Mike Martino on fri 30 nov 01
Hello All,
I'm looking at 2 of the glaze calc software packages available out
there: Insight and Matrix. They appear to have similar features, and I've
downloaded the demos and done some work with them, but my problem is that I
a have so little experience with applied glaze chemistry that I don't know
which criteria are important (don't have enough experience to know which
features are really important or not) for choosing one of these programs.
Does anyone on the list have experience using both of these programs
and can give the pros and cons of each (comparison/critique) from an
'applied to my work' point of view? Even those of you out there who have
used only one or the other, if you could give what you feel are the pros and
cons as you have experienced from using either of the programs it would be a
tremendous help.
I realize this topic has been asked about before, but I checked old
threads on the archive and didn't find much in the way of detailed info
about either program.
Many thanks for your help,
Mike Martino
Dallas, Texas
Wanda Holmes at Alistia on fri 30 nov 01
I have Insight and GlazeChem. Glazechem has been the easier of the two to
learn to use, so I tend to use it more. I have been very happy with it.
I have not used Matrix and my experience with Insight is too limited for me
to compare it to GlazeChem effectively. I can say that I have yet to need
something that GlazeChem has not provided.
Wanda
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
Behalf Of Mike Martino
Sent: Friday, November 30, 2001 8:37 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Insight or Matrix?
Hello All,
I'm looking at 2 of the glaze calc software packages available out
there: Insight and Matrix. They appear to have similar features, and I've
downloaded the demos and done some work with them, but my problem is that I
a have so little experience with applied glaze chemistry that I don't know
which criteria are important (don't have enough experience to know which
features are really important or not) for choosing one of these programs.
Does anyone on the list have experience using both of these programs
and can give the pros and cons of each (comparison/critique) from an
'applied to my work' point of view? Even those of you out there who have
used only one or the other, if you could give what you feel are the pros and
cons as you have experienced from using either of the programs it would be a
tremendous help.
I realize this topic has been asked about before, but I checked old
threads on the archive and didn't find much in the way of detailed info
about either program.
Many thanks for your help,
Mike Martino
Dallas, Texas
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Ababi on fri 30 nov 01
I will try to explain.
what I find in these programs. You decide what is good for you.
I work with Insight 5. and Matrix 2000 V.4
They are both great programs. I would not give one for the other. Both
has pluses and minuses. I see Insight as a fast jeep. You send me a
recipe, in seconds I copy it into insight see what I like or the
problem, in second can e mail it back to you. I like also the very easy
way to change a whole recipe formula or analysis. Do not misunderstand
me I almost have broken my computer five time when I tried to learn the
program ( The explanations unfortunately written in English)
Insight has a huge database of explanation of oxides and materials you
can see it in http://www.digitalfire.com/material/index.htm
And more important you get excellent support and care!
I worked with Insight before Matrix . Because of this reason, I did not
learn all the possibility of Matrix.
You remember what I said before about a Jeep. Well, Matrix is a
limousine!
I like the function of changing recipes when I have to change a
material or part of the recipe. It has a function that helps you to
change cones It has an easy way to add remove material, you could not
see it from the 19 materials that Lawrence Ewing gave you with the
demo. It helps you with more complicated stuff that even a well known
glaze addict like me has to find clear head and find the way to learn.
It has an easy tutorial and a good support too. If you enter to my
humble site you can see how I use both programs. In matrix there is
another option, to add the colorants to the calculation
http://matrix2000.co.nz
I have both and I navigate between their pluses
Ababi Sharon
Kibbutz Shoval- Israel
Glaze addict
ababisha@shoval.org.il
http://members4.clubphoto.com/ababi306910/
---------- Original Message ----------
>Hello All,
> I'm looking at 2 of the glaze calc software packages available out
>there: Insight and Matrix. They appear to have similar features, and
>I've
>downloaded the demos and done some work with them, but my problem is
>that I
>a have so little experience with applied glaze chemistry that I don't
>know
>which criteria are important (don't have enough experience to know which
>features are really important or not) for choosing one of these
>programs.
> Does anyone on the list have experience using both of these
>programs
>and can give the pros and cons of each (comparison/critique) from an
>'applied to my work' point of view? Even those of you out there who
>have
>used only one or the other, if you could give what you feel are the
>pros and
>cons as you have experienced from using either of the programs it would
>be a
>tremendous help.
> I realize this topic has been asked about before, but I checked old
>threads on the archive and didn't find much in the way of detailed info
>about either program.
>Many thanks for your help,
>Mike Martino
>Dallas, Texas
>________________________________________________________________________
>______
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
>melpots@pclink.com.
Paul Lewing on mon 3 dec 01
Mike, I have some experience with both of these products, but only the Mac
versions. I also have HyperGlaze. I've only seen GlazeChem running for a
few minutes, and it was a while ago, so I can't comment on it, but I liked
what I saw and if I were forced to use a PC, I'd really check it out.
But here's my take on these three programs.
HyperGlaze. If you want to keep track of and sort lots of recipes, this is
the one. It also offers more guidance than any of the other programs I'm
familiar with. I find the HyperCard structure annoying, and you can only
see one recipe at a time. Not much support.
Matrix. Don't buy the Mac version! It's incredibly buggy and full of
dead-ends and glitches. Using the Mac version, I feel like Moses seeing the
Promised Land. I can tell how wonderful it would be if it worked, and I can
even see how it would work, but it won't work. But I understand the newer
PC version actually does work well. If you like to work with line blends
and especially if you use Ian Currie's grid testing method, this is the one
for you, although you can only see one recipe at a time. Good support.
Insight. This is my favorite, and I understand the Mac and PC versions are
now very similar. I think if you hadn't learned this program first,
especially if you hadn't had version 4 before you got version 5, you might
find it quirky. Not buggy, but just not really intuitive to use. If you
like fooling with, adjusting, and inventing recipes, this is the one for
you. The fact that you can see two recipes at once with all the data is,
for me, more important than any number of other bells and whistles. Support
that goes beyond good, maybe past incredible.
GlazeChem lets you see more than one recipe at a time, too, I believe. And
what ever happened to Glaze Simulator? Fraser Forsythe, are you still out
there?
But here's another tip: last year at NCECA, when I led a discussion group
on using calculation software, the consensus among users was that you'd
probably prefer the program you started on, and that any program would give
you a huge boost in understanding.
Good luck, Paul Lewing, Seattle
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