When Adobe merged with Macromedia, many were wondering what would happen to FreeHand. Adobe may not realize what a gem they have in this versatile program. They did release a migration guide from FreeHand to Illustrator, giving us more questions. The purpose of this page is to show your support for FreeHand, a vector application many of us use daily for everything, from logos to page layout to Flash animation. Please leave your comments to show support, also your feature requests for Adobe, for the next version of FreeHand.

Adobe Illustrator users, please understand we all have respect for each other. FreeHand users just want a chance to have their program survive. Any explicit remarks will be removed.

The page is not accepting any more comments. I will leave the page up for FreeHand users that want to review the page. Although FreeHand didn't survive the merger, we let Adobe know our concerns and maybe our favorite features will be in Illustrator.

Ho lavorato sempre con freehand, dalla vesione 3 alla 11, quando Adobe ha comprato Macromedia ho sentito subito nell'aria "puzza di bruciato", quello che non hanno saputo eguagliare come semplicità, leggerezza e potenza hanno deciso di comprarlo per eliminarlo. è un vero schifo!

Non fatelo nemmeno per scherzo!! W FreeHand!

Ho una proposta: Inkscape. Se proprio dobbiamo migrare non diamo soldi ad Adobe.

freehand non deve morire

Senza freehand si perdono funzioni indispensabili per chi si occupa di prestampa serigrafica!

Vi supplico salviamo freehand, non fatemi lavorare con illustrator!!!! Ma vogliamo mettere gli shortcut da tastiera di freehand con quelli di illustrator... I love freehand

Ma vaff... an... guuuuulo!!! Non ci provate neanche a eliminare freehand...

Illustrator para illustrar, Freehand para o resto. E não... não preciso do inDesign para um diptico. Illustrator for illustration, freehand for the rest. And no... I don't need inDesign for a two page leaflet.

FreeHand is undoubtly the most intuitive software for Press Design, and a very useful tool for Web Design as well. Though Illustrator is a powerful tool due to its effects, transparencies and interaction with Adobe Creative Suite, it just lacks FH's simplicity and versatility. If I had to choose between a "FreeHand"ed Illustrator and a "Illustrator"ed FreeHand, I'd definitely choose the latter. So put Illustrator's power features into FreeHand and release FREEHAND CS3!!! (Dammit)

The reason for abandoning FreeHand are beyond my understanding: in my Company everybody, even the least experienced mac user has learnt the software basics and we use for everything, from information sheet to graphics. My staff and me we do not want to use another software!!!!

Salvemos Freehand! Que programa puede reemplazar un programa tan completo como Freehand? Es increible...

I am sad and also angry for that unfortunate decision from Adobe. FreeHand is a very powerful tool that has many features Illustrator doesn't. Just to mention a few, the extra tools and extra operations, multipage capabilities working with vectors is easer, more intuitive and also more powerful, in FreeHand you can align, rotate and scale nodes, the star and poligon tool is better, joinig and unjoining, grouping and ungrouping, working with large amount of text, flowing text inside paths or around shapes, customizing toolbars, working with color... again: just to mention a few. Adobe: bring back FreeHand or include all these better capabilities of FreeHand in Illustrator.

God save FreeHand

Save Freehand... please

FREEHAND non deve morire!!! Lo conosco dalla versione 3.0 é un amico mio... FREEHAND MY FRIEND

Non distruggete anni di vita di noi GRAFICI!!!!! Freehand deve vivere!!!! Per favore pensate bene alle conseguenze sul nostro lavoro!!!! DATE VITA A FREEHAND!!!!!

FREEHAND n. 1

Freehand gets a new lease on life

Don't forget to sign: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/freehandmustlive/

i have to test it, but i think after all this program is that one what i am looking for. i am a freehand user, believe me. i dont want to sell any of this products i just trying to help you. and i will for sure not change to illustrator. either xara xtreme pro or canvas... http://www.deneba.com/products/canvas9/user_comments.html

hello,i just check out the canvas 9 software. if you are one of those who are looking for a software what you can use in future than just check out canvas and the features... http://www.deneba.com/products/canvas9/cv9Pro_keyfeatures.html http://www.deneba.com/products/canvas9/comparison.html

Freehand is the best vector program, don't kill it!

it's easy... all you need is freehand, all you need is freehand, all you need is freehand, freehand, freehand is all you need...

God save Free Hand...

My first love... Free Hand back... I miss you...

Per favore continuate a proddure il Free Hand altrimenti lasciate disoccuopati parecchoe migliaia di grafici e le scuole di formazione che fanno i corsi dove si impara ad usare il vostro programma. Se non volete produrer nuove versioni continuatea commercializzare la vecchia. Grazie! Aldo

uso freehand da quando ancora era della aldus, forse dalla versione 4, ho provato 1000 volte i vari corel draw e/o illustrator, ma mi sembrano pessime alternative. ma vi rendete conto che con illustrator non si possono fare documenti di + pagine? W FREEHAND

Long life to FH

No FreeHand? STOP to buy ADOBE products!!!!!!!!!

Avete comprato e venduto Freehand già una volta. Fatelo anche adesso anziché ucciderlo.

DON'T TOUCH MY FREEHAND!!!!

Perdiamo il programma di grafica vettoriale più semplice e completo. Avevamo invece bisogno di un suo aggiornamento. Avremmo continuato ad acquistarlo, anche oltre la Suite. Pessima mossa Adobe!

I'm Adobe beta-tester: CS3 design premium is unacceptable!!! I prefer CorelDraw for MAC

Freehand is just essential to me - I just can't live with just one page per document! It's claustrophobic...

I have used Freehand the whole of my career and will miss it dreadfully! Please, please, please don't let us lose what in my opinion by far the best package available.

Illustrators might like illustrator, but designers want a FreeHand...

