Buds Biased Utils Report, 25

Bud's Biased Utils Report #25 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ARGH! Just when I thougt I was out, they pull me back in!!! Well, so much for taking a week off like I had planned. Certain people had to go and make what started out to be a DULL week for utils one of the most interesting we've seen in months. I'll skip the rest of my planned intro banter and get to work. Disclaimer: It's BIASED moron. My opinion. So don't send me a bunch of mail & messages bitching about this or that. If you don't like it... SCREW YOU =] Rankings: Groups get a score out of 10. Points are given for amount of releases, but QUALITY titles will give a group a much higher score. Nukes for duping, broken releases and just plain CRAP will lower a groups score. However on the occasion that a title is nuked which I don't feel should have been, MY OWN JUDGEMENT TAKES PRECEDENCE. Cuz I'm writing this. Groups can also get points for any other reason I see fit. Week: Week is based from 06/15/99 to 06/21/99. I'm in the EST time zone so dates/times run according to it. Groups: (In no particular order) ▄ ▀▀██▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ ▀█▄ ▀█▌▀█▄ ▐ ▄█▀ ▄▄██▌ A Group ▐█▌ ▐▌ ▐█ █▌▐█▌ ▄█▀ █ That Gives ▄██▌▄▀ ▄██▌▀██▌ ██ ▐▌ Slightly ▀███ ▀███ ▀█ ▐███▄▄ █ Less Than ▐█▌ ▐█▌ ▐▌ ▀██▀ ▀▄ A Fuck. ▀ ▀ ▀ ▀ -XeN PIRATES WITH ATTITUDE: Releases: Adabtec.Take.Two.1.01.Beta.Build.129-PWA Ambiente.PolyMap.Database.Edition.v1.21-PWA Ambiente.PolyMap.Standard.Edition.v1.17-PWA Cyberlink.CDWizard.3.0-PWA Cypress.Enable.4.0-PWA NetVue.2.1-PWA Elron_Internet_Manager_v4.7.4-PWA Polymedia.SDK.v2.2.Professional-PWA SPSS.v.9.0-PWA Inovie.TeamCenter.v2.5.0-PWA Netpresenter.3.1-PWA SPSS.Data.Entry.v1.0-PWA Someone complained on the TCA forum this week about PWA's tendency to use 10MB and 15MB disks when releasing large rips. It was Cablegod I believe. Well of course he was cut to shreds with flames from PWA members and supporters, who point out that PWA is one of the greatest utils groups of all time. And you'll see no arguement from me about that. However, Cablegod did make a good point... packagers, don't be lazy, use standard disk sizes. Even 5MB isn't bad. But when you switch to 10 or 15MB, you fuck over analog users, who make up a large portion of the end user population. Large disks make sense for the ISO scene, where most users are on cable or better connections. But in the rip scene, it's not needed... it's a pain to have to restart disks if your download gets killed, and an even bigger pain to discover restarting corrupted the disk. So that's my bitch for the week... well my first one anyways. PWA showed one of their best weeks of late, things continue to pick up for them. Excellent work on the tough crack for SPSS 9, as well as SPSS Data Entry. Some other decent releases here, good job all around. Total: 8/10 ▄───── ▄▄▄ ────────── ▄▄█▓▄ ─── ▄ ─ ▄▓▄ ░ ▀ ▄█████▓ ▄▄███▄ ▄▀▀████▌ ▄█████▄ ▀ ▓███▀ ▀▄██████▄▀█▌ ▐████▐▓▀ ▀███▓ ▓███▌ ▐▓█▀ ▀██▌▐▓ ▀ ▀▓▀▓▌ ▐███▌ ▐█████▄▄▀ ▀█▄ ▄▓█▓ █▓▄ █▌▀▄▄████▓ ▀██▓▀▀ ▀ ▀▀▀▀ ▀ ■▄ ▐▓ ▀▀▓█▀ ■▄──────+ The Corporation +─ ▀▄ ─gas!