Sorry, I just had to get a little more comfortable with that funky little word. I mean how can an idea - a genre - a movement even - that is so disruptive, powerful and poetic get branded with such an ugly word. Blog. Well, some people probably say the same thing about the words Electric, Rain and Swift 3D, so I guess I better get over myself and get down to business.

Yes, Erain is blogging, and lovin' it I might add (as much as one can love soemthing that's only minutes old.) No, I love this new communication forumn not for its history, but simply because it's about communication via the written word, which is something I personally take delight in. Furthermore, I think it's high time Electric Rain started having a little more open discussion with its customers above and beyond the support forum and those promotional emails you keep getting.

I'll be the first to admit that we've been slightly (OK, maybe more than slightly) incommunicado with the folks that mean the most to us. It was the needed slap in the face that came with this thread on the Erain forum that made it all too clear to us that we need to get a little more up-front with our most loyal customers. There are those that use Swift 3D - and to them we owe a damn good product at a reasonable price. And then there are those that both use Swift 3D and like it enough to pay regular visits to our site, just to see what's going on and what they can look forward to. That's you, reading this blog, and to you I apologize for having waited so long to bring you up to speed with our upcoming product release, and our company's progress in general for that matter.

And so the blog (hey, it's rolling off the keyboard already). If you care to return, I dare to promise you information. In fact I gurantee it. Swift 3D V4 has been a long time in the making (I'll spare you the myriad reasons/excuses for the excrutiating delay) and we've finally reached a point where we can let the cat out of the bag... or at least those parts of the cat that have some tooth and nail.

We will be consistently rolling out a list of the new features of Swift 3D V4 via this blog, so check back when your curiosity hits a periodic redline. Hell, throw the RSS feed into your aggregator and let the good news come to you automatically. I don't care how you do it, but know that we've renewed our commitment to the hardcore Swifters and I'll take full responsibility for ensuring that our troubles in hitting a release deadline don't ever place you all in the lurch again, wanton for information with a seemingly distant Erain all guarded and tightlipped.

No, it's time to start talk... excuse me, bloggin'. And I, along with the rest of our team, will do our best to stay current, stay informative, and stay entertaining in this new blogerrific venue. That was part of our pact with you way back when as Swift 3D V1 hit the streets and Electric Rain began its relationship with the best damn user base in the world, and it's part of our pact now. Along with a killer Swift 3D V4 release of course, which is why you won't see any of our engineers posting fluffy entrys (hey, I'd like to think there was a tiny bit of substance here) to the Erain Blog.

So, in true User Guide fashion, "Let's git' it on!"

Note to self: Stop with the freekin' dissertations... It's a blog ya moron. Sheesh.

woo hoo!

Just have to let you all know, this is an excellent idea. This will hopefully settle people down and squash any v4 rumors before they get started.

Nick, I also wanna let you know what a great job you did with the help files in v3. It seems your pulling the same great enthusiasm over into V4. Thanks!

Hi all ! This new version MUST be spectacular... When can we expect the first quick peak or something revealing about V4 ? Thanks in advance, people of Erain, for the hard work. I'm sure the waiting will be compensated with an outstanding new tool... Bye !

This cat in the bag must have nine reasons never to get to the point, or out of the bag, or something. There are blogs and there are blogs; navel scoping drivel and straight typing that cuts the information overload down to size. Miau, miau, miau.

Just salivating. :)

"which is why you won't see any of our engineers posting fluffy entrys "

you make it seem like you have all sorts of engineers...

Thanks for getting this going. It goes a long ways towards insuring that you are always thought of in a good light. I understand your commitment and hardships are both great, and salute you for taking the time to interface with your community of erain addicts.

ah some refreshing words indeed. this program has given me a way to do things i thought would be impossible, well difficult at least. V4 day coming soon.