Visit www.brycetech.com to get latest news on Bryce 6 (aka Bryce Pro) release. Not very pleasant... Anthony Pontigary.

read it this morning, I agree...

A great favour for Vue d'Esprit command. Strange marketing undertaking, though we are unaware of all the marketing strategy details, of course. If Corel claims to make Bryce a monster like XSI or Maya will it affect the price I wonder. Anthon Pontigary.

As a Mac user myself, I'm used to the limited software availability. I'm sorry for you guys if that story is true. Although, I have to wonder if the reason falls back on Microsoft. It could be my bias, but is it possible that Bryce renders so slowly on Windows because Bryce is ported over and Windows APIs aren't very cooperative? That is to say, perhaps there is already a lot of programming duct tape to hold those versions together, and Corel might not be too keen on keeping up with Microsoft. That is just a theory founded on nothing at all, and it assumes that the artice is true.

Wow is all I can say...I will keep plodding along with my 98SE and Bryce 4/5 until all the bugs will be out of 6 the reasons... 1.I am still a user of Bryce as a Program... 2.I think that it is BS about haveing to upgrade to a different OS...BUT...If we are forced to leave Bryce behind that is not going to be the end of my world I will still use 4/5 as they are excellent programs and the backgrounds you can make are spectacular... 3.I knew that when I started I wanted to go farther and at the time in 99 I was on a one way track of mind so I have been saveing and I bought Lightwave I will be spending more time learning... 3.If COREL wants to slice their own throat then we as a community can only shake thy head and say..." Bummer for us " 4.BUT until the final answer is in I will reserve my judgement...But I am still going to learn Lightwave.... 5.ARE WE AS A COMMUNITY foaming at the mouth knowing that there will be a Bryce 6....dont know about you but I am...Did they get rid of the Rendering Problem????is there going to be a partical system or should I keep going on the Partical system I am developing for Bryce4/5...? 6.All these questions and no answers yet....BUMMER

I don't think Brycetech would post that announcement if he wasn't sure about the info, but...it's kinda vague here and there. I mean he mentions ONLY Win 98 & ME not being supported. Does this mean if you have XP or 2000, you will still be able to run it? Or, will ALL the Windows OS's be screwed? I recently upgraded my whole PC including the OS to Win2000Pro. I knew there were some apps I wanted to learn that needed Win2000, so I got it. (i.e. Maya PLE) Sounds like Corel is going the same route with Bryce, having it work with XP/2000, or Mac OS X. While this situation does suck, if the new Bryce version is worthy of such a move, it might very well be worth it all. I know that sounds almost traderous to fellow Brycers, but I'm just trying to look at the bigger picture. And, I DO hope Bryce 6's picture will be very big... And, if Bryce 6 does support Win XP/2000, I hope Brycetech will not follow through with shutting his site down because of that. It would be silly, no disrespect at all. In fact it because of the respect I have for the Brycetech website that I think it would be silly to ever shut down, for really any reason. Wait and see... AgentSmith

Footnote: Most of those High-end programs like Maya and the like used to work with Windows ONLY if you had NT 4 or higher. (yuck) It is because of Windows 2000 (built off of NT), and then XP (built off of 2000& misc) that those high-enders can now work with a windows that we would all recognize. Win 2000 is definetely a different world than Win 98. It does handle programs a LOT better. (IMO)

Not at all intending to sound unsympathetic --because that wouldn't be true-- but now you guys know what it's been like to be a Mac user lo these many years. I also hope Brycetech will reconsider his intentions. Shutting down shop out of protest seems rather pointless, and it won't mean anything to Corel.

Just another question: How many incompatible versions of Windows are there? Sounds like at least a half dozen. If that's the case, then what's the big deal if Corel doesn't support all of them? I'd point the finger at Microsoft. But I digress.

John: Win95, which is still present on some old PC's, Win 98 which is more or less still main home OS, Win ME which are an abomination, Win NT4 still present in some places, Win 2000 Pro which is probably the best windows OS, and XP Home and Professional which are gaining on every other Windows OS but still has bugs and lacks hardware & software support. I'm not counting server versions. Corel is obviously following Microsoft in abandoning Win9x versions for XP. I repeat, Windows ME are the weakest version of Windows, but if you drop them, you drop the whole 9x series. BTW, seems to me that Bryce will still work on 2000 and XP, but not on that 9x series. I can't really blame them. If they implement everything everybody asked for, you do need a stable OS. Which Windows 9x series is not.

