Macromedia drops FreeHand from bundle

FreeHand, Macromedia's popular illustration tool, has been omitted from the company's upcoming developer suite, dubbed Studio 8.

Macromedia executives cited "extensive research with our customers" as the reason behind the decision, and not its impending acquisition by Adobe Systems--which current sells a competing product called Illustrator. Adobe announced in April that it would buy Macromedia for $3.4 billion.

A Macromedia representative said FreeHand will be sold and supported as a standalone product for the time being.

"Based on the feedback this time around, we decided to make a change.

"FreeHand was replaced by the addition of Contribute and FlashPaper to better fulfill the typical design-develop-maintain workflow needs of our customers," John Biviano, Macromedia Australia managing director, told Builder AU in an e-mail interview.

When pressed further on future plans for FreeHand, a representative said Macromedia does not disclose future product road map information.

However, on previous occasions, Macromedia has revealed upcoming product plans via company blogs and at developer events.

On Aug. 24, Adobe and Macromedia shareholders plan to vote on the former's all-stock proposal. Both parties have previously stated they expect the deal to close by the end of the year, subject to regulatory and shareholder approval.

Brendan Chase of Builder AU reported from Sydney.

[Earl Benser]

That's okay....

...now that Adobe is buying Macromedia, I'm omitting all
Macromedia products from my computers. Adobe stuff is already
almost completely trashed. Just can't get rid of Pagemeker,
however. That's still a good program - maybe because Aldus wrote
it, not Adobe.

[System Tyrant]

I don't know...

I like Macromedia and Adobe. I don't care for the merger, but (true reason or not) face with a threat from Microsoft it's probably a good strategy.

I hope that for all intents and purposes they keep Macromedia and Adobe seperated as far as developing goes, but I'm sure that Adobe will merge all Macromedia products into its products and will probably close down Macromedia.

[ColdMast]

OH NO.

Freehand rules! for usability; I was really hoping that
Macromedia would integrate Flash and Freehand into one super
product.

If only Adobe can integrate ease of use into there (non intuitive)
drawing tool.

Now I have to get used to drawing in Illustrator, AFTER ALL THE
FEEDBACK ON ANY LITTLE ERROR I GOT IN FREEHAND, WANTING
THE PERFECT VECTOR TOOL: I'm left with the equivalent of
Adobe table.

Apple to buy FreeHand

The greatest thing that could happen to this legendary software
is to bee taken by Apple to have a fair competition in the Market,
and save all the users.

Apple could compete in the Vector and Layout market with great
software.

Steve Jobs please save the Illustrator. I'll buy the FreeHand from
Apple if it ever exists.

Cheers