So here comes the ultimate report and guideline for all disappointed freehand users. First of all. F. adobe has decide to kill freehand and this is official now. http://blogs.adobe.com/jnack/2007/05/freehand_no_lon.html We as the set up freehand users should help the guys from inkscape to create something like freehand. We and all other costumers will enjoy living wihtout a monopoly. Where companies are bringing pressure on you and force you to do something you don't want. And all just because freehand was a better program. Adobe is forcing us to spent time for searching for a replacement, investing time to learn a new workflow and they give a censored about us freehand users. I would like to kick this bastards asses. That's what I feel. This whole deal with buying macromedia was the biggest monopoly cheat ever. I don't understand that the American government is not protecting their costumers from monopoly. If you are a freehand user and you are full of anger now, than just do the right thing and switch to another graphic programm but not to illustrator. Or just stay to freehand till a new replacement comes up on the market. I testet quickly this programms for you. If you like to be punished, cheated and set up, than switch to illustrator and become one of the killers of freehand. Adobe illustrator cs3 is so clumsy and nothing changed to good in cs3. No new invetion. The becir drawing tool got easier (they copy it from freehand. Some guys are thinking at adobe. I never thought it). The clipping mask is such an complicated crap and why I have to change always the filling of the mask? Also selecting and moving things inside a mask is a painfull job. Selecting stuff is at all not that easy as in FH. The only good and nice thing on illustrator are the brush tools. Everything else you have in freehand and its much intuitive, more powerfull and easier to use. Yes and you have to work with indesign because adobe things that's a good workflow. In illustrator you don't have multi pages or masterpages and therefore you can just illustrate and not finish a complete layout job in one programm, including illustrations, grafik, logo... All the work you have done in one programm you must split in two programms. That's a superb invention in cs3 adobe, bravo! After all I must say the possibilities of illustrator cs3 are not compareable with freehand. Maybe in one year cs4 will have all this benefits from freehand, but till then I am still with freehand. Thank god that you can open freehand files in illustrator now, so I must not be scared that you cannot open the files anymore in 2 or 3 years. In the end its gives us time to wait and look at the marked for a replacement of freehand. This inventions was possibly the best thing they could do for us freehand users. THAT MEANS WE HAVE TIME AND MUST NOT SWITCH TO ILLUSTRATOR. F... you adobe! The only migration guide to illustrator is not to use it. On the market I found this four big players which can compare with freehand (more than less...) INKSCAPE http://www.inkscape.org/ Very intuitive but not enough functions. Also the color tool wasn't that impressing. I hope really this programme will rise and become a powerfull tool. This would be so healthy for this monopoly market and especially if you see at the price list from adobe. Write inkscape and make them a powerfull grafik tool. We all can change this open source programm. Wouldn't be great! adobe would screem the censored out of their stupid faces if we would change it to a big player on the market. We are the set up guys and adobe should feel our anger. A nice way to say thank you to adobe. COREL DRAW http://www.corel.com/index.html?reset=1 You can do everything with this tool. Its cheap, good and stabil. The multi pages are splitet from each other, you cannot make multiple page sizes and it has not the text tools like freehand had. For designing logos, grafix or anything else its perfect. Nice drawing tool, very intuitive and same kind like in freehand. Poor color tool. I need to change a color all over the dokument by on click or just changing one color. Therefore and here we come to it.... xara xtreme pro is for my needs the better solution... XARA XTREME PRO http://www.xara.com/products/xtreme/features.asp?t= I test it out and I am so impressed by the tools and possibilities. Multiple pages! Its like freehand with a indesign inside. Fluid text from box to box. I couldn't test it out because I just had the no pro test version. It's the fastest grafik software on the market. Full control over colors (name a color, change it and it will be change on the whole document). You can work and change bitmaps inside this programms. So, for small changes you must not switch to a photo software. What I don't liked are the many windows on your desk and how they manage to organize them on your computer. This software should really be one of the big players, because it can do everything you need for professional design work. So out of this softwares it would be the best one if you want to switch now. MICROSOFT EXPRESSION (DESIGN) http://www.microsoft.com/expression/default.aspx I am really curious whats coming from Microsoft. If this software will handle bitmap and vector in one, switch automaticly the interface. I think I will wait and go for this powerfull software. This is the future in design in my opinion. And it will be also available for macs. I download the intro movie and I am really impressed by the features. The brush tool looks gourgeous. I cannot wait till its out. i just saw the intro and dont download the trial version. This could be really a big thing and an escape from the adobe monopoly. And I am pretty sure that it will work fast. Its from Microsoft and who could it better optimize for Microsoft system than them. Hopefully they thought also about multiple pages, masterpages, styles, and copy inside. It should come out on the market this year. They are late, so maybe they just improved it and use the chance to make it also similar to freehand and censored adobe. I would switch with a big smile in my face. i will download the trial version next week. i will write you about it next time. I decide to let freehand running and working with it for the next 2-3 years for sure. I must not update to a higher system. I thing windows xp is running stabil also the mac system. So why change? Why destroying my workflow and learning another poor software, which cannot give me the possibilities I have still with freehand. Changing now would mean to change to a graphic tool what cannot support my quick workflow. During the next 3 years I will look out on the market and search for an replacement. I will look how the other software companies develop their products and hope they will bring them closer to freehand. If I should switch now, than I would choose xara extreme pro. It has actually all I need and has also some new tools what freehand don't had, but its still not a perfect replacement. And we must not speak about the price (199$). Hope I could help you guys. Stay cool, don't get in panic and don't get fucked by adobe.

As many designers do I find Freehand a foundamental tool for the creation of my layouts. I do a lot of large scale drawings, some very technical where precision is paramount. As many designers I have had to be vesatile and together with freehand I use a lot of indesign, photoshop and, yes, illustrator. I have, for a couple of years now, been trying to give illustartor the benefit of the doubt and set to learn it as best as I could and use it as often as I could. The result is that I am still using freehand for the majority of my work. I often have to do things in freehand and bring them back in illustrator or in-design simply because attempting the same achievements with adobe would involve incredible efforts of time and, often lousy results. I have not upgraded to a new intel mac yet just in fear of how my freehand will perform, I have no intention to abandoning freehand for as long as I can. Something for apple to think about.... Multipages documents, allignment to the fraction of the millimiter, versatility with others (freehand cut and paste better into indesign then his own companion illustrator!), Paste into action (so simple yet so important), without having the content interfering, pathwork (punch, union, why illustrator has to be so impossible with it?), point allignment, facility of tab use with text formatting and so many more... ah lets not forget speed! Illustrator takes longer to do anything and saving often involves a walk an a coffee break . Give freehand a step and repeat action and I will even ditch indesign! The day adobe will show an illustrator whose performance match or surpass freehand will be the day I will consider it back. ps: I started my design career using illustrator, once I stumbled against freehand I never looked back, it's an idiot proof program, even the interface is self explanatory. Good luck freehand users I hope adobe will realize they can't lose out with freehand, infact they gained an incredible power tool! They only reason illustrator is more popular is the abundant media back-up adobe supported each release. Do the same for freehand and you will find your sales will speak for it-self.. I am talking about all the people still using garbage like coral draw (and there are many!), sign lab, etc. Do give it at least a chance.

lavoro in freehand dal lontano 1991. sostengo questo programma per la semplicità di utilizzo e l'immediatezza della sua interfaccia. Non me lo togliete.

FREEHAND must live! Illu must grow!

Although Singapore is just a micro small market as compared to the likes of USA, Europe etc. The vast majority of DTP, Graphic, and Advertising agencies rely on FH for day to day work. Killing off FH and expecting everyone to switch to AI is quite a harebrained idea. Imagine the time and effort needed to re train everyone to AI. As everyone would know, we simple cannot afford that much time to relearn again.

intorno al 1990 comparavo FreeHand2 a Illustrator2: ad oggi il miglior programma per visual designer resta FreeHand (nelle versioni 8 "la mitica", 10 "la necessaria") la Adobe non ha mai azzeccato una scelta (ricordatevi l'acquisizione di Page Maker dalla Aldus, snobbando e "regalando" Free Hand alla Macromedia, da cui ha ricavato Flash...) Se non si impara dagli errori del passato siamo destinati a non avere futuro

Please Please, keep developing and supporting Freehand!

Dont'drop Freehand. It produces bautiful works. It works.

dopo 15anni che uso solo freehand non lo sostituirò con nessun alro programma F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h andF O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R

I hope in Xara Extreme for Mac... Win user are lucky, go to Xara... Illustrator suck|!

Adobe... si proprio dei pursei...

Non credo ci sia nessun professionista che abbia il coraggio di affermare che ILLUSTRATOR sia superiore a FREEHAND. La ADOBE superava la MACROMEDIA solo ed esclusivamente in un software: PHOTOSHOP! Per il resto gli sviluppatori web e i grafici amavano molto le potenzialità di programmi come DREAMW. FLASH e non meno FREEHAND. Non fate lo sbaglio del secolo. CONTINUATE A SUPPORTARE FREEHAND!!!

Tanto di cappello ad Adobe per un programma quale Photoshop... L'affondamento di Freehand sarà anche inevitabile ma resta pur sempre un programma potente e snello. Mi dispiace che Adobe abbia acquisito la Macromedia perchè ora le GUI saranno sempre più pesanti, rendendo i programmi meno pratici/piacevoli nell'utilizzo.

I've tried Illustrator and hate it. Indesign is not bad. But Freehand still has no competitor...

Used Freehand since 15 Years now, tried Illustrator many times. Can't work properly with it. I definately need Freehand, it's close to perfect. Please don't force us to use that crappy Illustrator! You'd kill my creativity!

Freehand morto? non posso crederci.. per la nostra comunità eri tutto! http://groups.google.it/groups?hl=it&q=freehand%20free.it.enkey&btnG=Cerca+con+Google&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wg adobe mi fa schifo.. photoshop fa schifo.. illustrator fa schifo.. vaffanculo adobe!

illustrator is no alternative for me!

I Think i will use the MX untill rosetta keep its working ! Think about the fh9 its have 10 years and do the works to !! Adobe Ilustrator never - never , i will use some opensource or Canvas !

FreeHand officially dead. http://blogs.adobe.com/jnack/2007/05/freehand_no_lon.html Give them censored.