─■ THE CORPORATION: Releases: Portola.Coronado.v1.0-CORP Microsoft.Network.Monitor.v2.0.SMS.Edition-CORP Cosmi.Print.Perfect-CORP Remedy.Asset.Management.V1.0-CORP IASoft.ActiveForum.v2.0-CORP So there was a bit of a MUTINY in the scene this week, in regards to two groups... Machv (SHK) and Twizted (CORP leader) leave their respective groups to form a new utils group, Mutiny. I'll get more into that later... for now, lets just say Twizted was a large part of Corp, and I'm sure he will be missed, but one man (errr sorry, person, must be politaclly correct) doesn't make a group. In the releases, we don't see much of note, an M$ title, which I could care less about (I shudder at the sight of MS these days), a so-so store title on Cosmi Print Perfect (ripped down from a rather large original package, haven't tried it however so I'm not sure what remains), and a handful of other titles. A slow week, and next week will be an important one, I'm sure Corp will want the scene to know they're still a strong group. Total: 6/10 . )\_______)\__)\_______)\_______ . . __/ __ _/ _/ ____/ ___/ . . \__ / _\ \_____ \ ___/__ : . :/ \ \ / \ / \| : |\___/ /___/_____ /___ /| : | \_/_____/\____ /_____/___/_____/ | :...`---\_____\/----/_flr_/---/_p^D_/--' RISE: Releases: Day.Trader.Internet.Edition.v7.0.10-RiSE Oracle.Designer.2000.v2.1.2-RiSE Someone claimed Oracle Designer 2000 to be freeware.... no names, they know who they are... and well, someone's on crack. Perhaps I should give a lesson in the difference between programs the have trial versions available, and programs that are FREE (hence the term "Freeware"). Perhaps not... I don't wanna waste my time. Anyways, it's not free, it's a decent app, and RiSE isn't going down without a fight... lets hope they hang in there. Total: 4/10 ▄██▀███▀▀ ▀ ▄█ ┌- ▓██ ▀▀ ▀▀▀ ────-──-─-─ ▀▀▀ -──-──-──┐ : ▀▀▀██▄▀███▀▀▀▀▀██▄ ▄██▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀██▄ ░│ ▀▀███▓ ███ ███ ▓██ ███ ███ ▓██ ▓██ ███ ░: : ███ ███ ███ ███▀▀▀ ▓██ ███ ███▀▀▀ . │░ ███ ██▓ ██▓ ███ ██▓ ███ ███ ███ ▓███▀▀ : ▓██▄██▀▄███▄▀██▄███ ▀██▄███ ███ ███ : ▄ ▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ roy███ ███ ███ ─┘ ▀▄ ███ ███ ██▓ ▀▄ ███ ▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀██▓ ▀█ SIEGE: Releases: LOTUS.SCREENCAM.WIN95.MARCH.1999.UPDATE-SiEGE LOTUS.SCREENCAM.WINNT.MARCH.1999.UPDATE-SiEGE LOTUS.FAX.FOR.DOMINO.ENTERPRISE.SERVER.4.1-SiEGE The biggest news this week, without a doubt, came from Siege. As of June 19th, 1999, Siege has officially disbanded, retiring their name, and leaving the scene as the top utils group around. They also leave a gaping hole in the area of art/graphics design tools. I remember the early days of Siege, and I got to watch them go through the growing process, and develop into the dominate group they went out as, so I feel pretty lucky in that regard. Still, I can't really describe