That is a particularly unpleasant post heading, ......................go away.

 Many thanks...

 I remember reading on e-on's website somewhere that (7 Infinite) requires a seperate graphics card (for Macs?), i.e. not the integrated graphics sharing main memory as is found on many laptops. I hope this is not the case for you as it would seem to imply that you need to change hardware!

Good luck

 Go for a run or bike ride & just let my mind wonder: I find it helps a lot to get outside and re-calibrate my problems/thinking against of the magnitude of nature & the tide of time........more often than not, my mind will wonder off only to return to inspiration, or an alternative solution to a problem, by some unpredictable series of bizarrely interconnected 'mental meanders'.

 Richard, FWIW, I agree entirely with your appraisal & sentiments.

 It appears totally illogical to push Complete purchasers into a cul-de-sac with no reasonable option to move upto Infinite/Xstream..........why not just ask the difference in price plus a labour cost (e.g. difference plus $50 as previously suggested).

If e-on wish to diverge their products & service into two distinct categories, i.e. 'general-public' / 'professional-studios', I believe that it would be a wise business decision. Unfortunately the current situation does not strike me as the correct way of achieving this.

In my opinion there should be a logical, hierarchical range of products (Complete & Infinite are too similar) where there is a logical upgrade/sidegrade price between all products (perhaps limited to a two generation 'lifespan') which avoids any potential for clients feeling marginalised.

All individuals and businesses can then upgrade/sidegrade as they wish and when they wish (within the two life-spans limit, i.e. an upgrade price from Infinite 6 to Infinite 8, but not from Inf 5 to Inf 8....) according to their desires & circumstances (which can change very quickly!).

I would suggest to e-on that they are then at ease to focus their software subscription services to the professional studios: A yearly fee for each Infinite or Xstream seat entitles you to quick always-available support, and all upgrades/updates released during the year automatically provided as part of the subscription. This subscription model appears to works well for my provider of architectural software (ArchiCAD).

P.S. Just my opinion, but I find Vue Infinite reasonably priced for the complexity of the programme - the cost of ArchiCAD with the necessary additional software for it to better realise its potential is not far off 10x more expensive!

 Excellent: Thank you Artur & Angelsinger. I look forward to viewing them tomorrow! (too late tonight...)

A possible link-up with GeekatPlay, .......... offering the same option:i.e. watch the tutorials one-by-one on the web site and/or support the author(s) by buying the download / DVD?

(I appreciate that this notion has already been mentioned at the beginning of the thread, but no harm in repeating it..........I hope!)

 Aaaaaaaaahhhhh, watched the first tutorial yesterday & thoroughly enjoyed it..............came back today and I find its too popular!

Looking forward to seeing them posted soon, and thank you very much.

 Congratulations: A skillfully created texture.

Only possible modification: Make the colour more 'silvery'.......appears too 'grey/green' to me ( but I agree it should not be 'reflective' in nature).

 Excellent: Most appreciated....

Thank you

 Oooops, ................. meant to post that I am very much looking forward to the html version!

 Look forward to the PDF......

Many thanks

 My searches are also leading me towards GeoControl: The only sticking point being that I will have to procure a copy of Windows/Vista to run via Bootcamp on my Mac. Its never simple........

I think that the most efficient way of doing it will be to produce my own 16bit tiff images from google earth views and use these to generate the terrain and also populate with ecosystem materials / plants / roads / buildings......... it'll certainly keep me busy learning how to and then doing it !