Celtx v0.99
- Thread starter jiggigibbie
- Start date
Nik Manning
Well-known member
brianluce said:
Why is Final Draft a rip off exactly? I have been playing with Celtx for over a year now. I am not a writer so I really only use it for jotting down ideas. I won final draft at the MGLA meeting couple weeks ago and I think it is a great program for writing. I even went into the final Draft offices in California and they seemed like nice people. They even offer paid help with there software if you go there. I prefer Celtx only because it is for more than writing. If you are a writer/director/producer then Celtx will help you manage your production easily. If what you do is write I would reccomend Final Draft to anyone. Just so we are clear I still use Celtx so this isn't some plug.
Nik Manning said:
It's a decent software--not that creating a screenwriting software is a huge accomplishment--afterall it's a fairly basic little program. But, I paid $200 for it a few years ago I think I should be able to use it today. I can't. They only allow you to install it on two machines. Once you've done that, fork over another $200. Then, I bought mine right when XP was released, and though it works on XP and Vista, they will not give you any activation codes or support. So, fork over another $200 if you want to use it on Vista or XP. I consider these excessively tight restrictions that favor final draft and not their customers. So for how little it does, the price they sell it for, and most importantly the restrictions the place on end users, I'd discourage anyone from spending money on it.
My same experience on Movie Magic Screenwriter - exactly. Don't keep me from installing it once I own it. I'm not some stranger calling in wanting to register the app.
I'm the original owner of the license and they should help me install it on the new machine with a new key (if necessary) and then politely try to upgrade me to the latest version. I've had about six computers in as many years - the software needs to have some portability built into it now that the underlying machines running it obsolesce after 18 months at most.
Hmm... support and sales in one call. FD and Screenwriter would do well to learn and implement that little gem.
e
I'm the original owner of the license and they should help me install it on the new machine with a new key (if necessary) and then politely try to upgrade me to the latest version. I've had about six computers in as many years - the software needs to have some portability built into it now that the underlying machines running it obsolesce after 18 months at most.
Hmm... support and sales in one call. FD and Screenwriter would do well to learn and implement that little gem.
e
Yeah, Hyler. I just found it as well and referred ya to it. I like Celtx as well... but sorry guys, I won't be writing in it. Final Draft is streamlined for writers. There's a lot that works in there in actual writing than any other program out there. But, those who can't/won't pay for it, CeltX is a totally plausible alternative.
Celtx, however, lets me do character break downs and all that stuff. So I'd rather work there for that. I love doing character breakdowns and bios and it lets me organize them visually; afterall, humans ARE visual creatures.
Celtx, however, lets me do character break downs and all that stuff. So I'd rather work there for that. I love doing character breakdowns and bios and it lets me organize them visually; afterall, humans ARE visual creatures.
overlandfilms said:
This is really something to think about. I'm always changing computers, buying laptops, use work computers etc. I've lost a lot of productivity trying to stay within Final Drafts strict framework. You can't just whip out a flash drive and load your file and get some work done.
If I was dishonest, I'd just go to Limewire and get a cracked copy. You try and play by the rules and buy licensed copies and they hamstring you and treat you like a crook.
Mark Harris
Pain in the ass
yeah, no crashes for me either. And one thing I like is that I can add in external documents easily, so I can work on certain things in a spreadsheet or word doc if I choose. It's the flexibility they're building into it that I love. And I hope they continue that route, with more export options, etc.
Stable and sexy so far.
e
e
My main problem with Final Draft is that it's buggy. I've run it on both macs and windows since version 3 and it got tolerable around version 5. Version 6 was still usable. Then version 7 hit. What a disaster. On my mac, it actually can't find .fdr files because they are buried too deep in folders - apparently if you have too many folders in folders, FD craps out. You have to move the .fdr file closer - say only buried in 2 folders - for FD to open it. I hate it. And the copy protection nonsense? I'll be honest. I've bought every copy since 3. But for 6 and 7, I did the following: I bought a copy - fully legally. I then got the exact same version off a torrent and installed a cracked version so I don't have to deal with the hassles of "insert CD" "activate" "deactivate" and flaky performance. I don't feel like I'm "stealing" because I paid for my copy - it just lies in a drawer, while I'm running the same version off of bittorrent. I mean, when you make it harder to use your product legally than a pirated version, something is very wrong with your marketing.
With bittorrent and alternative versions for software that isn't exactly brain surgery, the final draft folks should think carefully what the path forward is. My advice - first, quit making life difficult for your paying customers, you'll just drive them away, and this generation and the ones coming up are pretty sophisticated when it comes to computers and the internet. Second, get serious about fixing the unaccpetable level of bugs - or you'll drive your customers away toward other alternatives. Celtx is very promising, but still needs a bit more polish and sophistication. The screenplay formatting is still not up to par... close, but no cigar... one day though, soon, it will be a real threat to FD.
With bittorrent and alternative versions for software that isn't exactly brain surgery, the final draft folks should think carefully what the path forward is. My advice - first, quit making life difficult for your paying customers, you'll just drive them away, and this generation and the ones coming up are pretty sophisticated when it comes to computers and the internet. Second, get serious about fixing the unaccpetable level of bugs - or you'll drive your customers away toward other alternatives. Celtx is very promising, but still needs a bit more polish and sophistication. The screenplay formatting is still not up to par... close, but no cigar... one day though, soon, it will be a real threat to FD.