it... they were never my favorite group, nor do I regard them as the best ever... but they dominate the art scene, overcoming groups such as ClipForce... err XForce, LND, DOD, etc, as well as many smaller challengers. That's enough of me blabbing... here's the text from the Final SGE farewell release to the scene: ----------------------- This is indeed one of the hardest things I have ever had to do, but it is in the best interests of many. Our NFO Group News always read: "SiEGE is dedicated to bringing you the best in PC utilities and applications, while building upon the foundations of comradery and good sportsmanship that our predecessors have laid down." This is something that we have been very proud of since 1995, when the group was founded by my mentor, the famous Hemp Hoodlum. The time has come, where we feel we have reached our peak, and have provided you with a great service for quite some time now. It is time for us to call it a career, while still on top (in most peoples' minds and ours). Rather than lingering around like so many other groups have in the past and continue to do, failing to produce much at all, we have decided to retire the Siege name. It has indeed been a great run, and many many people have had a helping hand in this run. It would not really be fair to mention only a few names here, so I would just like to thank each and every Siege member, past and present. Without you, we would never have the recognition and status that we hold today. Thank you. Sincerely yours, David & Goliath (Honorary SiEGE BoSS!)" ----------------------- Kudos to all of Siege for making it a great run. My quick blurb on releases, well they finished up on releases, wonder who was responsible for those <g>. Total: 6/10 - for the week in releases Total: 9/10 - my overall for their career (hey - I never give 10/10 anyways <g>). They also go out with the best overall average on the report. ──────────────────────────────────[XX/XX]─ ▄██ ▄▄▄ ░ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄ █▓█ █▓█ ▒ ██▀ █▓█ █ █▓█ ██ █▓█ █ ███ ██ █▓ █▒█ █▒█ █░█ ▀▀ ▄█ █▒█ ██ █▒█ █ ▄▄▄ ██▄▄ ▄██▀██▄ ▀ █▒█▀▀▀ ██ █░█ ██ ▄▄█ █▓█ ██ ▄▄ █▒█ █▓█ ▓ █▓█ ░ █▓█ █░█ ██ ░ █▓█ █▒█ ██ █▓ ███ █▒█ ▒ ███ ▬▀█████▀▄██ ▒ ▀█████▀ ▀████ ─── ██▀ ░ ──────────────── ▓ ───── sikos ─ X-FORCE: Releases: AQUA-PACK_FOR_LIGHTWAVE-XFORCE DIRTY-UP_FOR_LIGHTWAVE-XFORCE IFW_LW_INSPIRE_SHADERS-XFORCE ARTISAN_REAL-TIME_STUDIO_PRO_V2.2-XFORCE SOFTIMAGE_TWISTER_2.5_BETA-XFORCE INPRISE_JBUILDER_3_ENTERPRISE-XFORCE A group that probably should have retired a while back... but I still love 'em. Honestly, I do like XF as a group... they're just sometimes an easy target =) This week they do JBuilder 3 Enterprise from InPrise, just a few weeks after the Pro... InPrise has a habit of seperating the release dates for the different levels in a given product family, which is probably why you didn't see this earlier. Good work with that, as well as Real Time Studio Pro, some LightWave plugins mixed in, bake for 5 minutes, let