PictureGo!

Pre-version 6.0 - June 2009

Was I depressed?? Did I think I was losing it? (see Release notes 5.1/5.2)

It must have been something like that. Anyway, PictureGo! is alive and kicking. The reason for this revival is not only the growing number of users. The fact that I finally figured out how to handle the thumbnail issue, was a major breakthrough.

Multiple slide show was introduced in version 5.0. The idea was to create smaller versions of your pictures in a subfolder and thus to be able to browse quickly through your pictures displaying up to 35 pictures at the same time.

Nice, but there were major drawbacks. The essential drawback: there was no relation whatsoever between the original and the smaller version of the picture. So, if you would rotate or edit the smaller version, the original would stay intact and vice versa. I kept thinking in the wrong direction. Instead of chaining the smaller version to the original, I did just the opposite. Watching a slide show of smaller version, would give the user the opportunity to right click on a picture and choose 'Show original from master folder'.

When I was thinking of new ideas (like I stated before, I can never leave PicureGo! alone for a long time), it finally dawned on me...And one by one, I tackled the arising issues.

This means (as of version 6.0):

The thumbnail issue will be handled fully automagically. (Sorry, I just love that non-existing word!) You never have to think about it again; the thumbnail will always be in sync with the original.

Whether you change/rotate a picture launching an edit program form within PictureGo! or at a time PictureGo! is not active at all, it doesn't matter. Further on, if you delete a picture, both the original and the thumbnail will be deleted.

The term Multiple Slide Show will be replaced by Thumbnail view. You will simply have 2 buttons: start slide show in Full screen mode or in Thumbnail view. Essentially, you will not know when you are looking at a thumbnail or at a original (and that is the whole point). The subfolders the thumbnails are stored in, will be hidden. As well in PictureGo! as in other programs.

Which brings me to the next subject. Existing SmallPics folders can easily be converted to Thumbnail folders. After installing 6.0 you'll be notified.

The above was inspiring enough to think about other improvements and features. But, let's leave something to reveal when 6.0 is really released. Major bump in the road in this respect: the Help pages that have to be adjusted.

The release date I am currently aiming for lies somewhere in the late fall. I might release a beta version later this summer. If you're interested, keep checking the site or send me a message through picturego@gmail.com to let me know you want to be notified of new developments.

Auke Nijholt, the Netherlands, June 2009