I started using FH with version 2.0.2.
Without any question - FreeHand was and is (unfortunately) still the best vector program ever. At the other site - Illustrator is so bad, that my english is too poor to express how it is bad. I am not old-fashioned. Believe me - I really honestly tried to switch to Illustrator, I even spent really big money to buy it. I know good this application with all its abilities, I have 7 Macs and 7 designers. But the only reason why we all must always have the newest Illustrators, are the customers they give us their AI documents and we have to work with them.
There are hundreds things I could say against AI. Enough is to say that:
The newest AI is still much worse than 9 year old FreeHand.
A message for Adobe: Guys, as good is your InDesign and Acrobat family, as not bad is your Photoshop - as tragic is your Illustrator. I am absolutely sure that you know that. So please - continue on FH - quiet hidden. The name is absolutely not important. We all - with pleasure - will call that product Adobe Illustrator. Today's AI is only your big shame.