cool and serve... oh wait that's my recipe for homemade apple pie. Total: 6/10 /\______/| ___/\_ _/ ______ :|; . __/\ ____/\ __| // %%%\____ \ |__:_\__ \/ ~~ :\_ | __/%%%% iii_/ :| \\_ \ ;| \_ |____/ \iiiii :::\__ ; _/ | \\_ : // | \\_ | \\_::: \____/---|____/____/_______/-|____/kaz SHOCK: Releases: Bill.Power.Plus.v6.2.109-SHOCK Informed.Designer.v2.6.3-SHOCK Informed.Filler.v2.6.3-SHOCK PowerPlugs.Transitions.v1.52.Vol1-SHOCK PowerPlugs.Transitions.v1.52.Vol2-SHOCK Ulead.Face.Factory.V1.0-SHOCK Surf.Scrapbook.v1.0-SHOCK Web.Server.4D.e-Commerce.v3.0-SHOCK Office.Builder-SHOCK Adobe.PhotoDeluxe.Business.Edition.v1.1-SHOCK Pagis.Pro.v3.0-SHOCK The second group involved in the MUTINY this week... Machv leaves Shock to form Mutiny with Twizted. A fair blow to Shock as Machv was fairly active, but don't expect the store titles to dry up. As for the week, Shock had a well balanced diet, with some nice apps from Scansoft (Pagis Pro 3), and Ulead (Face Factory 1), as well as the newest release of the Informed series from Shana and a few things from CrystalGraphics. Total: 7/10 . ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ .▀████▀▀▀██▄ ████▀▀██▌▐██▀▀▀▀ --- .------. : ████ ███ ▐███ ███ . | ████ ▐███ ███▀ ███ : | ████ ███ ▐███ ▄███ ███▄ . : | ████▀▀▀▀▀ ██▓█ ▀███▄▄██▓▀ . .▄▓███▄ ▀███▌ ▀▀ PRESENTS : | : : [xx/xx]. '---.-------PENTIUM FORCE TEAM-- ---- - -' PENTIUM FORCE TEAM: Releases: Ascent.Storage.4.11.Client.Server.Suite-PFT FLEXR.GT.Lite.1.5.1-PFT Insure.Plus.Plus.v5.0.P1-PFT OMNIS.Studio.2.1.Win9x-PFT OMNIS.Studio.2.1.WinNT-PFT SiteDirector.4.2.Full.WinNT-PFT Isual.Financial.Reporting.Advanced.5.5-PFT Visual.Financial.Reporting.Advanced.5.5-PFT WordFlow.Professional.2.0-PFT PFT came back pretty strong this week after last week's absence, releasing some decent titles in the process. Highlights are WordFlow Pro 2, OMNIS Studio 2.1, and Ascent Storage 4.11 - look for PFT to do fairly well next week as well (clairvoyance... of sorts - one of the benefits of writing this late <g>). Total: 7/10 ▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ ▄▄▓▀▀ ▄ ▄▄█▀▀██▓▄ ▄▄▄█▀▀▓▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▐██▓▌ ▄▄▄▄ ▐█▓█ ▐▓██▌ ▐▓██▌ ███▓ ▓██▌ ███▓ ▓██ ▓▄ ▓██▌ ███▓ ▓██▌ ▐██▓▌ ▐██▓ ▐█▓▌▐██▓ ██▓▌▐███▓ ████▓ ▀▀▀▀ ███▓ ██▓ ▐█▓█ ▀▀▀▀▀ ▄██▓▀ mg ▀ ▀▀▀▀████▓▌ ▀▀ ██▓▀ ▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▓▀ ▀ ▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀ :: <LEGENDS NEVER DiE> ::: <o4 * 2880> :: ▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄ LEGENDS NEVER DIE: Releases: ARCINFO_V7.2.1-LND DOC-TO-HELP_2000_FINAL-LND IMAGEWARE_SURFACER_V9.0-LND HP_HIGH_FREQUENCY_STRUCTURE_SIMULATOR_V5.3-LND What would a week be without Grad inflating his ego (and attempting to bat people around with it...)? With the retirement of SGE, Grad pops up to claim he has succeeded in bringing the group down... but I doubt he's even fooling himself with that one. Pathetic tabloid headline grabber or not, Grad and the LND crew had a good week, with Surfacer 9 leading the pack. Still no challenge to their niche market dominace in the CAD/CAM and related areas. Is their room for another group in the field? Will anyone try? Have I bored you yet? Total: 7/10 .