Memory Mixer or My Memories?
Memory Mixer and My Memories use the same base software and work in much the same way but with some differences. They are a similar price. So which do you choose?
I started using Memory Mixer in 2005 and I was a beta tester for a similar program. I've been using My Memories since about 2010. There's no doubt in my mind that these easy programs are the way to go. I use Paint Shop Pro occasionally, mainly for photo restoration and masks. I also use Smilebox and Picmonkey for lots of things but virtually all my scrapbooking is done in Memory Mixer and My Memories.
I'll go through the pros and cons of each.
I started using Memory Mixer in 2005 and I was a beta tester for a similar program. I've been using My Memories since about 2010. There's no doubt in my mind that these easy programs are the way to go. I use Paint Shop Pro occasionally, mainly for photo restoration and masks. I also use Smilebox and Picmonkey for lots of things but virtually all my scrapbooking is done in Memory Mixer and My Memories.
I'll go through the pros and cons of each.
Memory Mixer
What I like:
Memory Mixer runs very smoothly, is very stable and rarely freezes or crashes. It's easy to add lots of text boxes without affecting the performance of the program. You can also see exactly how your text will look in the large editing window.
The "warm black and white" photo editing feature is very useful when using old photos as it will make them look an even colour even when you start with very different tones of black and white (or colour).
The see through embellishment feature is a quantum leap in the field of digital scrapbooking. You can read how it works HERE.
The ability to recolour a PNG file (an embellishment) and to match it to something on the page is very useful, especially when you have lots of chipboard alphas like me.
There are cool special fonts you can use to create distressed/masked photos, tiled photo etc. You can read about that HERE.
What I don't like:
Having to name your album at the beginning of a project is not as convenient as naming it when you save it
There is no way to add svg files to create more shapes.
When you buy from their store you can't download the regular files, only the MMS program files. There is a way round this if you want to create regular kits but it takes time.
You can download your files at any time but the store doesn't warn you when you already have it and it's therefore possible to buy kits twice (this is the same as most other stores)
Memory Mixer runs very smoothly, is very stable and rarely freezes or crashes. It's easy to add lots of text boxes without affecting the performance of the program. You can also see exactly how your text will look in the large editing window.
The "warm black and white" photo editing feature is very useful when using old photos as it will make them look an even colour even when you start with very different tones of black and white (or colour).
The see through embellishment feature is a quantum leap in the field of digital scrapbooking. You can read how it works HERE.
The ability to recolour a PNG file (an embellishment) and to match it to something on the page is very useful, especially when you have lots of chipboard alphas like me.
There are cool special fonts you can use to create distressed/masked photos, tiled photo etc. You can read about that HERE.
What I don't like:
Having to name your album at the beginning of a project is not as convenient as naming it when you save it
There is no way to add svg files to create more shapes.
When you buy from their store you can't download the regular files, only the MMS program files. There is a way round this if you want to create regular kits but it takes time.
You can download your files at any time but the store doesn't warn you when you already have it and it's therefore possible to buy kits twice (this is the same as most other stores)
My Memories
What I like:
The ability to import any shape as an svg file. There are instructions how to do that HERE. I love that feature.
The new version 4 has new functions such as the ability to recolour a photo or any jpeg (but not a png file), tile photos, add paint strokes and tear the edge of a photo/paper. I rarely used ripped edges except when the paper comes ready ripped in a kit, can colour anything in Picmonkey and don't have any use for paint strokes. I'm including those features here in case they are important to anyone reading this article.
You can download general files as well as MMS files when you buy from the store and it won't let you accidentally buy something twice (provided you're logged in).
You can create any album in a custom size. I used to use that but now I crop and resize in Picmonkey.
You get to name the album after you've worked on it and know what you want to call it.
What I don't like
The company's "sell now and fix the program later" attitude. Even worse, if you say there's a problem you'll be told that problem doesn't exist. This is common to many software companies but they should at least allow you to buy an earlier version. See my note about our cruise classes below for why this is a deal breaker.
The program is unstable and frequently crashes or freezes. I've had pages print completely scrambled (yes, I can show you examples...) and working with more than two blocks of text on a page is impossible. It will take ages to move them around and then often the page won't save.
The ability to import any shape as an svg file. There are instructions how to do that HERE. I love that feature.
The new version 4 has new functions such as the ability to recolour a photo or any jpeg (but not a png file), tile photos, add paint strokes and tear the edge of a photo/paper. I rarely used ripped edges except when the paper comes ready ripped in a kit, can colour anything in Picmonkey and don't have any use for paint strokes. I'm including those features here in case they are important to anyone reading this article.
You can download general files as well as MMS files when you buy from the store and it won't let you accidentally buy something twice (provided you're logged in).
You can create any album in a custom size. I used to use that but now I crop and resize in Picmonkey.
You get to name the album after you've worked on it and know what you want to call it.
What I don't like
The company's "sell now and fix the program later" attitude. Even worse, if you say there's a problem you'll be told that problem doesn't exist. This is common to many software companies but they should at least allow you to buy an earlier version. See my note about our cruise classes below for why this is a deal breaker.
The program is unstable and frequently crashes or freezes. I've had pages print completely scrambled (yes, I can show you examples...) and working with more than two blocks of text on a page is impossible. It will take ages to move them around and then often the page won't save.
Conclusion
Up to a few months ago I was using MyMemories more than MemoryMixer because it had more features I needed. I used Memory Mixer for heritage pages and pages with lots of text. Then Memory Mixer brought out version 4 which had most of those features plus the brilliant look-through embellishments function.
My Memories also brought out a largely untested new version which included a load of fusspot features I didn't need and made the program unusable for at least two months while they added patch after patch. It also demonstrated a company attitude I didn't care for.
Since both programs have useful features and include very good kits/templates/quickmixes I'd recommend you buy both if your budget permits. If you're on a small budget don't forget we have lots of freebies on the Digi Scrapping Freebies group. You might be better off buying two programs rather than several kits. If your budget only allows for one program buy Memory Mixer.
Once we can persuade Memory Mixer to include the ability to import svg files and allow the downloading of general files from their store our advice will be to forget My Memories and buy Memory Mixer.
My Memories also brought out a largely untested new version which included a load of fusspot features I didn't need and made the program unusable for at least two months while they added patch after patch. It also demonstrated a company attitude I didn't care for.
Since both programs have useful features and include very good kits/templates/quickmixes I'd recommend you buy both if your budget permits. If you're on a small budget don't forget we have lots of freebies on the Digi Scrapping Freebies group. You might be better off buying two programs rather than several kits. If your budget only allows for one program buy Memory Mixer.
Once we can persuade Memory Mixer to include the ability to import svg files and allow the downloading of general files from their store our advice will be to forget My Memories and buy Memory Mixer.
Cruise Classes
Our on board classes need stable software throughout the year, not just 10 months before the Thanksgiving money grabbing fest. Can you imagine saying to a passenger on a November Canaries cruise "You can download the software now but it will be useless unless they get it fixed mid-January"? We'd be thrown overboard!
We also need a company committed to helping and supporting our cruise classes, not one who doesn't want to deal with Europe. Memory Mixer's owners are committed to our project and we love working with them. Of course we will help anyone using any program during our classes and tutorials.
We also need a company committed to helping and supporting our cruise classes, not one who doesn't want to deal with Europe. Memory Mixer's owners are committed to our project and we love working with them. Of course we will help anyone using any program during our classes and tutorials.