I love FreeHand since 1989. 18 years of productivity.

update Freehand!!!

Not many words here, just this: PLEASE keep on (or better begin) developing FH further.

adobe muss dum sein. in all diesen jahren, brauchen sie immer noch 2 verschiedene werkzeuge um bezierpunkte zu bearbeiten. freehand ist in diesem punkt einfach unschlagbar. i love freehand. adobe, shame on you.

I totally agree with B. Thompson. I´m also a professional illustrator and graphicist for 10 years. For most of my jobs I use Freehand because of less time and to adhere to deadlines. Sorry to say but CS3 gives me another disappointment in points like performance on PPC G5 and easy to use feelings. I´ll stay with CS2 and Freehand.

We love Freehand! It's the best Illustrating Product on the market! And it must not die!!!!!!!

I wish Apple had bought Macromedia. I had a nightmare today, I had to reinstall Freehand MX ver 11.0.0. on my work Mac. I went here - http://www.adobe.com/support/freehand/updaters.html - to download the latest update. I found that before I could use the available 11.0.2 download, I'd need the 11.01 which you have to call tech support for... they told me I'd need to ring customer support, fair enough, so after an 11 minute wait I get through to a guy that is unable to tell me where I can download the update, isn't able to send me one because they are unavailable and the best advice he could offer was to do a google search for it. Moron. If anyone knows where I can get it please let me know. IMHO - Freehand is the best solution for creating any mixed vector and bitmap multipage document under 20 pages. I still use it every day. It is in desperate need of an update tho. I'd personally like to see better handling of large imported images. I've had to use Illustrator through work since version 5.5 to CS2 but Illustrator has far too many features that I'll never need, makes bloated files, It's selection technique is frustrating and it's alignment tools are a joke especially, when dealing with objects in a clipping mask. It just feels so sluggish compared to freehand. We'll be getting CS3 in a couple of weeks I hope it's an improvement of the basic features and not just more gimmicks that appeal to a very small percentage of users. just my $0.02.

Save Freehand. Adobe, make a Freehand Illustrator CS3 if you dare, but save it. FH make too many great things, he could'n die. We all LOVE YOU for Photoshop, don't push us to HATE YOU for Freehand.

i am not making comercials for other brands, i am just staying in the corner with freehand and the decision from adobe. what should i do if i cannot upgrade to higher systems? i will try every other possibility but not illustrator. this should every freehand user do and be loyal to freehand and not the killers of it.

i am a freehand user, but i have to check out another tool for the future so i decide to switch to anything else but not illustrator. amazing tools on xara and amazing cheap. http://www.xara.com or check out the features direct. http://www.xara.com/products/xtreme/features.asp?t=

dont use illustrator. there are also other grafik software. Xara X, Deneba Canvas, Paint Shop Pro, inkscape,...much cheaper and you have the possibility to say thank you to adobe for killing freehand...

help inkscape to create a powerfull tool like freehand. dont think adobe will support freehand. they know freehand is better than illustrator. this lie they can take to ther grave, this f...... www.ínkscape.org

I've worked as a professional illustrator for 14 years, exclusively using FreeHand. Why? - Paste inside (what could be easier?) - Multiple pages (what could be easier?) - Simple, intuitive tools and the FASTEST bezier/point adjustment tools on earth (what could be easier?) The speed with which I can draw in FH is unmatched. I enjoy working quickly and my clients appreciate the fact that I can turn around work so quickly. That's why they return to me. AI is cumbersome and so unnecessarily complicated. Is this deliberate? I feel like I'm walking in quicksand whenever I attempt to use AI. Please don't ignore such a large marketshare (yes, large enough) of dedicated FH users.

Salviamo freehand .... l'unico vero programma per creativi

I've always found Adobe's software peaks at mediocrity, but Illustrator and InDesign are seriously poor apps when compared to Freehand. I know of no-one who for a moment thinks Adobe's apps are in any way an equivalent - hard to use, often illogical and very limited programs, that take twice as long to accomplish the same things we can do with ease in FreeHand, and the list of what InDesign can't do is bigger than what it can - an atrocious program. Freehand is clearly the superior - just re-issue it for the Intel Macs - it doesn't need any improvements. Adobe announced they would keep MacroMedia's clients happy - seems this was a lie.

L'abandon de FreeHand est incroyable...certainement le logiciel le plus complet de sa cathégorie, le plus souple et le plus rapide...production et réactivité vont être pénalisées par ce passage obligatoire vers Illustrator et autres (car il faut plusieurs logiciels pour obtenir ce que réalise FreeHand)... La création en prend un coup aussi...Qui va financer la formation de 15 personnes de 25 à 50 ans ?...car il faut bien une formation pour que en un minimum de temps les gens soient aussi performants que sous FreeHand...sans compter le temps perdu à récupérer les anciens fichiers... La solution ? que Adobe intègre le meilleur d'Illustrator dans FreeHand...voilà

There is nothing more to say. Anyway, whatever we do or say, Adobe is not going to make competiton to it own Illustrator by keeping FH alive(and so THE BEST vector softver will vanish from the face of the planet).SAD BUT TRUE!!

So long as we're collecting suggestions here, how about making the live raster effects print safe? Or at the very least fix 'em so that those ugly patches of seemingly jpeg-level-0.1-compressed artifacts disappear (example: use drop shadow on any object in front of another object; export the image as gif or jpeg and the object below looks slightly pixelated, but only at those parts overlapped by the drop shadow's gaussian blur) Other than that, I'd be happier with Illustrator if Adobe would just give it multipage capabilities. And live editing of rounded boxes. And stars. Intuitive layering and grouping. And... Aw heck; I'm too used to using Freehand. If I'm forced to switch I might as well go to... Inkscape.

I use FH since day 1 Free the Hand.

FreeHand feels like its user interface was developed by real-world designers who actually use it. Illustrator reeks of a user-hostile GUI controlled by ivory-tower programmers who don't care how cumbersome it is, and who ignore pleas to fix its shortcomings. Only one example of many: it took nearly a decade to get Adobe to put in some kind of select-through. And did Adobe adopt what they were asked to do, viz., a command key combination-click through? Oh no, only a difficult hierarchical Object menu item that won't select through objects directly on top of each other, but rather only through the random PostScript stacking order (useless!); and an unwieldy contextual menu item that does select through objects on top of each other, but everything first must be ungrouped or uncompounded before they will get selected, thus screwing up the reason they were grouped in the first place. Sheesh! Adobe just doesn't get it. Allowing programmers control over the GUI is like letting the fox rule the henhouse. GUIs should be designed by user interface experts subject to usability testing (SCREW focus groups!), and programmers should be mere order takers who do code, and only code! FreeHand is comparatively anarchy; it just works; a breath of fresh air!

I cannot even imagine myself using Illustrator after all these years. I hate Illustrator. Really I don't believe that people from Adobe will upgrade this simple and fantastic programme. But I'll not beg them. I've already done this for their programmes and they just don't care... Let's see Adobe to play Monopoly now. PS: Where are these people from Altsys, what they are thinking now?

we can write much as we want. if we want change something than we must act. i agree with other people here and i will not buy adobe products till a new freehand version is out. thats the only way to change something. adobe must feel freehand users force.

A choisir, normalement on garde le meilleur... Et le meilleur, c'est FREEHAND! Dans l'histoire des décisions idiotes, celle-ci mérite une médaille. On veut les noms des Nobels qui l'ont prise !

It still makes me sad to see a program that I've used for over 20 years get tossed aside by Adobe. Bah.. bring it back :(

Sorry about my english ! Freehand's benefit: 1) Align vector point 2) Snap object and point accurately 3) Round rectangle live edit 4) Better selection (in orderly) 5) Output clearly (show used color; won't mix with RGB) 6) Replace color easily and efficiency (Drag into color list) 7) Become one object when "Paste inside" 8) HLS color selector (Good for web) 9) Align with "Locked & Unlocked object" (keep in postion) 10) Fully support with Flash (Copy and paste) 11) Multi-pages 12) Able move object by input X Y value 13) Live edit for star shap 14) Able to show overprint object 15) 3D rotate ai should learn from that !

