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I have left the entirety of the announcement intact below for reference.
Does anyone have a problem with this besides me?? It looks like a scam. Nowhere does it say what company is offering this "course via email". The name of the instructor is not mentioned. The announcement talks about emailing projects with step-by-step instructions - but what good are step-by-step instructions unless you learn some of the concepts behind the steps? No concepts are mentioned. For example, steps for creating a soft shadow are readily available from the Help menu that comes with the software. This looks to me like a blatant attempt to get $100 out of 100 people by some AOL customer who wants a bit of extra cash.
I have taken a couple online/email courses through Ziff-Davis that I thought were really good, for example, "Writing Basic HTML Code" (several years back) but all of the above information was not only included, but highlighted in the advertisement.
I would hope this list wouldn't pass along half-baked scams as though they were professional distance learning workshops!
Am I missing something??
Best regards,
Kelly Plamp
(Notice how I refrained from commenting on the typos in the advert, as well?? =D)
This is the original advertisement:
>For all of you who have been asking questions about converting graphics,
>resizing graphics, and producing better looking documents by adding artwork
>created/edited in Adobe Photoshop, this course is for you. Finally, you can
>learn ,directly from a pro, all of the tips and tricks you will need and it
>won't take 6 months at a community college!!
>
>Announing: "The Digital Adobe Photoshop Course" or "Way Beyond Adding
>Clipart to your Manuals-Wowwing your clients or boss"
>Length: Six weeks
>Method: Distance Learning-Email Correspondence
>Details: Assignments will be emailed to registered students each
>Wednesday starting December 10th. (excluding Christmas week) Assignment
>packets will contain an overview of the assignment, step-by-step
>instructions, and examples of the completed project. The assignments will
>cover a variety of topics but will focus on achieving mastery of the most
>commonly used special effects created using Photoshop (including: creating
>soft shadows behind images/objects, clipping images from photographs,
>creating painterly effects, creating buttons/spheres/etc. for help/web pages,
>etc. etc... These are the the techniques used by high-powered graphic design
>and web-design firms. This course will transform you from amateur to
>professional in the visual/technical communication arena! STUDENTS WILL HAVE
>E-MAIL ACCESS TO AN INSTRUCTOR FOR QUESTIONS/PROBLEMS/HELP etc. Past
>students have said things like "Wow, this is soooo....cool." "Oh. my
>god...." etc.
>
>
>Maximum registration is 100 students. 10 Scholarships will be awarded to
>writers/communicators with unique circumstances warranting a scholarship.
>Cost: $100.00 Way cheaper than anywhere else we know.
>
>About the Instructor: The instructor has developed high-end web sites,
>consumer CD ROM titles, game interfaces, and consumer level software
>documentation and packaging for clients including Radio Shack, AT&T, TCI,
>Reuter's NewMedia, The ImagiNation Network, Jones Internet Channel, Exxon,
>etc.
>
>HOW TO REGISTER:
>If interested, please email your Name, Address, Phone, Email etc. to
>explorecds -at- aol -dot- com -dot- Please type PHOTOSHOP in the subject line. An
>information/registration packet will be emailed to you. Deadline for
>registration is December 8th.
>
>Happy Writing/Communicating