Adobe Illustrator 9.0 [Old Version]

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Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004TGFJ
• Item model number: 26000945
• Date first available at Amazon.com: May 4, 2000
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,706 in Software (See Bestsellers in Software)

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  Software > Graphics > Illustration

• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk
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 what the competition has to offer.

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 bitmaps 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 bitmap 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 bitmap 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

Amazon.com Product Description
Adobe Illustrator 9.0 expands your creative freedom and enhances your productivity with its new Web graphics tools, versatile transparency capabilities, powerful object and layer effects, and other innovative features. Now you can use these fast, flexible tools to transform your creative ideas into sophisticated graphics for use on the Web, in print, or in dynamic media projects.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 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

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.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A New Standard in Vector Graphic Design!, November 22, 2000

By	"yarrokon" (Phoenix, AZ United States) - See all my reviews

Adobe's Illustrator 9 has made some smart leaps in Vector Graphic Design with its new Illustrator 9.0. For years Adobe has been the industry standard in graphic design software, and Illustrator 9 helps Adobe to stay on top. New support for Flash and SVG help make Illustrator a standard and a Must Have for any Graphics Professional.

Adobe's intuitive user interface helps the newest of users learn the fundamentals of Computer Graphic Illustration. Along with Illustrator 9 any new user should get Adobes Illustrator 9 Classroom in a Book. The book will walk you step by step showing you the basics of Computer Graphic Illustration, beginning, intermediate and some advanced features that Adobe Illustrator 9 has to offer.

A Must Buy!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great graphics program: a MUST for any graphics professional, July 16, 2000

By	Aimee Hamilton (Colorado Springs, CO) - See all my reviews

If you're wanting to pursue a career in graphic design or would just like to dabble, Adobe Illustrator is one of the most basic tools you will use! The program itself is not difficult to understand or learn, besides there are many books to help people who can't seem to make the program work! Almost all of the job opportunities in the graphic design field require basic knowledge of Adobe Illustrator.