CorelDRAW Webinar "What's New for 2020"

[Jim Hill]

I happen to like Inkscape and it has just about everything I need for my business.

For me I did not like the feeling of being black mailed and since I really do not like private equity firms in general and the way they do business it was time to move on.
It seems there master business plan is to squeeze every penny out of a company and then sell it off to another private equity firm bottom feeder within 5 years.

Jim

 

[WildWestDesigns]

But then you throw out these remarks implying Adobe's Illustrator development team must be incompetent to not have already implemented infinite art board sizes or at least art boards way bigger than the current 227" X 227" maximum.

A response of mine from a thread started specifically over this topic.

Bare in mind too, we are also talking about mature programs (30 yrs or so),
while a feature may seem to be simple, sometimes dealing with the code, there
may need more cleaning up then one realizes.

It is in response to this quote here:

I realize it's a petty request but since I bump into this limitation multiple times a week I am simply expressing my annoyance and trying to rally other like minded people to petition for a change.

You also participated in that thread as well.

We tend to discuss the same thing over and over again. If I firmly believe that the devs where incompetent and there was a thread started specifically for the same thing issue that you think that I am saying the devs are incompetent, why am I not voicing it in that thread? We hardly change our discussions, why would I change so easily from what I said in that discussion where I would have had more people voicing their disgruntled attitude about the same thing (a feature that doesn't even affect me no less)

 

[decalman]

Its not fair that you don't get to share the problems and issues of the newer systems.

Sorry.
Someday I'll be able to complain too.

 

[Big Rice Field]

Most of the "push back" those companies have received in response to their shift to subscription models is a whole lot of verbal complaints online but very little in the way of action. Adobe certainly hasn't suffered a net loss of users with their switch to the subscription-only model. With rival companies trying to go the subscription route (like Corel) that may do more to help Adobe maintain and to continue to grow its user base. Adobe's stock price has soared since the introduction of Creative Cloud in June of 2013. Some of the biggest gains have come just in the past 12 months. The price per share was around $45 back then, nearly 7 years ago. It peaked at $383 last month and has only faltered somewhat lately due to coronavirus fears. The stock could hit $450 per share before the end of the year.

Corel, BTW, is a privately held company, sold by Vector Capital to KKR last July.



Yeah, alternatives like Autodesk Studio 3D Max.

I don't know the situation regarding Maya since I don't use it. Nevertheless Autodesk seems to be the equivalent of Adobe in terms of 3D software for modeling, animation, architecture, engineering and manufacturing. Autodesk's stock price has run a similar but not quite as impressive trend line as Adobe.



I wouldn't call Photoshop for the iPad a "bad release" as much as it is a work in progress. I also believe many trying this "full" version of Ps on the iPad have very unrealistic expectations. The iPad, even a maxed out Pro model, is not a replacement for a real desktop or notebook computer. If anything, I consider full blown Photoshop (and Illustrator) for the iPad about as useful as a second belly button. The best graphics applications on the iPad are the ones having the courage to specialize in a specific area rather than try to cover every base. Procreate is excellent in that regard. Adobe will never be able to get Photoshop and Illustrator working on the iPad the same way those applications work on a Windows PC or Mac because there are too many fundamental differences between how those devices. The iPad keyboards don't even have enough keys to cover all the shortcuts I routinely use. So I'm likely to just keep using Adobe Photoshop Sketch and Illustrator Draw to create hand drawn items and then zap that work over to the desktop computer for more refinement.

 

[Big Rice Field]

The thread hijacked. It is about Corel 2020 and not about competing products.
Corel is an industry leader in eh SIgn business. for may reason that I do not want to get into here. All I can say is that in my experience nine out of ten sign companies prefer Corel over Adobe.

As for the subscription marketing method, it is less expensive in the long run compared to the upgrade method which cost three times as much in the past releases.

As a dedicated Corel user (since version 4 in 1994) I will stick with it. Faster than Adobe. It works better with shop manufacturing equipment like routers and bending machines.

For the user, a faster learning curve. and much lower cost to purchase.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

The thread hijacked. It is about Corel 2020 and not about competing products.

