Dislike Flexi

[Pro Signs & Graphix]

This must be a "beat up on Flexi day".

All software has its pros and cons. Fortunately for all, of there are more pros than cons.

One of the nicest features that Flexi has is the ability to convert the "workspace" layout, to whatever program you are familiar with. Flexi really started to take-off primarily due to their RIP, and a competitor resting on their laurels.

Flexi IS a very capable package, but it takes a great deal of time to "master" any software.

I do believe $4k for Flexi is a bit much. It should be available on every corner for $2800, the usual selling price. There are times that you can even find it for $2k.

Many people also tout the abilities of Corel and Illustrator. The biggest reason (IMO), is because of cost. Because the cost is usually 10% to 20% of what the "big boys" charge, they become more common in our arsenals.

Getting into this fray would be like arguing: Chevy vs. Ford, and 9mm vs. 45ACP (I'll take the 45 any day :Big Laugh )

Like everything - give it a chance - it's not so bad. (Besides, you already paid for and own it )

George

 

[iSign]

Flexi's strengths lie in it's sign specific features.

I wouldn't say Corel and Illustrator cost 10% to 20% of what the "big boys" charge. I would say they ARE the big boys of general vector based illustration programs.

Flexi, Signlab, or Omega are not in the same category. They are not trying to be competitive with software that may appeal to a user base several thousand times broader then the sign industry. Of course they may cost more, & in some features do less... they can only reasonably expect to sell enough software to partially saturate the market of the sign producing population. Software development takes time & money. Spending the same time bringing a similar product to market that serves a smaller user base requires a higher price. If they acheive the goal of providing us with tools otherwise unavailable (in similar, cheaper illustration software) ...then the price is justified enough for some of us to make the purchase.

I run a small shop. I have Flexi, Signlab, & Omega & consider them all to have paid for themselves many times over. I still design almost everything in illustrator.

 

[Pro Signs & Graphix]

Doug,

Touche...well said. As for Corel and Illustrator, to be correct, they fall into the DTP category - and yes, they cover a greater market. The point was that they are also the most common in the signage business because of their cost. (Apple and Adobe have the commercial printers locked up.)

At the same time, when many people see the cost difference, they automatically tout the cheaper cost. We have used most of them. They all have different strengths/features, as you already know - and the job dictates the tools needed.

Sadly, some buy them and never "master" them or never have the true need for them. Either way - a waste of money.

 

[Derf]

I have always liked Flexi Sign Pro for it's vector tools, Rip and some other proprietary functions.

I do all of my creative designing in Illustrator & Photoshop, I do all my necessary pre cut editing and ripping in flexi.

 

[Rick]

I've been a Flexi user for 10 years so I have some knowledge of it, I am also going on the 3rd major upgrade of my copy of Flexi, the shop I started using it had more of a use for it than I do now. He also had Gerber GA and Corel (I also have both of those programs). One production shop I designed for would have been dead without Flexi since the plotter was running non-stop 10 hours a day. It goes back to what you need it for. Corel and Illustrator is for vector design, it is an all around tool and with the right operator and plug-ins, can be made into a really great sign design program too. If Flexi was better for architectural sign design, logo design, image manipulation and structural drafting, I would use it. Even in the sign application it was made for, Flexi has some disadvantages for me. My Illustrator still cost me quite a bit when you add CadTools plug-ins and the Creative Suite upgrades so price is not the issue with me. Illustrator serves my sign design needs better but I keep my Flexi in case my production needs change.

I agree with a lot of comments here, really get to know the program, incorporate it into your workflow whether you use Flexi alone or a combination of Corel/Illustrator and Flexi. The faster you incorporate it into your business, the faster it will pay for itself.

 

[Techman]

they fall into the DTP category

Sorry but..
Corel's Desk Top Publisher is Ventura.
Adobe has Page maker.
M$ has Publisher..

 

[Pro Signs & Graphix]

If memory serves correct (too long ago to care), Ventura and PageMaker did not appear until AFTER MS Pub. Until then Corel and Illustrator were being used.

Not that it matters - and not like we all will lose sleep.

The reference to Corel and Illustrator was in response to many (not just here) saying that they are "the one and only" - which is not so. Moreover, if ALL software was given the chance - people would be quite amazed at what "it" truly is capable of.......

 

[Rick]

Hey, you forgot InDesign and Quark!

 

[Bobby H]

Aldus PageMaker was the first Postscript-based page layout application, with its first version shipping in July of 1985. Adobe acquired PageMaker when Aldus' properties were split up between Macromedia and Adobe in the mid 1990s (Macromedia grabbed up Freehand, Fontographer and a couple other).

Adobe's current page layout application is InDesignCS2 (the fourth version), which is vastly superior to PageMaker and even QuarkXpress. PageMaker 7 survives as a "business graphics" tool. Adobe FrameMaker is also still around, mainly used for documents of book-length.