Sooner or later all software vendors will say enough is enough and only support the latest operating systems. Windows 98 and ME have huge problems that are very well know. If this limits a company's ability to add new features, I fully agree that they should drop supporting a dead operating system and move on. Who complains anymore that something does not work with Windows 3.1? You can not even buy a Windows 98 CD from Microsoft anymore. Microsoft has stopped support of Windows 98 - no new drivers, no support of new hardware. Windows ME is not far behind. I think Corel is doing everyone a favor by telling us we have a year to get a new system. I for one have upgraded to Windows XP. So far, my system has not crashed since I got it. I also use Poser and have to say, it runs much better in XP that it did in either 98 or ME. I would have to reboot between every render or Poser would lock up. Not anymore with XP. Brycetech, I love your site. Please don't shut it down. Thanks Peggy

If it is true, then there must be a sensible and progressive reason for it. For a program to advance, it needs to make the most of the advances in the new OS's, if that's the case, then either upgrade your OS or be happy with the version of Bryce you have! I still use Bryce 4 (on Mac OS 9.2.2) far more than 5 simply because of the little niggly bugs that slow down 5's interface and menu bar on redraws etc. plus apart form the tree lab, and better light labs, it offers no great advantages over 4, as the extended rendering times with fx on are ludicrous for any serious pro users needing hi res images for print! - these things can all be added with a bit of masked rendering and photoshop with more control and a fraction of the time! When I eventually venture forth in to OSX, hopefully Bryce 5 will run more smoothly, and in turn, if Bryce 6 is a much better program, with a faster renderer and higher functionality that I need, then upgrading the OS is part and parcel of progress! :) Personally I feel that Brycetech is over reacting since just because Corel may choose not to support an older OS anymore with their newer, better product, doesn't mean the community will stop using their trusty old version 4's. :)

As I have said before, due to my past experiences with Corel products I am not a big fan of that company. There was no joy in my heart when I learned they had acquired Bryce. Nonetheless I wanted to like Bryce 5. Unfortunately, I do not and after having tried it decided to remain with Bryce 4. I say these things because I do not want to appear to be an apologist for Corel. If with Bryce 6 Corel is about to abandon previous version of Windows this was not likely an easy decision. If necessary we can continue with Bryce 4/5 but Corel must have a continuous flow of money through their coffers. A commercial company does not lightly dismiss a substantial portion of their customer base if it can be avoided. In the end it is a matter of balancing the cost/benefit ratio. Undoubtably Corel's programmers know far more about the internal programming aspects of Bryce than most of us. They are in a far better position to determine if it is economically feasible to continue to support older Windows versions than we. Brycetech's news posting implies that Corel owes us something. They do not. We use Bryce because we like what the product can do for us, not because of some misguided sense of loyalty. And although the Corel team may derive some satisfaction knowing that their products are enjoyed their primary interest is in our money. As long as those two interests coincide a good time is had by all. But inevitably such interests diverge. Life changes daily and it is foolish to rely upon the future. In the end Corel has evey right to do as they choose with Bryce just as Brycetech has every right to his opinion and the future of his website. It is not for us to judge for that is reserved for the future's hindsight. Whatever happens most of us will just muddle along as always and make the best of what we have. Only the arrogant or the foolish blindly follow a single path. As for me, when Bryce 6 arrives I will probably try it. If it fills my needs, great. If it does not, well... no big deal. ps. to johnpenn "...is it possible that Bryce renders so slowly on Windows because Bryce is ported over..." I assume you mean that Win Bryce was ported from the Mac. I think this was true of Win Bryce 2 (the first Win version.) Many of its problems were due to its Mac heritage. But for some time now Win Bryce has been purely a Windows product, its code unffected by the original Mac version. In fact, although I cannot swear to it, I believe that in subsequent versions the tables were turned and the Windows version had undue influence on the Mac product.

Well, this upgrading your Windows thing is just par for the course of using a PC.. I'm still using Windows 98, but have been thinking of getting another computer faster, with Windows 2000, simply because of these other softwares that I can't use unless I use Win 2000... So, yes, it's not exactly great news that Bryce 6 will only work on 2000/XP, but it's also not devastating news... Brycetech, your site has been a big inspiration for many Bryce users, myself included, it would be a waste to lose such a resource because of decisions with a software company, decisions which are not completely horrible... I hope you reconsider and keep it open, because in the future, even if newbies and not so newbies are using Bryce 6, they'll visit your site and become better users as a result... Thanks for sharing your site with us all these years...

