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jamesl · Jun 28, 2004, 12:36 PM

Hi,

I am looking for some Garden design Software, or Room Design software for my Mac. Does anybody have any suggestions?? - Prefarably as cheap as possible!

Thanks

Krypton · Jun 28, 2004, 04:14 PM

Microspot Interiors

jamesl · Jun 28, 2004, 05:31 PM

Thanks, sadly, thats a bit over my budget. Are there any cheaper packages? I know there are loas for the PC, but am strugling for the mac!

Synotic · Jun 28, 2004, 06:02 PM

Home design for $43.95

AKcrab · Jun 28, 2004, 09:24 PM

*snicker*

jamesl · Jun 29, 2004, 04:17 PM

Hi

That link takes me to the sims. Could somebody possibly provide me with a link as to where i could purchase the software?

Thank you for your help

James

jamesl · Jul 1, 2004, 10:36 AM

Surely somebody must know of some alternative products??

Please help!

cpac · Jul 1, 2004, 01:32 PM

why not just use a generic drawing or diagramming application? I used OmniGraffle to figure out whether certain furniture would fit in our new apartment

PS - it does look like Microspot (original product suggested) had a free demo you cold download.

jamesl · Jul 3, 2004, 05:36 PM

Hi. Thanks for your help. Its for a project, and we need to use three dfferent types of specialist graphics software, hence the need to use garden design software etc.

Still no suggestions?

cpac · Jul 5, 2004, 06:15 PM

Originally posted by jamesl:
Hi. Thanks for your help. Its for a project, and we need to use three dfferent types of specialist graphics software, hence the need to use garden design software etc.

Still no suggestions?

I guess we're all not sure what you mean by "garden design software" then. (You say it as though you were looking for a "word processor" or "web browser" - some common thing that everybody knows about).

Maybe you could tell us what PC product you would be using and we can suggest substitutes?

jamesl · Jul 6, 2004, 05:18 PM

For PCs, you can buy packages, whci allow you to plan a garden, by inserting benches etc from a library. I am sure poeple know what i mean for pcs, but i havent actually heard of anything for mac.

cpac · Jul 6, 2004, 05:39 PM

Well sort of - but then why wouldn't a tool like OmniGraffle or Illustrator (or a free drawing app) work? Yes you'd have to create the "benches" and whatnot yourself once, but once you did, you could use them for every project from then on...

Omnigraffle already comes with a pallet of office furniture and whatnot - and it's easy to make custom ones (I made one with each piece of furniture I own to scale so I could find out whether/how it would all fit in my new apartment).

(Your prior objection of "needing to use three kinds of specialist graphics software" still doesn't make any sense as to why using OmniGraffle or Illustrator or something similar wouldn't solve your problem. Perhaps you could explain more?)

Freeflyer · Jul 6, 2004, 07:34 PM

The big advantage of a specialist program, is the database of plants/trees etc that it contains. If you want a border of a particular plant, you pull up that plant on the menu and drag to the area. If you need to know what sort of flower works in a shady spot by the garage, the program will have information on that too. The drag and drop for different plants really speeds up planning and allows you to create a garden without being a 'technical designer' with graphics knowlege.

The software also allows you to 'age' your garden a few years, to see what it will look like as the plants and trees mature, and to view it at different times of year to see how things that bloom at different times will affect the look of the garden.

I bought a pc package like this for my mum a while back, as she's a keen gardener, and I was really impressed at the stuff it could do.

Omni graffle just doesn't do the same thing.

Hope this explains some of the differences.

Cheers,

J.

Synotic · Jul 6, 2004, 07:36 PM

Originally posted by cpac:
Well sort of - but then why wouldn't a tool like OmniGraffle or Illustrator (or a free drawing app) work? Yes you'd have to create the "benches" and whatnot yourself once, but once you did, you could use them for every project from then on...

Omnigraffle already comes with a pallet of office furniture and whatnot - and it's easy to make custom ones (I made one with each piece of furniture I own to scale so I could find out whether/how it would all fit in my new apartment).

(Your prior objection of "needing to use three kinds of specialist graphics software" still doesn't make any sense as to why using OmniGraffle or Illustrator or something similar wouldn't solve your problem. Perhaps you could explain more?)

And luckily enough OmniGraffle has a set of Gardening stencils http://www.omnigroup.com/application...raffle/extras/ I can be helpful sometimes

Macola · 09:29 PM

To the OP--I know exactly what you mean--garden/landscape design with a good plant database, 3D walkthrough, etc. like Sierra's stuff for Windows. A couple of years ago, I did an extensive search and found nothing for the Mac. I ended up building a PC (I needed it for some other things, too) and bought Sierra's Complete LandDesigner 5.

cpac · Jul 6, 2004, 10:11 PM

ok - thanks for the added description.

