Disclaimer

This is the subjective view of a person who, a few hours ago, first got acquainted with the new version of the collection of programs from Adobe - there will be no serious analytics and objective assessments.

I didn’t read anything about the new features of each program, and if I did read something, I forgot by the time of the release :) Therefore, I will describe only those features that immediately caught my eye or came to hand during the review of the new version. And since I “studied” for each program for 10-15 minutes, I will give literally 3-4 notes for each - the rest can either be discovered by myself (I like this process the most) or read in specialized sources.

So it will be like self-made video presentations of mobile innovations - “oh, I open the box ... what we have here ... wow - a phone, a charger and a drive ... pretty.”

For each program I watched, I will give my personal assessment of the update on a five-point scale: 1 - WTF, 2 - worsened, 3 - cheers, nothing was broken, 4 - normal, 5 - an excellent update.

Configuration

Notebook: Samsung Q35
Processor: Core 2 Duo T5500, 1.6 Hz
RAM: 1.5Gb
Hard disk: 7200rpm, 200Gb
OS: Windows XP SP3

Installation

I downloaded, unpacked, launched the setup. A distribution with extensions takes 8.5 gigs, about 25 more are required for installation (in the end, about 7 remain on the disk). During the installation process, the installer accidentally cursed at the discrepancy with the minimum system requirements (there are only one and a half gigabytes of RAM of the two desired), but allowed to continue the installation. As it later turned out, you can work with one and a half gigs. I completely forgot to cut down the antivirus (KIS) at the time of installation and apparently because of this the process lasted about 2 hours, which didn’t particularly strain, because priority of resource consumption and disk access were very discreet and the installation did not interfere with my business.

By the way, there is one important point that does not paint the installer: after you install the necessary set of programs for yourself, if one of them breaks, you will not be able to go to the "Install / Uninstall" and fix it - just delete it. Not only to add any component, it is necessary to run the installer again to the full, and only the initialization stage lasts for about 15-20 minutes and eats up disk space cheerfully. Therefore, it is better to install everything you need at once.

Common to all applications

Firstly, these are new skins, for my taste much more usable than the previous ones. Almost all applications are reduced to two styles. Using really became much more convenient.

Secondly, Resource Central is a flash drive built into the interface of some programs that organizes access to various kinds of content located on Adobe servers - graphic, sound and other files.

Thirdly, which annoyed me very much, the help is now online, so I won’t be able to install and read without the Internet. Well, at least the PDF versions of the help were posted on the site.

The acquaintance order in the products I had was random, but I left the sweets for last.

Soundbooth (Sb)

1. Finally, the item File-> New appeared. Previously, he was not there, and my body was somehow reluctant to perceive the CS3 logic - in order to create a file, you need to press Record and record something or open an empty disc and save it as a new file. Now there is the creation of an empty file, and a file from a clipboard, and a file from a selected piece (it used to be the same, but it was released quite crookedly)

2. In addition to creating simple sound files, we added the ability to create a Multitrack file, ie file containing several audio tracks at once. Each sound file on a track can be edited on the same screen, drag-and-drop within the same track and dragged between them, etc. Only the ability to cut the file directly on the track is lacking, as is done in Premiere

3. Resource Central gives you access to the online repository of a huge pile of free sound effects and “tunes” collected in libraries. He wrote the melodies in quotation marks, as these are not simple melodies, but so-called scores, that is, sets. A lot is a file with several channels, for each of which you can change the volume by using kiframe. Included in Sb are a couple of files for review. To make it clear what I'm talking about: there are a lot of citystreen in the kit, which has 3 channels - street, rain and construction. The only problem is that the sets go for a single money.

4. Now you can work with metadata - add, search, etc.

After several launches, Sb stopped loading beyond the splash screen. Reinstallation (long and painful) did not help. Strange - all other programs from both CS3 and CS4 work fine.

Update rating: 5- (minus I attribute to the curvature of my configuration)

Premiere Pro (Pr)

1. In my opinion, it works a little faster than the previous version

2. Finally I figured out to add a media browser window, yet when working with video you have to constantly import many different components of the clip - sound, video, pictures that are scattered throughout the disk. Now you don’t have to go through the menu for each. It is strange that this was not implemented in earlier versions.

3. Added work with metadata, although with my scope of work this is not so important, but I think the professionals will be happy.

