Rating: 
Summary: The worst software ever....
Review: Illustator whatever version is without a doubt the hardest most user UNFRIENDLY software ever created. I've used just about ever type of desktop software out there, and this one is just junk. After 10 versions that can't put in a simple function TO DRAW A CURVED LINE!?!? I'll use it for school, but after that, right in the trash.
Rating: 
Summary: can be better
Review: Many people struggle when it comes to which software draw application to buy. Should it be Illustrator, Freehand, CorelDRAW, Expression,Deneba, etc. Well, they are ALL GOOD. Its up to you you to be GOOD. With each one of them you can create basically almost anything you want if you have creativity. Each one of them has some advantages over each (its up to you to research on the product own web site what it does..compatibility with other applications, etc..). For example, currently Illustrator is probably most widely used in USA because ot its ease and compactness with Photoshop. But, macromedia has recently released Freehand MX which also is smooth with photoshop, if not better than illustrator (Currently Adobe just released Illustrator CS [nov 2003]. My suggestion is that if you are mainly thinking of web than buy Frehand MX (best if you buy it included in the whole Macromedia package) and if you are mainly into print than buy Illustrator CS (you save if you buy it in Adobe suite CS which includes Photoshop CS, Indesign..). Also, I have found some other drawing programs from Europe that are in my opinion better for my taste, but remember also that most people dont need these expensive programs and much cheaper drawing programs can suffice most individuals (except pros; even pros can make great stuf with cheaper programs). Hopefully I did not create more confusion in deciding which software to buy. OK, if you want to be in a "click" buy Illustrator CS, but if you want to be "cool" buy Freehand MX or any other similar quality digi drawing program such as CorelDRAW or Sarajevo L'Express.
Rating: 
Summary: Illustrator... fact or fiction?
Review: Some would say Illustrator is fiction! but alas, they are wrong! it's not just an empty box, it's Fact! it exists, and it's a great program, it excels in linear art, (logos) vector graphics. simply amazing precision. All products Adobe are a must for any multimedia designer, simply the essentials of the industry. Illustrator is a little more difficult to learnt than other graphics programs yet it is an invaluable tool. good luck! have a merry hannukah and happy birthday/new years, christmas, and Roburschka.
Rating: 
Summary: The Busoni of vector editors?
Review: The composer Federico Busoni had a habit of writing music that was difficult to execute, technically. He didn't do so because particular musical ideas demanded it; his aim was merely to prevent amateurs from playing his works. I was somewhat reminded of him coming to Adobe Illustrator 10 after the intuitive logic of Xara X. Even though I am acquainted with the complex Adobe-style interface through Photoshop 7, Illustrator again has me convinced that Adobe program-designers go out of their way to make things deliberately esoteric. Now, that would be understandable and forgivable if the complex interface were necessitated by a wealth of options not offered by other vector programs. But though Illustrator 10 does offer a few extra's not available in Xara X (and no doubt the new Illustrator CS has yet a few more), none of these are essential and some are no more than fairly lame gimmicks ('lens flare', for instance). Other tools such as the scissors, the knife, or the magic wand may seem handy at first, but soon they reveal themselves to be just extra buttons for functions that Xara performs equally well simply using the line or shape tools. Of course, Illustrator being touted as the 'industry standard' for vector editing, you may want to pay the exorbitant price of this program merely to boost your self-confidence and credibility as a graphic artist. Some peer pressure may do the rest - according to some, if you don't use Illustrator, you're no more than a wannabee... But don't you believe them! I have yet to come across the first piece of vector art that was done in Illustrator and would be impossible to do in Xara. In fact, Xara is every bit as powerful as Illustrator, yet is generally faster, much easier to use, very visually oriented, with an uncluttered, cleverly thought out interface and lots of straightforward drag-and-drop functions. So if you define yourself as a graphic artist through your work rather than through your 'professional' (i.e. expensive) tools, I would advise you to save yourself a lot of money, a lot of time learning a needlessly complicated interface, and go for Xara X. After all, who ever heard of Busoni?
Rating: 
Summary: Too expensive
Review: The program works fine. It's not user friendly to people new to it but it works fine once you know what you're doing. My only problem is the incredibly high price tag. I'm a college student and had to purchase this program. Being a student I don't have a heck of a lot of money. I was shocked when I found out how much this thing costs. You can do some cool things with it but come on. It's WAY over priced!
Rating:
Summary: Hold off on buying Illustrator 10... for now
Review: This is an excellent product... I should know. I have been using my pirated copy that I got in Hong Kong for several months. It is the only application I use on Windows!!!