Freehand MX is far more intuitive than even CS3 is today, and its multi-page layout capabilities alone make it so much more practical than illustrator in a variety of situations.

Being somewhat forced to work in Illustrator and Indesign disappoints me and others I know greatly. Apparently Adobe doesn't realize that Freehand has many, many, many superior features and a vastly more intuitive and streamlined interface. I have used Freehand for many years. I am certainly an expert. I have many designers and production people under my charge who are experts in Illustrator and Indesign who are constantly confused and unable to accomplish things I can do in seconds with FH. Illustrator and InDesign suffer mostly from an interface that has NOT been streamlined and made more logical and intuitive. The interface design and approach has been virtually unchanged. Aside from the many useful features Freehand has, you can literally count the clicks it takes to accomplish many tasks and many times Illustrator takes TWICE as many. I expect programs to become more intuitive and more logical and more streamlined as time goes on, but sadly this is not the case with Adobe's Illustrator and InDesign. Hopefully someone there takes a look at Freehand and realizes what a well written and highly efficient professional tool it is.

i want my freehand back

It is a great tool, and fills a unique place in the Adobe world

FreeHand is the best vector tool ever!

Thank you Adobe for killing FreeHand. It nearly clear that you would kill Freehand for making Illustrator the only choice. But Illustrator isn't usable for documents with thousand of objects and it's nowhere near than intuitive. I've been using FreeHand since version 3.0 and it's the only choice for a cartographer... Bring back FreeHand! Bye Hannes

I use Freehand for many years and would like to keep using it for many more. I'm not going to start using illlustrator now. Keep Freehand alive !!

I started out using Adobe 88 and went with Adobe until I was introduced to Freehand, Wow what a better program. Since then I only used Freehand, period! I am amazed that people use pc's over macs to begin with and I am even more amazed that people use Adobe Ill over Freehand. I keep one of my computers on os 9.2 so I will still be able to enjoy the true Freehand capabilities. This is not a problem because I can still make perfect pdfs with distiller or eps files with no problem. Freehand is a perfect program, why are they trying to screw it up and even discontinue it. Fire the CEO! He is an idiot!

Freehand is so much better than any other program. It's far more easy to handle intuitively. For me it's a bit like Macromedia was the Mac, and Adobe the PC, now that they've merged, I hope Adobe can incorporate Macromedia's intuitive easy way to use the programs!

I hope that Adobe intends to keep freehand as a product. I am a huge freehand user. I am not liking the monopoly that adobe has over the graphic design industry forcing our industry to use the original suite of adobe products. It is nice for designers to have a choice in the software we choose to work with and not to be forced into using only one Product line. Adobe has great products, don't get me wrong. But I do not like illustrator one bit. And feel that we should have some selection. KEEP FREEHAND ALIVE.

DON'T TOUCH MY FREEHAND!!!!

only Freehand, always Freehand, certainly Freehand, ever Freehand.....

Forever FreeHand!

Freehand Forever

FREEHAND IS A GREAT VECTORIAL SOFTWARE, MANY DESIGNERS USE FREEHAND FOR THEIR PROYECTS, IS NOT A OLD SOFTWARE, FH HAS MANY TOOLS THAT ILLUSTRATOR HAVE NOT. ILLUSTRATOR IS NOT THE INLY CHANCE, WE NEED FREEHAND, ADOBE PLEASE CONTINUE WHIT FREEHAND, THE MONOPOLYES ARE BAD

Yes to freehand. A lifesaver programme for art directors.

i don't think adobe is listening. but i couldn't resist signing this petition. i arrived on this page after looking for information regarding peoples experience running freehand mx under rosetta . . still not much joy on finding anything, so if you do run fh11 on macincide, do drop me a line. i've been using freehand pre- and post- aldus for 10+ years. after finally capitulating and relearning illustrator [cs] this year, there is still no doubt in my mind that freehand is the best vector based program, if not a complete design tool entirely, that's out there. logotypes, storyboards, sequence art, presentations, posters, brochures and flash production: what else does all that? and i'll not even get onto the distinctive and priceless UI features . .

Adobe'un FreeHand'in yerini tutabilecek (tasarým+Ýlüstürasyon) programlarýný öncelikle geliþtirmesi gerekir. Adobe Illustrator (Ýlüstürasyon) ve Adobe InDesign (tasarým) kalýplaþmýþlýðýn, karmaþýklýðýn en güzel uygulandýðý programlar :) FreeHand'in (tasarým+Ýlüstürasyon) oldukça gerisinde, FreeHand programý geliþtirilmeye daha uygun hemde ikisi birarada. Macromedia adýný güzel koydu ama geliþtiremedi bebeði. Mükemmelliyetçilik iþte þuanki düþünce akýmý. Yine de seni sevi yorum Free Ha and.

free the hand.

Freehand is very important.

i want my freehand back

FreeHand is the best vector tool ever!

FreeHand is the best vector tool ever!

actirma agzimi soyletme kotuyu adobbbbbbe. ay lav firihand

upgrade freehan!!!

I started out using Quark when I worked in England. then i moved to the Basque country where Freehand is the required tool for designers. I recently had to do a job in Quark and boy oh boy, it took me flippin ages. So now I hear that Illustrator has replaced Freehand. illustrator is fine for logos, the best thing on it being the grid. other than that, give me freehand any day. I mean you can't even have more than one page in ilustrator. Long live Freehand.

I can imagine that things are supposed to disappear with time, but not freehand, please. You can say that it's the most versatile, user friendly vectorial software ever! It runs so easily. There is no distance, neither difference between my desk and freehand's pages area, and so on and son on! Please consider upgrades, and continuation and development, many of the great graphic artworks were donw with this software!

frehand mazi olmas?n...

I am graphic artist.And please please... let us go, we must use freehand

Ilustrator = ilustrating = production. Freehand = Freedom of hand in creativity. says it all... doesn't it?? I decided 10 years ago to work with Freehand for two reasons: 1) because of some of the best designers i knew worked with it because of it's much more intuitive as ilustrator, it's the shortest way from your head to your screen. 2) I worked with illustrator as well and it's allright for producción stuff and so but when you create, you don't want all that fases you have to get through before getting what you want... But hey, it's like a conspiracy to kill creativity and provoke more production... like all big companies(read Adobe)are doing lately... I hope truly that Freehand will survive! It's simply a great extension of my brain...

FREE!!!! Freehand

very very goot freehand

Ya?as?n Freehand'in önlenemez yükseli?i...!

I cant start my day without FH mx. I learnt from the best in the industry how to use this wonderful application, and it unfortunately took the place of illustrator and other vector programs. Dont take it away

We need Freehand!!!!!!!!!

Freehand useful than ?llustrator... Bacause There are a lot of very important thing for graphicer is can be used in frrehand but can't be illustrator... there is it in illustrator but it is very complex to use that special... I used to use CorelDraw before met the Freehand.. But i hate CorelDraw now... I have been using Freehand for 4 years.... And i am sure that there are a lot of peoble that using Freehand for many years... So Adobe's authoritys must support this program... Illustrator is a good program but i like using freehand... PLEASE DO NOT KILL FREEHAND YOU CAN KILL ILLUSTRATOR.... :)))

Freehand is also an essential tool in our success. We use it daily, and it's the vector software of choice for us, our printers and most designers we know.

i use it 12 years, it's must alive for us. KEEP ALIVE FREEHAND

F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R F r e e h a n d F O R E V E R

cekin elinizi freehand den...

I love this programme

Freehand is the best software a graphich world!

forever and ever freehand

I am extremely disapointed to not see any move on Adobe's part to update Freehand in the CS3 product package. I was trained as a student on Illustrator yet I made a conscious choice to switch over to Freehand once I was a professional as I found the interface allowed for much quicker/smarter design. I wish Adobe would quit resting on the laurels of Illustrator...it may have created a name for itself in the 90's, but all they've done it terms of uprgrading it in the last 10 years has been to add smoke and mirrors with a little sex appeal. Instead of making dropshadows for all the menus they should try adding features such as 'Find + replace', multi page capability (without manual artboard calculation thanks), improved/smarter alignment tools, BETTER OBJECT MASKING (i.e. paste inside)...I digress...