__________. [xx/xx/98] \_ ___ ) Da ToP oF Da LiNe! .___. ===/ _/ /=======================/ /===== .:/ _____/__./(___.____/\.______./ /_____. :/ /__/ . ) . )____ ) _ ) / __ ) /__/ / / / / // __ / /__/ / /___/: .:/ /__/__/__/__/(______\____ /__/_____ /MO =/__/========================\/========\/=== = THE PINNACLES OF RELEASING (C) PNC 95-98 = PINNACLE: Releases: Business.Analyst.PRO.v4.0-PNC Email.Inchorus.v3.0-PNC Email.Voicelink.v3.0-PNC COAST.Webmaster.Pro.v4.1-PNC E.2000-PNC COAST Webmaster Pro is a decent tool... rest of this I'm not really into... a kind of ho-hum week, better than some, worse than others. Total: 5/10 ─ ▄▄ ── ▄▄▄ ─────────░──────────── ─── ── ─ ░▀ ▀█▄ ▀▀ ▀▌ ▀ ■ ▐▄ ■ ▄ ▀ ■ ▀ ▀ ▄▄▄ ▀ █ ▐█▌█ ▀ █▄▀▄ █▀█▄▀██ █ █▄▀▄ ▀▀ ▄▌ █▄▀▄ ▐█▌▄█▀▐█▌ ▐█▌▄ ▐█▌▐█▌▐█▌▐█▌▐█▌▄ █ ▐▀▀▐█▌▄ ▀▓▓ ▀▓▓ ▀▓▓ ▄▀▓▓ ▀ ▓▀ ▀▓▄▀▓█ ▄▐▓▌ ▀▓▓ ▄ ── ▀ ─── ▀ ─ ▀▀ ── ▀ ▀ ──── ▀ ▀▀ ▄▀▀ ─░─ ▀▀ PREMiERE 1998 RELEASES WITH STYLE [xx/xx/98] ──────────────────────────────────────────── PREMIERE: Releases: Personal.Receptionist.v1.10-PREMiERE VoiceAction.v1.2.5-PREMiERE InstallAnywhere.v2.55.Standard.Edition-PREMiERE Property.Wizard.2000.v1.0.0.7-PREMiERE Schedule.v3.2.13c-PREMiERE Speak.Lite.v1.06-PREMiERE VVSPlayer.Revolution.v1.5.3-PREMiERE Wow... PRM is still alive. Kicking out a few web apps, PRM cheats death for another week... but things are certainly not well with the once mighty group. InstallAnywhere is the best tool here (at least for those requiring a setup/installation routine for your app), otherwise... ummm... the best would be... fuck you choose. Total: 5/10 _______________ ____________ ____________ \_ ___ \_ ___ \ ___ \_ _/ l/ / l/ / l/ / \______ / / / /____ / /| ======\________/\__________/[om]\________/== d(*)d D r i n k O r D i e 1 9 9 8 d(*)d ===================== [ DOD * xx-xxx-98 ] == DRINK OR DIE: Releases: Symantec_Mobile_Essentials_Corporate_v2.0_Win9xNT_REAL_FINAL-DOD AllStor_Drive_Manager_v3.11_WinNT4-DOD OTG_DiskXtender_v4.1_WinNT4-DOD Another Symantec final sticks out as the best of the week for DOD. If it weren't for their Symantec hookups they'd be in real hot water, if they aren't already. When you think of DOD you think of past glory - maybe they can build the dynasty again, but right now there's a long road to travel. Not much else coming from this camp. Total: 5/10 _______________________________[xx/xx] \_ _ \_ ____/_ _ \_ ____/ |_\ ___/ / _/ ___)/ _/ ___) | \___ \ / | \_ | \ | \ | \ : \ : \ \___| /___ \____ \___ \___ \___ \ ====|__/===\__/===\__/==\__/==\__/==\__/ REBELS: WE MAKE ALL DAYS PARTY DAYS >> RELEASING WITHOUT PERMISSION << REBELS: Releases: AVG.V6.0.registered-RBS MainLine.v1.72.cracked-RBS PROTEL99.SERVICE.PACK1.CRACKED-RBS Applix_TM1_7.1_Incl_Keygen-RBS IVEX.WINDRAFT.V3.01.SERIAL-RBS Specctra.v8.06-REPACK-RBS