Buds Biased Utils Report, 27

Bud's Biased Utils Report #27 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bla bla bla bla yak yak yak yak... I'm lazy, just skip this paragraph. 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 06/29/99 to 07/05/99. 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: Mind.iPhonEX.v3.10.022-PWA SPSS.Answertree.2.01-PWA TakeStock.Typeadelic.for.PhotoShop-PWA AutoPlay.Menu.Studio.v2.04.Pro.Edition-PWA Cni.Goelan.v4.4-PWA Tanner.L-Edit.Pro.v8.0.2-PWA OctaMed.Sound.Studio.v1.0-PWA Microsoft_Windows_2000_Professional_RC1_Build_2072.1-PWA LOTUS.DOMINO.WORKFLOW.2.0.FINAL-PWA MetaCreations.Poser.4.Final-PWA Metacreations.Ray.Dream.Studio.Final.v5.5-PWA Microsoft_Windows_2000_Server_RC1_Build_2072.1-PWA For a second week PWA shows the benefits of a new member influx, and shows the scene how good they can be. Aside from the usual MS domination, they put out a pair of apps from Metacreations, Poser 4 final and Ray Dream Studio 5.5, which several other groups had their hopes set on, and are excellent titles for the art community. Also Domino Workflow 2 from Lotus, and SPSS Answertree. PWA now shows diversity that SGE lacked, and I'll stop with the mindless comparisons between the two groups now. :) Total: 8/10 ▄───── ▄▄▄ ────────── ▄▄█▓▄ ─── ▄ ─ ▄▓▄ ░ ▀ ▄█████▓ ▄▄███▄ ▄▀▀████▌ ▄█████▄ ▀ ▓███▀ ▀▄██████▄▀█▌ ▐████▐▓▀ ▀███▓ ▓███▌ ▐▓█▀ ▀██▌▐▓ ▀ ▀▓▀▓▌ ▐███▌ ▐█████▄▄▀ ▀█▄ ▄▓█▓ █▓▄ █▌▀▄▄████▓ ▀██▓▀▀ ▀ ▀▀▀▀ ▀ ■▄ ▐▓ ▀▀▓█▀ ■▄──────+ The Corporation +─ ▀▄ ─gas!─■ THE CORPORATION: Releases: Repository.SDK.v2.1.Edition.99-CORP Systems.Modeling.Tempo.V.10-CORP Microsoft.Small.Business.Server.v4.5-CORP Microsoft.Small.Business.Server.v4.5.Admin.Kit.Addon-CORP DoubleIT.V1.06.Workgroup.Edition-CORP Visually.Safe.v1.0-CORP Extensis.Portfolio.v4.1.REAL.FINAL-CORP MS.Windows.CE.Toolkit.3.0.for.Visual.C.Plus.Plus.6-CORP Corp gets MS Small Business Server, and fucks up Extensis Portfolio - the earleir PWA version is the same as Corp's minus some PDF's apparently. Not sure if this is the fault of Corp or Extensis, Extensis has a habit of playing around with their install files... finals usually show up a few days on the Extensis FTP site before being announced, and occasionally get repackaged before being publically distributed... well most of you are reading that as "blah blah blah" I'm sure <g> A few other decent titles. Corp's improved from last week but is still lacking. The loss of Twizted has hurt them. Total: 7/10 . )\_______)\__)\_______)\_______ . . __/ __ _/ _/ ____/ ___/ . . \__ / _\ \_____ \ ___/__ : . :/ \ \ / \ / \| : |\___/ /___/_____ /___ /| : | \_/_____/\____ /_____/___/_____/ | :...`---\_____\/----/_flr_/---/_p^D_/--' RISE: Releases: COMPU.WORKS.BUSINESS.CARDS.N.CERTIFICATES.DELUXE-RiSE Encryption.Software.Top.Secret.Messenger.for.ICQ-RiSE Well, the end is near for Rise from the look of things. Toth, Flounder and a few others have moved over to PWA... the RiSE cracking team is basically non-existant... to put it in perspective, even two months back you likely wouldn't have seen an addon for ICQ released by Rise. Business Cards N' Cerificates is a cheap store title, but at least it's something... Rise was a good