(a post by FFH Bez, from our previous Q&A forum)
“Adobe's strategy has always been to remove competition as much as possible in each category of the software toolsets they currently market.”
I'm writing an article (a very special new project we'll be sharing later on) and this assertion is begging to be made. However I don't want to put this statement in without good substantiation.
We're all familiar with Adobe's path to market domination: purchasing Aldus and Macromedia, killing off the perceived weaker product where they see overlap. But what specifically can be pointed to as supporting the above statement? Have they demonstrated any tactics where, through a restricted file type or other aggressive behavior, they were able to edge out their closest competitor in a given category?
Examples, please. This could be very useful to our cause. And, thanks in advance.
Would you agree with the following statement about Adobe?
Re: Would you agree with the following statement about Adobe
(answer by Peter Schmitz)
Hi, as a graphic-designer i´m working with Freehand since 1988. I loved the constant development in implementing features creative people like me, really needed, without overfeaturing the programm. Maybe Illustrator is fine for people working in the industry, but it never reached simplcity and intuitivity that Freehand has since Freehand 5.0. I wonder why the US-Goverment does not react on Adobe buying a compatetor and than letting it die. Microsoft would not come away with this.
Sorry my english is not that good. I hope you get the idea. Keep the good work up. Freehand must live.
Peter
Hi, as a graphic-designer i´m working with Freehand since 1988. I loved the constant development in implementing features creative people like me, really needed, without overfeaturing the programm. Maybe Illustrator is fine for people working in the industry, but it never reached simplcity and intuitivity that Freehand has since Freehand 5.0. I wonder why the US-Goverment does not react on Adobe buying a compatetor and than letting it die. Microsoft would not come away with this.
Sorry my english is not that good. I hope you get the idea. Keep the good work up. Freehand must live.
Peter
Re: Would you agree with the following statement about Adobe
(answer by FFH Mark)
With respect to user "envirographics" on the Adobe forums, I felt his post fit here:
If his comments are true about CS5, than this is a clear restriction.
With respect to user "envirographics" on the Adobe forums, I felt his post fit here:
Hi, We have just upgraded to Flash CS5, wanted CS4 and were told there is now CS5 and it will be that. We come to open our Freehand maps from our vast database of such and CS5 wont open them. Flash 8 would. CS5 we are told has dropped support for Freehand. This brings the new map work of a Government body in Flash to a halt.
Freehand is the tool for maps, superior to Illustrator. I have tried out Illustrator and hate it, other Cartographers also stick with Freehand. Its about time Adobe stopped shunning that side of the graphics industry. We have a job to do. If Adobe host Freehand they should ensure two vector apps work together. No reason why suddenly Flash will not work with the vector file, somebody has simply tweaked it to deny Freehand users the ability to use Flash anymore.
As I type I now learn that Adobe have dropped selling Freehand, long rude word !!!!!!!!!!!! How dare they deny cartographers a better tool. We have tried to convert maps in the past, the clipping paths are one aspect that fall over. Line caps another. There is no time to both do a job and mess around battling with Illustrator, no money to employ a second person to be tasked with this. Gov't helped the banks out and now find the money by cutting down on us !
Does anyone know how to work with Freehand and Flash, CS3 I gather will open fh9 files (I still use FH9 as I prefer its interface 3 doesnt look like an 8 etc, data entry windows a decent size. ) Will CS4 open fh9, ...will it open .fh11? — Envirographics
If his comments are true about CS5, than this is a clear restriction.
Re: Would you agree with the following statement about Adobe
(answer by Freehander)
Throughout my history of using Freehand, i've noticed Adobe has always snubbed direct import into illustrator. Freehand, on the other hand, has always provided numerous ways to export or save files out of the native freehand format. For example, since its earlier versions, Freehand could export in numerous .ai formats and even .pdf, whereas Illustrator never offered a direct FH import for any version.
The macromedia suite provided great interoperability between Fireworks, Flash, Dreamweaver, and Freehand in MX. That was the pinnacle of object linking and imbedding, where a user could copy directly from Freehand and have the vectors be editable in Fireworks or Flash. I did this often when I'd start a website design in Freehand and want to extend some of the functionality. It worked really well. Once adobe purchased macromedia, many of these features were broken and/or poorly supported in the newer CS releases. What we've seen happen is a systematic extermination of Freehand over time. I believe the statement above because i have seen/experienced it first hand.
BTW, I'm proud to say my icon/logo/identity was created in Freehand!
Throughout my history of using Freehand, i've noticed Adobe has always snubbed direct import into illustrator. Freehand, on the other hand, has always provided numerous ways to export or save files out of the native freehand format. For example, since its earlier versions, Freehand could export in numerous .ai formats and even .pdf, whereas Illustrator never offered a direct FH import for any version.
The macromedia suite provided great interoperability between Fireworks, Flash, Dreamweaver, and Freehand in MX. That was the pinnacle of object linking and imbedding, where a user could copy directly from Freehand and have the vectors be editable in Fireworks or Flash. I did this often when I'd start a website design in Freehand and want to extend some of the functionality. It worked really well. Once adobe purchased macromedia, many of these features were broken and/or poorly supported in the newer CS releases. What we've seen happen is a systematic extermination of Freehand over time. I believe the statement above because i have seen/experienced it first hand.
BTW, I'm proud to say my icon/logo/identity was created in Freehand!
Re: Would you agree with the following statement about Adobe
(answer by FFH Mark)
I just read this thread today; A new way to purchase Adobe software?
Sounds like leveraging to me.
I just read this thread today; A new way to purchase Adobe software?
"Why can't we pick and choose what we do and do not want? Why Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign so expensive individually, making those three items more expensive than the cost of the Design Premium (whatever that means) package with a bunch of other stuff we don't need?"
Sounds like leveraging to me.