http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/productivity_tools/microsoftoffice2008formac.html
(You have Mac, correct?)

I'm fairly certain that you can activate the trial software with your valid license keys and you should be fine.

Yes I have a mac :)

i tried the trial software and it told me that it installed incorrectly. I did it twice. I'm gonna try to do time machine and see if that works. Otherwise I'm gonna have to use a torrent :/

OK, sweet. I got it to work from Time Machine. Thank God (read: Apple) :P

Ok new question:

I have a few fonts that don't show up on Office. They're HTF fonts.

GothamHTF (but Gotham Rounded works), WhitneyHTF, etc.

any help here?

Check the Font Control Panel, see if they show up there. Might need to be reinstalled since you reloaded the application.

No longer required.

Probably Slax or Xubuntu

I'd probably suggest windows 2000 or xp with all the unneeded software/services disabled.

or if linux wasn't a problem I'd go with xubuntu (ubuntu with an XFCE frontend) or the ubuntu netbook remix may work well.


the want to be funny geek in me wanted to mention qnx too, but I doubt you'd have a good browsing experience.

try the Opera browser too.. might help.

Thanks, I played about with Xubuntu in Virtualbox at the lowest ram it would allow and it worked well enough.

My job for tomorrow night will be explaining Xubuntu to an idiot, still as all he ever uses is facebook it shouldn't be too hard.

What, no BeOS? :P

Actually, Haiku is really lightweight, but it is only an alpha release so it's probably not stable enough, and it is a bit different of an interface than most are used to. ;)

I never really cared much for Be if I'm honest.

if you want to talk historic OSes, then I'd go for AmigaOS 3.0, 3.5 or 4


again, flash content can be a little problematic :D

*goes to look up haiku*

If you never cared for Be, then you wouldn't care for Haiku, since it's an open sourced rebuild of it, basically. :p

Not sure if this fits, but I figured the problem features tech software in the solution, so I'd be a fine place to look.

So my students are trying to design a logo for an international student exchange program between my Private Chinese college and a handful of Private Minnesota colleges in the states. This job should not have been left to them; most of the logos designed by them have been people shaking hands over a globe in the background. One logo featured a globe with angel wings. So far the logos have been very Chinese and very s**tty.

What I am asking for is advice on a logo that doesn't fall into cliche but one that communicates adventure, cultural learning, and whatnot.

For one, don't underestimate your students. Silliest mistake you'll make. Talk to Chez, she's graphically clever.

A figure who is obviously a traveller attired with items which show parts of different cultures.

A person skiing down on a mountain on books rather than skis.

How absurd do you want my suggestions to be?

Tell your students what you think, tell them to think individually, make them motivated to prove themselves to you.

For one, I've already seen their work. I've been in China for 9 months. Two, you're not even trying to help.

No estimations here. I'm telling you the facts. The Chinese have been indoctrinated into a specific style. A very cliche style. A style that sucks.

Chinese students? We're talking about the antithesis of individualism.

I appreciate the condescending semi-helpful comments, but there is no time. I need a logo that doesn't suck ass.

You don't need a geek, you need a an artist. :D Just because they may use design software, doesn't make them designers.

Have them draw a bunch of comps first. No computers. I've found that drawing can help release the inner artist.

Do you have examples you can share with your students to give them some non-cliche thoughts?

Can you team them up with each other to come up with fresh ideas?

I'm not pretending to know Chinese culture better than you, but you may want to take this out of this thread and start another to get more exposure and possibly some good guidance on how to help them.

Ya, this isn't a "need a geek" thing, but anyways...

This could be a good learning experience for your students. Give them another shot. Only this time, say, "I appreciate your ideas so far, but there was not a lot of variation. I'd like something new." Show them an example of what they did so far, and have them try again, but tell them to try and come up with something that is not related to a globe with shaking hands. Have them exercise their creative muscles a bit.

I wish I had time. :( I getting crabby and running out of time. Its now about getting it done rather than a learning experience. Its the previous instructor's fault for just handing it off to me. Would you believe the students were making an informational booklet with Adobe Illustrator? The instructors here = fail.

I'm not working at a college. I'm working at a College filled with kindergarten staff.

So I take it no art geeks want to do the logo for me?

:/

So now you're asking for someone to do the logo for you instead of advice on how to get your students to do it? You should start a new thread...I need an artist.

Just realized it's time to close this thread.

"Channels Reboot"

I would, but I'm too lazy. Maybe I should start a thread titled, "Start my thread for me"

No seriously, we have now reached the threshold where we have no time for the creative process. This logo needs to be done pretty much by tomorrow. I am not actually the one in charge of the entire project, just the logo. But I was put in charge today... to finish it with the students tomorrow. I just want to make a logo that doesn't suck. just that one wittle bittle thing.

Oh well, thanks for your ideas. I'll try an emergency inspiration session. Maybe quote a sports movie or something.

edit: Are you rebooting it or should I?