Macromedia
FreeHand 10
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True contour gradients
help ensure proper printing of complex fills.
The biggest
and best new feature is the Master Page feature than enables
you to modify elements automatically across large multi-page
projects. You can also now specify print areas, including elements
in the work area, but not necessarily in the document. This
can be handy for zooming in on a particular area for a highly
detailed printout, or for showing alternative designs. For example,
you might have two versions of a small logo within a complex
graphic page; rather than redesign the page with the alternate,
you could simply include it in the printout.
Editable
symbol libraries, symbol-based brush and spray strokes, true
contour gradients (which print more reliably than gradient fills),
embedded font support for EPS graphics and the expected bevy
of improved and polished features from prior releases round
out the package.
The bottom
line
As you'd expect from the 10th major release
of a successful program, FreeHand 10 is an evolutionary product.
There are no "Must Buy" innovations and no corresponding
rough edges and killer bugs. If you're a FreeHand or Macromedia
fan, this should be an entirely satisfying upgrade. If you're
a dyed in the wool Illustrator or Adobe disciple, there probably
isn't quite enough advantage in FreeHand's latest
release to change your mind.
This isn't
a decisive victory. The battle promises to continue, with vector
graphics simply one of the tools used as Macromedia and Adobe
strive to lock you into working with their respective uber-interface
no matter what you're creating.
Our
final recommendations are as follows: If you use a previous
version of FreeHand, this is an upgrade worthy of a strong buy
recommendation. If you use no vector illustration program but
need to purchase one, FreeHand 10 ties with Illustrator 9 overall,
with an edge going to FreeHand 10 for Web design work. Frankly,
an illustration program belongs on every designer's computer,
and, in this respect, for compatibility and features, both Illustrator
and FreeHand are "must buy" products. If you already
use Illustrator 9, FreeHand 10 doesn't offer too many compelling
reasons to switch, unless you need more (and easier) Web functionality.
Finally,
if you're on Mac OS X, there's no competition. FreeHand 10 works
natively, while Illustrator doesn't, and there's no word on
when Illustrator will.
FreeHand
10 is available for $399 for the full version and $129 for the
upgrade. A Studio version is also available that includes Flash
5 for $499, with an upgrade for $199. Student, volume and site
license programs are also available. For more information, visit
http://www.macromedia.com.