Please please upgrade Freehand! I have been using it for 10 years and LOVE this program. I need a new computer but don't want to upgrade to Vista because Freehand isn't supported!!! Please release a Vista-compatible version of Freehand!!!

FreeHand is the best vector tool ever !!! People tell me Freehand is dead, why don't you use Illustrator??? How I'm supose to use that useless pentool from Adobe? If I cannot tell how my curve is going to define without chaning the selector? FreeHand is so ergonomic and intuitive. Long life to my favorite program and that incredible marvellous pentool Macromedia guys developed...

I knew this would happen with Adobe's acquisition of Macromedia. What happen to the annoucement that you made in 2006 stating that you will continue to support and develop Freehand? Freehand should be allowed to live as it has been a part in my design fixtures for 12 years. It involves risk to my past and current works if taken away. Furthermore, I've worked with IlIustrator but it does not satisfy me the fluency like Freehand does. Adobe should really look into it instead of putting it out in the cold.

i use freehand from '94 (is a wonderful software) ago and i'm very very sad to see the funeral for freehand, i pray the salvation of it...

Upgrade Freehand now!

Like many others, I use FreeHand for almost over a decade (since v3.1) and also used to work with virtuoso on NeXT. As an expert for flexography printing and being a passionate designer enables me to know a lot about "both worlds". From the print- and media-technologists view, there is simply no substitution for FreeHand, because it is clearly the only standard package (<$75,000 price) that caters the needs for flexography prepress operations. Illustrator is cute, but simply lacking a bunch of very powerful FreeHand capabilities. I would rather open a restaurant, or start a career as a forest-worker than retaining my business without FreeHand. Illustrator features some cool "nice-to-have" capabilities, while lacking crucial ones. Corel sucks. And the rest is not worth while to be mentioned. Adobe will deal dramatical damage to the packaging industry by killing FreeHand. Seriously.

Gözünü para bürümüþ ADOBE ye sesliyorum, çek elini FREEHAND den , insafa gel akýllýca davran , bir kuþaðý mahvetmek üzeresin ,,,,,,,,,,

Please keep Freehand alive, just fix the bugs!

I'm using Freehand from 17/18 years. I'have used all the version, from 2, and now I'have about 250.000 files in freehand. How can think to convert 18 years of work in Illustrator. I'have converted several time from freehand to illustrator with bad results and several problem, first of all for the multipages not supported from illustrator. I'have contected Adobe in USA and in Italy asking to make a version compatible with future operating Mac system, without improve the software that for me is already perfect now. The guide that they propose is a joke. I will use forever Freehand and I hope that Adobe understand the thousand of company working from several years with this software. This idea of Support Page is very good, but please send all this material to Adobe, and everyone contact directly the Adobe of his country to protest for this abuse. i have also contact the Italian Antitrust to verify if this monopoly is legal and I'm waiting for reply from them. If someone have the possibility contact Antitrust of his country for the same reason. probably we will not solve the problem but we have to try something to defense our rights. byby from Lucio - Italy if someone want to contact me: lucio@spiderlink.it

FREEHAND FOREVER + UNICODE + ...

I need one solution for my work, Freehand has it, layout and illustration. Illustrator and InDesign are only halfs separated, Why? I can do with Freehand what I am suposed to do with Adobe's halfs, and with less than half the memory I need in my Mac to run Illustrator or InDesign. Even with more than four year without an update Freehand keeps up the fight against CS3 tools and Interface.

Alright. Now I'm getting upset. Adobe has now released the biggest launch of software in their history, but NO mention of Freehand! I believe Adobe bit off more than they could chew on this Macromedia buy out deal and leaving us Freehand users out in the cold. I am in the thinking stage of boycotting Adobe products from our office altogether. Apple's Aperture is looking better and better over Photoshop. Corel Draw is looking pretty good now too. What is the deal Adobe. Freehand users have been patient enough. Seems like two years now from the purchase of Macromedia. We need answers to the future of our program. We have been trying to make purchase decisions on equipment and software, but Adobe has been dragging there backside on this whole issue. Freehand needs to stay! Talk to us Adobe. Give us the low down. I phoned the Adobe customer service number only to be transfered to the call center in the Phillipines with the answer remaining the same on the status of Freehand. "At this time we are supporting Freehand and don't know the future plans of the program". This violin music has been playing for too long. Talk to us Adobe.

I've been a freehand user for 15 years and use it for all sort of illustration from exhibition stands to scientific publications. I really like being able to have multiple pages in the document. having looked briefly at Illustrator this only seems possible by a complex tiling of the document or buying a plug in! Come on guys at Adobe, I need more than one page per document, there must be an easy solution.

reading all this comments make me happy, because i am really concern and full of anger about adobe. how they can kill freehand. something people worked over 15 years with and work very good with it. believe it or not adobe, they not even needed illustrator in this 15years once. all my designer, grafik designer, publisher, advertising agency or web designer friends work with freehand. we will not accept a decision by adobe like this. adobe will loose many, many customers. advertising other grafik programms will be suddenly very cheap for corel or microsoft. we allready planned to offer this companies an extra price if they want to have any design work or want to make ads in magazins. when the time is come and adobe is spoken the last word than we have allready planned to set up a campaign against illustrator. we will use every possibility to support other brands programs and believe me i know many poeple out of the advertising or editor business. if freehand die than I will also follow suggestions on this site to switch to other programms but for sure not illustrator. if they really are going for this than for me it makes anyhow no difference learning a new programm. and i heard microsoft is also working on a grafik tool. corel, microsoft or any other company. i will for sure not spent a penny for a adobe grafik programm. word. use your force designer, art directors, publishers, graphic designer, web designers...you are all in the advertising business and this will make adobe a big headake. i am just waiting to start the campain...

i am using freehand all my live as a designer. like all the others here. i will stay with freehand till i have to update maybe my whole system and if there is not update for freehand than i swear to good and i never ever thought to speak something like this. i will switch to corel. freehand is much better than illustrator, it includes many tools what illustrator dont has and its censored easy. its just a good programm and maybe thats the reason why they want to kill it. they want to make money and sell their shitty indesign with illustrator, but not with me. i will boycot all adobe application..ok not all.. photoshop and flash i have to keep, but for sure i will not be one of them who will fall in the illustrator trap. the freehand comunity will hopefully strike back and in the end adobe will make a big mistake if they really keep freehand falling. believe me, i will suggest this in to all media, web 2 and all other forums all over the world. i think under us are sitting a lot of people out of the press, design, advertising or any other important industrie with much influence on the people outside. if they all strike back than adobe will make the worst management decision since they started. i will be than the first one who is going to my old design proffessor and will tell him about the great features of corel draw. if corel is not stupid than they will do a similar thing like freehand and catch up the set up ex customers from adobe.

i am using freehand since my design study 10 years ago. i designed every crap with this programm ( snowboards, fashion, ci´s, catalogs, tausends of logos,web, traid fair booth, labels, ). adobe is a slicky company and you have to ask yourself why they want to kill a good programm. because its better than illustrator, its includes a smal "in design", paste in tool, easy using, natural navigation and 100 more things which are better than illustrator. the point is. its a great tool and this suckers want to sell 3 programms and not just one. all the work what you have done with freehand you have to split on two programms. this is so corrupt and therefore i will for sure not go for illustrator. if they really let freehand die than i will evan change to this f. corel before i give adobe one cent. anyhow i suggest to buy pirate versions. if adobe wants to get in a war. i am in...

Keep Freehand afloat!!!