The first versions of Ventura Publisher appeared in 1986. Corel aquired the product in 1991. It has never been able to challenge QuarkXpress, unlike InDesign which is now rising to considerable dominance.

Microsoft Publisher 1.0 appeared in 1991, years after the debut of PageMaker and after the first versions of QuarkXpress and Ventura. Publisher has never been accepted in professional circles for a number of reasons. It's very poor file interoperability with other applications is a chief reason for that. It's a pain to get artwork from .PUB documents over into applications like Illustrator, Corel or Flexi. Often you have to just rebuild the layouts from scratch.

 

[Ron Helliar]

Great contributions

Couple of great threads in last couple days. Been around most of this awhile and always new things to learn. Always great to see the inner workings of how other people approach & conquer problems. Keep em coming folks and thanks for the work to make this happen Fred!

 

[Pro Signs & Graphix]

Ron,

You almost sound as if you are working on a psychiatric degree, and we are your study animals :Big Laugh. Come to think of it, maybe Fred is "in" with one of the universities, on the coast?????:Big Laugh

 

[Geary]

Market Bearing

Well, my .02 is with what Doug said. And yes, it is a "chunk" to break off with the initial outlay. However, Flexi and all of the other sign-based programs are only as expensive as the market share. There are MILLIONS of units of Illustrator, Photoshop, Corel and Canvas(my personal favorites for designing) compared to the programs that are used in the sign trade. In fact, I know LOTS of people who bought Illustrator and the others JUST to say they have them! Compare it to how many sign folk there are....well, there you have it.....my reason for agreeing with what is..... just marketing.


~Gear

 

[Ron Helliar]

Ron,

You almost sound as if you are working on a psychiatric degree, and we are your study animals :Big Laugh. Come to think of it, maybe Fred is "in" with one of the universities, on the coast?????:Big Laugh

Too funny
Humans amuse me when they don't terrify me. I've got limited time to cruise up here so it's refreshing when I spend my time wisely with threads like this one that show me something new. As Freud would say, at least the glass is available for use. :Big Laugh

 

[gcljlamb]

Ads too!

My 2 cents:

Flexi to me was intuitive enough, I was able to learn it in two weeks' time.
Obviously not all of its nuances but the vast majority; and this was in the midst of "auditioning" for the job, having never seen the software before.

One of the coolest things about it I like is that I can build ads in it for brochures, newspaper and the internet as well as make signs. For those functions, it works remarkably well; given I haven't spent time in the other programs mentioned, but isn't the point that the software works for what you're doing or it doesn't?

Bottom line, stop picking on my software. It literally saved my butt (and my family's) and has given me a future that's looking brighter all the time.

Just a final note: I'm very thankful for :signs101: and Fred. Without this site, I'd be miles behind where I am now (still have WAY more miles to go).
This community has helped me immeasurably not to mention on the other hand, being able to help others from time to time feels pretty good too.

Thanks,

George

 

[gerald]

Flexi = production

If you do a lot of volume you would appreciate Flexi much much more. If you're a low volume shop then the cheaper tools probably work fine. But, if you're cutting lot's of vinyl and printing a lot of graphics on a daily basis, then Flexi is the way to go.

The volume sold is the reason for the price. If Amiable sold as many units as Corel, Flexi would probably be about the same price.

BTW, the RIP is the only Flexi tool I don't use. I find that almost all other pro. RIPs do a better job.

 

[mtmdesigns]

All the programs are pretty much the same. Flexi just seems to be the best for me. I can do it all in flexi i guess it's your preferance.

 

[SignGuy101]

I have been using Flexi for 6 years now and i can say that in between Illustator and Flexi7.6 i can do just about anything. But the only 2 things that bother me the most in Flexi:
1-arc distortion (looks funny - i use illustrator)
2-the software resolution on my screen with 1280x800 is not that great comparing to illustrator unless you guys have a suggestion to fix that.

 

[Flame]

All the programs are pretty much the same. Flexi just seems to be the best for me. I can do it all in flexi i guess it's your preferance.

uh... all the same? Actually I think they are all VASTLY different. Some are good for some things, others are good for other things. I have yet to find a do-it-all program. Nothing from Corel, nothing from Adobe and nothing from Scanvec Amiable. Nothing does it "all".

 

[mtmdesigns]

Nothing does it "all".


Flexi comes pretty close. Why would you rip in flexi? that's the only downfall in the program. What i was trying to say is they basically do the same thing it's just a matter of what u like or dislike.

 

[Flame]

Nothing does it "all".


Flexi comes pretty close. Why would you rip in flexi? that's the only downfall in the program. What i was trying to say is they basically do the same thing it's just a matter of what u like or dislike.

I am using the RIP in Flexi for 2 reasons. For one, I was screwed over when my dealer said Flexi was the only RIP I could use for my printer. Second, I kinda like production manager and how it handles stuff, so I stick with it.

As far as a true design program, Flexi sucks. It can only do some basics and your options are pretty limited. I think Corel is a far better general program, just doesn't have any "sign" oriented stuff in it.