Well, when I can finally afford to upgrade from my old P-II I want to get Win 2Kpro. I sure hope it's still available then, because there is NO WAY I will ever have XP on ANY machine I ever own. I absolutely refuse to give Microslop a total free-access back door to all my personal data and put up with their spyware disguised as an OS. I'm still on Bryce 4, guess I may never get 5 now, and the way it looks from this, Bryce6 is NOT going to be an option either. Sigh Where are the Linux developers? If they'd just get their act together and make it so it could run all windows programs, there are hundreds of thousands of people who would switch OS in a mini-micro-nanosecond.

To ajtooley: So you have problems with finding software for the Mac? You should have been an Amiga User (Commodore) back in the late 80's and early 90's. LOL! I still bear the psychological scars and sometime wake up screaming, "Software! I must have software!" Only a trip to the local computer stores can make me feel better. :^)

Corel is unlucky to be the first big company to offically drop w98 support for a very popular 'hobbyist' app. I can't see Microsoft supporting w98 after next summer, then all major software/hardware companys will drop it like a piece of roadkill!

ajtooley - what kind of software are you having problems locating for the mac???? - apart from3dsmax and softimage, I can't think of one peice of software of importance (graphics related) that isn't available! - most of them started on the Mac anyway.

Attached Link: http://www.graphicsteck.com/

Since I'm relatively new to the Bryce scene, I have found Brycetech's site to be a vast trove of knowledge. Closing this site would not only make me incredibly sad, but IMHO, would be a great travesty.

However, I do respect BT's right to do whatever he feels best reflects his take on this situation. But I sincerely hope there will be a way to leave the site up. I have been greatly inspired not only by your work, but also your easy to follow tutorials.

Thanks BT, from a very grateful Mac user, who can understand & sympathize with your frustration.

to tjohn: You had it easy... grin. When I started to play with micros you had to build them yourself and I don't mean just connecting boards together and sticking them in a box. If you wanted softare you learned to program. A k of ram (yes a k, not a meg) cost $400 Canadian and that isn't allowing for currency inflation over last 25 years. I rather think I prefer the status quo today. to ariannah: Welcome aboard- you have now sold your soul to addiction... If you haven't already been there be sure to drop by http://www.petersharpe.com/Tutorials.htm for a nice array of tutorials in pdf format. If you have a few spare dollars be sure to get Susan Kitchen's Real World Bryce4 book. It still has a lot to offer B5 users.

{You had it easy... grin. When I started to play with micros you had to build them yourself and I don't mean just connecting boards together and sticking them in a box...} That's nothing when I were a lad, I worked 20 hours a day down pit, it took 2 hours to bike home, another 2 to bike back and the only way we had to render a landscape was by scratching a broken slate with our toe nails! - we did have a computer though, made of beeds and whippet hair! ;)

Wow... you had a bike? We used to plug the holes in our shoes with used toilet paper... when we had shoes. Wherever we were, that was home. Ah- the good old days that never were! Grin.

LOL @ jval! Addiction? What addiction?!!! :-D

Thanks for the welcome, although I have been lurking here for a bit. Just don't post too much since I don't yet feel I have much to contribute other than my instinctive reactions to some of the incredible images I've seen posted here. Thanks as well for the petersharpe link. As for The Real World Bryce 4, I already have that as Clay kindly pointed me in that direction a while back. It has been very helpful to me, even though I sometimes have to adjust for my version B5. Now if I can only make it through the camera chapter....=:-O.

kromekat - as long as I don't have to manually configure all the mathematical calculations of ray tracing, then I am a happy camper. ;-)

Don't be surprised if other high-end (and not so high-end) applications do something similar, especially in the graphics field, which is so processor intensive. Poser has, in one sense, stopped supporting Win9x, if only because trying to render a Millenium figure under Win9x will crash the application as often as not. Curious Labs pretty much says, "Nothing much we can do about it. Try Windows 2000/XP." Win9x/ME is STILL kludgy, bug-ridden mess of an OS, a frankenstein's monster of 16-bit and 32-bit code. For anyone using a computer for profession purposes, it has always been a poor choice. I realizing that upgrading your OS is a money issue, but frankly, if you are seriously making an income from your computer in this field, stick a crowbar in your wallet and upgrade to a professional OS, regardless of whether you plan to use Bryce 6 or not. You'll thank yourself every time Application X doesn't crash like it used to. This isn't a ad for Microsoft (if I bite for XP it will be grudgingly at best), just my $0.02.