Telephony_Experts_SQL_Enterprise_Telecom_Switch_CRACKED-RBS Winstock.Pro.2.4.2.Registered-RBS Accolade.PeakVHDL.Version.5.11a-RBS Accolade.PeakVHDL.Version.5.11a.CRACK.FIX-RBS HI-TECH.PIC.C.Compiler.Version.7.84-RBS Thumb.Print.Pro.3.03-RBS Yeesh Pic-C's been around forever... I remember using that years ago... anyways releases from all ends of the spectrum as per usual for RBS, with some nice apps like Specctra, a service pack for Protel 99, and Telecom Switch... some lower end titles like Thumb Print Pro... good work overall. Total: 7/10 █▄▓▄■▀░▄ Teknorage and Pirasoft Present: ▄░▀■▄░▄█ █ ▐▄ ▌ █ █▓▀cH/SAC ▄▄▄▄ ▄▄█▄▄ [xx\xx] ▀▓█ ▀ ▄▄█▄▄▄▄ ▄ ▄██▌▐████▓ ▄▄█▓█████▓▀ ▄█▄▄████▄ ▀ ▄▄████▓ ▄▄▄ ▀████▌█████▌▐████▐████▌▐████▐█████▌ ▐██████▌▐█████▄ ▓███▀█████ ████ ▀████ ███▌▐██████ ██████ ███████▌▐███ ▐████▌▐███▌▄████▌ ▀█▄ ▀▀▀▀▀ ▐████▌▐███████ ████▄████▀ ▄████████▀ ▄▄ ▐█████▄ ▄▓███▓▄▓██████▌▐████▌▀▓█▄ ▀███▓▀▀ ▄████▌▓██████▌ ▀▀██████▀ ▀████▀ ▀▀▄ ▀█▀ ▀██▀▀██████▀ █▄▄▄▓▄▄▄ ▀▀▀ ▀ ▀ ▀▀▀ ▄█ ▀▀▀ ░▒▓█▄ xx/xx/98 ······ Ratzhole WHQ ▀ ▀▓▀▀▀ Teknorage & Pirasoft: Releases: Correct.Bearing.Capacity.V4.5.1-TRPS Audio.Tester.v1.4b-TRPS DOCS.Fusion.v3.0-TRPS Mr.Photo.v2.1-TRPS Task.Minder.v2.5-TRPS Xara3d.v3.04.Fix.for.DNG.release-TRPS Evgesoft.ExtraPack.v1.0.for.Delphi4-TRPS A delphi tool... how'd FCN miss that one? :) They fix up DNG's Xara3D release... Mr. Photo... I've been over that one before in past issues, same shit, different version. Not a whole lot happening here. Total: 5/10 _____ ____________ ____ __________ / __/_ ___/\_ \ ___\_/ __/\ ___\_ \ \ / _/ /_ /___ / \ ___ / \___/\_____/___\ ____/______/_____/pn \_/ VERSUS: Releases: CASEMaker.LegacyAid.Workbench.v3.1-VERSUS Disk.Clean.Deluxe.v1.0-VERSUS Peoplesoft.Peopletools.v7.55-VERSUS Yay... VRS is back! They rip PeopleTools from the newly troubled Peoplesoft... the "warm, friendly" software developer is downsizing considerably... also Disk Clean Delxue... only three titles, but decent, and they're active again. Total: 5/10 ..._______________________.___ ____.____... ::/ _______/ ____/ | \/ | \:: _/\____ \/ /___/ | \ \: \ > \ \ \/ \ \ :\__________/\________/_________/|_____|___/ ::.. .:[ SCUM ]:. .:[SCUM]:. .:[SCUM]:. ..:: ```````````````````````````````````````````` SCUM: Releases: N/A Total: N/A Only one more byte to crack before... ____._____ ____ _____ _____ _ _____ __ ._____ :::_|_ / _ \/ _ \/ _ \__\_ \___| / ::/ __/_ / / / / / / _ / _ /: :/ / / / / / / / / / / / /:: :\_______\___/\____/\____/\______/________\:: : \\\\\\\ \\\\ \\\\\ \\\\\ \\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\ -----------------------------------------wk!