Yes Yes, A Thousand Times YES!!! Freehand is the best and easiest interface
and for total project workflow. Illustrator is CLUNKY, full of bells and
whistles but much less intuitive (like using a chainsaw to cut butter) - hence,
SLOWER THAN FREEHAND. I'd much rather see them discontinue Illustrator. I had
to do usability studies back in the 80s when these two apps first appeared. The
time comparisons which my artists completed similar tasks were almost 2 to 1,
Freehand is faster to use than Illustrator. Freehand is enormously more
intuitive and MORE SIMILAR to Photoshop CS3 and Flash CS3 in user experience
than Illustrator.

If they just made FH Intel compatible I'd be happy enough... oh and ironed out some of the bugs... and allowed you to colour groups like it used to... and... that's about it

Yes, I will upgrade my FreeHand MX.

I'd buy it... absolutely,
But do not wait too long.
EdB

> If they just made FH Intel compatible

Is it not? It's running on my MacBook.

-Darrel

Boy! don't I look stoopid?

> I would like to point out one small but important thing. Draw a text block in
illustrator, type some text, then try moving the text block with your pointer
tool. It will move if you point to the text baseline or the perimeter of the
text block but if you point anywhere inside the text block, it will not move.

Go to Edit>Preferences>Type and turn off the Type Object Selection By Path
Only option.

Jack, you do your own cause more damage than good when you don't check your
facts. This is exactly the kind of thing that makes Illustrator devotees think
FreeHand users are merely whining because they are too lazy to learn another
program that is "no better than Illustrator."

Now let me give you one: In FreeHand, select an object. Now move it
numerically, not in terms of vertical and horizontal, but in terms of direction
and distance.

Now wouldn't you say that functionality is pretty dang basic?

Look: In alot of important and basic ways, FreeHand is a better vector drawing
interface than Illustrator ever will be. But the ugly truth is, that's not
really saying much.

"FreeHand Addict"? You guys are addicted to mediocrity. (Never mind that AI
"addicts" are addicted to worse.) "Give me FreeHand or give me death"? Give me
a break. "Monopoly"? Look up the meaning. If this were an illegal monopoly the
FTC would be all over it.

If you can't stand Illustrator, give Corel or Canvas a go. Reward them for
also being better than Illustrator, and for surviving despite its market share.
Moreover, do your homework. Make LEGITIMATE and SUBSTANTIVE comparisons between
FH and AI, so that Adobe (and more importantly, Illustrator users) will
understand that the complaints are based on meaningful fact, not mere
habituated favoritism.

And finally: Post those comparisons where they can make a difference. You guys
are just preaching to the choir here. " Millions"? Where do you get that
figure? I count 18 different responders in 13 days. Criminy, there's more
interest than that in some of the most mundane single threads in the
Illustrator forums.

JET

Hi JETLT, Don't get too upset and start using words that wise man would aviod.
Thanks for pointing out on the Preference option setting,"Go to
Edit>Preferences>Type and turn off the Type Object Selection By Path Only
option." I will try out and will come back to report the finding. May I ask one
small question, how do you get your files, eg. imported images, links files and
fonts to your printer for production when the work is completed. InDesign uses
Package, FH uses Collect for Output. What does Illustrator use? Thanks for your
time again. Appreciate your pointer.

Hi JETLT,
"Go to Edit>Preferences>Type and turn off the Type Object Selection By Path
Only option."
I tried out on both PC and on Mac, Illustrator CS3. No it didn't work. By
default, this option is not turn on.
So, I still don't understand how you can overcome the small and important user
friendly problem.
Anyone out there can confirm this, would appreciate. Thanks

Again, having tested Freehand against Illustrator in the creative departments
I've run since 1985, we found it a much more efficient creative tool for
creating SERIES of ads, SERIES of packaging, entire advertising CAMPAIGNS, and
print collateral SERIES. To lose this highly esteemed creative tool is a
SERIOUS mistake on Adobe's part.

The three kingpin applications that my shops have run have been #1 FREEHAND,
#2 PHOTOSHOP, #3 FLASH. Everything else is tertiary from the design/advertising
process point of view. I am now looking into open source replacements for
Freehand. While this may appear extreme, I assure you - trying to replace
Freehand with as clunky of an application as Illustrator is a money losing
proposition for my agency.