I don't work for Microsoft either, but I installed XP Home on an HP 8766C that came native with Windows ME and other than a compatibility problem with a couple of peripherals I've had relatively little trouble. No lockups, and when a program crashes (seldom, and usually after running several different programs without a reboot) the program asks if you want to send Microsoft a message about the failure- I presume so that they can improve compatibility in upgrades to XP.

I contacted Corel. They are silent even on OS minimum requirements, wouldn't give out any info. So, no word there, but it is a safe bet that it will be for Mac OS X, Win2000, and Win XP. You all make great points about Win2000/XP over Win98. The overall upgrade situation will not be easy for all, but most of us know it really is a necessity. I Love my Win 98SE, but cannot deny the stability and speed of 2000. I went from a 200mhz cpu and Win98SE to a 1.2ghz cpu and win2000pro. With simple division (200mhz/1200mhz), you'd think I was rendering 6 times faster...I'm actually rendering 15 times faster than before! Bryce 6 has been in beta-testing for a while now. Release date? Who knows? Maybe/probably before the year is out. I've heard beta-testers say that it is amazing so far. What does catch my attention is this...if they are calling it Bryce Pro, that leads me to believe this next version will be more of an...option...than just the "next" upgrade. I have a funny feeling it will be a fairly great system...with a fairly great price tag. It could be that Corel is not trying to just keep up with Vue and World Builder but actually trying to surpass them altogether. Ah, one day...we'll know for sure. AgentSmith

the purpose of the announcement was not meant to give away features for the next version...so please dont ask about that cause, well that's corel's baby...and we all know that companies like to keep specifics to themselves. I would not have posted the message at all if the interest in dropping the earlier os' wasnt so very important to many users of bryce. The brycetech site, on a daily basis, on average, gets more emails than all 3 of the major bryce sites gets posts in one day. I'd actually hazard that only ~40% of the people who email me come to any of the forums. (and yes, I do nag the to go to them all :P) Brycetech gets emails from students (college, middle school, and high school), professors and teachers, hobbiests as well as professionals. It is required reading in well over 20 schools and colleges 'computer graphic's' classes worldwide. I collaborate with individuals in studios, some who even use bryce for all the graphics they produce. brycetech.com was largely involved in a european television show that did all of its animations in Bryce. whats more, I was emailed by a training employee of corel about using it as their 'training' site..(what that means, I have no idea..but the permission was asked to print and hand out the tutorials to the employees). So yes, I know its valuable..its loss would be a huge impact ..but I also know more about the entire picture of what this os dropping will mean to the entire community than ANY other person who uses bryce. and let me say that this potential OS' dropping will affect at least 40% of the current users..perhaps more. Assume for the sake of argument that it drops earlier mac os' as well, then we're looking at around 60% (and no, I did NOT just say its dropping earlier mac os, I said 'for sake of argument') this very simply means that the next version will HAVE to be much more expensive to make up for those that wont upgrade..and then that additional price, may even stall some of those who want to upgrade. The brycetech site was started many years ago. At that time it was for a little known, very powerful app that was easy to use and low enough in cost to be attainable by everyone, yet robust enough to produce some amazing images. Practically noone knew how to use it...and bt very much served the purpose of showing how. I have very much enjoyed interacting with fellow bryce enthusiasts (sp) over the years. By and far, the bryce/poser community is made up of unbelievably great people. With this next proposed change, bryce ceases to be what brycetech was started for...no longer cheap, no longer for anyone, and no longer an app that I feel I can justify the time, effort, and money supporting. I wont believe in it any longer..so c'est la vie. I could most definately see the dropping of earlier os with a bryce 7..but not with the next one. there is simply NO justification to say that it will be anymore stable, render faster, or be better on everyone's computer if they use the latest os. Its perfectly fine on my system..and I use ME. XP will never be on a computer I own...however, I have no problem at all with 2000. the future of bryce6 is very uncertain. Perhaps they will grab that bean counter up that says its cheape to drop the earlier os and have them justify the statement..or perhaps theyve already made up their minds and so it will be as it will be. the future of brycetech.com is however sealed. someone may buy it to keep it online, but I wont be part of it if the earlier os are dropped...just cant justify it to myself. shrug live will go on BT

