Shallow Thoughts
Random stuff for the pixel monkey in all of us. With your host, Kevin Schmitt
 
« January 2009
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
    
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
       
Today
 
 
 
 
 
Wednesday May 16, 2007
 

R.I.P. FreeHand (1988-2007)

Well, it's official. Adobe's John Nack blogs today:

After a long and storied career, Adobe (neé Altsys, Aldus, and Macromedia) FreeHand has reached the end of its development road.

FreeHand has been effectively dead for several years (the last version was MX), but the doctors are only now calling it. It's always sad when a seminal and influential software product reaches the end of the line, so here's hoping FreeHand and HyperCard are frolicking together in that great Recycle Bin in the sky (while Microsoft Bob endures the eternal BSOD). Of course, Adobe will continue to sell FreeHand MX, but no MacIntel/WinVista updates will ever see the light of day. Current FreeHand MX users will be able to upgrade to Illustrator CS3 for $199, and then to various CS3 suites from there.

Wonder how long Director has now, despite earlier assurances that rumors of its demise had been greatly exaggerated...

Comments:

I've used Freehand since it was called Aldus...remember those days, before Macromedia. When Macromedia took over Freehand, the bezier tools were combined and made us artists extremely happy. No more switching tools to make a curve!

I'm very upset that it's being discontinued. However, Illustrator has always been very good and comparable to Freehand. It's going to be hard saying goodbye to an old friend of 17 years, but I guess we need to move on with the "merging" times...even if it hurts;)

Posted by Brian E.W. McNulty on May 18, 2007 at 03:19 PM EDT #

Post a Comment:
  • HTML Syntax: Allowed