Utilizo freehand desde la versión 8 en PC, y he migrado felizmente a mac, sin embargo la adquisición de macromedia por parte de adobe me ha dejado un mal sabor de boca por el simple hecho de no incluir al menos de manera opcional a Freehand, el cual como muchos en esta pagina, coincidimos en que es mucho mas facil e intuitivo a demas de ser superior en sus capacidades para crear impresos, las herramientas de dibujo de freehand y la facilidad para utilizar pantones y demas cosas altamente necesarias para los impresos son totalmente un tedio en ilustrator, por favor Adobe, necesitamos una nueva versión de freehand, lo necesitamos.

Our company is upgrading to the new suite of programs -CS3 and Freehand is not included ... I absolutley hate Illustrator .. it looks like they're going to kill it off which is stupid ... hopefully they will incorporate the great features Freehand has into Illustrator ... can only hope

With the release of CS3, it's evident to everyone that Adobe hasn't the been worried at all about Freehand. It will linger gaining dust or untill nobody use it because is not supported by the next OS. And that's precisely what Adobe wants and hope it will happen in the near future. What a shame. Long live FreeHand!!!

I work with FreeHand for 13 years

freehand is the truly authoring-tool, the real creative tool. it does what I want, not contrary. I want a small and quick design-enviroment and not the adobe (apple too) feature overload. freehand 8, qxp 4.x and photoshop 6 were good enough all the years. they should give it to opensource therewhy the applications can surive...

Design (life) without Freehand???? NOOOOooooooo!!!!! Oh gawd..... what will be of me!?!?!?!?!?!? Please, don't just keep freehand available.... update it!!!! FREEHAND RULES!!

I have been using FreeHand every since, and for me is the best program!

Without Freehand I would not exist. Without paste inside I would be tough to draw. Paste inside! The single function that makes Freehand rock! Illustrator's masks are plain crap. No competition.

I'm a design professional and have been using FreeHand since it was Aldus FreeHand 3. Adobes acquisition of Aldus in those days almost made Adobe own FreeHand. Perhaps it would have been better off that way, but who knows. Anyway, Adobe has always had competing products in their portfolio. (Pagemaker vs. Framemaker vs. InDesign, the half-hearted ImageReady vs. Photoshop's web export features) The only reason I can see why Adobe might abandon FreeHand is because it's outstanding where it hurts (Illustrator and also Pagemaker and Indesign) most: It's a great print design tool both stand-alone and as a companion application. Due to its complete layout features, I do a lot of jobs solely with FreeHand. It's perfectly integrated with Flash and Fireworks. Though I do use Illustrator as a companion for InDesign and do like its strong PDF features, I doubt that I could be persuaded to use it for web design. To conclude: Any plans for FreeHand, however they might look like, would mean good news to me and a lot of other graphic design professionals.

!!!!!!!GIVE US A NEW FREEHAND!!!!!!!!!

The name tells it all Freehand = yes,that´s all we need in this job illustrator = interpreter, who can decode it? And what is adobe, a brick? Can you ask them any good decision? If so, please don´t keep us waiting too long, because life is not so long.

I have used Freehand since it was Aldus Freehand. I have used it almost every day of my life since that time. It is vital to my livlihood. I am so concerned about the future of Freehand.

FreeHand Not Dead! We need the next generation! And make it to place psd files native likw Illustrator and you will have the greates ever drawing program.

I have been using FreeHand for almost a decade now. I learned vector ilustration in Illustrator, and I find Illustrator to be very tedious and INFINITELY CLUNKY. It is very frustrating to draw in Illustrator. The work flow is incredibly stifled because of its miserable tools that don't work easily and intuitively like those of FreeHand. FreeHand MX is by far the EASIEST tool for Cartography, Technical and Scientific Illustration which is my line of work. I will say that the pen tool worked better in Freehand 10 and earlier, but that's minor. The only thing I want to add is being able to use the Illustrator Plug-In called "Outline" and "Round Corners" like in Mac Classic OS versions. Bottom line, Illustrator is too "cool" and "graphic designy" while FreeHand is much more conducive to developing high-end illustrations with ease and comfort. I mean Illustrator does NOT EVEN support multiple pages!! What the censored is up with THAT?! There are so many FreeHand users out there, and that's obvious by how many people wrote on this site. I am not surprised. FreeHand is vastly superior to Illustrator in every way. Who cares that Illustrator CS has Adobe Dimensions inside of it? I use Lightwave or Swift 3D when I need 3D converted to Vector. Thank you Adobe please do the RIGHT thing and KEEP Freehand and perhaps be so kind as to update it to a new version 12 with some of the fine suggestions that I made earlier. I Love Freehand and I don't want to see it die!

Have been using Freehand since version 2. Adobe just give us an Intel native version, fix the font and pdf export issues.

I have been using FreeHand every since Aldus version 1.0, and have stuck to it even after attempts at using Illustrator which always seamed to both lag behind and be less intuitive to use. FreeHand has over the years introduced many elements such as layers, multipage documents etc. that Illustrator deemed unimportant enough to include. Using it for so many years I have built up a massive quantity of documents that are referred to and opened and re-used. Losing that ability would be horrendous. My last purchase was an upgrade to Studio which included Flash and Dreamweaver and the integration between Flash and FreeHand worked fantastically. I see no need at all for Adobe to fail to provide an upgrade path. Studio is now not offered with FreeHand within it and I for one will not upgrade Studio without it. Come on Adobe stop throwing away income streams... Without an upgrade path I will not switch to Illustrator by default, if this carries on I will discard all Adobe products and switch to the many competing software's just as capable. Apple Inc. Why not grab this capable vector program and fill a gap in your software line up. Don't forget about the Desktop publishing people that helped build up your business.

Freehand is incredibly slick and natural. I would lose trust in Adobe if they were to discontinue development of this superb app.

Dear Adobe, I have used FreeHand for about 16 years since the begining. I have also tried to use Adobe Illustrator but find its interface a little difficult to understand sometime. Pardon me, not the fault of the software. Did not formally took a course on freehand but it seem so natural to use. I LOVE the software and have always praise the software capability and the completeness that it is so versatile you cannot possibly make mistakes with it when you have master it. Obversely there is still room for improvement when it comes to integration with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Here are some of the wonderful stuff: - The find and Replace Graphics tool - The Xtra Delete tool -The Xtra Color - Name of Color - The Xtra Path Operation tool - Multiple page capability - Alignment tool The lists is endless I am pledging with Adobe to continue and upgrade Adobe Freedhand, and see the respond. Thanks Jack Png

Freehand and Illustrator, to stae the obvious, are two different programs and can continue to be so. Illustrator is rich with creative features first, and a tool for technical drawing and less artistic ventures (yes I know the point can be argued both ways, but for me this is what it boils down to). I personally wouldn't like to see Freehand incorporated into and already feature rich and complex program like Illustrator - things would become harder for me to work out. If Adobe perhaps went down the route of developing Freehand for a more technical (but equally ceative) clientelle, and developing Illustrator in a more artistic direction. In short, I've only just got into Freehand and it's bloody brilliant. If Adobe have no intentions of developing it further, then perhaps instead of moulering away on a shelf somewhere the code could be released to the open source community, who might do something exciting with it. Stop mucking about - Freehand has to live.

Freehand User since 1.0

I have been using Freehand since 2000, and can't imagine doing without it. I have a sign shop, and need to convert and or adjust files to export to my vinyl RIP-ing software(s). Illustrator simply does not have the flexibility nor the options that I need.

Like many others in this petition I too have followed Freehand since version 2. Freehand was this first ever program to introduce a revolutionary concept called layers in version 3. Ever since then Freehand has introduced many other ground breaking features that other rival programs have copied to keep up. I'm still a devoted user of Freehand and would jump at the chance to upgrade to a new version. ADOBE, PLEASE DON'T LET FREEHAND GO TO WASTE. LISTEN TO OUR PLEADS. UPGRADE FREEHAND AND REAP THE REWARDS!

!!! Don't kill Freehand !!!

F R E E H A N D !!!