- 2000AD: Releases: Nettracker.4.0.Enterprise.For.Windows9x-NT-2000AD Nettracker.4.0.Pro.For.Windows9x-NT-2000AD SolSuite.2000.v4.2.For.Windows9x-NT-2000AD Pragmasys.Interaccess.TelnetD.Basic.b3.For.Windows9x-2000AD Pragmasys.Interaccess.TelnetD.Deluxe.b3.For.Windows9x-2000AD Pragmasys.Interaccess.TelnetD.Pro.b3.For.Windows9x-2000AD Pragmasys.Companion.4.0.0610.For.Windows9x-NT-2000AD Pragmasys.Inetd4.0.0610.For.WindowsNT-2000AD Pragmasys.TelnetD.4.0.06.10.For.WindowsNT-2000AD Pragmasys.TerminalServer.4.0.06.10.For.WindowsNT-2000AD Tinyterm.plus.edition.3.03.0455.For.Windows9x-NT-2000AD Tinyterm.thin.client.edition.3.03.0455.For.Windows9x-NT-2000AD Tinyterm.webserver.edition.3.03.0455.For.Windows9x-NT-2000AD GetRight.4.0.b1.For.Windows9x-Nt-2000AD HyCD.Print.For.Windows9x-NT-2000AD A lot of betas, a lot of minor versions... nothing impressive, and was a Deluxe AND a Basic edition of a beta3 necessary??? I don't agree with nuking betas, but just the Deluxe would have been fine. Total: 5/10 _______________________ ____________ __\ _______/ ______/______/__ / \ __/ / / \/ / / /_______\ /______________\____ /________\ -------------------------------\/----------- (*) F a t i g u e - Couriers Network (*) ___________________________________________. ________________________________________wK!. FATIGUED COURIERS NETWORK: Releases: AnyShape_Transparentform_Components_For_Delphi-FCN Creature_Creator_v1.50_For_Lightwave-FCN Creature_Creator_v1.51_For_3DSMAX-FCN Creature_Creator_v1.51_For_TrueSpace-FCN LMD_TOOLS_v4.5_FINAL_FOR_DELPHI_N_C-FCN DAMEWARE_NTFS_SECURITY_v1.5.0.3_ACTIVEX-FCN Intact_Integrity_Checker_For_NT-FCN LEADTOOLS_IMAGING_PRO_v11.0-FCN The_Express_Inspector_For_Delphi_N_C-FCN TrueSpace_v4.2_RETAIL_CDROM_FULL_AND_FULLY_WORKING-FCN Varian_Led_Studio_For_Delphi_v3.1.1-FCN FCN went beyond their niche market this week, again showing they can release a wide variety of apps, but choose to do so only if the title is right. They put out Calgari's (SP?) TrueSpace 4.2, working properly... I believe past editions were just 4.0 with the upgrade patch, which is tiresome... so thanks to FCN for the rel. They also jumped on LeadTools Imaging Pro 11 moments after it was announced... by the time I got my email from Leadtools regarding the new version, the FCN release was already cooling. Through in the popular Creature Creator plugin for a selection of ani/graphics tools and the usual host of Delphi components and you get a nice rounded week. Total: 7/10 _____nnn_____ <$$$$$$$$$$$$$b »»»»»»»»»»»)$$ |$$$$$$$$$$$$$' |$$T```X$f''' |$$$ '$$$L |$$! '9$$$i. |$$ `'$$$$> r a d i u m »»»»»»»»»»»»»»»» RADIUM Releases: FruityLoops.Pro.v1.65.TS404-Radium Making.Waves.v1.91-Radium Mayah.EditPro.MP3.v2.2-Radium Qdesign.realtime.MP2.Codec.v1.01-Radium SAW.Aux.SendReturn.32bit.v1.3-Radium SAW.Avi.Viewer.32bit.v1.6-Radium SAW.Meter.Bridge.32bit.v1.6-Radium SAW.Pro.v1.7-Radium SAW.Reverberator.32bit.v1.8-Radium A slew of tools in just one day, including a bunch of plugins for SAW... they're promising a lot of MP3 tools in the coming while so keep an eye open. Total: 5/10 .