I've been taking a break from the web site during the holidays, but am back to work now and classes have started up again. I have just added a Follow Up Section on the Multimedia Courses page. This will be used to provide answers to questions that don't get answered straight away in class.

So, did I take a break from the computer during my holidays? Don't be silly. I spent most of the time getting to grips with a 3D modelling package that I have had for a while, but haven't really used. The program is called Blender, it is quite powerful and it is completely free!

So why haven't I used it before? Well I did try, but I couldn't figure out how to work it! For a start it is not really a Windows program. It runs in a DOS session. It has its own interface which isn't at all like Windows, but once you get the hang of it you start thinking that this is how Windows should be.

Blender doesn't have built in help (in fact the F1 key is the shortcut to load a file) There is virtually no documentation with the program. When you install the program for the first time it doesn't even have a menu bar. The first time that I used it, I actually hit Ctrl, Alt Del to close it.

You really need the manual to be able to drive it and that is how the publishers have been making their money. But as the program has grown and the costs involved are increasing there is now a newer version blender publisher which you have to pay for, though it does have more features. I actually found a third party book (The Blender Book - from Linux Press) which did help me to get into the program and there are a lot of tutorials on the Internet. I think that the manual is US$34.95 plus shipping of course. But the program has features that are normally only found in programs costing hundreds if not thousands of dollars. I am planning on adding a Blender Page to my web site. If you want to have a go at getting to grips with the program you can download a copy from the Blender Web Site. You can also find links to other Blender web sites and the multitude of tutorials available.