Disclaimer

This is a subjective view of a person who, for the first time a few hours ago, familiarized himself with the new version of the collection of programs from Adobe - there will not be serious analytics and objective assessments.

I did not read anything about the new features of each of the programs, and if I read something, I forgot by the time of release :) Therefore, I will describe only those features that immediately caught my eye or during familiarization with the new version came handy. And since I “studied” each program for 10–15 minutes, I would give literally 3-4 notes for each - the rest can either be opened 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 do we have here ... wow - the phone number, the charge and the disk ... cute”.
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For each program I watched, I will give my personal assessment of the update on a five-point scale: 1 - vtf, 2 - deteriorated, 3 - hurray, nothing broke, 4 - normal, 5 - an excellent update.

Configuration

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

Installation

I downloaded, unpacked, launched the setup. The distribution kit with extensions takes 8.5 gigs, about 25 more are required for installation (eventually about 7 remain on the disk). During the installation, the installer accidentally cursed the discrepancy with the minimum system requirements (there is only one and a half gig of RAM from the desired two), but allowed to continue the installation. As it turned out later, 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 was not particularly straining, since Priority resource consumption and disk access were very tactful and the installation did not interfere with my business.

By the way, there is one important note that does not color 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 “Install / Uninstall” and fix it - just delete it. Moreover, to add any component, you need to run the installer to the full one again, and only the initialization stage lasts under 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 previous ones. Almost all applications are given in two styles. It became really more convenient to use.

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

Thirdly, that I was very annoyed, now help rolls online, so installing and reading without the Internet will not work. Well at least on the site posted a PDF version of the help.

The order of familiarization with the products I had was a rendome, but I left some sweets last.

Soundbooth (Sb)

1. Finally, the item File-> New appeared. Previously, it was not, and my body somehow reluctantly perceived the logic of CS3 - in order to create a file, you must click 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 the clipboard, and a file from the selected piece (it used to be this too, but it was rather crookedly released)

2. In addition to creating simple sound files, they added the ability to create a multitrack file, i.e. a file containing several audio tracks at once. Each audio file on the track can be edited on the same screen, drag-n-drop within the same track and drag between them, etc. The only thing missing is the ability to cut the file right on the track, as in Premiere

3. Resource Central gives you access to the online repository of a huge pile of free sound effects and "melodies" collected in libraries. Melodies are written in quotes, because these are not simple melodies, but so-called scores, that is, sets. The set is a file with several channels, for each of which you can change the volume and use of frame frames. Included in the Sb are a couple of files for review. To make it clear what I'm talking about: there is a set of citystreen in the kit, in which there are 3 channels - street, rain and construction. The only problem is that the sets go at a cost.

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

After several launches, Sb stopped loading further splashscreen. Reinstallation (long and painful) did not help. Strange - all other programs from CS3 and CS4 work fine.

Evaluation update: 5- (minus attributed to the curvature of its configuration)

Premiere Pro (Pr)

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

2. Finally, they guessed to add a media browser window; nevertheless, when working with video, you have to constantly import many different components of the clip - sound, video, pictures that are scattered throughout the disc. Now it is not necessary for each to climb the menu. It is strange that this was not implemented in earlier versions.

3. Added work with metadata, although with my volumes of work it is not so important, but I think professionals will be pleased.

4. There was a very convenient function of normalizing the sound track in two clicks.

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

Update rating: 4

Contribute

I like this product - posting in WordPress is much more convenient than any other tool I used. But still looking at the contribution 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, a little changed skin - 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 prompting. Maybe the program is just perfect, and maybe all the buns are deep inside.

In general, the assessment of this update - awl on soap: 3

Photoshop (Ps)

Well, only lazy did not write about this product before its release. I will not review the new features, I will express only my IMHO:

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

Now it is much easier to do this - 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 represented as buttons on a regular panel, which means that they are accessed three times faster.

Moreover, the creators have taken care of the presets adjustments, which are located there. You can save your own.

