As an Adobe user, I'm in shock!

[James Burke]

Ok...so I'm a software addict. Not because I'm a techno-geek, but because each application has specific capabilities that the others do not. My collection includes Illustrator, Photoshop, SignLab, Omega, AutoCAD and now Corel X6. We first started out with Corel 3 back in '95.

We recently acquired some accounts (with files) that were done in Corel, so I jumped at the chance when Corel offered current Adobe users a "cross grade" to X6 Graphics Suite for only $189.

The customer service rep spoke flawless English and said that they would ship the boxed set free, but that it might take extra time since it was mailing via "economy" rate.

Today (two days after order was placed) FedEx rolls in the driveway and hands me a rather heavy box from Corel...way heavier than I had anticipated for just a DVD.

And to my wondering eyes? I open the box to find a beautifully hardbound reference handbook along with the software DVD. I am absolutely stunned! In this "electronic everything" world we live in, somebody still believes in heavyweight glossy paper, and honest to goodness real software.

Wow....just, wow.

JB

 

[SignManiac]

Wait until you become familiar with the software and see what you can do so easily. All of my work is done with Corel and so is Joe Diaz. It's a shame that Adobe has such a strong hold on the education side and that's why many use it and never get a chance to work with Corel. Great software at an affordable price.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Wait until you become familiar with the software and see what you can do so easily. All of my work is done with Corel and so is Joe Diaz. It's a shame that Adobe has such a strong hold on the education side and that's why many use it and never get a chance to work with Corel. Great software at an affordable price.

Except when you use it on conjunction with Wilcom software.

I agree and I cut my teeth (but not at the higher educational level) with Ai and there are some things that I'm still quicker at within it compared to DRAW, but since DRAW is directly interfaced with EmbroideryStudio (and has been since X4 or ES1.5) that has changed for me considerably. But I still use CS5 on occasion, using it right now for a hat design I'm working on. I really think both are fully capable and what we have here is nothing more then just a software version of the OS debate of Win v Mac. For some things, I even like Inkscape more.

 

[James Burke]

Kudos to Joe Diaz

And kudos to Joe Diaz whose Steampunk Stella resides on the book's introduction page.

...Really, the book itself is a work of art and could gracefully adorn anybody's coffee table...right next to a steamy cup of roasted heaven.

The "out of the box" experience with the software was impressive, to say the least. I'm curious if the backlash toward the "anti-tangible" CC has anything to do with such a grand presentation.


Jim

 

[royster13]

I got the same package long before CC was announced......Corel has to work harder to impress because they are miles behind...As far as backlash, not only do I love my Adobe software, my Adobe shares are up over 46% since I bought them in July 2011....Just wish my handful of shares was 1,000s of share...And the analysts say they are still going up...So no backlash in my mind....

 

[wildside]

Miles behind? Really?
Corel is fantastic and I dont believe they have ever cared much about the masses like adobe does. They just do their thing and very well at that.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Miles behind? Really?

He could either mean "miles behind" in terms of market share, or in terms of quality of product (or both).

The edge that Adobe has is that like Mac, they have engrained this sensibility that you aren't legit in this business unless you are using the "industry standard" which is their product of course. So that taints someone that positive nature of those numbers that royster listed. I know a few that are still with Adobe, despite them not liking the CC stuff, for that very reason. If I know of a few, how many others are there? Also don't discount the Mac users as well. Mac users (other then Inkscape) don't have a viable option like Windows users (DRAW), so you have some sticking with that, because of that and they don't want to run a 3rd party program to run Windows to run Draw (which I can understand wholeheartedly, did that with my embroidery software during my foray into the world of Mac, not going back to that).

What I'm afraid of what this really signals is that Adobe has realized that for all intents and purposes (for the most part) Ai and Ps (especially this one as it's their flagship product) is mature and they have to come up with a model that will generate a sustained revenue stream. Sure, they will come out with a few "wow" abilities, but in all honesty, how much does some of that stuff affect us on a work flow basis? Some...sure, maybe. But the majority?

Of course, this also will (if it hasn't already) affect Corel and their products.

I could get away with CS2, but normally I still upgrade every generation. Rather or not it was truly needed. I like to stay on top of things and on some programs my upgrade cost is more then what Ps goes for buying new, so I'm not talking about upgrading a $100 program every time a new one comes out. But limit how I am able to upgrade, I go elsewhere if there is a viable option.

 

[Joe Diaz]

I never really got the whole "industry standard" argument. It's not like you can't open and edit a butt load of different formats in DRAW, including the "industry standard" Not having Adobe has not prevented us from succeeding in this industry. To me the entire "get in line and follow what everyone else is doing" wasn't a good enough reason for me to switch over to Adobe products, especially since we had such great luck with DRAW and no one could ever point out one clear advantage it had over DRAW other than everyone else is using it. I kind of like being different. I sometimes feel like I discovered that really great band that no one else has heard of yet. I hope Corel does well, but I kind of like that they are smaller and a bit more approachable as a company. I've met many of the people that build the software, I'm a phone call away from many of them. They are all great people and seem interested in the opinion's of the users that buy their software and seem to put building great software in front of outdoing adobe with how many boxes they can sell.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I never really got the whole "industry standard" argument. It's not like you can't open and edit a butt load of different formats in DRAW, including the "industry standard" Not having Adobe has not prevented us from succeeding in this industry.

