Free Windows Office Picture Manager Download Available?

[mike2rc]

My dad has XP Home Edition but doesn’t have MS Office where I do. I was checking Google for a free download of MS Office Picture Manager as he can just use the one button "auto correct" and I could show him how to crop and reduce photos.

So far Google show sites but they really don't have a free download and are just trying to sell you other software. If there is no free download for this app I'll have him try Picasa 3. It looks fairly easy but I use PhotoShop Elements.

Thanks for any info on any available downloads!
Mike

[Train]

Faststone image viewer.
http://www.faststone.org/index.htm

FastStone Image Viewer Tutorial
http://www.faststone.org/FSIVTutorial.htm

And be sure to let it install .NET Framework if it asks.

Beats the pants off of Picasso in my book!

[mike2rc]

Thanks for the info...I'll try it and forward the link to him. It has to be something fairly easy for him to use.

Mike

[HAN]

For free photo apps, I like IrfanView, FastStone Image Viewer, XnView, Picasa 3, PhotoFiltre, Paint.NET and The GIMP. For ease of use, IMO, programs with the lowest learning curve are FastStone IV, Picasa or XnView.

IrfanView loads and runs the fastest, and it supports a large number of file types, but it's GUI is so basic that IMO, it is a bit difficult to use.

Picasa 3 has a fairly simple interface and offers a nice mix of effects and adjustments but it normally only looks for photos in folders set during it's installation. It ignores photos in any other location unless you make changes buried in the menu structure. (Why this is I have NO idea. An asinine design they have had from the start and continue to use!) Plus, in it's default setting, it runs all the time and tries to connect back to Google when you start the GUI (which I hate!!!!!!!!!!) (Of course, if you run Elements, you know that it runs all the time too, right?)

FastStone IV and XnView are actually more similar than different. Most of the time, they are my go to apps. They offer several options in both viewing and editing. In general, I feel that FastStone is a bit easier to navigate. One key difference between them is that XnView supports many more different kinds of photos than FastStone. So if a user surfs the web and grabs photos from many sources, XnView may be a better choice.

The remaining others are more powerful as photo editors than FastStone IV, Picasa or XnView but they are clearly much more difficult to grasp and really aren't intended to be used as viewers.

Finally, ALL of these apps can co-exist on one PC at the same time. Care should be exercised during installation as some of these programs will want to become the default photo application when they are installed. So installation screens should be carefully read so that one ends up with the setup one intends...

[Train]

Nice review HAN!

I hate the way Picasa seems to take over your computer!

[mike2rc]

Thanks for the info...I'll pass it along to my dad. I "think" PS Elements which I use and Picasa only run when launch them to edit photos. I played with Picasa and it seems to OK but there is a learning curve...my dad is older (83) and has little patience with PC problems. That's why I thought Picture Manager might be good for him.

PS Elements is great but you almost nees a learning book or DVD with tutorials.

Thanks again,
Mike