Here's my two cents... 1. Win ME is the worst version of windoze ever made, maybe XP is, but that's debateable. ME allows so many services and operations to automatically run behind the scenes that it is an absolute programming nightmare. Win2k pro is by contrast one of the most stable versions made. (and I run a dual boot ME/2k machine with both OS' on the same partition). Ok, that said, it is a major mistake to ditch the home kernel OS version of Bryce. There are many programs that home users have which require 98/ME (hence my necessity to dual boot). While I sympathize with the programmers, this is a blunder because Bryce has a LONG ways to go before its taken on the level of Maya, etc, which are NT only. Furthermore, with the Corel Office 2002 debockle that has them touted as a laughing stock (and has cost our office tens of thousands in lost productivity due to bad coding and refusal to fix/support) all I can say is gloom and doom if they ditch the people who are their main market. 2. Personally, I would do everything in Win2k pro if possible, but it ain't possible yet. Very stable platform with SP2. 3. All that off my chest now, I'm a die hard Bryce fan and have been since version 3. I very much like what they did with B5. The upgrade was great and worth the money. The render engine doesn't detract as some suggest, cuz all that you quick render folks need to do is low quality no AA and you'll be rendered as fast as B4. For the folks who want better images, and are willing to do the pain for the gain, the new render engine has way more options!! Tree lab is fabulous. Light lab didn't really add much, but it did simplify things. The interface chages in the terrain editor help a lot too. 4. You really have Bill Gates to thank for this. No open code and he changes his OS so often that the third party programmers can't keep up. He releases programming info to the big companies that are not in competition and the others have to struggle. Thus he controls who is good to use and who is not. And blame it on the community that has to have the latest toy. I'm a die hard PC user, but fact is, Mac's look better and better every day. pointigary, Johnpenn - I agree with you. (This has been edited to remove my b*#@^ about Corel WP Office 2002 and the serious issues that are taking place at work over it.) Bryce, its ok to move up the block a bit, you deserve it as a program, but don't move too far from home lest you find yourself in a strange neighborhood with no friends. You're not going to knock Maya off the block any time soon, so don't try just yet.

So, Brycetech...am I mistaken...or do you elude to the fact that you are running Windows ME while beta-testing Bryce 6? "I could most definately see the dropping of earlier os with a bryce 7..but not with the next one"...."Its perfectly fine on my system..and I use ME". I understand if you are beta-testing and cannot say anything. But you if you are a beta-tester, you could admit to that fact alone, couldn't you? Let me also take time make this point... This forum, and I am sure all other Bryce forums, field MANY questions every week that comes from people just starting up with Bryce 4 or 5. Not to mention anyone else that is still learning everything that Bryce can do (basically ALL of us). Shut down your site and you will be shutting out those that still look for a valuable source of information for Bryce's programs prior to version 6. Many who want detailed solutions to their problems are directed to your site, from here. Many. And, I have no ill will at all towards Corel...but, believe me, they probably will not blink an eye if you shut your site down. Hope to keep you around AgentSmith

im not a beta tester please, dont put words in my mouth that I didnt say. as for my site, shrug tis my site BT

Well I am a beta tester and I did meet with Conan and the other Corelians at Bryce Camp, I think everyone should just settle down a bit, all this hype is for nothing right now. Let the new version be built and tested first. But with all new versions of applications there is always the "jumping to conclusions" kinda thing, settle everyone settle! And if David wants to shut his site down that's his biz, although it would be a great loss for sure, that's his decision. But don't jump the gun on everything this early in the game everyone. :-)

Apoligize if I put you on the defense, brycetech. I was just trying to clarify things, plus I am fairly curious about all of this, as is anyone. I really wasn't meaning to try and twist any of your words, sorry if it came out that way. It's sometimes hard in here, just reading text and not hearing the tone or inflections of a voice, lol. Just would be a lesser place without brycetech.com, bit of a cornerstone it is for all of us. But we would respect your decision, especially for why you would do it. AgentSmith