2. Another powerful feature of the new Photoshop is working with 3D. It is made very simple and convenient, but there are places where lovers of pozamorachivatsya turn around. Now you can make a 3D object (pyramid, cone, parallelogram, etc.) from any layer and twist and rotate it as you like. But this is not all - you can import a real 3D object directly into your picture. Several file types are supported, the most significant of which for me 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 poor, I could not appreciate all the beauty of real-time rendering, but even the fact that I pulled the laptop was excellent. Everything. We'll have to upgrade.

3. Buttons for controlling the zoom, screen format, etc., were carried up and made large - this is also a plus - now you can even get there with the touchpad from the first time without taking special aim.

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

Update was a success, go without thinking: 5+

Fireworks (Fw)

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

1. Finally, Fw has become similar in design and logic to work with it to the other applications in the series. Still, before there was a very strong difference. Now almost the same style. Almost - because all the same, in some places there are unexplained differences, which should not be logically. For example, in Photoshop, the Hand tool, Zoom tool, Zoom Level and Screen Mode were moved to the top menu. For some reason, they immediately limited themselves to the first three, leaving the screen mode on the toolbar. This is a trifle, but I actively use this trifle because of the small screen (1280x800), and now I will try to click the wrong place every time. Very strange cant.

2. I was very pleased with the tighter integration with AIR and Flex - now you can create the AIR Package without departing from the cash register, add AIR-specific commands for hotspots, create skins for Flex components, etc. I didn’t dig deeply, but I’ll definitely dig.

3. Guides appeared to align the elements relative to each other - well, why only now 8 (It was the same in other CS3 applications.

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

5. For alignment by distance between objects, it was guessed to make it possible to set the distance manually in pixels, as is done in Ai. Previously, for this it was necessary to use algebra or trial and error method%)

In general, now you do not experience discomfort using this product - it was brought into the form in which the product can appear in CS-packs.

My rating update - go straight: 5+

Version Cue (VC) & Drive

Not everyone is familiar with this bunch. I'll tell you in brief. 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, VS servers can be accessed from Adobe Bridge.

The new version of MC has an additional program, Adobe Drive, which allows you to make a network drive from any remote storage based on VC, and to work with it as with a regular drive is convenient, isn't it?

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

Innovation rating: 4

Bridge (BR)

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

1. The speed of work is impressive - the 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 I use Chrome)

2. There were collections, incl. and Smart Collections (for example, find all the pictures on the P drive, which were made by a camera, the name of which contains the letters D80)

3. Much more convenient disk navigation (this should be seen) and content filtering.

4. I liked the button Open recent, 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 with one click collect web-gallery or PDF.

I didn’t like the fact that Bridge doesn’t understand at all that some of the photos were processed in Adobe Lightroom - it doesn’t see any photo corrections or metadata. Of course, I understand why this is not the case - in LR you can make several directories at once, which will process the same files in different ways. But this problem is not the most significant - after all, LR itself works fine and his browser (or her?) Needs it.

Update required: 5+

Dreamweaver (Dw)

Without even looking here, you can safely say that the update will be necessary and as always standing.
Well, if you look slightly:

1. It became much more convenient to use - as I was infuriated by the properties panel, in order to collapse which needed to get into a small 4x20 pixel button. Now this panel is collapsed when clicking on a healthy gray header area - very nice, especially for those with small widescreen screens.

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

3. Further functions: Live View is a must see. Awesomely handy thing - clicked on the button and the working page is already reflected in the design window, the same as if you started the preview in the browser. And both javascript and flash are supported, and if you click somewhere with the mouse, in the code window the cursor will move to the desired element. Of course, the incompatibility of some browsers with standards leaves imprints on this technology - you still have to start browsing in browsers, but now it will be possible to do it much less often.

4. Further work with CSS - the creation and use of styles have 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, jpeg is of course inserted, but it is linked to the base file and all changes you make in it will be automatically reflected in your jpeg) Photoshop in order to change the quality of jpeg or

6. And I would like to finish the Dw micro-review with one more innovation - InContext Editing. Independently make this thing work as I should have been lazy, so I limited myself to watching a video about it. The meaning is as follows: create several “editable regions” (for example, the topic of the post, the author and the content), set formatting parameters for each of the regions (can you change the font, size, color ...), drive one post into the “repeating region” and fill to your server, which may not even support php. Along with your html-page several js-files are uploaded. After that, in order to add or change 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 opening js-th it is pulled out and embedded in the page. Cool idea - make dynamic content even backgammon%)

Update succeeded by 200%, must have: 5+

After Effects (AE)

I somehow did not work with this thing in the previous version, not in the current version, so I can’t say anything - after all, AE is such a thing that you need to do a good job to say something about it. Skin has changed :)

Encore (EC)

In the last version, Encore tried to make a header for a DVD with a family video, but somehow this process did not capture me. The new version refused to run at all in trial-mode, so I can’t say anything here either.

