Illustrator 9.0 Upgrade [Old Version]

by Adobe

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004TGFN
• Item model number: 26000946
• Date first available at Amazon.com: May 4, 2000
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #14,856 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com

There are three choices for anyone wanting to create vector illustration on a PC or Mac--CorelDRAW 9, Macromedia FreeHand 9, and Adobe Illustrator 9. This latest release of Illustrator puts it on equal terms as far as version numbers are concerned; in every other respect, it far surpasses the competition. The big issue for existing users has always been transparency. Because vector packages are not supported by PostScript, this lack of transparency has always been a problem. Illustrator 9 allows you to apply transparency to layers, groups, and individual objects, including bit maps and type. Individual letters, words, or entire paragraphs can be made transparent; the text is not converted to paths and so remains fully editable.

Live feathering, one of a number of new features known collectively as layer or live effects, allows you to create soft edges of the kind that were previously only possible in bit-map editors like Photoshop. Live effects change the appearance of objects, groups, or layers without affecting the underlying artwork, so you can edit or remove the effect at any time and edit the underlying object.

Illustrator 9 introduces new tools for Web authoring. Flash export options closely match those available in FreeHand 9, allowing you to easily create layer-based animations. Similar support is provided for the new SVG standard for Web vector images. There's also a Photoshop-style Web-optimization module for bit map export.

New lasso tools, improved integration with other Adobe products, live shapes, graphic styles, Web-safe RGB workflow, and better PDF integration complete the most comprehensive upgrade in Illustrator's history. --Ken McMahon, Amazon.co.uk

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The industry standard finally comes up to industry standards, November 7, 2000

By 

chris "claizik" (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Illustrator 9.0 Upgrade [Old Version] (CD-ROM)

Illustrator is a solid vector graphics program but in my opinion slightly over-rated. It isn't as good as Freehand or CorelDraw (but this version certainly closed the gap). Many of the "new features" aren't so new. For example, transparancy and soft drop shadows (a couple of features that weren't in the previous version) have both been around for several years/versions of both Freehand or CorelDraw. If you are aspiring to be a graphic designer dealing with print graphics, you definitely should learn this program. It is the industry standard (required for most print graphic jobs), and, as history shows, no matter how far the technology falls behind it will stay the industry standard.

If you don't want to become a professional designer but need a good drawing program, take a look at CorelDraw--you get way more bang for your buck, besides it's more intuitive/easier to learn.

For web graphics Freehand may be the better choice (it works better with Dreamweaver & Flash).

Don't get me wrong, Illustrator is a very good product and this is a good upgrade (I frequently use it in my work), but unlike Photoshop, it isn't the hands down best product of its type as other reviewers may lead you to believe.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Stick with your old 8.0, May 16, 2001

By 

RePete (Pacific Palisades, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Illustrator 9.0 Upgrade [Old Version] (CD-ROM)

For starters this new version takes about twice as long to load up when you open the program. When I'm working with this 9.0 version I keep getting the hour glass every time while working with some tools. It's always processing stuff. I NEVER encoutered this with 8.0 version. After a while it gets really annoying. I purchased this newer version because Adobe finally figured out how to support transparency in Illustrator. I have still yet to get it to work. Even my neighbor (who runs a graphics company) can't figure out how to make this Windows transparency thing work. I think the Mac versions are much more of a breeze though. Anyway long story short I continue to just use my 8.0 Illustrator while using PhotoShop for transparency stuff. 9.0 is a waste of money!

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Benchmark for illustration programs, July 9, 2000

By 

Jeffrey Belcher "gigusa" (East Hartford, CT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Illustrator 9.0 Upgrade [Old Version] (CD-ROM)

Who can deny Adobe's firm hold on the digital graphics field? Illustrator 9 gives us more web tailored options, brushes, layer options and gradient possibilities. It's flexibility is unmatched, allowing unlimited choices for text presentation and integration. I'm glad Adobe is finally beginning to catch up to Macromedia in the Web integration field. Illustrator 9 allows you to save for the web, a lovely feature.

Illustraor is not exactly an easy program, but it's made for professionals and man, does it deliver!