I'm just curious...why do so many people have a problem with win XP? It's only like $99 to upgrade to home edition. There is no "backdoor". I believe that it is completly and utterly illegal, and I think I would know if someone was trying to take over my computer. If you are referring to the remote access that XP has, it is only useable, if you are at your computer, and say that someone else may remotely access it. If it is the new look of XP, that is easily changeable via the properties menu, accessibl from the desktop. XP is more stable, and handles memory better than previous versions of windows. Sure, home edition isn't quite as functional as the pro version, but as a Home user, I haven't been left wanting anything that might be missing, as anything I need, if it isn't there, I can prolly find something similar on the 'Net. If it is about running programs, I have been able to run every program I own on my XP machine, including those that require DOS(hehe). I do agree with Corel that at somepoint, perhaps Bryce 6, perhaps 7, they need to drop support for 9x/ME series of Windows. They cant handle memory any better than a bucket with a hole the size of my head(that aint small either!). They have more bugs than an apartment in the bad section of NYC. XP is microsofts flagship right now, and will not be replaced in the forseeable future(as far as I can tell, anyway), so updates will continue to be produced, to repair any flaws that may be found. to brycetech: if, at somepoint, you will be shutting down your site, could you give us some advance notice(as if you owe us anything, right? lol) and maybe offer you site available for download, so we can continue to learn and advance our skills from the fountain of knowledge you have created. my 4 cents( i put more than 2 into this one! lol)

kromekat: I was speaking historically. Your own post kind of makes my point; by winnowing software requirements down to those "of importance" and "graphics related," you've reduced the issue of availability by two factors. But for the longest time, one simply could not get decent --or any-- software for accounting, industry-specific applications (agriculture, construction, etc.), and a lot of games (I was never much of a gamer, so this didn't affect me personally, but the size of the game market and the frustration level for gamers can't be ignored). In many of those specific industries, it's still the case: people who just want an easy tool to work with are left with Bill Gates' version of easy because the software companies don't want to deal with porting. As for myself, I'm currently happy. I either have or could get all the software I want for my needs. I was simply saying that Mac users, over the years, have "been there."

Brycetech, Far be it from anyone here to tell you how to run your own site, but I (and probably a few others) think you might be overreacting just a bit. Corel's decision to drop Win9x support (if, in fact, they do that) for Bryce Pro is probably going to be par for the course for a lot of graphics apps over the next year or two. I'll bet good money that Poser 5 will be XP/2000 only, just because Win9x can't handle the memory demands of this program. As Jval pointed out, I doubt that Corel would do this casually, because dropping Win9x users is cutting off a portion of their user base. For Corel, it probably comes down to a choice between: 1) releasing a program that everyone can run, or... 2) releasing a program that does what it's supposed to do without crashing because of a crap OS. If Corel takes choice number 2, I don't think they should be punished for it, not if it means they are putting out a better product than they would if they continued to support Win9x. Talking about discontinuing your site just because of this sounds like someone letting their emotions get the better of them. Maybe you should just hold off until Corel makes any kind of official announcement before you throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Sorry to say it but most companies are dropping Win98 support. I work for Blue Cross and telecommute from home, right now their software doesn't support WinXP but soon I'm going to have to upgrade to either XP or 2000(currently the software we use only works with 98 and 2000) because Win98 support will be dropped. Face it, 98 is a 4 year old OS and by the time Bryce 6 comes out it'll be a 5 year old OS. Most computers are obselete by the time they are 2 years old. It's time to move on. I know it sucks because I have Win98SE and haven't had any problems and can leave it running for days without a reboot. I've said I won't upgrade to XP unless they drag me kicking and screaming, looks like that day is coming fast.

