|
I case you haven’t noticed, several software companies, some rather large, have been bought by Corel, who is aready huge. SoftQuad, makers of HoTMetaL Pro 6, a web design software; and Micrografx whose Picture Publisher and Designer software has long been included with scanners and on off-the-rack computer systems, had both been bought a couple of years ago by Corel. Kai’s Power Tools and other software was also purchase a prior to that, along with Bryce 3D software.
So, what does that mean for users? Picture Publisher and Designer are history. HotMetal is now XMetal and was sold to Blast Radius out of British Columbia.
One thing that has had Corel one of the frontrunners in the graphic software industry is their ease of use. One of the drawbacks has always been the heavy coding that zapped computer resources. We were hoping the marriage between the software giants of Corel and Micrografx will result in a fast, easy to use graphics program that graphic designers who have come from the cold type and pasteup history could embrace. It did not happen, unfortunately. Some of the other software manufacturers are working in that direction, by utilizing the real graphic terminology such as drop or continuous shadow instead of extrude, warp instead of envelope, and other terms that Corel has insisted on using. (Once you understand their lingo, their software is easier to use.)
So what has happened in this instance is that choices have diminished. No longer is Micrografx’s Picture Publisher and Designer an effective alternative... unless you have some of their old software. They always did have some great features that are not found elsewhere. Our choices are diminishing as the shuffle of the biggest companies continues. Where the lower budget artists once had the alternative of Micrografx for their design software, now many are switching to ULead, which is continuing to offer great alternatives. Let us hope ULead manages to maintain its independence.
MACROMEDIA NOW OWNED BY ADOBE ...
The takeovers continue with Macromedia, and the ever-popular FLASH is now owned by Adobe. That aquisition was completed in December 2005. One thing is probable, Freehand will probably go by the wayside, as Adobe begins to beef up FLASH and other internet software. The giants are continuing to gobble up the smaller guys.
|
