Microsoft AutoCollage 2008

Paul: linky no worky!

Download here http://research.microsoft.com/research/downloads/Details/6f9325c6-cf4f-4...

@"lotsamystuff" - Care to expand on that thought? What a re you "ughing"? My though is, why not roll this simple task into one of the Photo Managment suites that MS sells...like Windows Photo Gallery or Windows Live Photo Gallery. --tayme

I would say "ugh" because things like this create images with no heart or soul and/or are just plain tacky.

@scoobyclub: Exactly. This kind of automated crap just empowers people to make more junk, rather than give thought to what makes images and design so powerful. To be fair, it's the same "ugh" I give to this kind of garbage that got shoved into the latest version of iMovie as well. I go back far enough that I remember how CorelDraw "empowered" bad designers to create absolute sh** that we're still recovering from. You're right, "scooby". It has no soul. I watched the demo, and the resulting "collage" looks like bad elementary school Photoshop "design". Microsoft Research does some amazing things, but this isn't one of them. Waiting for derisive comebacks (I'm guessing mikegalos or Wae will be first) in 3, 2, 1...

God Mike you really are unbearable and speak like a true blinkered technologist. Try reading a post instead of thinking how can I spin this to give MS credit. I clearly refer to the pictures and talk about "soul" not "a soul". Music can have soul, cars can have soul, art can have soul etc... and I clearly state that I am talking about the pictures it creates not the software. People who truly like collages would hate this as it takes the creativity out of creation. Read, understand then comment instead of just commenting FFS

Something seriously weird going on here cause A) I can't see any posting by Lindy on this thread. B) I appear to be first to use the word "soul" in this thread. C) It's hard to know where you draw the line between whining and criticising. Whatever...

@scoobyclub, How is it for you to judge whether a series of images or a collage has or lacks soul when the images presented were examples? To you, a third person that has no clue what the images mean or represents, it would come off lacking any true meaning. Its like being presented a map with no legend, few topographical details or any kind bearing. On the otherhand, to the person that has an invested memories, persons, places, or event attached to a collection of photographs, a simple collage may have tons of meaning which you might never understand. Its to easy to look at something and dismiss it. Perhaps with the right storyteller to give the images some meaning which creates the emotional depth. Its very easy to look at something and dismiss it. Its like looking at photographs from an era passed and it lacking any social or cultural relavence to 2008. I think this is a great tool for personal use to create things for family. Perhaps a really good professional that can stitch these images better. However, without understanding what these pictures mean, I really don't think its for me to say that it lacks soul or not. I wasn't there. IMO.

OK. I must admit I'm being a little hypocritical by posting this, but I thought this was relevant considering that Paul usually does not write about Windows Live stuff. (I wonder why.) Windows Movie Maker is finally being moved out of Windows to join Windows Live Photo Gallery and other Live applications: http://www.liveside.net/main/archive/2008/09/04/movie-maker-to-join-wind...

"I think...referring to how tacky it looks when you slap a bunch of pics together, fade the edges and call it a collage." Absolutely, "mum". Thanks for putting it together better than I did.