ok, so lets put a few more cards on the table here. does anyone in their right mind think that if the final decision had been made as to exactly what was happening with B6 that drawing it out into the open and stating that bt will close would have any effect? this is not a 'pi&$(**' contest, no lines are drawn in the sand..and its not a test to see who will blink first. the simple fact is, corel is on the fence here. They are very much leaning to the dropping of earlier os' support...but, one can easily guess that they are unsure about exactly what to do. My hope is that by splashing a little cold water around, they will release 6 with current os support. in the same breath, if corel doesnt then what better time would there be for me to get out of being a corel evangelist? 40-60% of users affected...I wouldnt upgrade, thus making me 'behind the times' and not 'the' site anymore. Simply put, now would be the time. now would be the time it would have the least effect, even then it would/will be a big one. as for over-reacting...Ive been thinking about this for a very long time. Do you honestly think that even saying anything about it was an easy choice? come on, do you know what I did, what I'm responsible for now, by revealing this at all? Do you honestly think that I want to stop bt.com? Brycetech.com has taken on a life of its own. Far more than I or debbie ever remotely had an idea it would. this is NOTHING SHORT of the same thing as a divorce! Very stressful...hard to imagine not 'brycing' daily. Hard to imagine being separated from something that has been such a big part of my life for so long. part of my every day is spent answering emails...again, very simply---I love it. I mean, interacting with so many talented people, helping with a project, introducing students to 3d graphics, sending them to other sources for further info---how could I not love that? shrug so dont think this is over-reacting over-reacting would be to close it today. oh, the site's tutorials are already fully downloadable in pdf version (arent they? if one is missing let me know and I'll add it).

I stopped buying Bryce, with version 4. Canadian EVERYTHING is more expensive than in most places. Corel must seriously need to charge what they do, in order to continue operating in Canada. Just last week, I saw that they are STILL charging $150 for KPT 6. (how old it that, now??) Sheesh! They simply bought the rights to an already completed program. Where do they get off with still charging the same price as that software cost, when it first came out YEARS ago?? Corel unjustifiably does it's best, to attempt to gouge people. Period. Screw them. I hope they fail as a company. Half of their software is garbage. Almost all of the software they have, that's any good, they bought from other companies. Bryce was ditched by a lot of other people like me, just because Corel got their hands on it. There's no point in hanging around to find out how much of a mess they make out the next version(s).

Attached Link: http://uk.geocities.com/bryster3d

Attached Link: http://www.brycecamp.com

'98 is slow and buggy as far as newer 3d software is concerned. It's also a lot more "hackable" OS and more vulnerable if you're online 24/7 like with a cable modem. While 98 is a good OS overall, and I do have it on secondary machines, I prefer Win2k lately, as it blazes through my Bryce and Poser renders compared to '98 on the same machine.

Hrm...I have a few things to say... 1. as a user of ME(my dell came with it last august) I would say that I have yet to see the blue screen of death, a lock up or otherwise...millenium figures do fine thank you. 2. If bryce pushes xp it might force me to upgrade..I have a copy of xp(Dell sent me one since I bought the puter so close to the release date) I have hesitated thus far because I can't get an answer from anywhere as to whether I'll have to reload my whole computer. I never did the upgrading of OS's at our house, my ex did and I feel uncomfortable doing it by my self. In a nut shell I might NOT upgrade to bryce 6 if the os restriction is in place and I haven't met a competant CS major by then. 3. As far as obsolete is concerned...not true...the average user of a computer only uses basic wordprocessing and internet functions...which only require 95 and 32mb...next step are gamers, who just want better and faster..not always needing it, then develpers/3ders...who actually need it. It is only obsolete if you can't use it.

Thanx for the info, BT. I think you are making the perfect move. I'm Win 98 myself, and so is a lot, a HUGE lot of other people, as you say. If Corel decides to dump half their customers, and half their evangelists, that's Corel's decision. But I don't think THAT is the perfect move. I never got B5 (cancelled my order because delivery was repeatedly postponed, AND the price raised!). I'm fairly sure I'll not get it now, to say nothing of B6. 'Tis a pity, as I still think Bryce renders are, and always have been, in a class of their own (I speak not as a partisan, but as a guy who also uses and loves Vue). It is correct, as someone observed above, that software making is about money - but I hope that your move, BT, will remind Corel that they make a lot of money from user enthusiasm, and they are not exactly increasing said enthusiasm.

Sorry, still can't see what the 'big deal' is! Your OS will need replacing at some point anyway, or at least it will if you want the best from your machines. If your machines processors are not up to the task, you upgrade them, or move on to a new machine. If there is a chance that a company can take a piece of software forward, improving functions and speed, but need the advancements of the current OS, not a 4 year old one to really make it sing, then they should! - if everybody waited around for everybody else to catch up, we'd never get anywhere or make progress. As has been said by others here - there will always be a version 4 and version 5 that WILL work on your old Jalloppy 98, so it's not like Bryce will have gone anywhere! Wait and see - but if Bryce 6 offers you heaps more than 4 and 5 then go with what needs to be done, if you think it's another piece of Corel sh*te then stick with your favourite version now! ;D

I have too agree
there is alot of hesitancy in the MAC community
to upgrade to OSX
but the harsh reality is that you
cant expect all the powerful features you demand
in your favorite Software apps and expect them
to be eternally backwards compatible with
obsolete operating systems.

