# Vector based software question



## DREWNOX (Apr 25, 2006)

I'm an occasional reader of this forum but I know you guys know your stuff. I really need some advice and apologize if I am way out of the loop as far as current events. 

I'm a designer and I regularly use vector based software for drawing logos, icons, etc... Since I learned Coreldraw way back when I was in school, I have been using that all along for these needs. However, the last couple of versions for Mac have been a farce. Its obvious that they had no intentions of continued support for Macs. I have never seen a more unstable program, to the point where I'm offended that they would even sell this product. They shouldn't have even bothered. 

Now that that's off my chest, here is my question. I have both Illustrator CS2 and Freehand MX. I have been using Illustrator for years on a limited basis but never really liked it. I have played with Freehand a little bit and like what I see. 

I need to master a new drawing program but I don't know if I should bother learning Freehand. Since Adobe acquired Macromedia, it seems that this may be on the way out. I can't really find anything definitive, so I ask you. Should I bother with Freehand or just bite the bullet and learn Illustrator in depth?


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## nixgeek (Apr 25, 2006)

Have you looked at Inkscape?  It's been recently open sourced to the world.


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## fryke (Apr 25, 2006)

Inkscacpe is X11 software. Stuff like that should be mentioned when advertising open source software.


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## nixgeek (Apr 25, 2006)

fryke said:
			
		

> Inkscacpe is X11 software. Stuff like that should be mentioned when advertising open source software.



My mistake.  Didn't know it required X11.   I would have mentioned it otherwise.


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## MacGizmo (Apr 25, 2006)

Freehand is dead, and it pretty much was before Adobe purchased it (again). Adobe will not be updating it. Not only because they don't want to, but they can't (because they would have a monopoly, and the SEC doesn't like that very much). They will either stop development all together or sell it again, just as they did last time when they acquired Aldus and sold Freehand to Macromedia.

Illustrator is the industry standard, and probably worth learning if for no other reason. There are a few other options out there, such as StoneDesign, but Illustrator is the only professional option.


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## Natobasso (Apr 25, 2006)

DREWNOX said:
			
		

> I'm a designer and I regularly use vector based software for drawing logos, icons, etc... Since I learned Coreldraw way back when I was in school, I have been using that all along for these needs. However, the last couple of versions for Mac have been a farce. Its obvious that they had no intentions of continued support for Macs. I have never seen a more unstable program, to the point where I'm offended that they would even sell this product. They shouldn't have even bothered.



Corel has been discontinued, it's true: http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.php?t=192605

Go with Illustrator. I imagine it will be more and more compatible with Flash (per the Adobe buys Macromedia reference above) as time goes on. It's a great program and basically the industry standard for graphic design.


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## fryke (Apr 25, 2006)

Yeah. You _do_ want to be future-proof, and I guess Illustrator's the way to go, then. Although Adobe might take a cue (or more) from some of Macromedia's old apps.


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## CaptainQuark (Apr 26, 2006)

I've always found Illustator to be a bit of a dog &#8211; just my own personal opinion. I use Freehand MX. I find it far more logical and easy to use. Looks like I'm up there with the dinosaurs.


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## Thank The Cheese (Apr 26, 2006)

My view of Illustrator is that it is over-complicated to do simple tasks, but that over-complication makes it far more powerful than Corel Draw or Freehand.


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## Natobasso (Apr 26, 2006)

Thank The Cheese said:
			
		

> My view of Illustrator is that it is over-complicated to do simple tasks, but that over-complication makes it far more powerful than Corel Draw or Freehand.



Overcomplicated? How so?


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## MacNEO (Apr 28, 2006)

Not to hijack this thread, but has anyone used this:

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/imaging_3d/inform.html


The reason I ask is I'm looking to become less of an "Adobe" slave. Professionally I still use their stuff, but I'm looking to bail on them for at home use. Graphic Converter is great for photo stuff. Not sure how much I can rely on these types of programs though, after using Adobe stuff for so long...


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## simbalala (Apr 28, 2006)

MacNEO said:
			
		

> Not to hijack this thread, but has anyone used this:
> 
> http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/imaging_3d/inform.html
> 
> ...


It's only been out a couple days.

I just downloaded it. It seems cute but it's not in the same league as Illustrator, at least not yet. It might be good for someone looking for a basic vector app to start with.


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## Thank The Cheese (Apr 28, 2006)

Natobasso said:
			
		

> Overcomplicated? How so?



Just in some areas. For example, in Corel Draw, if you want to create a gradient that goes from solid fill to transparent, you just click the tool, drag it across a shape, and choose which point along the line will be transparent. Very easy. 


In illustrator, you have to create the shape, give it the solid colour, then create another back to white gradient shape and place it over the top of the original shape, then create an opacity mask (which is somewhat hidden in the little fly-out menu in the transparency palette) etc etc.   

It's far more complicated in illustrator than in corel draw, but because it is done with opacity masks rather than just a simple gradient fill that uses transparency, you can do far, far more complex and impressive things with opacity in Illustrator than Corel Draw. 

I also found that working with nodes in Corel was easier than in Illustrator -- especially modifying and deleting nodes after creation. The pathfinder pallette still doesn't always do what I expect it to all the time either, whereas Corels was much simpler (but again, less powerful)

just my opinion anyway


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