When I made the post, it was more about correlating with what had gone on with Adobe and applying that to issues that Corel could face (or even worse given how 2019 version was reported by some).

Corel is an industry leader in eh SIgn business. for may reason that I do not want to get into here. All I can say is that in my experience nine out of ten sign companies prefer Corel over Adobe.

That could be true. Files that I get sent typically, when they are factors, aren't CDRs, so it isn't easily discerned from that. Experiences do vary though. It is widely popular in the apparel world as well.

As for the subscription marketing method, it is less expensive in the long run compared to the upgrade method which cost three times as much in the past releases.

Cheaper for whom? In the long run, end users more often then not get the short end of the stick. I didn't do the price analysis for DRAW as I'm not a DRAW user before this route (it came bundled with my digitized software, even could run an instance within the digitize software itself as they are linked in that manner, I just never installed it, X8 is the version linked to the latest version of the digitizing software) of theirs, I never felt the need.

However, with Adobe and my only needing(not wanting, there is a difference) Design Premium (this is key), it would take 7 yrs and then it would be cheaper with perpetual license versus subscription (and this was before their slight price increase as well). June of this year would be 7 yrs since it was only release CC. And that is with upgrading every release with regard to the perpetual license as well, not skipping releases. While that example is about Adobe, it could be applied to Corel, depending on how they price their product, what discounts they offer for multi year sign ons (if they offer that, a lot seem to like the year max, so either monthly or yearly) etc versus getting the perpetual license every new release etc.

As a dedicated Corel user (since version 4 in 1994) I will stick with it. Faster than Adobe.

Yep, Adobe has a lot of legacy code in it and that contributes to the "bloat" and the slowness. Unfortunately, culling out that legacy code isn't always easy especially when factoring in customer and their wants/needs. It's apart of Window's problem as well.

It works better with shop manufacturing equipment like routers and bending machines.

I think that's their biggest selling point for a lot of users not just in the signage field. At least in my experience when talking to others about it.

For the user, a faster learning curve. and much lower cost to purchase.

I've been hearing good things with Affinity Designer and it is cheaper, plus, I think like Adobe, they are offering Designer for free for 2 or 3 months.

If 2020 version has the same response that 2019 has, could be some shift there.

Be interesting if Bobby has had a chance to play around with 2020 since he got it. How the OTF support is on it and the like.

 

[Bobby H]

All I can say is that in my experience nine out of ten sign companies prefer Corel over Adobe.

Obviously that's an anecdotal claim, not scientific at all. CorelDRAW has a long history in sign shops, but "preference" has absolutely nothing to do with it. The real truth is that the vast majority of sign shops have always used DOS and Windows-based computers. CorelDRAW was just about the only choice sign shops had for a mainstream draw-type program. In the early 1990's Adobe was putting most of its resources for Illustrator into the Mac version. With little competition CorelDRAW was able to build a pretty big lead.

It took the rise of large format digital printing in the 2000's for Adobe's software to start getting adopted in sign shops. Over the past 10-15 years Adobe has been chipping away at Corel's lead in sign shops. Adobe's software already heavily dominates many other niches in the graphic design industry.

As for the subscription marketing method, it is less expensive in the long run compared to the upgrade method which cost three times as much in the past releases.

That is completely incorrect. The subscription version of CorelDRAW was $198 per year, but is now $249. The cheapest way one was able to buy and maintain a CorelDRAW license was having a full version already, then paying the nearly $300 up front hit to the wallet to lock in a $99 per year "upgrade protection" rate. That deal is no longer available. Any existing CorelDRAW users had a deadline to get into the program. That deadline has passed.

Now, it's worth repeating the price of CorelDRAW was effectively doubled over time when the application went to a yearly upgrade schedule rather than a 2 year cycle. Users were paying $150 to $200 once every two years to keep a CorelDRAW license current. The cost doubled to $200 every year. Now, with the subscription setup that price is even higher, working out to $500 every 2 years.

As a dedicated Corel user (since version 4 in 1994) I will stick with it. Faster than Adobe. It works better with shop manufacturing equipment like routers and bending machines.

