IrfanView or FastStone?

On Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:24:27 -0600, Ron Hunter
wrote in :

Also FastPictureViewer http://www.fastpictureviewer.com/

Fast Picture Viewer doesn't do 1/10 of what Irfanview, Fastone, and
Xnview can do.

What matters is whether it meets your needs or not, and there are many
people who think it does meet their needs better than those other
programs. As always, "different strokes for different folks".

--
Very best wishes for the holiday season and for the coming new year,
John

Terry Pinnell wrote:

John Navas wrote:

On Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:02:37 +0000, Terry Pinnell
wrote in
:

I'm experimenting with FastStone seriously for the first time and rather
like it. But as a long time IrfanView user I'm unsure about switching to
it as my preferred viewer. Apart from other factors, I have quite a few
macros written which integrate IrfanView with other applications, which
would need re-writing.

So, while continuing my own comparison, I'd be very interested to hear
opinions from those who have used both please. Any really compelling
advantages of one over the other?

Free Image Viewers Challenge
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Free-Image-Viewers-Challenge-29851.shtml

Thanks. A useful comparison, although I wonder if both programs have
advanced at same rate in the two and a half years since it was written?

More important, it reminds me that XnView is another major alternative ;-)

I don't use xnview as my first-line viewer (which is gqview), but I do use
it for editing IPTC data and for some file management.


--
Blinky
The Worldwide Squirrel Shooters Association: http://thewssa.org
Killing all posts from Google Groups -
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://improve-usenet.org

Clair Johnston wrote:

Terry Pinnell wrote:
I'm experimenting with FastStone seriously for the first time and
rather like it. But as a long time IrfanView user I'm unsure about
switching to it as my preferred viewer. Apart from other factors, I
have quite a few macros written which integrate IrfanView with other
applications, which would need re-writing.

So, while continuing my own comparison, I'd be very interested to hear
opinions from those who have used both please. Any really compelling
advantages of one over the other?

I don't understand the either-or issue here. I am a long time user of
IrfanView, but more recently use FastStone for viewing and simple
editing. I find that for the most part, FastStone has a better user
interface. My prime use for IrfanView is copying and renaming files
from the camera to my computer.

Why don't you just use both for what they do best? Best can only be
determined by YOU. What you get from the rest of us are opinions and
bias.

Clair

John, Tony & Ron summed up most of my reasons. It's certainly not an
either/or issue, but a matter of minimising the amount of learning and
memorising hotkeys and techniques.

The overlap between editing and viewing complicates choices too. I use
PaintShop Pro 8 as my main editor. But if for example it's just a
simple crop I want, then I prefer IrfanView. Same for basic
annotation; it's easier to use IrfanView and pop-up the 'extras' with
F12 and use the text and maybe also the arrow tools from there. Much
depends on where I'm starting from. If I'm already *in* PaintShop Pro,
then I'll use its own tools. Probably then screwing up my first crop
or two for instance, because PSP8 uses different keys to IrfanView for
sizing and positioning. I haven't tried cropping in FastStone yet. I
bet that's different too.

And as I mentioned, in my particular case there's also the additional
important point about my macros.

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

Terry Pinnell wrote:
[]
The overlap between editing and viewing complicates choices too. I use
PaintShop Pro 8 as my main editor. But if for example it's just a
simple crop I want, then I prefer IrfanView. Same for basic
annotation; it's easier to use IrfanView and pop-up the 'extras' with
F12 and use the text and maybe also the arrow tools from there. Much
depends on where I'm starting from. If I'm already *in* PaintShop Pro,
then I'll use its own tools. Probably then screwing up my first crop
or two for instance, because PSP8 uses different keys to IrfanView for
sizing and positioning. I haven't tried cropping in FastStone yet. I
bet that's different too.

Terry,

For just cropping, I use the lossless Jpegcrop tool:

http://sylvana.net/jpegcrop/

I have it set up as a right-click menu item for JPEG files. I use
graphical selection with the mouse, rarely with the keys. Like you, if I
was already in Paint Shop Pro for other edits, I would simply use the crop
tool there as the picture is already changed from the original.

I tend to use IrfanView for automated screen captures....

Cheers,
David

John Navas wrote:
On Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:24:27 -0600, Ron Hunter
wrote in :

Also FastPictureViewer http://www.fastpictureviewer.com/

Fast Picture Viewer doesn't do 1/10 of what Irfanview, Fastone, and
Xnview can do.

What matters is whether it meets your needs or not, and there are many
people who think it does meet their needs better than those other
programs. As always, "different strokes for different folks".

Strictly for picture viewing, it is adequate, and fast, and I use it,
but for 'general purpose' picture viewing, it's back to Irfanview.

Terry Pinnell wrote:
I'm experimenting with FastStone seriously for the first time and
rather like it. But as a long time IrfanView user I'm unsure about
switching to it as my preferred viewer. Apart from other factors, I
have quite a few macros written which integrate IrfanView with other
applications, which would need re-writing.

So, while continuing my own comparison, I'd be very interested to hear
opinions from those who have used both please. Any really compelling
advantages of one over the other?

Thanks for making me look at this topic again..!

I would second the recommendation to try XnView, if you aren't confused
enough already. (O:

Maybe I'm missing some obvious techniques, but a few things annoy me
about Irfanview:
- its insistence on remembering where I last saved something - I would
MUCH rather it just used the folder I opened the image from!
- its inability to display/save raw (Fuji .raf) files at full size
(maybe I'm missing a plugin)
- its very limited choices for things like sharpening
...and I find the interface clunky, it doesn't remember window sizes...

