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OmniGraffle 5 diagramming software released
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#2
anothersite 
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Posted 06 March 2008 - 04:17 PM
Wow, Leopard only. I use OmniGraffle 4 Pro and could really use Visio file format support, but Leopard only is a problem. Hmm.
#3
dreyfus
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Posted 06 March 2008 - 04:38 PM
I have been playing with the beta releases and while it remains an amazing application (I have the Professional version 4 licensed), I think it is not too much of an update. For a 79 USD version upgrade I would honestly expect a little more. The price for new buyers is OK though.
I am sure the changes to the underlying drawing engine caused a lot of work, but the existing one works a treat and the minor re-shuffling of the layer and tree views is more different than it is better. Of course Visio export is something a few people might need - but I do not think this exporting capability is as important as in office or PM applications. I can send out any graphic as PNG or PDF in great quality from version 4 and I rarely send out drawings for others to work on.
I would really like to see them taking it to the next level and provide (or provide an interface for third party) "mini-applications", like the stencils in Visio that automatically parse a database structure and generate ERM diagrams or the handy timeline stencil that is great for visualising project milestones. I am no big fan of what MS did to Visio (from sleak and powerful to a resource hog), but some of these things sure are nice. Also would like more flexible stencils for standard tasks - e.g. why do I have no default properties for network components (nice to be able to define custom lists, but this is supposed to speed me up), why is there no simple way to add additional fields to org chart containers, etc. Again, making the underpinnings better is certainly valuable, but anytime I show this software to somebody, what I get back is: where are more stencils. And no, the wild mix of non-matching designs to be found on Graffletopia is no replacement for streamlined, matching ones provided by the software maker.
I am sure the changes to the underlying drawing engine caused a lot of work, but the existing one works a treat and the minor re-shuffling of the layer and tree views is more different than it is better. Of course Visio export is something a few people might need - but I do not think this exporting capability is as important as in office or PM applications. I can send out any graphic as PNG or PDF in great quality from version 4 and I rarely send out drawings for others to work on.
I would really like to see them taking it to the next level and provide (or provide an interface for third party) "mini-applications", like the stencils in Visio that automatically parse a database structure and generate ERM diagrams or the handy timeline stencil that is great for visualising project milestones. I am no big fan of what MS did to Visio (from sleak and powerful to a resource hog), but some of these things sure are nice. Also would like more flexible stencils for standard tasks - e.g. why do I have no default properties for network components (nice to be able to define custom lists, but this is supposed to speed me up), why is there no simple way to add additional fields to org chart containers, etc. Again, making the underpinnings better is certainly valuable, but anytime I show this software to somebody, what I get back is: where are more stencils. And no, the wild mix of non-matching designs to be found on Graffletopia is no replacement for streamlined, matching ones provided by the software maker.
#4
tjunker
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Posted 07 March 2008 - 09:42 AM
Couldn't agree more with the previous post. I am registered user of the Pro 4 version which actually has some Visio support, but it does not work too well. New seems to be native Visio support.
The new features seem very slim, especially for the pro version. Apparently some of the earlier pro features are now standard, e.g., multiple sheets per document and master sheets. The only thing really new are the mini inspectors, which seems to be the same as the new formatting bar in pages and keynote. This is really not such a new concept. It adds another toolbar, something MS-Word had had forever. (don't get wrong, I hate MS just as much as the next guy), just pointing out critique where it is due.
I'd be happy to pay up to $30 for the upgrade, not more. As the previous post said, the underlying engine may have caused a lot of work, but for me, the present engine works beautifully (on a 1.5GHz PB G4, mind you) so not that fast a machine.
The new features seem very slim, especially for the pro version. Apparently some of the earlier pro features are now standard, e.g., multiple sheets per document and master sheets. The only thing really new are the mini inspectors, which seems to be the same as the new formatting bar in pages and keynote. This is really not such a new concept. It adds another toolbar, something MS-Word had had forever. (don't get wrong, I hate MS just as much as the next guy), just pointing out critique where it is due.
I'd be happy to pay up to $30 for the upgrade, not more. As the previous post said, the underlying engine may have caused a lot of work, but for me, the present engine works beautifully (on a 1.5GHz PB G4, mind you) so not that fast a machine.
#5
TribeLeader
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Posted 10 March 2008 - 04:02 AM
I am a happy OG4 Pro user. I use it to create mind maps for my presentation notes, which I've blogged about here: http://www.williswir...1/storymapping/
For the extent I use it (at the moment), I doubt it's worth the upgrade cost this time around. I will continue to track its development in the future, though.
For the extent I use it (at the moment), I doubt it's worth the upgrade cost this time around. I will continue to track its development in the future, though.
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