group at its peak, and I think maybe the remaining Rise members should make some serious decisions as to the future of the group. Total: 3/10 ──────────────────────────────────[XX/XX]─ ▄██ ▄▄▄ ░ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄ █▓█ █▓█ ▒ ██▀ █▓█ █ █▓█ ██ █▓█ █ ███ ██ █▓ █▒█ █▒█ █░█ ▀▀ ▄█ █▒█ ██ █▒█ █ ▄▄▄ ██▄▄ ▄██▀██▄ ▀ █▒█▀▀▀ ██ █░█ ██ ▄▄█ █▓█ ██ ▄▄ █▒█ █▓█ ▓ █▓█ ░ █▓█ █░█ ██ ░ █▓█ █▒█ ██ █▓ ███ █▒█ ▒ ███ ▬▀█████▀▄██ ▒ ▀█████▀ ▀████ ─── ██▀ ░ ──────────────── ▓ ───── sikos ─ X-FORCE: Releases: LOTUS_DOMINO_CONNECTORS_FOR_SAP_V1.0-XFORCE Wow someone else got a Lotus release! <g> Total: 2/10 /\______/| ___/\_ _/ ______ :|; . __/\ ____/\ __| // %%%\____ \ |__:_\__ \/ ~~ :\_ | __/%%%% iii_/ :| \\_ \ ;| \_ |____/ \iiiii :::\__ ; _/ | \\_ : // | \\_ | \\_::: \____/---|____/____/_______/-|____/kaz SHOCK: Releases: Expert.Antivirus.Guard.v6.0-SHOCK Informix.Client.SDK.v2.30.TC1-1.for.WIN9X-SHOCK Informix.Client.SDK.v2.30.TC1-1.for.WINNT-SHOCK Sierra.Web.Studio.Express.v1.0-SHOCK PDF.Embedder.for.Adobe.Acrobat-SHOCK SilverTone.v1.5.for.Adobe.PhotoShop-SHOCK This week saw a pair of cd rips from Shock, both budget, in Expert Antivirus Guard, a decent antiviral package, but nothing compared to Norton AV, and Sierra Web Studio, a quickie web site development package geared more towards novice HTML users. Informix SDK is only going to appeal to Informix Dynamic Server users, leaving a couple of Adobe plugins. PDF Embedder allows the user to embed any file in a PDF document, and Silvertone is a decent pre-press tool. Total: 6/10 . ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ .▀████▀▀▀██▄ ████▀▀██▌▐██▀▀▀▀ --- .------. : ████ ███ ▐███ ███ . | ████ ▐███ ███▀ ███ : | ████ ███ ▐███ ▄███ ███▄ . : | ████▀▀▀▀▀ ██▓█ ▀███▄▄██▓▀ . .▄▓███▄ ▀███▌ ▀▀ PRESENTS : | : : [xx/xx]. '---.-------PENTIUM FORCE TEAM-- ---- - -' PENTIUM FORCE TEAM: Releases: N/A Total: N/A ▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ ▄▄▓▀▀ ▄ ▄▄█▀▀██▓▄ ▄▄▄█▀▀▓▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▐██▓▌ ▄▄▄▄ ▐█▓█ ▐▓██▌ ▐▓██▌ ███▓ ▓██▌ ███▓ ▓██ ▓▄ ▓██▌ ███▓ ▓██▌ ▐██▓▌ ▐██▓ ▐█▓▌▐██▓ ██▓▌▐███▓ ████▓ ▀▀▀▀ ███▓ ██▓ ▐█▓█ ▀▀▀▀▀ ▄██▓▀ mg ▀ ▀▀▀▀████▓▌ ▀▀ ██▓▀ ▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▓▀ ▀ ▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀ :: <LEGENDS NEVER DiE> ::: <o4 * 2880> :: ▄ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄ LEGENDS NEVER DIE: Releases: MARC_K7_FIX_FOR_SCUM_RELEASE-LND A fix for the Scum release... read more about it later. Total: 1/10 .__________. [xx/xx/98] \_ ___ ) Da ToP oF Da LiNe! .___. ===/ _/ /=======================/ /===== .:/ _____/__./(___.____/\.______./ /_____. :/ /__/ . ) . )____ ) _ ) / __ ) /__/ / / / / // __ / /__/ / /___/: .:/ /__/__/__/__/(______\____ /__/_____ /MO =/__/========================\/========\/=== = THE PINNACLES OF RELEASING (C) PNC 95-98 = PINNACLE: Releases: StarTeam.v4.1-PNC Trix.Raster.Server.v3.09-PNC Trix.Drawing.Center.v3.07-PNC TracTrix.2000.v3.0.1-PNC OfficeExpress.2000-PNC A few nice apps... best is probably StarTeam 4.1 from StarBase, a team orientated SCM app. However, PNC would have been better off releasing the components (Client, Server, 3RD Party