Sorry Adobe, it's time for Corel

[Polarman]

I spent some time looking to upgrade my current photo editiong software. I was using Photoshop Elements 5 for a couple of years now. I've looked at the newer version 8 but i was put off by not so good reviews and user comments seemed worse overall.

Elements is pretty good and cheap but missing alot of what the real Photoshop gives. Unfortunatly, Photoshop CS4 itself is way too expensive for my taste. Come on... 700$ for the regular standalone version. Adobe's creative suite standard is 1400$. Ouch! I can't afford that.

After more Googling and such, i decided to check Corel out. I had used Corel Photopaint 6 for a short while during Windows 95 because one of my friends had it. The latest CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 seemed right as i wanted some extras and not just one single software. Reviews were pretty positive and pricewise, Corel's suite was'nt too bad. Btw, it's 100$ off until the end of the month. There was also 2 free guide books included. On top of that, i found a coupon code for an additional 10% off. Total was 310 buck$, so i went ahead and bought it.

Installation was uneventfull in Vista. 7 is fully supported btw. I've heard some issues concerning 7 and CS4. I applied the latest patch/fix and was ready to go.
I'll have some catching up to do it seems. I have'nt used vector graphics in eons and Photopaint despite having a lot similarities to Photoshop, it's not the same.

Here a small comparison of the 2.

Adobe's creative suite standard has the following:

InDesign CS4
Photoshop CS4
Illustrator CS4
Acrobat 9 Pro
Adobe Bridge CS4
Adobe Device Central CS4
Version Cue CS4

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 has the following:

CorelDRAW X4
Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4
Corel PowerTRACE X4
Corel CAPTURE
CorelDRAW ConceptShare
Bitstream Font Navigator
WhatTheFont
Barcode Wizard
Service Bureau Profiler
Duplexing Wizard

Of course, some of these features are probably useless for me but then again some of Adobe's stuff would suffer the same fate. A savings of more than 1000$ justified my purchase of Corel's Suite.

P.S. Although i do use "freebies" software like 7zip and Faststone Image Viewer to name a few, i'd rather get a "paid" version in this matter. I strongly avoid and disaprove any pirated forms.

 

[PVTCaboose1337]

I always get the student prices on Adobe products, which was $200 for the whole CS3 Pack a while back...

 

[HalfAHertz]

Have you given Gimp and Inkscape a chance?

 

[FordGT90Concept]

The last time I used Corel was in 2005-2006 (WordPerfect Suite). Corel is seriously under appreciated.

 

[Kreij]

I use an old version of Corel Suite for drawing and photos.
Does everything I need it to do (which isn't much).

 

[codyjansen]

have you heard of torrents???

 

[troyrae360]

CS4 is for profesionals thats why it cost more. Coral cant compeat in that market

 

[[I.R.A]_FBi]

have you heard of torrents???

whats that

 

[MRCL]

Corel... last time I used that, the tutorial vids were on VHS... it was more intuitive than Photoshop tho, dunno if thats still the case.

By the way CS4 + Win7 no problems here.

 

[[I.R.A]_FBi]

adobe doesnt know its toes from its fingers nowadays

 

[Polarman]

have you heard of torrents???

I'm going to bite my tongue and disregard this statement.

Corel... last time I used that, the tutorial vids were on VHS... it was more intuitive than Photoshop tho, dunno if thats still the case.

Training Videos
Learn the basics of using CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 with 2 hours of new training videos on DVD. Topics include illustration, design and image-editing fundamentals, industry-specific design principles and output details for various media, such as print or the Web.

 

[Wrigleyvillain]

I'm going to bite my tongue and disregard this statement.

Smart man. Codyjansen? Not so much.

 

[codyjansen]

Smart man. Codyjansen? Not so much.

lol.

 

[Steevo]

I used IT dollars at work for Elements pack. I still like Gimp more for image minumplation. I'm not that good and even I can make it go, and do a decent job of chopping a image.

 

[Disparia]

Glad you got Corel... let Adobe know that they can't ride on name forever.

If the company I worked for hadn't bought me a CS4 suite and I had to pay out of my own pocket, I'd be looking for alternatives as well.

 

[TIGR]

For what it's worth, Adobe CS4 is working fine for me on 7 Ultimate x64.

 

[HalfAHertz]

Seriously, for all it's worth, Gimp and Inkscape do just fine for medium to light photo manipulations and vector drawings. And they're bloody free

Anyone on a tight budget should give them a go.

 

[InnocentCriminal]

I quite like Paint.net.

 

[roast]

GIMP is far better than photoshop IMO - primarily because of the fact of the huge difference in price.

The same results can be produced from both programs (however photoshop is a little more user-friendly) but the fact that GIMP is free makes it 100 times better.

As for Corel.... I remember I got some Corel photo-editing suite bundled with a printer I had around 10yrs ago... excellent software, and may have a look for some trial versions of thier newest progs.

 

[Thrackan]

I quite like Paint.net.

QFT

Paint.net is ideal for light use imho. Where before I used Photoshop, but not intensively, I found that Paint.NET covers all the functionality I needed, and sometimes better implemented (their lasso tool rocks).

As part of my quest to use less illegal software, this was one of the best.

 

[sttubs]

QFT

Paint.net is ideal for light use imho. Where before I used Photoshop, but not intensively, I found that Paint.NET covers all the functionality I needed, and sometimes better implemented (their lasso tool rocks).

As part of my quest to use less illegal software, this was one of the best.

+3
I'm another Paint.Net user that came from Photoshop, give it a try.

 

[Pickles24]

I use to work for a US Patent office where we had to do illustration in vector, before the concept went to attorney. Anyone in the know will tell you, Corel Draw is second to none. I also believe if all the plugins and brushes were out for Photo Paint, it would be equal to PS.