Is iPhoto 11 as bad as reviews suggest?

Hello all,

I am new to this forum and will do my best not to make any spelling mistakes so as not to be mistaken for a moron who has no business posting here. However, I will say that I get a chuckle when I see spelling errors from the very ones who are using that as the criterion for whether a question has merit, or not.

I read this thread because I also had questions regarding the reviews from the Apple Store for Iphoto 11. I am glad to know that the majority have had no problems with it.

Interestingly, when I read Larry's reply to the question I immediately thought "how patronizing and unhelpful" although I am sure it was well intentioned. I was glad that others shed further insight into the reliablility of the reviews.

As one who always tries to proceed cautiously whenever upgrading ( I just upgraded from Snow Leopard to Mountain Lion yesterday) I appreciate accurate straightforward answers to questions such as this one.

Although I have to say that I was very skeptical about upgrading to mountain lion (or lion before it) due to the very negative reviews, my experience thus far has been very positive. I would hope the same would hold true for upgrading Iphoto and using it with photo stream. Thus far I am not convinced....

I'm still debating whether to upgrade to iPhoto 11 or not. The negative reviews that I've read are enough to make me hesitate. How do you make a copy of your current iPhoto app in case you want to go back to it if iPhoto 11 turns out to be a bad decision?

The same way you'd make a duplicate of any file. Right-click on the library and duplicate:

OT

But most imp[ortantly you need a copy of your iPhoto liobrary - you can always re-instaall older versions of iPhoto - you can not use an older version of iPhoto with a newer iPhoto library

LN

Thanks for the tips about keeping a duplicate if the old app and library. I was a little nervous about upgrading since I'm moving from a 2006 model iMac that's two OSX kitties behind to a completely current '11 MacBook Pro. The upgrade seemed to go well. No crashes, yet, but I haven't used any of the fancy new features like Places or Faces. Importing images from the Photostream went smoothly.

I'll keep the old iMac on hand for awhile longer in case soemthing goes catastrophically wrong.

Hello OT

And best wishes.

This thread caught my eye, read it and then went on to look at the App Store reviews. Surprised me because I have had no trouble with iPhoto ( 9.4.3/ Lion, 9.2.3 /SL). Never a crash. Although the sample of the user universe is small, a lot of the reviews are pretty awful --indicating some kind of "issue," not necessarily with the software.

Apparent or possible user error is a factor:

Also noticed that iMovie was being dragged through the review mud too averaging slightly better than iPhoto. Do you see a pattern? Why all the crashes etc.

What's helped me I think is habits I developed since dropping in here years ago. RTM. I've got a stack of MMs -Missing Manuals, including latest, next to my computer desk. I never let my iPhoto Library get too big, creating two new ones each year and separate ones for big projects. Something you suggested, I keep a separate folder of every import and save the photos or scans in Pictures> Saved Photos (alias- DropBox). (Few more steps now with iPad, iPhone, iTunes involved.)

Of course there is also backing up and more backing up, cloning and System Maintenance. And especially I am very careful about what I download and install. Wait for the dust to clear before updating/ upgrades.

I run into users with a single drive device overloaded with all kinds of stuff from who knows where, who complain about sluggishness and crashes with their 50 GB iPhoto Library.

Should we get back to basics or am I just old fashioned 512k.

Hi Peter:

All I can think of is that people who have problems are much more likely to vent their frustration by giving bad reviews than someone who has no problems at all giving glowing reviews.

Even though the percentage of reviews is negative the number of reviewers is miniscule compared to the user base.

I make it a priority to keep a minimum of 50 GB free space on my boot drive at all times. I use iDVD frequently and it really needs a lot of space when it's encoding projects.

Should we get back to basics or am I just old fashioned 512k.

Absolutely not. You're more like a 512k E (enhanced) 😉 And there are days I feel like an

Apple ][

Never saw the point in this myself

I never let my iPhoto Library get too big, creating two new ones each year and separate ones for big projects.

Multiple libraries are an inconvenience, and as long as you have enough Ram and disk space there is no need. My man one is 45k images.

Regards

TD

Old Toad wrote:

All I can think of is that people who have problems are much more likely to vent their frustration by giving bad reviews than someone who has no problems at all giving glowing reviews.