addons, StarDisk) seperately, as they are provided by StarBase, to give the end users a few more choices... Total: 7/10 ─ ▄▄ ── ▄▄▄ ─────────░──────────── ─── ── ─ ░▀ ▀█▄ ▀▀ ▀▌ ▀ ■ ▐▄ ■ ▄ ▀ ■ ▀ ▀ ▄▄▄ ▀ █ ▐█▌█ ▀ █▄▀▄ █▀█▄▀██ █ █▄▀▄ ▀▀ ▄▌ █▄▀▄ ▐█▌▄█▀▐█▌ ▐█▌▄ ▐█▌▐█▌▐█▌▐█▌▐█▌▄ █ ▐▀▀▐█▌▄ ▀▓▓ ▀▓▓ ▀▓▓ ▄▀▓▓ ▀ ▓▀ ▀▓▄▀▓█ ▄▐▓▌ ▀▓▓ ▄ ── ▀ ─── ▀ ─ ▀▀ ── ▀ ▀ ──── ▀ ▀▀ ▄▀▀ ─░─ ▀▀ PREMiERE 1998 RELEASES WITH STYLE [xx/xx/98] ──────────────────────────────────────────── PREMIERE: Releases: N/A Total: N/A _______________ ____________ ____________ \_ ___ \_ ___ \ ___ \_ _/ 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: Softlocx_v2.for.Win9xNT-DOD Advance_V_1_30A_Win9xNT4-DOD TCAM_TWINCAD_PRO_V_3_1_058_Win9X-DOD SendMail_v2.6_WinNT_Unlimited_Mailboxes-DOD TRUECAD_V3.10M_Win9xNT4-DOD CaseMap_v2.5_Win9xNT-DOD CaseMap_v2.5_Win9xNT_Dizfix-DOD RFTP_Pro_v2.5_Win9xNT4-DOD Smartstore_Archive_v3_WinNT-DOD Xcam_Desktop_Win9xNT4-DOD Continuing a rise in quality, and releases period, DOD puts out some nice titles, including the newest version of MetaInfo/CheckPoint's SendMail, as well as CaseMap 2.5, and SmartStore Archive 3. They also get into the CAD/CAM game with TrueCAD and TwinCAD. Total: 7/10 _______________________________[xx/xx] \_ _ \_ ____/_ _ \_ ____/ |_\ ___/ / _/ ___)/ _/ ___) | \___ \ / | \_ | \ | \ | \ : \ : \ \___| /___ \____ \___ \___ \___ \ ====|__/===\__/===\__/==\__/==\__/==\__/ REBELS: WE MAKE ALL DAYS PARTY DAYS >> RELEASING WITHOUT PERMISSION << REBELS: Releases: Exemplar.Leonardo.Spectrum.v1999_Licensed-RBS Thumb.Print.Pro.v3.031-RBS Thumb.Print.Pro.v3.031_NFODIZFIX-RBS Aldec.Active.HDL.V3.5.0437-RBS DAI.SignalScan.TX.V6.2-RBS DemoShield.ESD.Edition.v6.01.006-RBS Dr.Hardware.99.v3.0e-RBS Fastflo.v2.1-RBS GameSpy_v2.12-RBS Ivex.WinDraft.3.01.06-29-1999.Edition-RBS PowerTweak.v1.05_incl.1.05b.update-RBS RSLogix.5.r3.21.00.CRACKED-RBS Synopsys_FPGA_Express_and_FPGA_Compiler_II_V3.2_FULL_WORKING-RBS Telephony.Experts.Talking.NT.SQL.Update.Plus.Int13s.Bonus-RBS Dr.Hardware.for.DOS.v5.5e-RBS WindowBlinds.v0.93.5.REGGED-RBS Lack of major titles are versions are about all that's hurting RBS these days... would love to see them really put their talent to work. Nice to see a little DOS app, remember this is the PC scene, not the Windows Scene, and some of the best hardware related apps (and recovery tools for that matter) are DOS based. Total: 7/10 █▄▓▄■▀░▄ Teknorage and Pirasoft Present: ▄░▀■▄░▄█ █ ▐▄ ▌ █ █▓▀cH/SAC ▄▄▄▄ ▄▄█▄▄ [xx\xx] ▀▓█ ▀ ▄▄█▄▄▄▄ ▄ ▄██▌▐████▓ ▄▄█▓█████▓▀ ▄█▄▄████▄ ▀ ▄▄████▓ ▄▄▄ ▀████▌█████▌▐████▐████▌▐████▐█████▌ ▐██████▌▐█████▄ ▓███▀█████ ████ ▀████ ███▌▐██████ ██████ ███████▌▐███ ▐████▌▐███▌▄████▌ ▀█▄ ▀▀▀▀▀ ▐████▌▐███████ ████▄████▀ ▄████████▀ ▄▄ ▐█████▄ ▄▓███▓▄▓██████▌▐████▌▀▓█▄ ▀███▓▀▀ ▄████▌▓██████▌ ▀▀██████▀ ▀████▀ ▀▀▄ ▀█▀ ▀██▀▀██████▀ █▄▄▄▓▄▄▄ ▀▀▀ ▀ ▀ ▀▀▀ ▄█ ▀▀▀ ░▒▓█▄ xx/xx/98 ······ Ratzhole WHQ ▀ ▀▓▀▀▀ TEKNORAGE & PIRASOFT: Releases: DNS.Commander.v2.0.0.66.NT-TRPS Surf.Control.Super.Scout.v2.6L-TRPS Norton.Utilities.v4.5.b1-TRPS Faxcom.for.NT.v3.04-TRPS Uni.Development.Kit.v3.0-TRPS Faxcom again... another Surf Control app... a very minor version of DNS Commander... best release is actually the Symantec beta, just to sneak