That's nonsense. My shop has a routing table and a channel letter return notching/bending machine. We used Arete software in conjunction with our routing table prior to getting the notching/bending machine. None of that stuff takes CDR files. The applications that feed artwork data into those machines typically import EPS files.

As for the claim that CorelDRAW is "better" and "faster," that comparison really depends on specific tasks and application functions. I've been using CorelDRAW since its first version. I've also been using Adobe Illustrator since version 4. I'm no fanboy of either application. There are some things CorelDRAW does do better than Adobe Illustrator. But then there are things Illustrator does a lot better than Corel.

I deal with a lot of corporate branding assets and much of that stuff is generated by Adobe Illustrator. CorelDRAW does not have a 100% overlap of Illustrator's features. CorelDRAW can be highly suspect at importing Illustrator files as well as EPS and PDF files made in Illustrator. I don't like how CorelDRAW handles gradients and transparency. While I generate a lot of sign designs and client sketches in CorelDRAW, I do use Illustrator (and Photoshop) to fine tune designs prior to them being output by large format printers. Plus there's certain effects and features Illustrator has that CorelDRAW doesn't. Add to that the highly impressive suite of Illustrator plug-ins made by Astute Graphics.

I've been hearing good things with Affinity Designer and it is cheaper, plus, I think like Adobe, they are offering Designer for free for 2 or 3 months.

Currently Serif is cutting its prices in half. The Windows and OSX versions of Affinity Designer, Photo and Publisher cost $24.99 each. The iPad versions of Affinity Designer and Photo are $9.99.

If 2020 version has the same response that 2019 has, could be some shift there. Be interesting if Bobby has had a chance to play around with 2020 since he got it. How the OTF support is on it and the like.

CorelDRAW 2020 basically feels like a bug fix for CorelDRAW 2019. But some bugs still remain. There's lots of details about it at Corel's own community forums. Really the biggest new feature in the 2020 version is the addition of OpenType Variable Font support. This is one of those features where CorelDRAW is definitely NOT faster than Illustrator. The axis slider performance, rendering a variable font object as you move the slider, is TERRIBLE. The object disappears as you move the slider. You pretty much have to type a number into the value box and hit enter. Illustrator's handling of variable font objects on the very same computer is far superior. You're able to see the font object dynamically change as you move any axis slider, be it weight, width, slant or some other axis built into that specific variable font.

The thing that really has a lot of Corel users disappointed in the variable fonts feature is CDR 2020 included no variable fonts.

Adobe Illustrator has several variable fonts built-in (along with some SVG Color fonts too). The Google Fonts site has several variable fonts available there. But each one of those has only one single variable axis: light to bold. None of them have a width axis slider. A variable font with a width axis would be very useful for sign designers. That leaves CorelDRAW users with only one variable font with a width slider, Bahnschrift, the one variable font included in Windows 10. If they want other variable fonts with a width axis they have to go buy them. Variable fonts can be pretty expensive. Basically you're buying a super family of fonts that's built into just one font file.

I think Corel has some tough days ahead of it. The first thing they have to do is clean up the bugs. They've gotta get both Mac and Windows versions completely stabilized and improve the application performance. Version 2020 does run a little better than CDR 2019, but there is still a lot of work to do. And then they're really going to have to take a hard look at their pricing. The price of the subscription only version jumped by $51 to $249 per year. I really can't see how Corel can expect to attract new users at that price point. The only alternative is the buy once for $499 option with no upgrades following that. I'll bet they end up having to back-track those pricing models and upgrade policies.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Currently Serif is cutting its prices in half. The Windows and OSX versions of Affinity Designer, Photo and Publisher cost $24.99 each. The iPad versions of Affinity Designer and Photo are $9.99.

This is what I'm talking about here.

That half off that you are talking about is the purchase price for those that take advantage of the free "trial" and then want to purchase the products.