4. There is a very convenient function for normalizing the audio track in two clicks.

5. I was pleased with the export of the finished film: now when exporting, you can add the bluer, trim the video for export (while the original does not deteriorate), and even upload automatically to ftp.

Update rating: 4

Contribute

I like this product - posting to WordPress is much more convenient than any other tool that I used. But still, looking at the smuggle you understand that this program was not made by those Indians who created Photoshop and illustrator. The new version is still not perceived as part of the package - it is something separate, made according to its own guidelines. Yes, they changed the skin a little - now the top menu looks the same as the new photoshop. And this is the only more or less noticeable change that I found without clues. Maybe the program is just perfect, or maybe all the buns are deep inside.

In general, the assessment of this update was awkward: 3

Photoshop (Ps)

Well, only the lazy did not write about this product until its release. I won’t do a review of new features, I’ll just say my IMHO:

1. Finally, it became convenient to work with photos in Photoshop :) Well, the truth is that until now, to make any color, brightness, etc. corrections, it was necessary to do at least 3 mouse clicks (Image -> Adjustments -> [tool]) and there, in the own window of this tool, make adjustments. But this is one of the most important tasks of Photoshop in my opinion - to fix a photo.

Now this is much easier to do - we were given a new Workspace specifically for working with photography - Essentials. In the new version, all the adjustments that were in the Image -> Adjustments menu are presented as buttons on a regular panel, which means access to them is three times faster.

Moreover, the creators took care of presets and adjustments, which are located in the same place. You can save your own.

2. Another powerful feature of the new Photoshop is working with 3D. This is done very simply and conveniently, but there are also places where lovers can dare to turn around. Now you can make a 3D-object from any layer (a pyramid, a cone, a parallelogram, etc.) and twist-twist it as you like. But that’s not all - you can import a real 3D object directly into your picture. Several types of files are supported, the most significant of which are 3D Studio and Google Earth objects (by the way, you can not only import them, but also open them).

Because the video in my laptop is rather wretched, I could not appreciate the beauty of real-time rendering, but even the fact that I pulled the laptop was excellent. All. Will have to upgrade.

3. The buttons for controlling the zoom, screen format, etc., were carried up and made large - this is also a plus - now you can get there even with the touchpad the first time without particularly aiming.

Of the minuses, I noticed only that there is still no “Not for all” and “Yes for all” button to exit Photoshop. Strange - there are other applications in the same series.

Update succeeded, switch without thinking: 5+

Fireworks (Fw)

This one definitely had a positive effect on the product. He got up from his knees and propped up Photoshop with the illustrator with his powerful flash-like shoulder. I dug in it very little today, but I was satisfied.

1. Finally, Fw has become similar in design and logic to working with it to other applications in the series. Still, before, a very strong difference was noticeable. Now almost completely in the same style. Almost - because all the same in some places there were inexplicable differences, which, logically, should not be. For example, in Photoshop, the Hand tool, Zoom tool, Zoom Level and Screen Mode were moved to the top menu. Immediately, for some reason, we limited ourselves to only the first three, leaving the screen mode on the toolbar. This is a trifle, but I am actively using this trifle because of the small screen (1280x800), and now every time I will try to click the wrong one. Very weird jamb.

2. I was very pleased with the tighter integration with AIR and Flex — now you can create an AIR Package without leaving the ticket office, add AIR-specific commands for hotspots, create skins for Flex components, etc. I haven’t digged deeply, but I’ll definitely dig it.

3. There are guides for aligning elements relative to each other - well, why only now 8 (This was in other CS3 applications.

4. A very important thing - they made a button at the top right, with which you can switch pages in a multi-page document with two clicks of the mouse. And again it’s already annoying - why almost in 2009. This thing was already in the 3rd flash 10 years ago, and as far as I understand, the Fw interface was copied from the flash.

5. To align with the distance between the objects, they figured out the possibility of setting the distance manually in pixels, as was done in Ai. Previously, you had to use algebra or the trial and error method for this%)

In general, now you don’t feel uncomfortable using this product - it was brought into the form in which the product can be played in CS-packs.

My rating for the update is to pass unambiguously: 5+

Version Cue (VC) & Drive

Not everyone knows this bunch. I'll tell you in short. Version Cue (VC) is something like SVN for designers - a shared resource management system with version control. VC is integrated into the most significant MC components (PS, Ai, FL, etc.), in addition to VS servers can be reached from Adobe Bridge.