Bryce is a 3D application
to be truly efficient, modern day
3D applications need a true stable protected memory
environment with true multiasking.

does win98 offer that kind of environment??

MAYA would have NEVER come to the MAC
under OS9 and its predecessers.
and newtek basicly has stated that you need OSX to really
properly utilize Lightwave 3D.

I loved my Sony hi-fi betamax VCR back in 1983
but i had to accept that content providers
no longer supported my "platform".
and moved on the VHS and now DVD
and how much longer do you think you will be able
to get the latest and best home video releases on VHS????

if you dont want to upgrade to Win2K Pro/XP from 98
then Dont.

but Dont expect software makers to NOT take advantage of
newer modern operating systems that will enhance the functionality of their products.

...it's like hanging on to a sloppy old sweater that you have had for years, that now has holes, pulled threads and is out of shape. You still love it despite the fact that it's served it's useful life and become inefficient! - you'd rather continue wearing it, or worse still, burn it and not wear anything! - ok, that's cool! - so stay scruffy and cold! ;P

This is not to belittle the genuine feelings of anger at betrayal by Corel, but I ain't rich and upgrading to XP seemed like a very affordable choice (I paid about $150 American for it). I had noticed that a lot of the new software coming out was focussed on running under XP, so I thought it was time. Haven't regretted it. How many of us are still using Windows3.1? We adapt or die, folks. I have been buying new machines every 3 years or so for similar reasons. PC's keep getting bigger, better, faster, and most importantly, CHEAPER. I paid about $3,000 for my first PC clone. I paid only $1,200 for my current HP, and moved up from 300 MHZ to 900 MHZ. Now I'm looking at the 1.7 and 1.8 GHZ machines for about $1,400. You can still get some pretty good cash for the old machines, so it becomes worth trading up, for me, anyway. I found out long ago, computing is the most fun I've can have with my clothes on...but it's also a Money Pit. Still, I wouldn't give it up for the world. :^)

If Bryce 6 won't run properly under my Windows 98, and the later operating systems are unreliable, I better stick to my Bryce 5. My policy with PC operating systems is to be one upgrade behind the latest, to give time for the bugs to be got out of it. Or is it s trick to force people to keep on buying more new operating systems for their computers? It is the same as that, to write Windows programs, I stick to my out-of-date Borland C++ 4.52, because later versions such as Borland C++ 5 that I have tried, have major weird faults.

Well there are alternatives.... :-)

just Joking!!

Well as a Mac Owner I can sympathize with the Windows people being ousted out on the next version. But as a windows and mac developer of sorts, I can assure you that it is not always possible to provide the best user experience with any os based on 9x, including ME. Don't get me wrong, I think ME is a good little OS for most of my games and office apps, but 2000 and Xp are far more stable and faster. This same thing happened several years ago when windows95 was released. Most Dos/Win3.11 users hated it, and justly so for it would not run the latest games very well. That all changed very fast, and now games in windows run far faster then ever possible in DOS. The same can now be said about XP, most games will run faster or as fast as those run on ME. This is because the 2k, XP OS's are a true 32bit OS that does not have any remnants of DOS code. WinME still has DOS remenants and 16bit code (especially in the Multi-Media sub system) that just makes for a slower, less stable OS. The bottom line is that if Corel drops support for 9x based OS's they are finding out what Maya, LW, ThinkDesign, and many other Modern 3D app developers found out a long time ago: For complex 3D design Windows 9x-ME is less then ideal and a support headache! Most mid - high end apps do not support Win9x, and now it is Bryce's time. Well this should mean several positives: 1. More stable 2. More Responsive 3. Faster Renders 4. More Complex Scenes/models I do not agree with BryceTechs planned boycot. It makes no sense to boycott a software package based only on what Windows version it runs on. Windows XP home edition is a small $89. Now boycotting a package based on Support or Functionality is a whole different story. My 2cents -PAGZone