So recommend me a SR4 character creation program that meets the following requirements:

• Capable of Karma based character generation
• Does not require me to be a frickin' computer programmer to install and operate
• Does not require me to install extra programs to run it. (Net Frame and other crap.)

Any suggestions or am I wishing for McMackie's ghost?

And I'd prefer not to use a spreadsheet because I am really pretty damned computer illiterate. Plus they look like crap.

Well, Chummer does the first two. As far as not needing the .NET Framework, it's nearly impossible to avoid if you're running Windows these days. It's pretty pretty much the norm for Windows development.

I don't believe the Lone Wolf (Hero Lab) one lets you build a character with Karma and it only has content from the core rulebook but it does not require the .NET Framework.

These are the only two functioning, Windows-based, non-spreadsheet ones that I'm aware of. I haven't heard of any that run on Mac or Linux, and all the others I've seen are from 2007-2009 and incomplete.

And to add, the Net Framework is simple to install. Get the download from Microsoft and run it. Take all defaults. When it's done, you'll not need to worry about it again.

Out of curiosity (because I have seen this a few times now), what exactly do people have against .NET 4 (or just .NET in general)? For example, why do you believe it is crap?

I think it's the "I have to install extra crap to do [insert activity]!" mentality that is a roadblock for some.

I honestly have it at times myself.

Yeah that's pretty much it for me. I happen to have the gremlins flaw pretty heavily, so I try to stay as far away from machines as possible. So every extra step I have to make to install something is rough on me. I miss the NSRCG.

Well, then there's your options. Hero Labs (not free, incomplete and likely not really what you want) or Chummer's, which requires .net. Or otherwise use one of the spreadsheets (DK's is amazing).

Yeah, it sucks that there's no NSRCG anymore.

I'm trying the Chummer Generator. I may purchase hero labs however.

DaisyBox also maintains a generator, but it's not very up to date and it's a program you have to install.

SR is a complex system and unless you want to do it the old fashioned way, there isnt much alternative to installing something or using a spreadsheet.

I cant speak highly enough of DamienKnight's generator, it's a wonderful piece of software that does everything and anything you need it to do for Shadowrun. If the output sheet isnt to your liking, then pop up a Word document and manually arraigne the data from the generator the way you want it.