So I'm currently trialling XnView which feels much faster, opens my raw
files at full-size, has a nice interface, Lanczos interpolation, good if
not great sharpening control, very simple print ratio selections...
About the only thing I can fault so far is that it doesn't seem to allow
right click and drag (eg to move/copy files), but I'll check the options...

Most reviews I found seemed to lean towards XnView, at least for the
stuff I want in a browser, but I confess I haven't tried Faststone.

I have been using a combination of Thumsbsplus (my old version can't see
raw files/doesn't have Lanczos) and Irfanview (has Lanczos and raw
support, but limited).

So it is looking as if XnView will replace both for me.

Mark Thomas wrote:

Terry Pinnell wrote:
I'm experimenting with FastStone seriously for the first time and
rather like it. But as a long time IrfanView user I'm unsure about
switching to it as my preferred viewer. Apart from other factors, I
have quite a few macros written which integrate IrfanView with other
applications, which would need re-writing.

So, while continuing my own comparison, I'd be very interested to hear
opinions from those who have used both please. Any really compelling
advantages of one over the other?

Thanks for making me look at this topic again..!

I would second the recommendation to try XnView, if you aren't confused
enough already. (O:

Maybe I'm missing some obvious techniques, but a few things annoy me
about Irfanview:
- its insistence on remembering where I last saved something - I would
MUCH rather it just used the folder I opened the image from!
- its inability to display/save raw (Fuji .raf) files at full size
(maybe I'm missing a plugin)
- its very limited choices for things like sharpening
..and I find the interface clunky, it doesn't remember window sizes...

So I'm currently trialling XnView which feels much faster, opens my raw
files at full-size, has a nice interface, Lanczos interpolation, good if
not great sharpening control, very simple print ratio selections...
About the only thing I can fault so far is that it doesn't seem to allow
right click and drag (eg to move/copy files), but I'll check the options...

Most reviews I found seemed to lean towards XnView, at least for the
stuff I want in a browser, but I confess I haven't tried Faststone.

I have been using a combination of Thumsbsplus (my old version can't see
raw files/doesn't have Lanczos) and Irfanview (has Lanczos and raw
support, but limited).

So it is looking as if XnView will replace both for me.

Thanks. Duly installed latest version. First impressions very
positive. Which is sort of bad news because that keeps all 3 under
active consideration ;-)

IrfanView offers Files Recent directories and XnView has the more
familiar File Recent files, but one feature I like in FastStone is
its rather more flexible 'Favorites'.

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

On Fri, 02 Jan 2009 02:41:30 -0600, Ron Hunter
wrote in :

John Navas wrote:
On Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:24:27 -0600, Ron Hunter
wrote in :

Also FastPictureViewer http://www.fastpictureviewer.com/

Fast Picture Viewer doesn't do 1/10 of what Irfanview, Fastone, and
Xnview can do.

What matters is whether it meets your needs or not, and there are many
people who think it does meet their needs better than those other
programs. As always, "different strokes for different folks".

Strictly for picture viewing, it is adequate, and fast, and I use it,
but for 'general purpose' picture viewing, it's back to Irfanview.

There's an echo in here!

For you, and for many others, but far from all others.

--
Very best wishes for the holiday season and for the coming new year,
John

Mark Thomas wrote:
Terry Pinnell wrote:
I'm experimenting with FastStone seriously for the first time and
rather like it. But as a long time IrfanView user I'm unsure about
switching to it as my preferred viewer. Apart from other factors, I
have quite a few macros written which integrate IrfanView with other
applications, which would need re-writing.

So, while continuing my own comparison, I'd be very interested to hear
opinions from those who have used both please. Any really compelling
advantages of one over the other?

Thanks for making me look at this topic again..!

I would second the recommendation to try XnView, if you aren't confused
enough already. (O:

Maybe I'm missing some obvious techniques, but a few things annoy me
about Irfanview:
- its insistence on remembering where I last saved something - I would
MUCH rather it just used the folder I opened the image from!

So, go to the preferences menu and CHANGE IT.

- its inability to display/save raw (Fuji .raf) files at full size
(maybe I'm missing a plugin)

such files are proprietary.

- its very limited choices for things like sharpening
..and I find the interface clunky, it doesn't remember window sizes...


Huh? Tell it to.


So I'm currently trialling XnView which feels much faster, opens my raw
files at full-size, has a nice interface, Lanczos interpolation, good if
not great sharpening control, very simple print ratio selections...
About the only thing I can fault so far is that it doesn't seem to allow
right click and drag (eg to move/copy files), but I'll check the options...


I sure hope you make more effort to learn to use it before you complain
about it. It's a good program, and deserves an even chance.

Most reviews I found seemed to lean towards XnView, at least for the
stuff I want in a browser, but I confess I haven't tried Faststone.

I have been using a combination of Thumsbsplus (my old version can't see
raw files/doesn't have Lanczos) and Irfanview (has Lanczos and raw
support, but limited).

So it is looking as if XnView will replace both for me.

John Navas wrote:
On Fri, 02 Jan 2009 02:41:30 -0600, Ron Hunter
wrote in :

John Navas wrote:
On Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:24:27 -0600, Ron Hunter
wrote in :

Also FastPictureViewer http://www.fastpictureviewer.com/

Fast Picture Viewer doesn't do 1/10 of what Irfanview, Fastone, and
Xnview can do.
What matters is whether it meets your needs or not, and there are many
people who think it does meet their needs better than those other
programs. As always, "different strokes for different folks".

Strictly for picture viewing, it is adequate, and fast, and I use it,
but for 'general purpose' picture viewing, it's back to Irfanview.

There's an echo in here!

For you, and for many others, but far from all others.

I only explained MY preference. No attempt to convert others, of affect
their opinions.