a peek at the next Norton Utilities release. Total: 4/10 _____ ____________ ____ __________ / __/_ ___/\_ \ ___\_/ __/\ ___\_ \ \ / _/ /_ /___ / \ ___ / \___/\_____/___\ ____/______/_____/pn \_/ VERSUS: Releases: AtGuard.v3.2-VERSUS Vervet.Logic.Xml.Pro.v2.0-VERSUS Trumpet.Winsock.v5.0a-VERSUS Macromedia.Flash.SWF-Unprotect.v2.0-VERSUS Transit.HTML.Editor.v4.0-VERSUS A new edition of VRS's SWF unprotect for Flash... haven't checked out what's new in it, it was released shortly after the initial release. AtGuard 3.2, Transit HTML Editor 4.0, and Xml Pro 2 are all worthwhile releases. I haven't used Trumpet Winsock in years... so I have no clue if it's gotten any better =). Total: 6/10 ..._______________________.___ ____.____... ::/ _______/ ____/ | \/ | \:: _/\____ \/ /___/ | \ \: \ > \ \ \/ \ \ :\__________/\________/_________/|_____|___/ ::.. .:[ SCUM ]:. .:[SCUM]:. .:[SCUM]:. ..:: ```````````````````````````````````````````` SCUM: Releases: Bluestone.Visual.XML.v1.0-SCuM Vision.JADE.Developer.Studio.v4.1-SCuM Intel.Landesk.Client.Manager.v3.32-SCuM Macro.MI.Tools.v1.0-SCuM MARC.K7.32-SCuM Solid.View.IGES.v3.3-SCuM Solid.View.v3.3.RP.Master-SCuM Well, several groups talked about it, but Scum did it. Marc K - a top FEA app. Protected by Flexlm, as most high end CAD/CAM apps are these days, the Scum-provided license missed a few features, thus grab the LND fix. The point I gave to LND is removed from Scum, but still, congrats to them... while Grad may wish to go on about LND's dominance, there will without a doubt be more challenges in the coming while... good to see Scum providing one here. They also get some more from the Solid View line, with IGES being another title from the LND wish list appearing in various LND NFO's. Also honerable mention to Intel Landesk Client Manager. Total: 7/10 Only one more byte to crack before... ____._____ ____ _____ _____ _ _____ __ ._____ :::_|_ / _ \/ _ \/ _ \__\_ \___| / ::/ __/_ / / / / / / _ / _ /: :/ / / / / / / / / / / / /:: :\_______\___/\____/\____/\______/________\:: : \\\\\\\ \\\\ \\\\\ \\\\\ \\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\ -----------------------------------------wk!- 2000AD: Releases: N/A Total: N/A _______________________ ____________ __\ _______/ ______/______/__ / \ __/ / / \/ / / /_______\ /______________\____ /________\ -------------------------------\/----------- (*) F a t i g u e - Couriers Network (*) ___________________________________________. ________________________________________wK!. FATIGUED COURIERS NETWORK: Releases: Cell_Control_v3.21-FCN Report_Builder_v4.10_For_Delphi4-FCN UBackPRO_v6.20_For_Delphi-FCN LSMTP_v1.1B_FINAL-FCN THIRDWISH_MAGPIE_PRO_v1.01-FCN GerbTool_v9.0_R5-FCN Topaz_v7_Full_Src_Code_Version-FCN WPTools_for_Delphi4_2.25_cracked-FCN FCN concentrated mostly on components this week, dominated Delphi components as always, and had a good week for releases, even if it was pretty standard for them. Total: 6/10 _____nnn_____ <$$$$$$$$$$$$$b »»»»»»»»»»»)$$ |$$$$$$$$$$$$$' |$$T```X$f''' |$$$ '$$$L |$$! '9$$$i. |$$ `'$$$$> r a d i u m »»»»»»»»»»»»»»»» RADIUM: Releases: Digital.1000SL.v3.31-Radium Digital.Orchestrator.Pro.v3.02.05-Radium