InDesign (ID)

1. I liked the expected bonuses, such as rulers for aligning objects relative to each other, more informative reflection of changes in size, position and rotation of objects. Still in photoshop is :)

2. When you make printed materials, it is 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 by 90 or 180 degrees.

3. As with all other CS4 products, the ID was dragged into place and the Workspace expanded.

4. I liked the possibility of exporting a book to a flash both in the form of an XFL file and SWF. Moreover, to change pages you can set up transitions directly in the ID. So now for creating 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 record on a disk of video. And since For some reason, the DV output of my camcorder died, I could not test the program. All that was possible to understand by the elements of the program is recording with viewing of various graphs and real-time mode, adding metadata, searching and viewing existing video.

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

Illustrator (Ai)

1. Workspaces appeared

2. I liked tips for actions, as in InDesign - dimensions, position, angle of rotation, 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 became very easy to use, you know exactly what the result will be. In addition, we added a transparency setting for the gradient points (albeit in a flash, it's still cooler)

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

My rating: 5+

Flash

And lastly I will open the most awaited "box". This is the only application, about which new features I guessed before the release, because I follow the development of Flex / Flash technology with great interest.

1. The first thing that catches the eye is that the space has been completely reorganized: what was above, became below; what was Vince, was to the right. Straight 91 year.
2. A separate word is required by the properties panel: now there is everything you need to know about the object. Moreover, all this can be changed without using the keyboard - the numbers are made to resemble digital-sliders in Premiere: hold down the button, drag it to the side to the desired value, release. Beauty.
3. A new Tween has appeared - now the old Tween is called Classic Tween. New 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 - either see it (tv.adobe.com) or try it yourself. Awesome stuff. What I used to do for two minutes, now I will do it in 10 seconds. And then I’ll change it for 5 as if I’d been digging for another 3 minutes in the old flash.
4. About the new twin - now the change of each property (X, Y, Z, Scale, Rotation) can be configured regardless of the change of other characteristics. This is the Motion Editor panel. According to the logic of work, it resembles 3D Studio in some way, only it is made in a more usable form.
5. Added support for 3D. Cheers, comrades! This is a really serious achievement. Twisting and rotating 3D objects is very simple; for those who worked in some 3D editor, the logic will be quite clear.
6. I know that there was support for the synthesized sound, this is also very cool (remember the Spectrum), but I myself did not get there - there was not much time. I'll definitely get there later.
7. Added another Deco-tool, a tool slightly resembling slightly the Symbol Sprayer Tool in AI. The logic of his work is of course different based on the specifics of the flush, but for example, to draw a grid or some waves is easier than simple.
8. Chic innovation - Bone Tool. Those who worked with programs for character animation is understandable by name. I will describe in brief: two objects are taken (for example, two rectangle symbols), a bone is “held” between them - the connection of some point of one object with another. After that the objects are connected. One object is fixed on a stud to the wall through an invisible stick, and the second is attached to the stick on the screwdriver and can turn independently of it. The result is of course cool - you can easily make a little man whose legs, arms, head and machine gun will hang properly. The feature of course - just no words. It makes me even more delighted than 3D and synthesized sound. If we consider that we get everything at once and we do not need to choose ... 8)))

Perhaps this will end, otherwise you yourself will not be interested to understand :) And there are still many, many bonuses.

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

This new product I could not resist and put 6 + - boiling water is not all poured out%)

Findings.

As always, Adobe was pleased with the quality update of one of the most (and in my opinion the most) cool 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 there was a large-scale optimization, because almost all applications began to work much faster. New skins create the impression of reliability, one careless movement of the mouse will not spoil the look of the workspace.

All updated. Without fail.

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