OT,

Thanks, this kind of experienced observation is what I hoped to get out of you guys. Numerous people mentioned being scared away from iPhoto '11 because of the nasty reviews ( regardless of their statistical insignificance.) Negatve reviews used to be informative, now they are mostly just nasty.

Times have changed since I wandered in here needing help in August of 2003. You saved me and taught me good habits -- " Stay out of the iPhoto Library Folder! Do everything from the menu." I developed a simple consistent system for use and maintenance that just worked even though now I may not be maximizing new features.

OT and the rest of the Power Users in this forum know what they are doing and share selflessly.

Terence Devlin wrote:

Multiple libraries are an inconvenience, and as long as you have enough Ram and disk space there is no need. My man one is 45k images.

TD,

Thanks for the reply. read this forum sometimes just to be awed by your mastery of all things iPhoto. OS and Hardware horsepower now can handle a big library and the utilities having gotten very good at finding and fixing a problem in what to me is BIG DATA iPhoto libraries.😀 And then it takes some one as expert and smart as you to get your head around a BIG DATA library and feel confident managing it. There are all kinds of new library management tools in iPhoto that I have mostly ignored.😐

There is a comfort factor for me in having discrete libraries organized around calendar or project. Switching libraries is still cumbersome. Definitely slows me down searching for photos over the years for birthday cards for my family. But it gives me time to think too.

The only caveat I would add to your perfectly valid BIG DATA iPHOTO LIBRARY is that users having the big bang crash problems may not be aware how important or know how much RAM and HD free space they need. I cringe when some one posts they are running a 50GB library on a single HD MacBook with no backup and very little horsepower or breathing room.

The only caveat I would add to your perfectly valid BIG DATA iPHOTO LIBRARY is that users having the big bang crash problems may not be aware how important or know how much RAM and HD free space they need. I cringe when some one posts they are running a 50GB library on a single HD MacBook with no backup and very little horsepower or breathing room.

Well those are valid points, but frankly a person with 10 small libraries will lose exactly the same data if they run on an overcrowded disk with no back up...

Terence Devlin wrote:

a person with 10 small libraries will lose exactly the same data if they run on an overcrowded disk with no back up...

Yes, presuming total disk failure. The crashes and corruptions reported would only get the one open library. Not having all your eggs in one basket.

Although Missing Manual reports iPhoto can now handle a 250,000 photo library, but suggests considering multiple libraries that may run faster and can be dedicated to certain collections or projects.

The time lost switching iPhoto Libraries is nothing compared to time lost scrolling through huge libraries.

The current version of iPhoto can manage 1,000,000 images. Same as Aperture, Uses the same Library as Aperture.

Versions from v6 to the last one: 250,000

Earlier version 25,000

The mechanics and structure of the Library has developed enormously over the last 4 versions. It really is an entirely new app each time. There are no speed issues as it's all an sql db nowadays. And scrolling? The search is rather good these days too...

Switching libraries is easy. Remembering which library the photo is in is more difficult... The comparison I find myself using more and more is with an Address Book. Even if having two meant each one ran faster, how is that convenient?

But to each their own. I respond in threads like this for other folks who may happen across them, to flesh out the issues...

Regards

TD

Terence Devlin wrote:

But to each their own. I respond in threads like this for other folks who may happen across them, to flesh out the issues...

TD

That's exactly why I posted, hoping you would flesh out basic information that many may not be familiar with. As always I admire and appreciate your contributions.

Best

Peter

Peter Bannon wrote:

Apparent or possible user error is a factor...

Also noticed that iMovie was being dragged through the review mud too averaging slightly better than iPhoto. Do you see a pattern? Why all the crashes etc.

What's helped me I think is habits I developed since dropping in here years ago. RTM. I've got a stack of MMs -Missing Manuals, including latest, next to my computer desk. I never let my iPhoto Library get too big...

I just had to comment on the irony here. "User error" is a core source of the poor review ratio because...wait for it...users are not buying and studying detailed third-party manuals and a manual is not originally provided with the application in question because it is considered as...wait for it...being so user-friendly and intuitive that a user manual is unnecessary.😉