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I don't know how Rick does it


adondai

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I used Fireworks for years, then when I lost my copy I began using Paint.NET. I used that for a year and liked it a lot - but a little while ago I had the chance to get a free student copy of Microsoft Expression Design which I decided to use instead seeing as it was a design application worth a couple hundred dollars. Perhaps it is better - I really wouldn't know, for me personally I didn't like the UI much at all and I don't need particularly complicated functionality.

I gave up on that and decided to give the new updated Paint in Windows 7 a go - after all, like I said, I don't need particularly complicated functionality. However now, after a couple weeks of that I have to wonder - how did Rick Brewster manage to create an application which is so perfectly combines a simplicity with the additional advanced functionality when needed? It perfectly suits people like me who need a lot more than simple cutting and pasting, but don't need all the extra advanced functionality of programs like the Gimp, Photoshop or Expression Design. Not only that - but Paint.NET is tiny, fast and stable - something I really couldn't say about Expression Design.

So I'm back to using Paint.net and loving it =) looking forward to future releases.

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Glad to hear you're back to using Paint.NET. :)

Paint.NET has always been an excellent balance of functionality and simplicity. I can't wait for future releases, they will be even better. In particular, I'm looking forward to 3.5, the upcoming (meaning anywhere from tomorrow to the distant future; that's development for ya) major release. Look at Rick's blog for info on future Paint.NET versions, it will only get better.

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I'll tell you one way he "does it"... Rick does not rush to put new features into Paint.NET just because he can. Every feature he includes is only added once it is throughly thought out and perfected from a UI (user interface) perspective. He knows his audience and tunes everything for them specifically.

I agree. The Paint.NET UI is a perfectly balanced between the beginner and advanced user.

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Yeah I have been reading his blog, and sounds good =)

Actually I had another question... Paint.NET ihas so much functionality yet is such a tiny download - 1.52MB, if you compare that to other small applications like... off the top of my head - Auslogic Defragmentor (1.57MB) how can Paint.NET be so small? Does it come down the quality of the code, or do some types of software lend themselves to different file sizes? As in why would a simple defragmenting app be slightly larger than something like Paint.NET?

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Depends on what is included. For example, Paint.NET was more like 7mb for version 2.0. Then over the course of time, the help content was slimmed down (JPEGs instead of PNGs, etc.), certain DLL's were removed or trimmed, and then the help content was moved completely online. Various compression algorithms for the downloaded EXE wrapper were investigated, and a very aggressive one called LZMA was finally chosen. All of the PNG's that are used in the user interface (toolbar/menu icons, etc.) are through through both OptiPNG and PNGOUT. Executable (exe/dll) sizes are different for managed code (e.g., C#) that Paint.NET uses, than for C/C++ that the defragmenter you mention most likely uses. My guess is that the defragmenter also includes help content in the download. 1.5mb is still a very impressive download size!

So I guess in summary, you can't always compare things very well when sizes are that small and that close.

The Paint.NET Blog: https://blog.getpaint.net/

Donations are always appreciated! https://www.getpaint.net/donate.html

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