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Macromedia’s Studio 8 Suite Academic Software Package
Macromedia Dreamweaver
My first choice for HTML editors is Macromedia's Dreamweaver. It has an
easy to use, intuitive user interface and state of the art design tools.
With a customizable user interface, you can work the way you need to.
Although the student software doesn’t come with manuals, Dreamweaver
has excellent online tutorials.
You can design intricate CSS-based layouts and designs easily with tools
that allow for quick selection and control of page and site wide style
properties. There is a built in graphics editor that uses Macromedia
Fireworks technology. Dreamweaver allows you to develop HTML, XHTML,
XML, ASP, ASP.NET, JSP, PHP, and Macromedia ColdFusion websites.
It has a cross-browser code validation feature that automatically checks
tags and CSS rules for compatibility across all the leading browsers and
allows you to configure browser preview for multiple browsers.
One of the nicest features is the Property Inspector that enables quick,
comprehensive property editing that makes getting it perfect a
no-brainer. This is the editor I use to create and maintain all of my
web sites. I have used all of the professional and many of the other
HTML editors available and can say that Dreamweaver is absolutely the
best HTML editor. Since Dreamweaver is taught in most graphic design
curriculums, it inclusion in the academic software package is needed.
Macromedia Fireworks
Fireworks is Macromedia’s answer to Photoshop and is included in the
student software package. Fireworks has all the tools a web professional
needs to create everything from simple graphical buttons to
sophisticated rollover effects. You can import, edit, and integrate all
major graphics formats, including vector and bitmap images and easily
export Fireworks images to Flash, Dreamweaver, and third-party
applications.
Besides all of the normal features you would expect in a professional
photo editing program, fireworks includes new interactive design
features and the ability to create pop-up menus in the Cascading Style
Sheets (CSS) format without the need for programming. One thing
Fireworks does exceptionally well is batch processing. I use Fireworks
batch processing all of the time to optimize entire directories of
photographs. I can resize and optimize 50 photographs in just a couple
of minutes.
Macromedia Flash Pro 8
Flash is the industry leader for creation animation and video movies for
streaming over the internet. Flash creates movies with surprising small
files sizes. That translates to quick download times and the
availability to use flash animation on slower links and mobile devices
and comes complete with tools for video creation especially for mobile
devices. Flash pro 8 provides everything needed to create great looking
videos. Since flash is being used more frequently is essential that it
be part of an academic software package.
Macromedia Contribute
Contribute is Macromedia's answer to the problem of content management.
It provides the ability to change the content of a website without
having to know anything about HTML, but does not need all the expensive
software and databases that a regular content management system uses.
Contribute allows companies to buy an inexpensive tool that lets them
provide content without messing with the design. Contribute is a
solution that is custom-made for small to mid-sized companies that don't
need all the power of CMS, but would like some of the benefits. Being
included in the academic software package will give students an
opportunity to see how a very simple CMS system works.
Macromedia FlashPaper
FlashPaper generates compact, fast-opening Flash documents that can be
published to any website using Macromedia Contribute, Dreamweaver, or
any other HTML tool. FlashPaper creates Flash documents through
intuitive Microsoft Office integration and file drag and drop. Create
Flash documents that are immediately available cross-platform on any web
browser. Compact Flash documents open within a web page, eliminating the
need for a separate viewer application. Flash documents can also be
incorporated into Flash projects. Adding this to the student software
package allows the student to experience using a very handy tool.
Adobe Creative Suite 2.0 Premium Academic Software Package
Adobe Photoshop
Photoshop is the graphics industry standard and my choice of photo
editing software. I have to admit I love Photoshop. You can create
original images or modify photos using a wide range of painting,
drawing, and retouching tools. You can work the way that's best for you
by creating personalized workspace and tool settings and customized
keyboard shortcuts.
You can achieve sophisticated results by compositing images, text, and
effects on hundreds of layers that you control by grouping into sets,
color coding, and locking. You can simulate traditional fine-art
techniques with dry and wet brush effects, pastel, charcoal, and more
and even use brushes to add special effects such as grass and leaves.
There are tools to improve the color, contrast, and dynamic range of any
image, easily remove dust, scratches, blemishes, wrinkles, and other
flaws with the Healing Brush. Photoshop can give high quality output by
working with the complete raw data files from most major digital camera
models. It’s great all-around imaging software. Photoshop is taught in
all graphic curriculums and had to be included in the student software
package.
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator is also taught in every school’s graphic curriculum
and is another essential part of a student software package. It is also
an essential tool for anyone who needs to express ideas visually in
print, on the Web, and in any other medium. When my clients send me a
rough pencil drawing of the logo they want for their business, I create
the logo in Illustrator then import into Photoshop to get it ready for
their web page.
Illustrator has great 3D features, advanced typographical controls,
Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) integration and enhanced printing
options. Illustrator will help create and efficiently publish your
artwork anywhere.
One of the nicest features is the ability to apply live effects without
affecting the underlying artwork, so you can edit at any time without
starting over. There are blending modes and transparency effects similar
to those in Photoshop software but, unlike Photoshop, Illustrator has
intuitive tools such as the Pencil, Smooth, Erase, and Pen tools.
Adobe InDesign
InDesign is the best page layout software available and is the choice of
most print design professionals. With the advent of paid subscription
totally-digital magazines, it is getting popular for laying out the
print like pages of these products.
It can integrate with both Photoshop and Adobe’s Portable Document
Format (PDF) file formats and supports the multiple layer capability of
Photoshop. It is an all around necessary tool for the professional
graphic designer. Although not usually covered in most curriculums, it
is a welcome addition to any academic software package,
Adobe GoLive
GoLive is Adobe’s answer to Dreamweaver. It has all of the features
that you can find in Dreamweaver and is integrated directly into the
rest of adobe products. Personally, I prefer Dreamweaver but golive is
an excellent HTML editor and completes the suite for a web designer.
Although usually on touched in classes, GoLive is welcome addition to
any student software package.
Adobe Acrobat
Acrobat is the number one tool used to create the widely used PDF
document format. With its built in security features that can prevent
the user from copying or changing the document and the ability to
require a password to open the document, acrobat is still one of the
leading choices for creating paid e-books. This program is an absolute
necessity for a web designer and therefore a welcome addition to the
academic software package.
Adobe Version Cue
Version Cue is a file manager that tracks the different versions of the
files you create with the graphics as well as some others. It is a very
nice tool if you have several people collaborating on a project since
you can maintains a complete change history of the files.
If you are a student, teacher or educational institution that qualifies
for the academic software discount price, please visit http://www.sprysoft.com
to see what is available.