Quartz.AudioMaster.2000.v4.15-Radium Quartz.AudioPro.v4.05-Radium This week RDM puts forth Voyetra's Digital Orchestrator Pro, a fairly popular MIDI sequencer, and although a minor update, still a pretty sweet one. Again, although I promised an in-depth review of some RDM audio tools as a special feature, I'll wait for a week with some more variety, and if that doesn't happen soon, I'll just combine a few weeks into a special segment. Total: 5/10 ____________________________________________ __________/\________/\______/\_______/\ \ __ / __ / __ \ _____/ / /__/ / /__/ / /__/ /\___ \ / _____/ ____/ / ) /____/ /___\ \\________/_________/ -s8RO-- -the.\_____\.professionals-- - ____________________________________________ THE PROFESSIONALS: Releases: Cortext.Business.Plan.Deluxe.v3.03-PROS AuroraDS.Report.GUI.v4.0.51-PROS AuroraDS.Report.Windows.v3.4.2-PROS FlipAlbum.v3.0-PROS Micrografx.iGrafx.Designer.Suite.v8.0-PROS Smart.Business.Plan.v8.0-PROS MicroVision.SureThing.CD.Labeler.v2.00.04-PROS Total.Access.Memo.v8.01-PROS AuroraDS.Report.Server.v7.0.NT-PROS Mips.DataScan.v1.0-PROS Smart.Attorney.v8.0-PROS ThrustMaster.WeCanTalk.iConference.REPACK-PROS Dillobits.Insync.v2.1-PROS Privacy.FILE.Lite.v1.4.3-PROS One of two groups new to the report this week. Pros is run by Machv and Twizted, you remember Mutiny from last week, well after some contreversy regarding the monikor they decided to switch names. Pros looks to have a fair backing of store titles, supported by a variety of web apps. Which means a decent supply team, backed by the ever improving PHXiSO. They lack on the cracking side, however, and will likely be stumped by tougher protection schemes. This week we see some good business/legal apps from AIFR in Smart Attorney and Smart Business Plan Pro, as well as one of the titles from Micrografx's recent iGrafx series, iGrafx Developer. Good overall, next few weeks should set the tone for them. Total: 7/10 HARVEST: Releases: PSUNAMI.V.1.0.FOR.AE4-HARVEST BORIS.AE.V3.0-HARVEST PUFFINDESIGNS.COMMOTION.V2.1.NT-HARVEST SPEEDRENDER.V2.02-HARVEST ALIAS.WAVEFRONT.MAYA.V2.0.FINAL.NT-HARVEST That "other" new group... yeah you know, from parts of SGE... Well that's how many people will look at them for some time, and comparisons will be made, especially with a strong graphics/design background. Don't expect to hear much about this group "politically" in the scene. Some good apps here as expected... and their debut was Boris FX 4, which isn't listed since it's actually from next week, but I thought I'd point it out... definately a good title to debut with. No DIZ ascii from them... so none here... if they get one I'll paste it. Total: 7/10 New this week: PROS, HARVEST. Idle this week: 2KAD, PRM, PFT. Quote(s) of the Week: <aeiou> just found out im lame <aeiou> =[ <Caserd> damn <Caserd> that sucks <Caserd> i found out a while ago <Caserd> i'm over it PWA easily takes the week, but honorable mention to Scum, who would have tied save for the incomplete license on Marc K, and to DOD as well, who look REALLY active for the first time in... (days/months/years <--- please make your selection <g>). Well my eyes are going fuzzy again... so it's time to get outta here! - Bud