I was happy by the ease with which I got my photos from Windows to Picasa.
You just find the icon at the bottom of the photo which says "send to" (the CD drive.

The you put your CD in the D drive--or whatever Drive-- and you get a choice, one of which is to send you photos to Picasa(I suspect this is because I use Google chrome as my browser.)

After you get the photos into Picasa, things start to unravel.

There are just icons with no directions. And the Help Forum has people sounding off who don't know what they're talking about. For instance, I say I want to merge my photos--no one comes out and says Picasa doesn't allow you to. Instead, someone well-intentioned, but with no knowledge, gives instructions that merely changes the name of one's folder.

Then, Now you See it, Now You Don't. That magical sign How to get your album online has disappeared.

Using Picasa is like being in Alice In Wonderland with with absurd, quirky directions leading you to what doesn't exist.

I'd like to talk about Picasa's Web Album.

I'm most put off because I got an angry email from my friend saying he didn't appreciate me sending him 2-3 stupid emails a day about Picasa. The type of thing I supposedly emailed him was :"I just added 2 more photos to Picasa's Web album.

I never authorized Picasa to send these emails to my friends. This had been going on for a week before I discovered it.

I have also wasted many hours trying to use Picasa: trying to merge my photos from 2 separate cameras into one, so I could make one show out of it. Many other people had this problem, if you read the Google Help Forum.

Then, although I managed to get my photos online once, I failed to find my way through the Picasa Maze to do it again.

No, I'm not technically savvy. But my friend, who is a scientist, couldn't get Picasa to work for him, either.

Customer Service

I've been very happy with Help Forum for Google Mail. There are many helpful people answering questions.

How can you have thoughtful customer service is you don't have good directions on how to use Picasa?

What Picasa needs to do is pay good writers to write clear directions.

FREE, Non invasive to systems, super learning tools in photo editing. Archive process and many other "neat" tools that will encourage the hobbyist to grow in their art. "Best FREE imaging software available - personal opinion."

NONE

This review is provided for WNDOW SYSTEMS USERS. Picasa has yet to produce a MAC version, though a MAC BASED Picasa Upload tool is available.

Though I currently use Photoshop, Lightroom and other tools for photo post-shoot archiving and editing. I do remember my leaner days and being financially strapped and needing SOMETHING to keep an inventory of my images and giving me a reasonable post-shoot editing capability. Camera OEM softwares were ok, other freewares were ok, and then came Picasa by GOOGLE. Well in celebration of 10 YEARS OF GOOGLE, they have ramped up Picasa with the Picasa 3 Beta and this software deserves a closer look.

I will not be heaving my licensed softwares, but as I review this NEW PICASA version, I am excited about what it brings to folks seeking a FIRST CHOICE in their growth and self-development in post-shoot archiving and image development.

Digital Photography provides everyone with the ability to improve their craft. Unlike silver-based negative film, EVERYONE has access to digital imaging tools and can become efficient in post processing edits.

Picasa's file archiving is excellent. Picasa can IMPORT all camera images into the archive. Filing by date, name and now user filter settings. Version 3 brings a couple more GREAT features over the former version 2's editing tools. Cropping, Straightening, Contrast, Color, B&W-Sepia adjustment tools, selectable shading, adjustable glow, adjustable focus, saturation control, selective color control, and color tinting. Version 2 also provided web uploading, email size defaults, blogging and other really "neat," features. Well Picasa 3 Beta (very stable beta!), brings a couple more features worth discussing.

Retouching capability, with adjustable brush size has been added. Text (scalable and font selective) to image has been added. Text can be copied and pasted to any number of images in a file. Fun is also added by providing BLOG, YOU-TUBE and web album upload links. One more feature tied to the upload process in the UPLOAD SYNC. This feature allows you to post edit a prior upload, then click SYNC, it remembers your link to the web and UPDATES the web-based image.
Additional tools include a MOVIE MAKER, DESKTOP WALLPAPER, and SCREEN SAVER creation tools. An additional new feature is the Picasa based Image Display process that allows the user to click on ANY image in any file, including DESKTOP, and present that image in a slick viewer that will also track any additional images in that folder, or desktop and present them in a SLIDE SHOW format. The user can click any image showing in the SLIDE SHOW and it will take the user into Picasa to EDIT if desired.

This software is a GREAT first experience for anyone wanting to edit, archive and upload digital imagery. I wished this existed when I made the painful transition from silver-based film to digital. It is FREE, non invasive (comes without popups and adware attached), and is a truly free software. Combine this with a Gmail address and a whole new potential opens up to all users. All photographic software producers will benefit from this program. Users as they learn will demand more from their software and will more than likely BUY UP, and want to learn the incredible capabilities of the many licensed software available.

A great tool, totally free, and very user friendly. What more could an aspiring photo hobbyist ask for. I hope this review will prove helpful to all.

Customer Service

Great GOOGLE HELP SCREENS and many web blogs posted for PICASA users.

Similar Products Used:

Picasa ALL versions,
Photoshop CS2,
Photoshop Elements,
Lightroom 1 and 2,
GIMP2,
Photo-Matix HDR,
Camera Manufacturer Softwares,
Infraview,
Image Expert,
Online Image processes.