Adobe CS3 First Impressions
Upgrade versions of Adobe Photoshop Extended CS3, Adobe Illustrator CS3, and Adobe In Design CS3 for the Mac arrived via FedEx yesterday. Due to the time it takes to install the packages and perform other upgrade associated reconfigurations with my two systems, I haven’t had time to do much more than take a cursory look at the applications. Overall, though, I’m pleased with the changes I’m seeing. I’ll let you know if that changes as I start doing both training and real work with them.
The first thing I noticed, of course, was the increased speed, mainly via the reduction in boot up times and the snappiness when working with old files. I pulled some photos into Photoshop and a multi-page booklet style document into In Design, and it was easy to tell I was now working with “native” software. I intend to run the Retouch Artists’ Photoshop Speed test in the next few days, and I’ll post the results as well as comparison data using CS2 and the CS3 beta here.
I did take the time to verify that Adobe had fixed the cursor bug that had consistently caused me to ditch the beta software; and, as I was expecting, they had. Selecting a tool that uses a round cursor (i.e., clone tool, any brush, etc.) to show you the affected area before you apply an effect works as expected. I don’t know what that took to fix, but I couldn’t understand how such a publicized problem could escape being fixed for the second beta release. At least, it is fixed in the final version. If it hadn’t been, I would have stayed on CS2 and pressed Adobe to give my money back.
The only glitch I ran into was during installation. Photoshop CS3 refused to install because it thought I was still running the CS3 beta. I had downloaded a “clean-up” script from Adobe; so, I cranked it up. It brought up the Terminal; and after informing me of the dangers I would be taking, it asked me if I wanted a Level 1 or 2 clean-up. I opted for the Level 1, and that proved to be all I needed.
The upgrade then ran its installer, only asking me for the CS3 installation key in the process, even though I had already removed PS CS2 from the hard disk. I believe these upgrade installers search for proof of prior versions somewhere in the operating system files at a level that seems to bypass the customary supplying of the previous version CD or key number routinely seen in any of the earlier versions. That, or Adobe isn’t asking for it anymore, something that would be welcome but is highly unlikely. (After all, they’ve already shown they don’t trust us by making us activate the software. Maybe that’s enough for them, but I doubt it.)
The feature I like the most (so far) is what I’m going to call the “pallet docks” at the right side of the screen. A vertical bar with icon and text descriptions awaits a click to reveal the appropriate pallet, which with another click disappears into the vertical bar. It really does save space and provides a convenient way to get to individual pallets without having to resort to the menu bar. I can see how it might also become a bit of pain; whether it does will have to remain a topic of conversation for later after I use the application for a while.
These three applications cost me $778 (with tax and shipping). Right now, it appears to me they just might be worth the cash, something I can comment more on as I delve into the “extended” feature set of Photoshop CS3 Extended and the new features in Illustrator and In Design.
The first thing I noticed, of course, was the increased speed, mainly via the reduction in boot up times and the snappiness when working with old files. I pulled some photos into Photoshop and a multi-page booklet style document into In Design, and it was easy to tell I was now working with “native” software. I intend to run the Retouch Artists’ Photoshop Speed test in the next few days, and I’ll post the results as well as comparison data using CS2 and the CS3 beta here.
I did take the time to verify that Adobe had fixed the cursor bug that had consistently caused me to ditch the beta software; and, as I was expecting, they had. Selecting a tool that uses a round cursor (i.e., clone tool, any brush, etc.) to show you the affected area before you apply an effect works as expected. I don’t know what that took to fix, but I couldn’t understand how such a publicized problem could escape being fixed for the second beta release. At least, it is fixed in the final version. If it hadn’t been, I would have stayed on CS2 and pressed Adobe to give my money back.
The only glitch I ran into was during installation. Photoshop CS3 refused to install because it thought I was still running the CS3 beta. I had downloaded a “clean-up” script from Adobe; so, I cranked it up. It brought up the Terminal; and after informing me of the dangers I would be taking, it asked me if I wanted a Level 1 or 2 clean-up. I opted for the Level 1, and that proved to be all I needed.
The upgrade then ran its installer, only asking me for the CS3 installation key in the process, even though I had already removed PS CS2 from the hard disk. I believe these upgrade installers search for proof of prior versions somewhere in the operating system files at a level that seems to bypass the customary supplying of the previous version CD or key number routinely seen in any of the earlier versions. That, or Adobe isn’t asking for it anymore, something that would be welcome but is highly unlikely. (After all, they’ve already shown they don’t trust us by making us activate the software. Maybe that’s enough for them, but I doubt it.)
The feature I like the most (so far) is what I’m going to call the “pallet docks” at the right side of the screen. A vertical bar with icon and text descriptions awaits a click to reveal the appropriate pallet, which with another click disappears into the vertical bar. It really does save space and provides a convenient way to get to individual pallets without having to resort to the menu bar. I can see how it might also become a bit of pain; whether it does will have to remain a topic of conversation for later after I use the application for a while.
These three applications cost me $778 (with tax and shipping). Right now, it appears to me they just might be worth the cash, something I can comment more on as I delve into the “extended” feature set of Photoshop CS3 Extended and the new features in Illustrator and In Design.
posted by Andy Foster at
9:00 PM
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