Hi,

I've been using FreeHand since version 2, when Aldus bougth it from Altsys,
the creator of the program. Macromedia did a great job developing the product
into a very robust application. But I worry because Adobe does not seem to be
working in a new version. In fact, the program is not listed as "Adobe
FreeHand" but instead, "Macromedia FreeHand", kinda "stepson"
It seems to me that Adobe has abandoned the product. What would be the future
of FreeHand? Will FreeHand users be forced to move to Illustrator with a less
user friendlyinterface? What do you think?

Juan Jose Melara
CyberGrafica
El Salvador

Freehand has not been abandoned per say. Adobe will continue to sell it and
support it via forums and such. If Freehand does all you need it to now then
you will be able to use it forever if you want in its current MX version.

Adobe has not really given us a clear indication as to its future plans other
than continuing to sell it and suport is as it is now. I think the majority of
us feel that Freehand won't see a new version, nor a Mac Intel native version,
and that Adobe would rather us move to Illustrator or the combination of
Illustrator and InDesign. Or perhaps Illustrator and Fireworks if web layouts
are your thing as Fireworks will have multipage abilities and its geared
towards web layouts.

Judging by the new features of CS3, in particular the new colour tools, Flash
compatibility, the eraser, and such I will be giving Illustrator another shot
at my workflow. I will try it out at least.

Cheers,
Jeremy

> It seems to me that Adobe has abandoned the product.

Yep.

-Darrel

I believe Freehand HAS disappeared, unfortunately! Adobe has stated that they
will continue to "support" Freehand, but all that means is (1) hosting this
forum so the living dead can still talk to one another, and (2) selling off the
remaining boxes of product they got when they bought Macromedia. And they call
that "support." My ass! They should update Freehand and support all of us who
have thousands of legacy Freehand files.

That is exactly my feeling. Adobe is actually killing FreeHand. Just supporting
the current version while they sell the remaining boxes equals to extinction. I
guess Adobe is taking the wrong path. The right one should be at least
incorporating a FreeHand interface in Illustrator (just the way they did in the
InDesign interface) as well as file FreeHand file support.

It's a shame that all the graphic applications are in the hand of a single
company: ADOBE That is a monopolistic system with no competitors. Shame on
Adobe for killing FreeHand.

:sad;

Juan

> It's a shame that all the graphic applications are in the hand of a single
> company: ADOBE That is a monopolistic system with no competitors. Shame on
> Adobe for killing FreeHand.

It was Macromedia (!) who neglected the development of FreeHand. Adobe merely put it out of its misery.

Jukka

> It's a shame that all the graphic applications are in the hand of a single
company: ADOBE. That is a monopolistic system with no competitors.

I think Deneba (ACD), Corel, Quark, and little-known Microsoft (to name just
four) might differ with your assertion that "all graphics applications are in
the hands of a single company: ADOBE", and that Adobe has no competitors.

JET

(1) hosting this forum so the living dead can still talk to one another

LOL. Thanks. That made my morning.

Davecc

My computer graphic drawing was started with Harvard Graphic software and Coral
Draw V.2. Around about 1991-92. And I use CorelDraw upto version 8.... But I
learned how to use FreeHand and Illultrator for my job. I also can use
PageMaker, QuarkPress, and InDesign...very well....
I love PageMaker and FreeHand a lot.....because they have - easy and simple
tools....(less auto commands....)
We are artist.... We do not need too much auto making effects,.....(it will
not be any different from other user who are not artists)...
In FreeHand -for example- I love very the simple Pointer tool....(we do not
need different pointer - another white - for selecting) in freehand hold down
option(alter in pc), or shift and mouse click - this can select everything in
our design....
I am only one in my company who use FreeHand....

I will be sad if Adobe kill FreeHand.....(they did same thing on PageMaker).

win tun
wintun06@gmail.com

:sad;