ADOBE MEDIATION RESULT

[Jules V]

[Atelier FM]

Hallo Mark,
Hallo Thü,

(leider nicht englisch)

Danke für eure verlorene Freizeit und den harten Kampf um FreeHand, dem heute immer noch besten Programm für Grafiker, Designer und viele andere kreative Berufe. Leider sieht es so aus, dass Adobe gewonnen hat und FreeHand unter OSX endgültig tot ist.

Warum reagiert Apple zu diesem wichtigen Vektor-Thema nicht? Hat Apple Angst vor dem Monopolisten Adobe?

Meine persönliche Einzel-Arbeitsplatz-Empfehlung für alle FreeHand-Arbeiter, bis Adobe den Illustrator auf FreeHand-Niveau bringen will:

- 1x Monitor
- 1x alter Mac-Rechner (FreeHand 5-10, Illustrator)
- 1x neuer Mac-Rechner (PS, Acrobat)

Also SO WENIG WIE MOEGLICH in neue MAC's mit Adobe-Programmen investieren und diese nur als Übersetzungs-Büro (für Importe oder für Postscript/PDF-X-Produktionen etc.) verwenden. Wenn beide Rechner verbunden sind, ist der Workflow mit GARANTIE effizienter als mit dem neuesten, barocken und komplizierten Illustrator CS6. Das Arbeiten mit alten FH-Programmen/Dokumenten funktioniert wieder problemlos und mit hohem Niveau.

Verbesserungen fuer Illustrator:
1. Arbeitsflaeche-Minimum wie FreeHand 5
2. Zoom-Faktor-Minimum wie FreeHand 5
3. perfekter Import alter FH's (MX)
4. kontrollierte Position bei vielen Seiten
5. 100% mm-Raster/mm-Positionierung
6. Reduktion von Kindergarten-Funktionen
etc.

Ich habe Angst wenn Adobe verspricht, den Illustrator mit FH-freundlichen Funktionen zu ergänzen!

Warum?

Zum Beispiel der Versuch Adobes, 3D-Funktionen im den Illustrator zu integrieren ist Peinlichkeit pur!
Zur Erinnerung: das Pendant "Adobe Dimension" unter OS9 funktioniert absolut nicht perfekt, ist aber immer noch um vieles besser und SCHNELLER als 3D mit Illustrator CS6 und OSX. Das kann doch nicht sein!
Junge Kunden von Adobe haben davon leider keine Ahnung.

Diese Info zur Software-Produktion von Adobe und daher meine Bitte an das FFH-Team: Vorsicht bei Versprechungen von Adobe!

[vaa]

Hello!

While I thank you for all your efforts and a few years of hope, I must say that I am very disappointed about this settlement.

The purpose of Free FreeHand was to serve at least an adequate reply to Adobe’s unfair and abusive competition practice. In this, Free FreeHand has failed – and has obtained a petty rebate in exchange, one as Adobe often grants anyway. In fact, just a cross-upgrade, rather expensive.

The genuineness of Adobe’s intention to cooperate is imho doubtful to say the least. To “meet in person with designees of Free FreeHand on at least four occasions to discuss ways to update and improve Illustrator in ways that we believe will best meet the needs of FreeHand users” – this seems technically inadequate and sounds like derision – on all sides. Besides, the “designees” shall do Adobe the (unpaid?!) favour of… helping them steal what’s left of FreeHand and seal its fate. Moreover, the details are… “confidential” so Free FreeHand members and the public at large will never hear anything about it… ever… Unbelievable!… How embarassing…

For this favour, Free FreeHand forfeits any possibility to think again. Illustrator 6 will remain undisturbed in stopping support for FreeHand documents – 20+ years’ archived and active work. And any chance of having anyone do anything. For good.

Thank you for your efforts.

Collegial greetings,

vlad arghir
graphic designer

PS: I am ready to forfeit any Adobe rebate if you decide to publish their reasons. I doubt they are as respectable as you say, if you'll excuse me… Btw, there is something like freedom of the press – and Wikileaks. No?

[Cheryllion]

There must be someone "out there" who can design programs like this -- someone who we can pay to develop a program that is closer to the old Freehand, only better...? Nothing we can do on that front?

[Art of Pendleton]

My heart sank and I panicked when I read that Illustrator CS6 will no longer open FreeHand files. But then I realized that I use so many non-Adobe features in FreeHand that it's been a very long time since I've been able to open Illustrator first, then open a FH file -- I've had to convert artwork that I've kept relatively simple into an Illustrator88 file from FreeHand if I want an AI version for the client.
Illustrator has been a substandard tool my whole career -- I see no marked improvement in the CS6 version, which I recently installed.
I have no faith in Adobe, either, as voiced by many here. When my thousands of FreeHand files will no longer open on any machine, I'll probably just walk out into traffic. Thanks for nothing, Adobe.

[art101]

Amazing. What a hideous outcome.

I trusted Free FreeHand. Stupid me. I thought maybe Free FreeHand could save FreeHand from Adobe's evil corporate money-grubbing clutches. Apparently not.

"Adobe has agreed to provide eligible Free FreeHand members one non-transferable discount off the current list price of an electronic download of one of the following Adobe products purchased directly from Adobe at an Adobe direct online stores located in countries in which Adobe has such a store ("Discount"): (1) $199 off the full version of the Adobe Illustrator CS6 product; or (2) $199 off the full version of the Adobe Design & Web Premium CS6 product; or (3) $399 off the full version of the Adobe Master Collection CS6 product (the "Authorized Products"). The Discounts are expressed in U.S. Dollars. For Authorized Products purchased at Adobe direct online stores located in countries outside of the United States, Discounts will be a comparable percentage off the retail price set in the applicable local currency of such countries in which Adobe has an Adobe direct online store. More details about the Discount are set forth below."

F*CK ADOBE. F*CK FREE FREEHAND.

I don't want a broken version of FreeHand. I certainly don't want to buy Adobe's crappy, bloated, f*cked up Illustrator ... pretending to be FreeHand. I want FreeHand. I bought it, I played by the rules, I gave Adobe my money ... Adobe raped me.

I will never give Adobe another penny of my money. Art, like morality, consists of drawing the line somewhere.

[Tom]

Many thanks to you for all of your efforts !!
Must be tough after all that hard work....

Looking at their "" page (linked in OP) - it looks like they have no intention of supporting opening FH files in the future.
Maybe not intended as a slap in the face - but it sure feels like one...

Hopefully they will listen to suggestions for improving ai - I guess it is a possibility...

[Tubby]

20+ years of archive files. I get re-orders all the time (T-Shirt business is cyclical) now the "compensation" will render my two decades of work usless. Thanks Adobe. you (Adobe™) tried to kill us when we were Aldus™. but we (Freehand™) managed to wriggle free of your evil clutch and become an even greater threat to your soul-less dollars. now you have managed to dismiss us with a sad and insulting "Coupon". I will be fine. I know how to draw. I only hope you (Adobe™) will at least consider and implement some of Freefreehand.org's suggestions and help us to embrace your product instead of grudgingly slave away at our professions with "all we can get now". one suggestion .. simple.. yet would be very welcome... rubberband mode pentool. you have it in your Photoshop app. Just one simple request. soo many others await.

ok.. I think I said what I needed to say. thank you Freefreehand.org you fought a good fight.

[tvc152k]

I CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT THE TEAM FROM FREE FREEHAND BELIEVES THIS IS A SETTLEMENT!

It is a complete slap in the face... I would have crawled under a rock forever rather than deliver this news to the forum!

Sorry to say this but shame on you Thu and the rest of your team.

[ThePixelDoc]