It is called DAT, for Data Execution Prevention.  The AMD chipset has hardwire code that catalogs and controls all kernel code, to ensure Malware does not get through.  

Some programes that address the kernel in there own style are seen as a threat and the code is isolated or killed.  Ergo, my python scripts for Paint Shop Pro cause the software to crash unless I turn off DAT for that program.  

XP has it and Vista will enhance both hardware and software recognition.  A lot of programes will have to tow the microsoft line or they will not work correctly. 

Vista was rewritten from the ground up in 64 bit, but will address 32 bit.  We had the same problem when MS went from 16 to 32 bit.  Nothing worked right for years.

Blame it on the "Bush," he killed the law suites against MS, that might have brought them down to size and opened the path for healthier software.  Now that Microsoft is full of themselves, even more, we are gonna pay bad. 

Easel is great but the rendering engine is very slow, especially when you add complex materials or a lot of lighting.

The second big problem is the materials and plants editors, which does not exist compared to other versions. Therefore, if you need to create your own materials and plants, you would do better to upgrade to Esprit. Esprit will handle Poser objects much better and has a far more efficient rendering engine.

It is worth the extra bucks. You can add on modules, when and if you need them.

I have Carrara 5.1 and have been playing with Easel for the past few months, and am going to VUE 6 Esprit as soon as the boxed version shows up.  I do not need the heavier version since I only do stills.

Cararra is great for modeling, but the atmospheres and plants cannot compare to Vue.  Plus Cararra does not have the auto-render preview pane, and slows my work down when I have to continually select areas  to render.

Vue does not do modeling well and sometimes you have to get pretty creative when you want to create an object.  

Actually, VUE was designed to work with existing 3D objects or objects you create, although 2D images can be imported as backgrounds and Alpha planes, or projected onto objects as Maps, Bumps, and Alphas.

If you know how to use Photoshop, you can bump the images, or displace them with PSP, Painter, or, with other software, and then import them into VUE, but your results will probably not be what you are trying to achieve.

It would be much easier, to create separate 3D objects, and then compose them as one scene, which would additionally require Poser.

Software is available to convert 2D to 3D but is very expensive.  There are companies on the Web that convert 2D images into 3D.

This URL might be of interest.

http://www.shortcourses.com/how/3dmodels/3dmodels.htm

Steveie,

Go to this URL and you will find the comparative chart for all VUE software and the file types:

http://www.e-onsoftware.com/products/?page=4

I agree the ATI 9600 on my AMD, which I have, will crash using Vue, however the same PCI version on my Intel will not.

Microsoft, AMD, and ATI are  to release a chipset on the ATI Video card designed by AMD, that is supposted to optomise Direct X 10, but I do not know how that will affect OpenGL, if at all.  

Vue tech tells me memory on the Video board does not matter at this point, but they hope to address that issue later on.  Only OpenGL is a primary concern, since many Cards and software drivers do not fully support all of the features of OpenGL that VUE does.  They won't say which cards they recommend.

Hope that helps.

The interface is mathematical rather than object oriented.  It takes time to get used to.  Sounds like some have been spoiled by Point, Click, Drag, and Drop.

If Terregen can battle the giants, I believe they will have a better produce down the line for all of us to use. 

Printing at a higher resolution does make a difference to an InkJet or Giclee Printer.  The higher the resolution the finer the spray of ink and the greater the coverage.  

Also important is the paper you will print the image on, if rough, a higher resolution is prefereable, and the finer the paper a lower resolution can be used.  

Depending on who you are printing for, 300 is good, but 600 is preferable for a High Quality Archival Art Print.

I didn't either and now the price is $99. 

I have tried that and I still have to turn the Power Options to Never.

It happens to me when my monitor powers down.  I have to set everything so there is not a powerdown, and no screen saver as it uses the memory and causes a crash. 

Sometimes I use backlight to smooth the edges.  

Use a Spotlight and cast color the same as the fire on the back of the figure and the color will blend the edges if done right.  You will have to move the spotlight around to get the best blend.  I sometimes use as many as three or even six lights.

Here is the newsletter.  It looks like the retail will be in January.

http://www.e-onsoftware.com/about/newsletter/120106/