By Slanted Light

I know what you mean about the propensity of graphics progs to change for no apparent purpose/benefit to anyone! I use a pirate copy of Fireworks plus Picnik (free but you can pay for extra features). I would be devastated if I lost Fireworks but a fellow iconmaker who also does some great artwork recommends Gimp - also free and I have no idea about it but it might be worth a look?

And yes, 'straighten' is a useful thing which I get on Fireworks.

Re dialj. Maybe consider fewer challenges? Perhaps just one or two a year? It does have a unique place - there are trivial/ephemeral challenges like 'caption this' etc. and there are weighty things like the BB but dialj falls between and is also a great place to 'socialise'.

I've always followed it but have only recently dipped my toes into the challenge of posting!! I used to be scared of challenges with all the rules and regulations... Maybe because my first LJ experiences were in role-play comms which are often very strict and quite bewildering. I know I've absolutely loved this latest challenge and finding something exciting every day has enriched Christmas considerably, even if I haven't had time to read all the longer fics yet. I can imagine that it's a huge amount of work but I, for one, am very grateful.

Also, is there any way somebody (e.g. me) could share the burden? I have the time and the interest but am sometimes constrained by lack of internet. We think we have beaten Portuguese Telecom into submission but who knows what 2012 will bring?!

Of course, you increased your workload with the drabble challenge and the Reading Room Advent calendar but those were great, too. Your challenges make Pros a fun place to be - it isn't just fics/vids/icons, like some fandoms and it's a way of making good friends.