Hello from a new FreeHand Forum member

[markt_a1b]

Here follows the text of message I just now posted to Creative Review's "Freehand Anonymous" Web site:

It is April 27th of 2015, and although I am typing this message on an execrable Windoze XP PeeCee, I *still* - happily - use FreeHand 8.x, under OS 9.x. Likewise Fontographer. When something continues to work so very well, why throw it away? As long as I have a Mac capable of running OS 9.x, and I do have several safely standing by in reserve, then I will continue to run FreeHand and Fontographer. In the meantime, if there is a still-alive FreeHand discussion list, by all means please let me know at markt_a1b at yahoo.com. Hang in there! Mark SW Misery (MO)
Mark
---------------------
Now that I have found your Forum, I do hope to be able to participate - and perhaps even contribute - from time to time. For now, thanks again to some of the FreeHand stalwarts who have so graciously guided me in the past: Graham Allsopp, G. Armour Van Horn, Sandee Cohen, Olav Martin Kvern, Joel Dreskin, David Mendels and others.

Best regards,

Mark in SW Missouri

[FFH Mark]

Welcome Mark, always good to see a new face here.
I'm pretty impressed that you are using FreeHand 9 since most of us here are 10 or MX. I have FreeHand versions 8, 5, and 3 on my Mac using Sheepshaver and have spent a good amount of time converting old files for myself or others to latest FH. Also, great to see you posted on Creative Review...did you know there are now 3 FreeHand Anonymous articles on CR and all are packed with comments? Incredible.

Our discussion list seem to be more on the FreeHand Facebook page since it went up a few weeks ago. There is our Twitter page but it's not very good for discussion; more for latest news. Van Horn's email list also continues to bounce back with discussions even when I think it has been forgotten.

I sure like seeing some of the notable names you listed although I don't know all of them. The other name I would add is the uber-talented FH-guru/author, Ron Rockwell. He is a huge inspiration for me.

Welcome aboard!

—Mark

[markt_a1b]

FFH Mark wrote:

> I'm pretty impressed that you are using FreeHand 9
> since most of us here are 10 or MX....

I never upgraded beyond version 8.x (under Mac OS 9.x), because the latter still does everything I need it to do.

> Our discussion list seem to be more on the FreeHand
> Facebook page....

Due to my active involvement in security-related work, I have always avoided Facebuck like the plague.

> Van Horn's email list also continues to bounce back with
> discussions even when I think it has been forgotten.

By "bounce back," do you mean that posts get returned to the sender, not to the list; or do you mean that the list is still active with posts? If the latter, how do I subscribe?

> I sure like seeing some of the notable names you listed
> although I don't know all of them....

Joel Dreskin and David Mendels were both knowledgeable and responsive Macromedia sources of FreeHand (and Fontographer) technical support. Sandee Cohen wrote "Real World Freehand 8" (see pages 169 and 175 for a couple of pieces of simple line art that I contributed), and Olav Martin Kvern wrote "Visual Quickstart Guide for Windows & Macintosh."

Graham Allsopp is one of the Owners of the UK's CARTO-SoC cartography-relaed e-mail list, which is a good source of FreeHand advice:

http://www.soc.org.uk/cartosoc.htm

> The other name I would add is the uber-talented FH-guru/author, Ron
> Rockwell. He is a huge inspiration for me.

I am not yet familiar with Ron's work, but do hope to become acquainted with it in the future.

> Welcome aboard!

*Thank you*, Mark!

Best regards,

Mark I.
SW MO

[addseo1115]

Glad to see your advice.
I have enjoyed with your posts.

[Jules V]

Hi lovely to see people still using Freehand. Have recently changed jobs and I can't believe how Freehand still out performs both Illustrator and Indesign in so many ways. Have it running on 4 Macs

[markt_a1b]

Good for you, "Jules V"! Are your 4 Macs running OS "Ex" - or earlier OSs? I still have a G3 "All-in-One" running OS 8.6, used for basic scanning, but use one of several dual-boot, dual-processor G4s for Freehand. This software/hardware combination (still) makes me happy as a grown-up! <Grin> Mark

[johnwaid]

I have been using Freehand since version 1. I still use it, and am currently using it right now (version 10). I am totally self taught, but must have learned something as I was employed for several years teaching Freehand to degree level at Belfast College of Art. I also self taught myself Illustrator (by necessity) to complete a job a few years ago, but detest using it for a variety of reasons. I will continue to run Freehand on my iMac no matter what happens, and simply import the vectors into Photoshop. I won't upgrade my iMac to the latest operating system for fear that it may disable some aspect of Freehand use. That's how important it is to me.

I have no idea why Freehand was abandoned, but sometimes the dark side does prevail. (I have two friends running a very successful Graphic Design agency who use Freehand, and only Freehand for everything they do, including multi-page brochures.) At some stage I will write to Adobe and ask them some simple questions as to why Illustrator is such a terrible piece of software to use in comparison to Freehand. (I like to ask questions!)

johnwaid - lecturer NCAD Dublin