The new version of MC has an additional program called Adobe Drive, which allows you to make a network drive from any remote VC-based storage and work with it like a regular drive - it's convenient, isn't it.

I can’t say anything about performance - I have one computer with MC, but the feature looks pretty impressive.

Innovation Rating: 4

Bridge (BR)

I never used it before - I tried to see what kind of animal it was, but every time I spat and turned it off - it was a very slow-down stupid browser of media files. The new version differs radically from the old one.

1. The speed of work is impressive - delays when changing folders are minimal, drawing thumbnails (even 10 Mpx NEFs) is very fast. Also, in my opinion, the launch time was reduced by almost two - this is also a big plus for the “browser” (by the way, this is one of the reasons why I use Chrome)

2. There are collections, including and Smart Collections (for example, to find all the pictures on the P drive that were made by a camera whose name contains the letters D80)

3. Navigation on the drive is much more convenient (you need to see this) and content filtering

4. I liked the Open recent button, which gives access to all the latest open files of several programs at once (Ps, Ai, Fw, Fl ...)

5. Now you can select several documents and use one click to assemble a Web gallery or PDF.

I just didn’t like the fact that Bridge does not understand at all that some photos were processed in Adobe Lightroom - it does not see any photo corrections or metadata. Of course I understand why this is not - in LR you can make several directories at once, which will process the same files differently. But this problem is not the most significant - nevertheless, LR by itself works perfectly and it needs a browser (or it?).

Update needed: 5+

Dreamweaver (Dw)

Without even looking into it, you can safely say that the update will be necessary and as always worthwhile.
Well, if you look a little:

1. It has become much more convenient to use - as the properties panel used to infuriate me, in order to minimize it it was necessary to get into a small 4x20 pixel pip. Now this panel collapses when clicking on the healthy gray area of ​​the title bar - very nice, especially for those who have small widescreen screens

2. Moving the toolbar to the right is again a bonus for widescreen formatters. There was more free space and even a height of 800 pixels began to be more or less enough for a split-screen.

3. Further on functions: Live View - this is a must see. Stunningly convenient thing - they clicked on the button and the working page is already reflected in the design window, the same as if you launched preview in the browser. Moreover, both javascript and flash are supported, and if you click somewhere with the mouse, in the code window the cursor moves to the desired element. Of course, the mismatch of some browsers with the standards leaves its mark on this technology - you still have to start browsing in browsers, but this will now be possible much less often.

4. Further work with CSS - the creation and use of styles has become much more transparent, clearer logic and probably more understandable to people who are not familiar with CSS.

5. Another important feature is working with Photoshop files. Now they can be embedded directly into the page (i.e., in fact, of course jpeg is inserted, but it is linked to the base file and all the changes you make in it will be automatically reflected in your jpeg) and do not climb every time photoshop in order to change the quality of jpeg or

6. And I would like to finish the Dw micro-review on another innovation - InContext Editing. It was laziness to make this thing work on my own, so I limited myself to watching a video about it. The meaning is this: we create several “editable regions” (for example, the topic of the post, author and content), set formatting parameters for each of the regions (can I change the font, size, color ...), we drive one post into the “repeating region” and fill it to your server, which may not even have php support. Together with your html-page several js-files are uploaded. After that, in order to add or change the content, press Ctrl + E, log in to Adobe and change the content of your page in the WYSIWYG editor. Most likely all the content is physically located on adobe servers and when opened by js, it is pulled out and embedded in the page.

Update succeeded by 200%, must have: 5+

After Effects (AE)

I didn’t work with this thing either in the previous version or the current one, so I can’t say anything - after all, AE is such a thing that you need to work hard to talk about it. Skin has changed :)

Encore (EC)

In a previous version, Encore tried to make a header for a family video DVD, but somehow this process did not capture me. The new version generally refused to run in Trial mode, so I can’t say anything here.

InDesign (ID)

1. I liked the expected bonuses, such as rulers for aligning objects relative to each other, a more informative reflection of changes in the size, position and rotation of objects. It would

be nice in Photoshop :) 2. When you make printed materials, it’s interesting to see how the page will look if you expand it. This is also implemented in the new version of ID - now you can temporarily expand each page 90 or 180 degrees.

3. As in all other products of the CS4 line, the IDs were pulled to a prominent place and expanded Workspace.

4. I liked the ability to export books to flash both in the form of an XFL file and SWF. Moreover, to change pages, you can directly configure transitions in the ID. So now in order to create interactive web-books one InDesign is enough.