If Adobe would port their applications to Linux, I would be first in line to purchase the entire graphics suite. Illustrator could use some of the functionality that some upperCASE tools or M$Visio have. With these added features, Illustrator would be a category killer... ESPECIALLY if ported to the *NIX platform! However, I refuse to purchase a product for an OS that supports my product merely because the product vendor is too lazy to produce their their product for alternative market segments. Until then, I will use my illegal copy.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Review: This release has all the good stuff. The enveloping feature is awesome, better than anything else you'll find. Very very solid software.
Rating:
Summary: Dream application for graphic designers and Illustrators
Review: Where every Illustrator wants her but only Adobe Systems users dared to love her. It's like moving from "Vanilla Sky: Open Your Eyes landscapes" to "Moulin Rouge!"original, daring, shocking music and dance numbers. Enter the world of possible dreams and creative design work. Adobe rewards graphic artists and PC Window users by giving them the necessary tools to fashion their original designs. Designers, Illustrators, graphic artists and PhotoShop users now can work their web design projects in harmony with Macromedia Flash and Adobe System programs.
What does Adobe Illustrator 10 offer graphic designers? * Web Optimization Expansion. New slicing tools make Illustrator 10 an ideal choice for web development. Automatic object-based slicing combined with support for CSS layers can be used to create layer-based alternatives. Object-based slicing makes web pages loads faster. * Symbols. In practice it works like a scatter brushes, with dialog box settings determining symbol density, size and area covered. Graphics can be modified using any of the symbolism tools which includes the symbol scruncher, shifter, styler, screener, spinner and sizer. * Object-based slicing. New slicing tools make Illustrator 10 an ideal choice for web development. Automatic object-based slicing combined with support for CSS layers can be used to create layer-based alternatives. * Dynamic data-driven graphics. Illustrator 10's Dynamic data-driven graphics lets you automate your artwork by linking graphics to a database. * Enhanced SWF Flash support. Illustrator 10 has enhanced SWF support as in Macromedia Flash files allow graphic artist to add blurs and drop shadows to their vector artwork. * Release to Layers command. You can take all the objects in a given layer and assign each object its own layer, which is useful for web animation. The Layers functions are useful to web designers using Adobe Illustrator 10 for improving their drawings. The new release Layers to flash function allows Illustrator 10 to be used to produce morphing object and animation effects. * Transparency Palette. Adobe Illustrator 10 enhances the Transparency palette. You can now apply varying levels of transparency to any object, bitmap or type character. You can apply transparency to layers, groups of objects, knockout shapes, stroke and fill. Also, you can create special effects, such as confining blending to a group of objects. Now, graphic artist can create graduated transparencies on blends. * New Styles Palette. Apply drop shadows, glows, scribbled outline effects or dozens of other visual effects to any object or text. The text remains fully editable. * Pixel Preview Mode. Pixels are now supported as a measurement method. The new Pixel Preview mode allows you to preview your vector objects, as they would appear in a web browser. Objects snap to the nearest pixel edge in the document. * Preview up to four different optimization settings for output to JPEG, GIF, PNG-8 or PNG-24 formats files. Now, you can adjust the resulting image quality, file size, blur, and number of colors in the image. Pro Comments
Noted are Adobe Illustrator 10's new Symbols, Object-based slicing, Dynamic data-driven graphics and enhanced SWF support. Adobe Illustrator 10 has better Opacity masks, Layer Clipping masks and Feathering functions, and overprint preview. Adobe Illustrator 10 has Live Enveloping to create quick 3D simulations with more compact graphic files. Excellent hardcopy manual for learning how to use Adobe Illustrator 10 comes with the program. (No Missing Manual.) Con Comments
Noted was the missing companion CD with Adobe Illustrator graphics that comes standard with Adobe PageMaker Plus application. Cannot generate JavaScript rollovers or GIF animation directly. Also, some of the Selection tools can be confusing. I found that Masking tool some times flattens layers. Final Notes
No Limits, one rule, fall in love once again with Adobe Illustrator. Where the visual imagery strikes new emotions in you.
The most important changes to Illustrator 10 is its ability to work better, quicker and more effiicent with one's web design projects. Illustrator 10 combines illustration tools with improved typographic control and image support. Adobe Illustrator 10 offers graphic artist and web designers more flexibility, better integration, along with new object effects. What a journey Adobe Illustrator 10 takes you on. A journey I will be sure to repeat over and over again. Paul Gerstenbluth is President of the ARIE Foundation and is a Macintosh consultant. Visit his website at: [URL] today.
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