Customer Reviews

Greeting Card Factory 7.0 Deluxe [OLD VERSION]

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

*** UPDATE TO MY REVIEW ***
I've been using Greeting Card Factory 7 (GCF7) for more than a year now, and for the most part, I am completely satisfied with it. I would have upgraded my rating from 3 to 4 stars, but the system won't permit me to change my rating.

Here are my only complaints -- they are few and minor -- in no particular order:

1) Only one document can be open at a time. This is a bit of a nuisance, since I like to copy content between cards and matching envelopes. (How long has the Windows Multiple Document Interface been around?) Instead of opening two documents and copying/pasting between them, it's necessary to open the source document, copy the desired item(s), close the source document, open the target document, and paste the copied item(s).

2) No business card "content" that I could find, anyway (File / Browse Templates), and the business card "templates" (Files / Browse Blanks) are organized under the "Labels" category. (I had to hunt a while before I found them.)

3) While we're at it, the convention of calling content "templates" and templates "blanks," but that's really nitpicking.

4) Copying images from the program via the Windows Clipboard into my image editor (so I can make more advanced modifications than GCF7's Photo Editor can handle) doesn't always work: images sometimes have lines through them, which I believe originate from the resizing / rotation "handles" GCF7 overlays on the image when you select it. However, a somewhat-less-convenient workaround is available: right-click the image, then click on Export Selection as Image... This opens a dialog that lets you set parameters for the exported image, which you can then open in the editor of your choice.

5) GCF7 sometimes gets confused by its own file extensions, saving one kind of document (a greeting card, for example, *.fgc) with a different file extension (i.e., note card, *.fnc). This is no big deal, as I've never lost work, but I've had to remember this if I'm browsing say, greeting cards only, and can't find a card I've saved previously. The solution is to expand the search criteria to all documents in the folder.

6) When opening documents, the preview window doesn't always display a preview. This seems to occur most often with greeting cards (*.fgc).

7) Sometimes, if the GFC7 window isn't maximized, it "disappears" from the screen, making it necessary to right-click its button (if that's the correct term) in the taskbar, and clicking Restore or Maximize.

All in all, however, these are very minor quibbles, greatly outweighed by the quality of the program and the depth of its content. I'm very satisfied with GFC7 on the whole, and intend to continue to use it for years to come.

*** MY ORIGINAL REVIEW ***

I just bought this program and installed it yesterday. The problem with lines appearing on the printed card is a known bug with v.7.0.0.x of the program, and has been resolved by the publisher (Nova Development). In fact, when I launched the program for the first time, it alerted me to the fact that an update was available, and downloaded and installed it when I gave the OK. Nova Development refers to this as a "major support patch;" it's about 3.8MB in size. The patched version of the program is 7.0.1.1 (as of 1/22/08).

Also, note that Microsoft .Net framework 3.0 or higher is required for GCF 7 to launch. I didn't have .Net installed, and had to download and install it before GCF 7 would run. (This isn't documented, and the launch error dialog didn't help; I had to call their tech support group to resolve this, but the guy I spoke to was friendly, competent and helpful.) I installed the latest available version (3.5) of MS .Net.

By the way, I only gave the program a 3-star rating, because I haven't had time to put it through all its paces yet.

Hope this helps.

Once you get the 7.0.1.1 patch, it works fine. Lots of graphics to choose from that are lovely, and NOT like the poor cartoon-ish figures that came with Print Shop, which are more like clip art. These are very professional looking. It is very user-friendly. The only thing I don't like is the catch-all Favorites folder. I'd like to make my own categories within Favorites (i.e. teens, holidays, sympathy, etc.) And there is the usual gap between cards for small children and adults, with very few teen cards. But after six months of using it, everyone has liked the cards I made.

Do not buy this version. It doesn't work...they've taken out features from V6 like searching images. Printing doesn't work. It's horrible. I've bought every version of this greeting card factory deluxe. I absolutely love them. I would always buy the new version when it would come out. When I got version 7....forget it. They screwed up this time.
Buy version 6...it's the best one so far.

Cards are fine, but browsing from category to category, and especially browsing through templates is difficult. No filtering by type like "funny", "romantic" - just long lists.

This is pure trash. I have a very fast windows XP pro system with a top of the line HP ink jet photosmart all in one printer.I have used Print Master software and Hallmark which I know is also a Nova product. And all have performed fairly well. But this software takes 5 to 7 minutes to print a simple card or envelope.At first I thought it was a printer issue, but after a HP tech(Great support)had me run some diagonostics it turned out there was no problem with the printer.And I have 4 megs of memory plus about 200 GB of hard drive space available.
I sent (2) unanswered emails to GCF support, and after trying their phone support I was transferred three times and hung up on three times before I could even get past customer support and to a tech.
Even though the software is only a couple of weeks old, I threw it in the trash. Yes, I thought about reselling it, but I wouldn't want to do
that to anybody.Don't waste your money on this product.

I have been using card factory for several years. It is my hands down favorite card software. I've used most of the others and I always go back to the card factory. I too have the newest version, (version 7) the dvd that is compatable with vista. I did have to download the patch, but after that it worked fine. The choices are beautiful and varied...especially the flower section, but not just that! I make cards all the time and people always say they are awesome. You do not need to be connected to the internet to use this and I appreciate that. The only thing I'm not as happy with is the search option. With the older versions, you typed in a word and up came all in that catagory. With this version, you type in the word and have to keep clicking on each seperate catagory to see if there is anything in it that matches what you typed in. I don't know if that's a problem with the card factory, or with vista. But I like card factory so much that I can live with this minor problem. I find it very easy to use. All in all, I give it an A+

I had previously brought the deluxe 6 which did not work well on my new computer which runs Vista, so I knew how good this was, and worth buying again.
I have several card making software's and I use this more than any other. Its simple to use and the graphics are brilliant it has everything you need for making cards. The booklet which comes with it is very helpful if you need something explaining but it has help pages so you can use either.
I would certainly recommend this software for all ages and all levels of card-makers.
Susie from Rothwell Northants

I purchased this product because the local store does not have a wide selection to choose from. In rural Alaska the selection of items can be very limited. Having this software gives me a card store at my finger tips, plus I can personalize the cards or add an additional note.

It works as advertised and I am happy with the card software.

Fist, let me start with the product - the creative department that wrote the cards should be shot; they are not creative, they are not funny, they are not good. You are better off with the Hallmark card version which ironically is written by the same development group, Nova Development. The hallmark version is the same basic engine but a much better creative staff. Secondly - the support center is awful - so far, I got put on a twenty minute hold because their website was screwed up, then I ordered with someone on the phone, then they sent me the wrong product, then I got put on another twenty minute hold for them to get me to the right person - inexcuseable!

This is an excellent product. I purchased it for my dad for Father's Day and he loves it. Has everything you can imagine, with an added novelty nowadays, an actual instruction booklet you dont have to download an print up 100+ pages. Would recommend this over any of the Broderbund products.