Adobe Fireworks or GNU/GPL Gimp ?
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- Massimo POSARINI
- Newbie
- Posts: 14
- Thanks: 0
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- damo
- Elite Rocketeer
- Posts: 2142
- Thanks: 0
- how about an option that fireworks rocks?
- www.c3p0.se - sweden
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- Theodore Nyman
- Jr. Rocketeer
- Posts: 28
- Thanks: 0
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OK - so here I go again trying to customize one of your templates... Nice templates btw - but the graphics, and the fact I am given 1 choice as to a Graphics program is really starting to PISS ME OFF>>>>
I use Xara 4 Pro - one of the TOP rated - best Vector Graphics programs on the market. It will import just about ANY file - as you can see from the list... The problem I am having with RocketTheme - is that all your layered graphic files are exported such that they can ONLY be easily edited in FIREWORKS - a program I have looked at - and frankly determined to be crap... Sure some may love it, but on it's merits it pales in comparison to the industry standard graphic design programs...
So - why the push for FIREWORKS - is it due to an affiliate arrangement, what else could it be?
Your source files are the same files in the core program - I was hoping to download an .AI .PSD . CDR or .XAR FILE extension - one I could easily import - and then UNGROUP - and QUICKLY edit. Your template images are great - but we need a way to QUICKLY transform our sites to appropriate themes... now it is a HUGE Chore
Is this too much to ask? All I see on these boards is frustration with editing problems - that you hope we will solve by downloading a FREE FIREWORKS trial - and eventual purchase of a $299 boat anchor software program...
My suggestion - is to download the SOURCE graphics files in INDUSTRY standard formats - 4 or so should cover it, and you will cease wasting tons of your customers time... and actually enhance your VALUE to us...
I can use XARA and build a core file - with all the layers - and export it into these different formats in about 2 minutes...
If you are chasing affiliate commissions - why not promote a MUCH better program - one that can do 10X the things FIREWORKS can, and is cheaper... Xara of course...(And I do not work for them folks...)
These 2 screen shots below show you how many different types of files XARA can import and export. Please change this FIREWORKS ONLY Policy - as it creates too much BS work for those of us too stubborn to purchase your "recommended" editing solution...
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- Andy Miller
- Preeminent Rocketeer
- Posts: 9919
- Thanks: 96
- Web Kahuna
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We've had these discussions many times. let me summarize some key points:
1) We are the ones that have to use the tool to create the designs that make the templates you decide to buy. We get to pick the tools that enables us to create the designs in the best way we can.
2) People 'mistakenly' think that because photoshop is HUGE and everyone has a stolen copy of it, it must be the de-facto choice of all web designers. Photoshop and most other pixel editing tools (i.e. gimp, photopaint, corel, etc.) are not the best in class tool for web designers.
3) Exporting to other formats is not like converting a PNG to a GIF. The layers and frames, and live effects we use do not port pixel to pixel with other formats. We would spend all our time with folks trying to help them with their new images that don't match to the existing ones.
4) We provide blank logo images with every template so if you don't want to spend the money on fireworks, you can't get your head around it, or you just don't understand it, you can use whatever you want to change your logo.
5) Alternatives such as Xara do us no good because it's Windows only. We are an all mac shop. Not to mention, i'm sure Xara is a great app, but I think you'll find it's market share is leagues below that of Fireworks which is part of the Adobe CS3 Web Designer suite.
6) I'm sure Xara, like Photoshop or Fireworks, really only SAVES in it's own native format. Sure it can import in a limited way a bunch of stuff, just like Phothoshop or Fireworks can, but really there is no PRACTICAL way to create files for every major player in multiple native formats keeping the layers, effects etc. If you can show me a way to do this where the output is exactly the same for all uses, I'm all ears. What I've seen with fireworks and photoshop is we basically would need to construct the file from scratch on each software product, and even then there's no guarantee it would be exactly the same between them. Alas there's not common interchange specification that works well like there is in 3D modeling when it comes to vector/bitmap apps.
7) We picked the best tool for the job, that's Fireworks. It works native on Windows, Mac, and you can even get it to run on Linux. It is 500% better than photoshop for doing what we do, with web designs and color variations, and as these professional apps go, it's cheap compared to the likes of Photoshop. Everyone has their own opinion, and of course there going to be those with strong opinions for one tool or another, but we have to pick one.
BTW, iIm not affiliated with Adobe directly, but I am on the Fireworks Advisory Board, so if you have features requests, pass them on to me. I know file import/export is a big topic with fireworks, but native export to another format with 100% accuracy is really impossible. The best alternative is import which can be handled better, that's why Fireworks can IMPORT photoshop PSDs pretty darn well, if only Photoshop and Xara would have the forethought to be able to import Fireworks native PNGs we probably would not have any complaints at all.
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- Mark Matsusaki
- Sr. Rocketeer
- Posts: 165
- Thanks: 0
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Fireworks and the round trip editing with Dreamweaver make it pretty much the only choice for me.
The ability to edit some thing in Fireworks then have it update in Dreamweaver is simply amazing.
Amazing like, it was a pain in the a$$ before this feature was around. - Google Analytics Certified Individual.
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- epinoa
- Newbie
- Posts: 5
- Thanks: 0
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Hi,
Yep you are all dead right but .......The logo is an essential thing to change for a website. Fireworks is the best tool for altering it ......but an option to just swap over with your own image would be great (possibly make it transparent). When someone spends money for a years membership they shouldnt be expected to also pay out for fireworks too. I make/produce music professionally and I would not expect someone to have to buy a copy of protools/logic/sonar when they downloaded an mp3. I make the music on $100k + of hardware and software. I test it and mix it on $10 speakers. Customers are God - simple business. - maturity is the stage before senility
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- Ragdata
- Elite Rocketeer
- Posts: 614
- Thanks: 0
- Software Engineer
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And your customers don't expect to be able to change the amount of reverb on the second backing vocal track either.
Seriously - that's what we're talking about here, isn't it?
If you released YOUR 'sources' your customers WOULD need a copy of Sonar to use them, wouldn't they?
Likely, if you did release your 'sources' you would do so out of the goodness of your heart so that IF a customer did happen to have a copy of Sonar, they could produce something different to your finished product a little more easily.
Customers here purchase a finished product. The sources are released - literally - out of the goodness of the RT Team's heart. There's absolutely nothing stopping anyone from completely disregarding the Fireworks sources and creating something from scratch in the place of a logo or other graphical element. Similarly - there's nothing stopping your customers from hacking a finished track to pieces and using it as samples for their latest 'rap' track. - Ragdata's Rubber Duck
www.ragdata.net/
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