20 yrs ago that might have been the case. Sometimes it's just hard for people to break with history at time.

I hope Corel does well, but I kind of like that they are smaller and a bit more approachable as a company. I've met many of the people that build the software, I'm a phone call away from many of them. They are all great people and seem interested in the opinion's of the users that buy their software and seem to put building great software in front of outdoing adobe with how many boxes they can sell.

I think it's pretty much the same with Wilcom (which would help explain when the pairing of the two is doing pretty well) as well. I don't have quite the same rapport with Corel, but then again I haven't had the need to, but it seems like they run their company like Wilcom runs theirs. I don't get the same vibe with Adobe.

 

[Joe Crumley]

I don't have a dog in this fight so I feel unencumbered. I've got it all on both sides. While I love Corel, it's just not up to the Adobe level. There are lots of options Corel has the advantage with such as importing just about any kind of file and quick outlines in color but when it comes to Lightroom effects the waters begin to part. It's not that any program has exclusives, it's the speed and easy each has. Fortunately Corel can now manage Open Type fonts with legatures. In previous versions it was a no go. So once again, we had to stay with Adobe. There are plenty of reasons to use both. But, in my opinion, Corel is still the Jr and I can tell at a glance when it's being used. For most people it's an excellent purchase and I recommend it. Joe Crumley

 

[ironchef]

Thats funny, i payed the full price on x6, and only got the dvd's ...wtf

 

[signmeup]

I got the same package long before CC was announced......Corel has to work harder to impress because they are miles behind...As far as backlash, not only do I love my Adobe software, my Adobe shares are up over 46% since I bought them in July 2011....Just wish my handful of shares was 1,000s of share...And the analysts say they are still going up...So no backlash in my mind....

Go up against Joe and Corel with your Adobe Illustrator... go ahead... I dare you. Joe will mop the floor with you.

Adrian

 

[royster13]

No arguments from me that Corel X6 is a very capable program....And most any talented person could wipe my *** with their results.....I am talking strictly about installed base / market share.....

If someone were starting out and asked me what to buy I most often would say Corel X6.....Heck for the price it is hard to beat....

 

[Joe Crumley]

Adrian, Once again I have no favorites. However this isn't about Illustrator alone. It's about the adobe package. What ever you feel comfortable with is fine with me but each has it's strong points. I've never cared for priority systems like Adobe, Gerber, and others but they have led the way. For example the use of Open Type. It has been off limits to Corel until the last version and even that isn't up to date. But I'm willing and ready to be mopped up. I have no favorites! Please, Please show us some examples. Joe Crumley

 

[signmeup]

My point wasn't that one is better than the other... My point was the software won't do squat without a good designer at the controls. It ain't the software that makes Joe so good. He would kick my butt with Microsoft Paint.

As for me... I just use Corel to make patterns to transfer stuff to the substrate.

I do like that Corel is a Canadian company.

 

[John Butto]

CorelDraw is still only for Windows and not the Mac? I have CorelPaint which is OK but still like Photoshop for all the features it has. And it is nice to have Bridge so as to see everything on the computer and switching back and forth between Illustrator and Photoshop is also a nice feature. But there is still a debate between 2H and 2B going on.

 

[signmeup]

No Idea John. I must confess that I never have the occasion to want to swap in and out of programs to add effects or whatever you folks do with Illy and Photoshop. I don't really do any work for print where that would be useful. I do mostly "actual reality" vs visual effects. Pretty much any software has way more power and features than I would ever need. I like "user friendly".

 

[James Burke]

Before this thread goes the way of the age-old Corel vs Adobe debate, I'd just like to say that each software title has its own set of strengths. And what constitutes a strength to one person may very well be a weakness to another, and vice versa. And let's not forget the "personal talent" factor that also plays into the mix.

There's a reason why I pony up the cash for new software. In some cases, the reason is only for one or two new tool buttons that make my work so much easier. Time is money, and if I find something that adds value to what I do, I jump on it...even if it means learning a totally new program.

The only important thing here is that we are able to look at ourselves in the mirror at day's end and say that we've made an honest living, and have lived peacefully among our friends and neighbors...especially here on the forum.


JB

 

[Joe Crumley]

Another advantage to purchasing Corel Draw is the huge number of great fonts, not to mention how affordable it is. And it has more import filters than just about any other software on the market. However they are small fish compared to the Adobe group. They could buy up Corel in a heartbeat. That's because it's not only the International standard for commercial printing, it's also the standard for in commercial advertising around the world. If, for example, when one of the high dollar commercial ad agency sends a printing job to Japan, Sweeden, or some where in the world, all the color specifications are pulled out from Adobe's color files. There are big dollars at stake. For that reason Adobe has become the Intl. Standard that most printers and agency's use. But don't get me wrong, I'm also a Corel fan. It's a great program. Joe Crumley

 

[OldPaint]

1993 i started with a 386DX40.....and COREL VERSION 3...............and have never in all these years NEEDED OR HAD A REASON TO HAVE ADOBE PHOTOSHOP OR ILLY.
COREL DRAW & PHOTOPAINT........has been all i have used or needed. i was one of the 1st to discover COREL 3 could be used to cut vinyl!!!!!!!
while living in sarasota fl, i knew a lot of people that attended RINGLING SCHOOL OF ART. this was another one of those educational mills that taught ONLY Adobe & macs!!!!!! so this is how they get their clients.