like most of them out there, (hard to make out the menus) but I was surprised.  The quality was excellent, and the tutorials were well presented.  I'm going back to start from the beginning.  PS.  I do love the way they referred to the man.