As usual, Michael Smith did an outstanding presentation this month and it's clear to see why he is a favorite presentator with our membership. First was the freeware demonstration of Adobe Photoshop Express

(https://www.photoshop.com/express/)

 This is a free web-based image editor that allows you to posted (up to 2GB), edit and share your photos in your photo gallery.

Another web-based photo editing program Michael demonstrated was Picnik

(http://www.picnik.com/).

After viewing this demonstration, I think Picnik would be ideal for dial-up users because there is no download to install, you just click a 'connect' button on the website to access your photos for editing.

The Photoshop Elements 6 presentation confirmed my need to purchase the program. If you missed this month's presentation and want to find out more about the new version of Photoshop Elements, you can visit: http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopelmac/. The Adobe Photoshop Elements Techniques website (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/learningcenter/) is a great place to get an overview of the program by viewing QuickTime tutorials.

Microsoft Expression Studio is a suite of design and media applications from Microsoft aimed at developers and designers. It consists of:

• Microsoft Expression Web (code-named Quartz) - is a WYSIWYG website designer and HTML editor (replacing Microsoft FrontPage).

• Microsoft Expression Blend (code-named Sparkle) - is Microsoft's user interface design tool for creating rich graphical interfaces for web and desktop applications that blend the features of these two types of applications.

• Microsoft Expression Design (code-named Acrylic) - is a raster and vector graphics editor graphic design tool.

• Microsoft Expression Media - is a digital asset and media manager (cataloging program for a wide range of media formats).

• Microsoft Expression Encoder - encodes digital audio and video media.

Don, with the assistance from Ken Arbogast-Wilson (WTW Design Group), demonstrated all the applications that comprise the Microsoft Expression Studio at our April meeting.  Everyone that attended was awarded the software package (few members won other valuable items), which is one of the largest raffles we have had at any MacTechnic meeting.  Don has two websites that are worth viewing if you are interested in more information about the Microsoft Express Studio product: Designing for Dot Net is a Blog that Don contributes to and PHIZZPOP is a place for webdesigners "design, build and grow." Ken is also the founder of the WTW Design Group at the U of M College of Architecture in Ann Arbor, MI.

Quite a few members that attended the meeting were thinking about upgrading their File Maker Pro. Jonathan's presentation concentrated on some of the new features of the program and tips about upgrading from a previous version (all the way back to File Maker  4). 

If you missed this presentation and want to know more about FileMaker Pro, visit Jonathan's website: http://www.datadesignpros.com/.  His website contains tutorial links, help, news and even a little humor.

We also had a Bento demonstration. You can visit the entire webinar (plus other FileMaker and Bento related webinars) at: http://www.filemaker.com/support/webinars/seminars.html#nu1.

Also congratulations are in order! Jonathan is currently the President of LAMALUG, the Lansing Area Macintosh and Lisa User Group. LAMALUG meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month in the basement room #006 of the Arts & Sciences building at Lansing Community College. For more info visit: http://www.lamalug.org/.