Think this wasn't the kind of review VUE users were waiting for. Got issue 23 of 3DWorldMag, there was a 2 page review of VUE for Mac and they weren't too impressed: Score 2 out of 5 Pro's: Fantastic Volumetric Skies Extensive Feature Set Speedy Rendering Con's: Mac version is nowhere finished Non-OS X interface elements ONline help underwhelming Hilight: In Mac terms , Vue d'Esprit is really version 1.0 and it shows. The application is liberally riddled with bugs and glitches, many of which prove fatal..... the last quarter of the review expands on this. Seems the Win version isn't that bad afterall and makes you wonder about the Mac software that didn't win "Best of Show".

I'm just surprised we're not being literally flooded with unhappy Mac users in here....

Maybe they haven't noticed yet, the general attitude of the mag is getting more and more, if you don't pay a fortune for your tools you know sweet FA about graphics and shouldn't pretend to be anything more than a mere dabbler.

Well, I think we can agree with the listed cons, just from what little we've heard from Mac users here already. Vue 4 ignores many Mac conventions and seems to share many of the same bugs as the PC version - and we know how "interesting" v.4 has been on PC thus far. E-on went way out on a limb for v.4, including the Mac port, and now they're scurrying to make good on what they had in mind. I still have faith in E-on. They're going to make good on this version, both platforms, I'm really sure of that. I think they should've just waited on the releases until this coming summer, but...water under the bridge and all. I'm just looking forward to 4.1, which will likely be very stable and reliable - as long as it isn't rushed. :)

I think it's a big problem, at the beginning especially, when they port over a software from one platform to another.... maybe, they should have released vue for mac next year, after they had it right... But in cases like this they let the public be the beta testers... A sad but true statement... Anyway, I'm glad I have a pc and usually feel sorry for mac users, not because it's a bad machine, but because they gotta pay 3 times as much for everythign, to get the saem results as on a pc, for 1/3 the price... :)

Hmm, interesting review hein ;) Anybody who knows me, knows about the soft spot I have for Vue, and how much I think of it.... but: I'm lucky that I can advise my employers at work, in what software they should consider using. One of the softwares in use is Bryce (although a very limited amount of seats), but if they where to ask me at this point, would it be worth considering Vue as an alternative it would be a definite "no"! We use everything from Pro/ENGINEER (a $30,000 CAD package) to Poser at work, and with the software I have at home, I'm sad to say that Vue is the most unstable application I have contact with :( Vue is excellent value for money, but I think the question needs asking; is the low cost affecting application reliability? Are the resources available, and with reviews like the one from 3DWorld, you can bet the cash pot will not get any fuller. Maybe the beta testing strategy needs looking at, as the initial release of the Windows version 4 had some bad bugs that should have never got through. I do hope Nicholas Phelps reads the forums, as he will see that he has a dedicated group of users...some of us have even built a reputation on the past successes of Vue (which I'm eternally grateful for). I'm just worried that Vue is not as good as it used to be Nicholas... Can I just add my thoughts concerning your points on 3DWorld mag hein? I've always found 3DWorld very fair in their assessments concerning software. I would have to disagree with you concerning your quote "if you don't pay a fortune for your tools you know sweet FA about graphics and shouldn't pretend to be anything more than a mere dabbler.". You only have to look at the support they have given to the Poser community, and the coverage given to the "lesser" apps such as Vue, PPP, and Poser etc. Of course, I totally accept anyones accusation that I must be biased because I write for them occasionally LOL! Long live Vue, and lets hope brighter days are ahead. Martin

damn... 2 out of 5 ! never seen a score like this ! Usually the worse is 3. They surely gave this score because of the lack of reliability. I can understand that. Even on the PC platform the software is not perfect concerning this. E-on should try to be more careful before releasing an update or a new version. there's no hurry. People won't complain if one or two features are not perfect or not available, the most important being reliability. We don't want to feel like beta testers ! It's totally unprofessional to release a software full of bugs and problems. As far as I know no MAC user has a "working" version of VUE ! Why did E-on release it ? They surely had the same problems while testing it (or they did a very very quick beta testing). Throwing on the market softwares full of bugs is not acceptable. Especially if you need to attract new customers (the MAC users). Now E-on has to react very quickly, otherwise the MAC community will definitely hate VUE ! Eric

On a subnote .....following on from the comments that the public are being used as beta testers.....I have to agree wholeheartedly. I am truly saddened by the attitude displayed through some employees of this company, revolving around the 'damages or losses' the 'public testers' are enduring for E-on in regards to their sub-standard patch releases. These losses dont appear to be having any effect on E-on, because it keeps happening. Before you all go off on a tangent regarding my last comment abour sub-standard patches......try and remember...many, many of us ended up having to so a complete re-install etc, after a buggy (substandard) patch. I know first hand how much a buggy patch can cost...not only in terms of reinstalling.....but also total systenm failure, and needing to get a professional to repair the damage done. I'm sorry, but I honestly feel that something needs to be done to ensure that we (the user base) do not suffer any further by such patching. my 2c worth

I know what you mean beck... That's why I'm still using 4.02... It works, and if it ain't broke, don't fix it... :)

Martin, my imho about the mag is based on reading 19 issues of 3DWorldMag, I'm glad you disagree, since you occ. write for them. Eric, as to the "it's totally unprofessional to release software full of bugs and problems" ,we should know by now that it's common practice in the industry and I'm not just talking E-on. Knowingly selling defective stuff starts with our beloved OS's which in their current versions are still buggy and unstable enough to cause a lot of damage and no corporate big shot has ever complained loud enough for that to really change.

{Anyway, I'm glad I have a pc and usually feel sorry for mac users, not because it's a bad machine, but because they gotta pay 3 times as much for everythign, to get the saem results as on a pc, for 1/3 the price... :) } Eh? - I am a Mac user and there isn't anything that I can think of that costs 2 or 3 times more than for PC!?!? I for one am very interested in the abilities of Vue 4 but I wont even consider it til I know that it is stable.

Youve just run into what I was experiencing all the way back to the mid-90's: The software companies' quality departments are being sacrificed due to cost reduction. You dont only see this in computer biz but everywhere. This is what happens if the boss of a company is not a human being but a shareholder only interested in his gains: Naked greed is code nowadays. And you all know how stock market boomed over the last years, so: its going to be worse. Dont give in to that. If someone wants you to beta test their crap, ask some money in return. You know it already: Its code ;-) Birdy Harry Just my 0.02