Rating: 5+

OnLocation (OL)

A new program in the MC, which was not in CS3. It is necessary for competent, more organized capture and recording of video to disk. And since For some reason, the DV output of my camcorder is dead; I did not succeed in testing the program. All that was possible to understand by the elements of the program was recording with viewing various graphs and in real time, adding metadata, searching for and viewing an existing video.

When I change the camera, I will definitely use it.

Illustrator (Ai)

1. Workspaces appeared

2. I liked the hints for actions, as in InDesign - sizes, position, turning angle, type of object - very convenient

3. Added amenities to the gradient - before it was some kind of nominal squalor. Now - a very convenient, intuitive tool. It has become very easy to use, you know exactly what the result will be. In addition, we added a transparency setting for gradient points (though the flash is still cooler)

4. A new tool has been added - the Blob Brush Tool. As I understand it, it works almost like a Paintbrush Tool, it only creates not separate paths, but immediately combines them into one object. Definitely a useful thing.

My rating: 5+

Flash

Well, lastly, I’ll open the most long-awaited “box”. This is the only application I knew about the new features before the release, because I follow the development of Flex / Flash technology with great interest.

1. The first thing that catches your eye is the completely reorganized space: what was above, became below; what was the screw, was on the right. Straight 91 year.
2. The property bar requires a separate word: now there is everything you need to know about the object. Not only that, all this can be changed without using the keyboard - the numbers are made in the likeness of the digital slider in Premiere: pressed it with a button, pulled it to the side to the desired value, released it. Beauty.
3. A new Tween has appeared - now the old Tween is called Classic Tween. The new one has become much more usable. Now the Motion Guide is no longer needed - everything is done right with the object. It is difficult to explain in words - you must either see it (tv.adobe.com) or try it yourself. Awesome thing. What I did two minutes before, now I will do it in 10 seconds. And then I’ll change for 5 as if I were digging in the old flash for another 3 minutes.
4. As for the new tween - now the change in each property (X, Y, Z, Scale, Rotation) can be configured regardless of the change in other characteristics. This is the Motion Editor socket. According to the logic of work, it is somewhat reminiscent of 3D Studio, only it is made in a more usable form.
5. There is support for 3D. Hooray, comrades! This is a real serious achievement. Twisting and turning 3D objects is very simple, for those who worked in some kind of 3D editor the logic will be quite understandable.
6. I know that there is support for synthesized sound, this is also very cool (recall the Spectrum), but I myself did not get there - there was not much time. I’ll definitely get there later.
7. They also added a Deco-tool - a tool that looks a bit like the Symbol Sprayer Tool in AI. The logic of his work is of course different based on the specifics of the flash, but to draw for example a lattice or some waves is as simple as possible.
8. A smart innovation - the Bone Tool. Those who worked with programs for character animation understand the name. I will describe in brief: two objects are taken (for example, two rectangle symbols), a bone is “drawn” between them — a connection of some point of one object with another. After that, the objects are connected. One object, as it were, is fastened to the wall with a stud through an invisible stick, and the second is attached to the stick with a screw and can rotate independently of it. The result is certainly cool - you can easily make a little man, whose legs, arms, head and machine gun will hang correctly. Feature of course - there are simply no words. It makes me even more enthusiastic than 3D and synthesized sound. In considering that we get everything at once and we don’t have to choose ... 8)))

Perhaps I’ll end there, otherwise you yourself won’t be interested in understanding :) And there are still many, many bonuses.

The innovations are certainly amazing. It is a pity that the convenience of working with Action Script in a flash remained at the same level. But this is nonsense - we have more convenient IDEs for this (at least the same Flex Builder).

I could not resist this novelty and put 6+ - the boiling water has not yet poured out%))

Conclusions.

As always, Adobe was pleased with the quality update of one of the coolest (and, in my opinion, the coolest) design packages. All programs are brought to a single style, many successful functions and solutions migrated to those products in which they were not. Apparently, large-scale optimization was carried out, because almost all applications began to work much faster. New skins give the impression of reliability, one careless movement of the mouse no longer spoils the appearance of the workspace.

All updated. Without fail.

UPD: demolished and reinstalled Soundbooth three times - to no avail. Does not work. It seems that you have to put on a clean Windows. Or wait for the patch ...