[MW Forums]

Adobe says the driving concept behind Fireworks CS3 is improving workflow from concept to finished product. In this first look at the new version of Fireworks, Cyndy Cashman looks at what this means in terms of features. more

[Grapho]

Adobe could not be wiser about keeping Fireworks instead of ImagReady. Fireworks runs circles around ImageReady. The new upgrade sure looks promising. The problem with it is that it will not come bundled with my CS3 suite of choice and it will be en extra upgrade to perform, the good news is that it's not that expensive.

[Makea]

Yet another Fireworks upgrade devoid of significant new features. This app hasn't seen features worth of a point releases in several releases. The only noteworthy feature was Smart Objects three versions ago!
The pages features is nothing more than a renaming of the long-exisiting frames feature.
I hope Adobe has fixed the bugs that have plauged Fireworks for at least the last 3 versions:

[*]Application crash due to a font selection it doesn't like

[*]Disappearing text when resizing it more than three times using the keyboard shortcut (shift-apple->)

[*] Distortion of smart object when scaling using numerical values

[*] Inability for each frame (I mean Pages) to have it's own unique web slice layer
If it wasn't for the universal binary support, I wouldn't bother. I adore fireworks and it's the only tool aside from SubEthaEdit that I use to design websites.
Adobe, please don't follow Macromedia's lead in stagnating this still market leading tool! It says a lot that Fireworks is still top dog in it's field even though it hasn't seen any new major features in years!

[hiredgun469]

You must be purchasing the "Design" one? I've decided to get the "Web Premium" version and then get my upgrade to InDesign for 2 bones. I thought this would be the best deal. I called to order it today, but they are having problems with their computers and now I will have to wait to spend $500.

[OM_user]

With this change, not having an ImageReady bundled with Photoshop as has been done for so many years, I may have to rethink which bundle I will buy. I originally thought I would go for the Design Premium package. But now I'm looking at Web Premium.
The main difference is the absence of InDesign in the Web Premium bundle, or the absence of Fireworks and Contribute (which I don't think I'll need) in the Design bundle. On a personal level, I don't do a whole lot in InDesign. At work we use it a ton, but at home, not so much. But not having something like ImageReady or Fireworks I might regret down the line, for those times when I need to optimizations of files for a website. On the other hand, it would be nice to have the new InDesign around. I suppose I could always keep the CS2 version on my hard drive for when I need it.
Hmm, decisions, decisions

[arpan]

I find it odd that none of the design or web bundles give you the choice of having both Indesign and Fireworks.
Looking at the above comments, it looks like there are several here who want to buy both.
Yeah, there is the Master bundle, but it has a lot of software that I don't need.
Of course, I can always get Indesign or Fireworks seperately, but it seems odd.

[Grapho]

I think good old hiredgun469 might be on to something. If the upgrade to InDesign is less or $200 then we are better off getting the Web Premium and the upgrade to InDesign then the Design Premium and upgrading Fireworks. The Design Premium is $599 for me $149 for Fireworks upgrade. Total of $748.
With the Web Premium is $499 $200 for InDesign upgrade. A total of $699. I save $49 dollars.
I need InDesign a lot more then what I need Fireworks, but this way seems better /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[iron_chef]

fireworks kinda addresses what illustrator is so bad at...multiple page layouts.
Ideally, freehand was a better design app for getting a site together since it actually allowed you to link pages in your pdf prototype and use pages of varying sizes.
It will be interesting to see if fireworks understands pages with differing sizes (it would be nice since most webpages have vastly different heights due to sizes of scrollable text.

[kelake]

Do people still produce websites so graphically intensive as to need all these features?

[chefgoot]

Quote:

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Do people still produce websites so graphically intensive as to need all these features?

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As long as clients keep asking for them, yes they do.

[dansterpower]

Quote:

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Do people still produce websites so graphically intensive as to need all these features?

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That is a very legitimate question given CSS and Dynamic CMS driven sites -- I prefer to create these.
HOWEVER, I also build sites for the Children's Education Market, and Children's Picture Book Market -- Games, Workbooks, Children's activities and YES these clients INSIST on Graphically Rich sites -- they also want each page to look totally different -- can you imagine the horror!!!!
I have tried to educate, and then Forcefully shove CSS driven or CMS-based sites at them.
I get the "blank stare" during my meetings and then the "that's nice," but not for us response.
Yikes. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[Grapho]

Target market. Children like graphics not text.

[hiredgun469]

Also, maybe it's just me and my lack of sleep but at first and second glance I was under the impression that I would have to pay 1,399 for the upgrade because I have Studio MX 2004 and it looked as if you needed to have Studio 8 to get the 499 upgrade price. I even called Adobe and he told me I had to pay 1,399 and then I had him go online with me and I pointed out what I seen and then he said, "oh, well I guess you get it for 499."
I was wondering if Apple would have a promo for buying the software and a new Mac Pro since a lot of designers have been waiting for both companies to give us something new. That is if Apple would crank something out soon. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[ndelc]

It'd be nice if they'd create a "build your own" package, where you could purchase any six of the main programs for a certain price, and then add another at a discounted price. I'm in the same boat. I was gonna buy the Design Premium Upgrade, but the new Fireworks is pretty compelling, so I'm thinking about the Web Premium Upgrade and upgrading InDesign separately.