Keep CB Paint 2 alive for Bogart SE

[ParisFox1]

I know that CB Paint 2 won't arrive for Christmas this year, but my hope is still strong that this amazing piece of software will make its way back in my S-4000 PRO. Now when the machines have the power and the drives and the Ram and the speed, for this professional software not to come to fruition would be a shame indeed.

I motion that CB Paint 2 be made available for the Generation 3 machines. There are projects that lay dormant because CB Paint 2 has not shown its face.

[Alan]

By May next year it will be 2 years since I lost my CBPaint2. If they are not going to reintroduce it then so be it. If it was my business I would be holding my head in shame for not making clear to my customers what my intentions where. If they genuinely do not know what they are going to do then why not tell us. We get nice little tasters about what is coming next. I am no longer impressed. Can someone who has direct contact with MS ask, bluntly, what are the expectations for CBPaint?

Cheers Alan.

[TimKennelly]

Here are some comments made in the last two months by the CEO Jörg Sprave.

First, we have done everything in our power to make the missing third party
products work on the new machines. However, please keep in mind that all of
the software done by us (MacroSystem) is fully operational. Some of the
software products done by third party companies are not yet working, and
that has several reasons.

Some of these companies are simply no longer around (Dynapel, Brainstorm),
so we had to find new partners which we did. Others have been careful
investing their time in a product done by an insolvent company. Yes, you may
or may not know that MacroSystem Germany is under the German equivalent of
the "chapter 11" regulation. It is no wonder that several of our partners
did not do very much until the situation cleared up.

This is happening, we are optimistic that we can go out of the "chapter 11"
situation very soon, as the restructuring is nearly done. So companies like
Motion Studios and TV Paint have resumed R+D, even brought out the first
products (like Columbus 3).

We always admitted that several important software pieces are not done by
us. Those can't be made compatible by my engineers, so your request is like
asking Microsoft to immediately make all Windows 95 software programs work
under Windows 7...

Regarding BBW, this software is done by MotionStudios. We have signed an
agreement with them a couple months ago, they have agreed to bring out a
Bogart version soon. The first software they converted based on the contract
was Columbus, which was very important as we sold many copies.

Neither of these were direct comments specifically on CBPaint, but do shed some light on the overall issue/situation and give some hope I believe for the future.

I will add as a personal opinion that despite the power of CB Paint, it's complexity made it the least succesful software from a sales aspect with far more versions given away as part of promotions than actually sold. This would logically mean it would make it the lowest in priority to bring to Bogart for both MS and the third party company that created it, TV Paint (a company that does not appear to be thriving either, despite some of it's powerful software choices).

[Alan]

Hi Tim, I agree with your comments.However why should we, the customer, have to make excuses for the company. If you have look at the CBPaint section of the TVPaint forum they are far more responsive to us. MS is not encouraging loyalty by not keeping us informed. Here in the UK it is known as mushroom management.

Cheers Alan.

[LouBruno]

Alan...I don't think GERMANY reads this BB. Let's post something on Carrolls's listserve. I miss my CB PAINT very much. I really produced some nice effects plus the GREEN SCREEN and PARTICLES ROCKED!!

[TimKennelly]

That is correct, MSDE does not monitor this BB.

The CEO does monitor, at least occasionally, the List.

That said, the real way to communicate with the company on issues is to contact the company directly.

Formerly, I would have suggested Tech Support, but as that is now a pay per use I would not pay to tell the Company what you don't like about their practices.

I would e-mail them directly.

This from their website contact page:

Contact Information

MacroSystem US, Inc.
5485 Conestoga Court
Boulder, CO 80301

Sales & Information

Phone: 303.440.5311
Monday-Friday 9am - 5pm MST
Toll-Free: 877.554.2846 Monday-Friday 9am - 5pm MST
FAX: 303.440.5396
Email: info@macrosystem.us

[ChrisStone]

I loved CB Paint just like the rest of you, and even did a few tutorials/presentations about it as some of you know. But I saw the hand writing on the wall after speaking with Jorg at the last MGT. So I made up my mind to learn Adobe after effects. If you can learn CB Paint, you can learn after effects, and it can do so much more. I'm loving it.

Just my 2 cents.

[ParisFox1]

Don't forget about the origin software TV Paint Animation 9.5 PRO. I am getting a Mac Pro tower and TV Paint. This way I will already be familiar with the software except I will be doing the effects on my Mac. With Bogart 3 of inputting video directly into Bogart rather than the Media Manager, exporting to the Mac and back will be a breeze.

Can't wait to work with TV Paint Animation PRO 9.5.