Listen, it's pretty simple, easy and plain. Freehand is the better program. Even if Illustrator finally would be able to do multi-pages, I would stick with Freehand. I use Freehand since version 2! Nobody needs soft that can do everythin. We need tools that are simple and work. Look at Photoshop and Golive: WHAT A MESS! Do you want to buy a thirth monitor for even more palettes? LONG LIVE FREEHAND!

If Adobe drops Freehand permanently from their offering it will be the biggest mistake ever... And they've had quite a list of whoppers over the years. I have been in a Graphic Designer for over 15 years. Starting out first on a PC using Corel Draw in the early 90's. Then moving to a Mac to use Freehand. I have been thru every upgrade from Altsys to Aldus to Macromedia, and now to Adobe. Killing this gem of a software package would be like burning down my office. I have come to rely on Freehand as an all purpose tool for nearly every illustration and layout that I create. There is not other software package that comes close. This is not just a vector illustraiton program, although it does that better than illustator. It is also a top notch page layout program. The time I save by not having to constantly export graphics from illustrator into another layout program is immense. The list of features that make Freehand superior to illustator just goes on and on... Multiple pages (one at a time in Illustrator), paste inside feature (difficult clipping paths in Illustrator), color and gradient swatches (over totally cumbersome color palettes in illustrator), handling of tiff files & transparent grey scale images in Freehand (no such feature in illustator), Freehand will export out more file formats including exports to illustrator (Illustrator will not export out to Freehand - that's Adobe acting like a spoiled child for you). In all, Freehand has been a career long, utility tool for this graphic designer who values ease of use and efficient productivity over the incorporation of raster based gimmicky photoshop filters like those in Illustrator. Note to Adobe: Kill Freehand off at your own peril! Illustrator is not the only game in town.

I have been working for a long time with freehand and I want to continue doing so. I want to know Adobe will continue developping this software so I know there will be na update to collborate with other features, printers etc. Freehand is intuitive, you learn what you need the rest you don't have to worry about unitl you need it and then so easily acquired knowledge!!! Adobe if you have purchased this software only to let it dye...I will never forgive you! Major badwill!

I have been using Freehand since version 2 and I will continue to use it as long as possible. I find it easier to use and more intuitive than Illustrator. Also, I am concerned about Adobe monopolizing in the design software field. I need only refer to Quark's near demise which was partially attributable to arrogance borne of it's dominance as a page layout program.

Wieder ein frustrierter Abend bei dem Versuch, sich mit Illustrator anzufreunden. 10 Jahre Freehand praegen zu sehr. Selbst einfachste Informationen über cmyk Werte in Farbpaletten werden in Illustrator unmoeglich gemacht. Kann man mit dem Illustrator überhaupt professionell arbeiten? Momentan scheint es unmoeglich! Bitte behaltet Freehand im Portfolio. Illustrator ist KEINE ALTERNATIVE!!!!!!

Long live FreeHand!

BEN YEDÝ YIL ÖNCE GRAFÝK TASARIM DÜNYASINA GÝRDÝM. OKULDA DA SONRASINDA ARALARINDA YETÝÞTÝÐÝM PROFESYONEL GRAFÝK TASARIMCILARI DA FREEHAND PROGRAMI DIÞINDA GRAFIK PROGRAMI KULLANMIYORLAR . ÝHTÝYACA CEVAP VERÝRKEN VE ÝÞÝN ÝÇÝNDE OLAN KULLANICILARIN % 80 Ý FREEHAND KULLANIRKEN BU PROGRAMI KALDIRMAK YERÝNE GELÝÞTÝRME YOLUNA NEDEN GÝDÝLMÝYOR. BU SÖZ HAKKI VERÝLDÝÐÝ ÝÇÝN TEÞEKKÜRLER. TÜM BU MAÝLLERÝN OLUMLU SONUÇLANMASINI ÝSTÝYORUZ.

While I am not in the graphics business, I use Freehand in my business. Typically, I learn Freehand when the need arises. I have become proficient with this wonderful program because I have used it to complete said projects, and find it to be limitless and very easy to learn. I have not enjoyed the same experience with Illustrator, but cannot fully compare the two because I simply haven't used them both equally (in terms of time). FREEHAND is my favorite and most used program. It would be a shame and a HUGE marketing faux pas to eliminate it simply because Illustrator is owned by the same company. A void will be created and another company will fill it- More than likely sharply mimicking the discontinued Freehand program.

I've been using FreeHand since version 2 and I can't imagine using anything else for design. Yes, I've tried Illustrator but it's just not as productive and flexible a tool. A Universal version with support for OpenType fonts is all I need to keep me a satisfied FreeHand user -- no other bells and whistles necessary. I'm sure I could list numerous functions Adobe could learn from FreeHand should they choose to kill it in favor of Illustrator but I'll only name one and that is the dynamic palettes. I select a line and the stroke options appear. I select some copy the text options appear. The information I need is always in the same place my eye and my mouse never have to search for some new palette -- very intuitive, less clutter. There are only two applications I really need to do everything from ads, brochures, posters, displays, signage, packaging, logos, and web design and that's Photoshop and FreeHand -- can't work without it!

Freehand is a great piece of software I've been using for the past 20 years... I have purchased all updates since version 1.0 and have participated to some of its beta testing programs. It's not about competition with Illustrator, it's just that Freehand's interface is closer to my working habits. I use it for every logo design, and all one page layouts. Its great, complete and flexible. I don't mind Adobe publishing it, but please keep it alive and port it to the MacIntel platform. A daily Freehand user

I think people already said it all so... LONG LIVE FREEHAND :D

I've been a Freehand devotee ever since the Aldus days way back in 1988. I've always felt more comfortable creating in Freehand and still feel it offers many advantages over its long-time competitor (now bigger brother) Adobe Illustrator, despite it being almost three years since the last substantial update. Features such as paste inside, multiple pages, and Flash integration have all built upon my love for this application. Even after Adobe attempted to bring it down with its tab lawsuits, reluctance to include it in its export options (oh yes - I noticed), and general distain for any sort of acknowledgement that Freehand was a viable option for the professional illustrator, I still preferred Freehand. Adobe was so arrogant as to bill their product as "the Industry Standard" despite the fact that the majority of PC users at the time used Corel Draw. That's why I find this acquisition so hard to take. We've seen from Adobe's recent history what it does to applications that it deems not up to par. Applications like PageMaker and FrameMaker were purchased and led out to pasture while Adobe propagated its agenda though its "quark killer" application InDesign. Let us also not forget how Adobe tried to undermine the Flash player by promoting the scalable vector format (SVG) unsuccessfully in it's own doomed application, LiveMotion. Adobe has said publicly that they are still supporting Freehand, however that rhetoric isn't in line with their current actions. All one needs to do is look at the recent Freehand to Illustrator pdf document located on the Adobe website to see where their interests lie. Freehand deserves better than to be bled to death by a company who looks at this as another victory over its competition. The revolution begins here... Viva La Freehand!

I can't understand why Adobe would entertain the idea of doing away with FH. They will just anger a large portion of their client base. Keep Illustrator AND FH.... make both sides happy! At least sell FH to a company that wants to keep FH customers happy..... are you listening Steve Jobs?!

I've owned both FH from version 8-Mx and Ilustrator 7 and up. For what I do on daily basis with a vector based drawing program, FreeHand does far better than Illustrator. Trust me, I have tried numerous times to use Illustrator since I need to integrate the graphs with InDesing (or PageMaker in the old days). Each time I was so frustrated with Illustrator that I went right back to FreeHand. FreeHand has a very intellegent way of "grouping" objects imported from other scientific graphing programs whereas Illustrator simply gives you an undifferentiated chunck. Please, don't kill FreeHand. Otherwise, I'll have to switch to Canvas (which I own too).

I love FreeHand, I always want to Freehand, if there isn't freehand there are not we to thanks no panic :)

Let FreeHand alive !!!

since the 1st version of aldus freehand, this beautiful vector software has worked onto layouts, print and web templates, design objects... thousans of realisation. All the illustrator users agreed with the fact that freehand was easier and stronger than an y other soft. I can't accept the idea of illustrator alone: why choosing the worst one and not the better ?

