CC3+ is mostly single-core, so it does benefit from higher clock speeds rather than many cores. Normally, I would recommend an Intel over that Ryzen 3600, but of course, with the new 5000 series just released and your motherboard being able to handle it, going that route is probably beneficial in the long run although the current Intel motherboards should be compatible with the next intel generation coming next year, which may (or may not) change things here.

I can't really comment anything about the release plans for CC4, other than it is not something that is right around the corner.

There are no official list of these numbers, I guess mainly because it's not something normally needed, these are just for internal reference really, and anyone with the annual will have the matching folder to check it up, it is only when accidents like this happens with a template that you are really exposed to numbers for annuals you don't own.

It is pretty easy to calculate the issue though. The annual have always been 12 issues a year (bonus issues don't get a separate number), so just divide by 12, drop the fraction, then add 2007 and you have the year. The fraction you just dropped multiplied by 12 should give you the month if needed. If you want the volume number instead of the year, just add 1 instead of 2007.

So 125 would be 125/12 + 2007 = 10(.417) + 2007 = 2017; .417 * 12 = 5 = May. And May 2017 is easy to find on the annuals page.

I don't know the exact historical reasons, but I think you are onto the right answer with regards to paper sizes. Printing was much more important back when these were defined than today. And if you compare it to letter size, the aspect ratio matches better, and I am sure as Sue pointed out that having nice round numbers made more sense, so it does look like the numbers where picked to be a good fit for both monitor and paper as the prime concern

Of course, with the modern new map wizard, most templates allow you to pick values at any aspect ratio anyway.

Sorry about your job. Hope this situation normalizes soon so people can get back to their jobs, or at least have an easier time finding a new one when not everyone is trying to hunt in the same limited pool.

At least the time isn't wasted when you spend it mapping :)

Kind of. You could do the same with a solid color and the transparency effect.

Transparency in images is a common thing though, and is used in a lot of the CC3+ symbols. The advantage to have it baked into the image instead of using an effect is that you can control the transparency for each pixel of the image, while the transparency effect applies equal to the entire sheet.