Looks like you've found an area specialized enough that there is no Mac equivalent.

So ... buy virtual PC and run the PC software that is equivalent, or buy a PC and do the same thing...

jamesl · Jul 7, 2004, 05:47 PM

Surely there is something though for macs? I always thought macs were designed particularly for use with graphics?

jamesl · Jul 7, 2004, 06:04 PM

Have just looked at the Omni Software, and the garden addon pack for that seems pretty good to me. Does anybody know where i could buy it cheap within the UK?

cpac · Jul 7, 2004, 08:48 PM

Originally posted by jamesl:
Have just looked at the Omni Software, and the garden addon pack for that seems pretty good to me. Does anybody know where i could buy it cheap within the UK?

Glad it looks like it may work. Why not just buy it from their online store?

http://www.omnigroup.com/howtobuy/

cpac · Jul 7, 2004, 08:54 PM

Originally posted by jamesl:
Surely there is something though for macs? I always thought macs were designed particularly for use with graphics?

Not other than what we've suggested. Macs are designed to be great computers period - they are a favorite among graphics professionals, because they ran Quark, Photoshop, and Illustrator particularly well. More recently, Apple's own applications for manipulating video have made it a favorite among graphics professionals who work in video.

But none of that means that there's going to be a garden design program out there - most graphics pros are going to be creating the plant images and whatnot themselves, not relying on software that has pre-loaded graphics to do it for them.

And honestly, how big can the garden-design software market be? Put yourselves in the shoes of the developer of such software - given that most architects have to use windows for AutoCAD anyway, what are the chances that they're really going to sell a lot of copies of a Mac version of their software? Not good.... (though you're certainly one - you might consider sending feedback to whatever windows product you like requesting a mac os x version)

Macola · Jul 7, 2004, 09:09 PM

Actually, the Sierra products are aimed at consumers/homeowners, so the Mac marketshare is about equivalent to anything else that's out there. I certainly would buy a Mac version if they had one, and so would a few folks I know, but my sample is admittedly skewed because I tend to gravitate towards other Mac users

cpac · Jul 7, 2004, 09:24 PM

Originally posted by Macola:
Actually, the Sierra products are aimed at consumers/homeowners, so the Mac marketshare is about equivalent to anything else that's out there.

Right - in other words - a very small percentage - and here, because the software is so specialized, it's a very small percentage of what is a rather small pie to begin with (i.e. the number of people looking to purchase garden design software).

That said, the more people who request a mac version of the Sierra (or anybody's, really) software, the more likely it is that it will be ported over.

jamesl · Jul 8, 2004, 01:03 PM

Thanks Guys. Has anybody seen it cheap on an online UK store or anything? Its for a school you see.

cpac · Jul 8, 2004, 02:18 PM

Originally posted by jamesl:
Thanks Guys. Has anybody seen it cheap on an online UK store or anything? Its for a school you see.

Omni has it's own educational pricing as well:

https://store.omnigroup.com/cgi-bin/...7tRnkFuonPr9bk

the non-pro version is $42 US for educational customers.

Randman · Jul 8, 2004, 02:32 PM

http://www.fscape.com/

Randman · Jul 8, 2004, 02:33 PM

Google does wonders.

jamesl · Jul 8, 2004, 03:15 PM

Thanks. The only problem being is this software is required within the UK.

cpac · Jul 8, 2004, 03:59 PM

Originally posted by jamesl:
Thanks. The only problem being is this software is required within the UK.

Well since it's just a download I'm not sure that you couldn't just enter your UK information and purchase OmniGraffle no problem... (a visa card works just as well in France as it does in the US...) But even if the OmniGroup's store balks at a foreign addressed card, you may still be able to purchase it from the Apple store uk... (and even the apple uk edu store).

Have you tried?

cpac · Jul 8, 2004, 04:11 PM

just having checked myself (see how easy that was?) you CAN DEFINITELY purchase an OmniGraffle license directly from OmniGroup via their online store - even their educational store.

It's not available from Apple's UK store, but direct is easier anyway.

Synotic · Jul 8, 2004, 04:55 PM

If you have any trouble with ordering it, I'd just contact OmniGroup, I'm sure they'd help you out.

jamesl · Jul 9, 2004, 04:23 PM

Thanks for your help. We should be sorted, as we are probably getting a G5 anyway, which comes with it pre loaded i believe!

Thanks everybody for your help.

Macola · Jul 9, 2004, 05:21 PM

Originally posted by Randman:
http://www.fscape.com/

That runs in Classic, apparently.