--------------------------------. | | | ▄█ [xx/xx] ▄█ | ` ▄███ --------------- ▄███ -----' ▀██▓█ ▄ ▀▀██▀▀████▀████▀▀████▄ ██▓█ ███▄▄▄ █▓█ █▓██ ████ ██▓█ ▐████▀ ░ █▓█ █▓██ ░ ▀▀▀▀ ██▓█ ███▀ ▄█ ░ █▓█ █▓██ ░ ████ s ██▓█ ▐█▀ ▄███ █▓█ █▓██ ████ q ████▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀███ ▀▀▀▀▀██████ z▄▄▄▄▄▄█▀▀▀ ████ ░ ███ ▀▀▀█▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ████ ░ ███ ████ ███ ████▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ VENGEANCE: Releases: World.Group.Server.v3.20.FIX-VGC World.Group.Server.v3.20-VGC Not much of a showing, still not showing many signs of life... groups is in need of some active crackers, or so I hear. Two for the title minus one for the fix. Total: 1/10 ┌─────────██────▄▄─▄▄────██─────────┐ │░ ░ ▀▄ ███████ ▄▀ ░ ░▒│ │▒░ ▐█·███·█▌ ░▒▓│ │░ M U T ██▌▌███ i N Y ░▒│ │▒░ ▄▐█████▌▄ ░│ │█▓▒░ ░ ▄▀ █▄▄▄█ ▀▄ ░░▒▓█│ └─────────██─────▀▀▀─────██─────────┘ MUTINY: Releases: Corel.Paradox.v.9.0-MUTiNY DataScope.v.2.0-MUTiNY Hold.Ware.v2.1-MUTiNY Disney.Tarzan.Print.Studio-MUTiNY Tufans.Mail.Relayer.v3.0-MUTiNY And now we hit the newest group... Mutiny. Formed by Twizted and Machv (ex-Corp and Shock), it has some promise. Both played large roles in their former groups, and with their resources, plus that of PHXiSO, which they lead, they could become a real challenger. The Mutiny moniker has been done before however, in several incarnations. So aside from a ghetto .DIZ, where does that leave us? Already there are some signs of group trouble... Mutiny may not get the full support of PHXiSO behind it, and it seems several people have taken a dislike to the group... at press time #mutiny was taken over. It's releases so far have been of mixed quality, with the kiddie Tarzan Print Studio not recieved very well (Disney games are one thing, Disney apps... ummm, no). Paradox 9 was a dupe, included in another release of CD (by PWA if I remember). Which leaves three middle of the road apps. Not bad... if they can overcome some early problems they have some potential, but be vary of the quality control issue. Total: 5/10 New this week: Mutiny Idle this week: Scum Quote(s) of the Week: <htw-> i'm a porn star just like elocin:) <bizzybone> Garoto will retire on NWR-80.TXT "Garoto has died... R.I.P. in the old folks home... according to police officials, the last thing they saw on his computer screen were the words 'pftp suckas!!!!!!'" With SGE gone, there's a whole lot of free agents on the market. And given the rewards they recieved from Siege, expect a high asking price. Already, many core members have formed a new group, Paragon, be on the lookout for them. Expect to see them reviewed here next week given they begin releasing. In regards to this week, I gave it to PWA, more for SPSS 9 than anything else, they did a good job there... honerable mention to LND for its niche work as well as FCN for stepping out of its niche for a while. A few promises for next week: An interview - not sure with who yet ;) An in-depth review of some audio tools - simply because I all to often skim over Radium's apps, as I don't use many audio tools. This one will depend on what comes out in the coming seven days. Well that's it for a busy week... if they were all like this the scene would be a lot more interesting... or I'd go insane... or both! - Bud