I wont buy/use Illustrator. I have used Freehand since version 1 and followed it from Altsys to Aldus to Macromedia...

I've been using FreeHand for so long I can't imagine ever switching, though I think I've given AI a fair chance any number of times. It's just too much work to do the things I do, which are pretty straightforware in FreeHand. Note that I've finally got the FreeHand list back up and running. To join an international group of experienced FreeHand users, drop by and sign up: http://www.domainvanhorn.com/mailman/listinfo/freehand Van

I am graphic designer and i use freehand every time. freehand have some aplications that AI don´t have. Please continue with this software for the convenince and flexibility.

freehand in yeni versiyonlarýný istiyoruz lütfen ilgi gösterin

FreeHand is in many ways a lot easier to use and still creates sometimes better images than illustrator ... Adobe should indeed continue to develop on this neat tool! SAVE FREEHAND, a tool i have always used for editing and creating print and online media and i sincerely hope that this is not the last version.

freehand is the only vector program that able to free align point-to-point, non-system resource eater, and very easy to use. Adobe should countinue developing freehand, under adobe maybe freehand can stand side by side with illustrator. depend on customer demand there is no single package that can serve every customer needs.

My friend, Freehand, has been in my system, since i started studying graphic design, and since then has become part of my working progress, it`s ease of use makes it literally like using you free hand, i really think there is enough market space for both programs AI and FH... Save Freehand..

I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND I L_O_V_E FREEHAND

I Love freehand I Love freehand I Love freehand I Love freehand I Love freehand I Love freehand I Love freehand I Love freehand I Love freehand I Love freehand I Love freehand I Love freehand I Love freehand

I use Freehand all day, everyday. I dip into Illustrator only when I have to. Freehand works like my old drawing board, but on steroids and it is totally intuitive. Pallets are logical, bezier control is easier and quicker. Type controls just work. Don't get me onto multiple pages. You can think and design in Freehand in ways that are just harder and slower in Illustrator. And whilst I am really impressed with Indesign, try as hard as they might it is still only a layout tool. Freehand is the only true graphic design tool out there. At very least Adobe port a universal binary version so we can use it at full speed on Intel Macs. Better still make it Open Source!

I am in the semiconductor industry. Freehand is most important tool to me when I am drafting engineering plots. I have used it since 1995. I cannot imagine how I can do my job without it. Adobe: please do not let it die!!!

Any question mark about the future of freehand should be removed in the light of its high potential for drafting laser cutting work for textiles and fashion - important worldwide IT output growth areas.

Hey guys we use Freehand alot!Now when i say alot i mean lots of time, the thing is FH is buggy, messy with the memory, dont have an auto save option, (like the big guys, 3DMax etc.) etc, etc -- we could go on and on, what we would like is that a big company like (Adobe) could fix all those errors that are in the same place from versions 9 and up !

I have used FreeHand since about 1990, and think it's wonderful. I would consider buying Illustrator only if 1. I will be able to convert my hundreds of illustrations done with FreeHand to Illustrater, and 2. The new Illustrator is as easy to use as FreeHand. Otherwise, I'll stick with what I've got.

I use freehand for all my graphic design convine with photoshop, it's a great couple to work, plese continue with this software for the convenince and flexibility.

I have been using Freehand for all maps over 10 years in my job (cartographer) and we use it for almost every illustration in educational books. It is very flexible and so easy to work with the Bezier curves - much more than AI. Please advance Freehand.

I've used and/or owned FreeHand since before it had version suffixes (i.e. FreeHand "1") and it has been the tool of my career since 1990. I don't want to exhaust my morning explaining all the reasons to keep FreeHand (as so many others on this guestbook already have), but I will say that the world is big enough -- and Adobe must realize this -- for two powerhouse vector-illustration applications to coexist side-by-side. I don't want to trash Illustrator/Illustrators and I hope the same courtesy is extended upon us FreeHand users. Please, Adobe... spend some time and resources to iron out the bugs in FHMX and leave it be. I believe it would be an unwise move to alienate the thousands upon thousands of FreeHand users worldwide.

I uses both Freehand and Illustrator most of the time. I can do without Illustrator but not Freehand. So YES! Please give us Freehand. Keep it alive.

I share the same appreciation for Freehand. As a user from version 5.5, it has been a central design and production tool for me. The easy intuitive interface enables quick rendering of logo concepts/mockups for clients. In addition, creating mutli-panel exhibit graphics are easy, since I can quickly prepare, modify and visualize my design idea. Its also very production friendly. Files can be prepared for vendor output with confidence. Simply put, its a great design tool! Please Adobe, if you don't want to develop Freehand, sell it off to someone who will. Thanks!

There's hope? In the new icon set that Adobe has created, Freehand is INCLUDED! Does this mean further development of our beloved Freehand? Or just a drawn out death? I sure hope the former. Check it out here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/veerles-blog/328983830/

Free freehand

I'm a staunch supporter and user of Freehand. Our publications are all designed & laid out using Freehand and Freehand MX. No software offers us the ability to design logos and layouts on the same page...while I have a healthy respect for Illustrator - I do ALL my work in Freehand a case of Pepsi preference over Coke one might say. Adobe please continue to support Freehand or sell it off - don't kill it!

I dont want an illustrator indesign my freehand. It macromind ineffective and unflexible like a dobe.

You have to keep Freehand. if you don't keep, i will use Corel Draw!

Illustrator is too poor for me. It's like a PC for a Mac. Let live Freehand, ( Sorry, it's not a troll)

I too have tried to make the switch to Illustrator. Everytime, I end up doing the project in Freehand. I am an expert with both programs, but I like to use what is more intuitive and quicker -- my customers appreciate a quick response & lower costs as well. FreeHand Forever!

DON'T KILL FREEHAND! Implement Opentype and Unicode and sell it as an alternative package with photoshop.

I startet working as a designer using Corel Draw, but when it became too buggy in version 2.0, I searched for alternatives. Comparing Illustrator and FreeHand, I found that FreeHand was the best choice since it combined stable and accurate post script core like Illustrator, and user frendly interface like Corel Draw. In the beginning I used Quark Xpress for multiple page layouts, but since FreeHand could hanle multiple pages too, I never touched Quark again. Illustrator only supports one layout page, and for multiple pages, users have to use InDesign. That kind of workflow is very time consumming and really not practical. In FreeHand you can do it all at once, and that why it is a top-noch software for almost all of the designing needs.

I have been using Freehand for over 5 years in my job and we use it for almost every type of document. It is so flexible and so easy to use - much more so than AI. PLEASE KEEP FREEHAND.

With all respect for Adobe and their Illustrator software: FreeHand is a better, more efficient and more intuitive vector application. Good professionals use it and prove it. Excellent professionals KNOW it. I'm sure Adobe is placed among the last ones. Sell it or improve it. But don´t kill it along with millions of expectations.

I've just switched to Ilustrator and I find it quite frustrating, is not as versatile as Freehand. If next Ilustrator generation has Freehand's features it might be ok but not the same. Please don't kill Freehand!!!

If Adobe is not going to continue with Freehand they should sell the rights to a worthy company to continue the noble course of keeping the best software in its field alive.

Please save Freehand!

Have been using and teaching freehand since v3 (silicon beach aldus?) and have have spead the word to thousands of students over the years. Both products have good and bad points and better integration would be good for both. A common graphics engine under the hood would sort that - anyone for freelustrator? But keep it current whatever. p.s. Adobe- if your getting shot- give it to apple not corel (like macromedia did with final cut) competition is good for the soul and the customer.

of course - it's obvious that FreeHand needs to be saved

FH has the most eloquent combination of depth of function and fast learning curve. In a mass of apps trying to be everything for all, FH has been the end all be all app for many. I unreservedly support the continuation of the program, even if its in the form of a new illustrator version that co-opts all the good stuff from FH.

For the love of all things Holy ... keep Freehand ALIVE!!!!

Niemals ohne mein FreeHand !

please don't stop freehand development. we love it.