CorelDRAW 2020 basically feels like a bug fix for CorelDRAW 2019. But some bugs still remain. There's lots of details about it at Corel's own community forums. Really the biggest new feature in the 2020 version is the addition of OpenType Variable Font support. This is one of those features where CorelDRAW is definitely NOT faster than Illustrator. The axis slider performance, rendering a variable font object as you move the slider, is TERRIBLE. The object disappears as you move the slider. You pretty much have to type a number into the value box and hit enter. Illustrator's handling of variable font objects on the very same computer is far superior. You're able to see the font object dynamically change as you move any axis slider, be it weight, width, slant or some other axis built into that specific variable font.

The thing that really has a lot of Corel users disappointed in the variable fonts feature is CDR 2020 included no variable fonts.

Adobe Illustrator has several variable fonts built-in (along with some SVG Color fonts too). The Google Fonts site has several variable fonts available there. But each one of those has only one single variable axis: light to bold. None of them have a width axis slider. A variable font with a width axis would be very useful for sign designers. That leaves CorelDRAW users with only one variable font with a width slider, Bahnschrift, the one variable font included in Windows 10. If they want other variable fonts with a width axis they have to go buy them. Variable fonts can be pretty expensive. Basically you're buying a super family of fonts that's built into just one font file.

I think Corel has some tough days ahead of it. The first thing they have to do is clean up the bugs. They've gotta get both Mac and Windows versions completely stabilized and improve the application performance. Version 2020 does run a little better than CDR 2019, but there is still a lot of work to do. And then they're really going to have to take a hard look at their pricing. The price of the subscription only version jumped by $51 to $249 per year. I really can't see how Corel can expect to attract new users at that price point. The only alternative is the buy once for $499 option with no upgrades following that. I'll bet they end up having to back-track those pricing models and upgrade policies.

So bottom line 2020 isn't all that much better. That's really a shame. I'm always one that prefers options.

 

[Bobby H]

The options with CorelDRAW now are quite onerous towards users.

The subscription version is not worth $249 per year. The combination of there just not being enough compelling new features as well as the lackluster performance (including bugs that have spanned multiple product versions) just doesn't add up to a $249 per year value. CorelDRAW 2020 got variable fonts capability (but no bundled VAR fonts), CDR 2019 gave us little thumbnail images of objects in the Object Manager docker and CDR 2018 gave us a pointillizer filter. I like the pointillizer tool for simulating LED sign displays. Under normal circumstances I would be inclined to skip at least 2 or more upgrades cycles to let enough new features accumulate before finally upgrading. We don't have that option anymore with CorelDRAW.

The $499 "buy once, keep forever" non-upgrade-able full version option is not a great deal since Corel hasn't put much development resources into fixing the product. The 2019 version had so many serious issues, but received only 3 updates. There were still serious bugs present even after the 3rd update. But Corel threw in the towel on that version. I would expect them to do the same with the 2020 version.

The wildcard of the coronavirus global crisis will probably make things considerably worse for Corel. Since the company is privately held I really don't know how far in the red the company may be following the recent sale of Corel by Vector Capital to KKR. They couldn't have known about this pandemic in advance and what it would be doing to the global economy. Still, it's bad timing.

I don't really mess with PhotoPaint. But it appears that the biggest improvement in the 2020 suite for some users is the new image enlargement functions in PhotoPaint.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

The options with CorelDRAW now are quite onerous towards users.

Wrong options, I mean options within software choices, not necessarily options within one package. I would hate to see Corel Draw just disappear in other words.

The 2019 version had so many serious issues, but received only 3 updates. There were still serious bugs present even after the 3rd update. But Corel threw in the towel on that version. I would expect them to do the same with the 2020 version.

I would expect this to be an issue with any program where a subscription method is employed. Some are able to handle that better then others. A year turnaround is just not enough dev time, it's not. What little dev work I've done with my own programs, the beta testing that I've done for closed source programs (no not with Adobe, but I have done with others), it's just not enough on average.

I don't really mess with PhotoPaint. But it appears that the biggest improvement in the 2020 suite for some users is the new image enlargement functions in PhotoPaint.

I've never really messed with Photo-Paint either. Liked Painter, but that isn't even apart of this package. Their licensing on that (Painter) has changed as well (well this was a ways back, last time I checked, don't know if it's gone the subscription route like the others now though, wouldn't be surprised though).