Not worth upgrading to CS4?

[covisio]

I'm probably not going to bother until I change my Macs. Currently running a Dual 2.3Ghz G5 PowerMac and a 1Ghz G4 PowerBook and I think they will start to struggle (PowerBook struggling now especially with Illustrator CS3).

 

[doug in albq]

I like clean code as much as the next guy, but think how much easier it would be to set up CSS using an interface like InDesign.

I think one of the reasons why people dislike WYSIWYG is because of how the programs work. A program like InDesign, if it was coded to work as well for web layout as it does for print layout, could completely change things.

Hey, we think alike! I am an old fart from the print graphic design era (in my 4th decade of life), but I also dabble in web-design. This is what I said on my latest blog post at my website on 8.25.08:

"I expect Microsoft's Expression will catch up to Adobe in market share quickly. What will Adobe's response be? Will they lower the price of their Creative Suite or will they invent a new set of features that makes their suite irresistible. I hope for the latter. Expression is touting itself as the creative/design package for web developers. Well, Adobe how about a true web development app. for designers? Adobe, you should make Dreamweaver the total web design/development application it was ment to be! Web browser standards are actually becoming a reality, and with this should come a true, tight WYSIWYG web design/development app. I do not see any real reason why an application like Dreamweaver cannot fully expand itself into the program it could be. Dreamweaver should be as user friendly for a graphic/visual designer as using Adobe's print-based layout program, InDesign. Yes, that is what I said. Dreamweaver should be as user friendly for a graphic/visual designer as using InDesign. That is not a statement coming from ignorance, like many coders might tend to think, that should be a new mission-statement for Adobe."

http://www.dougitdesign.com/blog.html

 

[pointycollars]

Adobe added support for the multi-touch trackpad.

Yes, but what professional graphic designer is actually going to be using the trackpad to do work? It's a useless feature.

 

[Voidness]

I don't see any new groundbreaking features in the CS4 previews that would make me upgrade to it from CS3. Sure, there are some neat new things in Photoshop, Flash is a good upgrade, but nothing that would justify the $599 upgrade price.

I can hear the web developers/designers outside your door, I think theyre carrying pitchforks and torches.

Indeed they are

[rant]

But seriously, I moved away from Dreamweaver, and now I hand code my website projects from top to bottom (Everything from HTML and CSS to PHP or any server technology). I felt that Dreamweaver just wasn't giving me enough control and precision. However, I don't believe this should be the way web designers have to work. Designing a website is a visual process, just like designing a magazine. I shouldn't have to give attention to the underlying markup code. Should InDesign users make their .indd files in a text editor?

We should make technology adapt to us, not the other way around.

[/rant]

 

[doug in albq]

I felt that Dreamweaver just wasn't giving me enough control and precision. However, I don't believe this should be the way web designers have to work. Designing a website is a visual process, just like designing a magazine. I shouldn't have to give attention to the underlying markup code. Should InDesign users make their .indd files in a text editor?

We should make technology adapt to us, not the other way around.

[/rant]

exactly, my friend. that is what I said just above. Dreamweaver better change big-time by CS5 or Microsoft's Expression Web will be eating Adobe for lunch.

 

[synth3tik]

Adobe added support for the multi-touch trackpad.

This was the only thing that really made me take notice, but I am not about to pay for just that. Like many things though I suppose CS4 gives some people what they really wanted and maybe CS5 will have the features I fell are worth the upgrade price.

 

[chaosbunny]

The one thing that really makes me curious is that due to use of the gpu images are no longer displayed a little "weird" at 66,67% scaling or similar "odd" scales in Photoshop, if I read that correctly.

 

[Kwill]

The one thing that really makes me curious...

You hit the nail on the head. CS4 has some features to make people curious rather than, depending upon current user version, compelled to pay for an upgrade.

Adobe may be on a 12- to 18-month upgrade cycle but it appears users can only handle their parceled features every 36 months (CS -> CS3-> CS5 or CS2 -> CS4 -> CS6).

 

[ocbo41]

Does anyone know if Indesign will get GPU support ? it seems only logical to do so when scrolling down a complex book.

 

[Techguy172]

Does anyone know if Indesign will get GPU support ? it seems only logical to do so when scrolling down a complex book.

I'd imagine this will happen in CS5 when it is hopefully ported over to Cocoa.
Once it is ported over we should see a lot more features that use the graphics chip.

 

[Toronto Mike]

How is the performcance of CS4 on a G5 running Tiger?

I have a dual 2.0 G5, 6GB of Ram, and the XT800 256mg video card. Would I be taking a big performance hit over the CS2 that I am currently running?

Mike

 

[csista]

Depends...

To me it was very worth it, because I wanted to switch packages. I originally bought Web Premium CS3 because it was the cheapest available.

This time, it's $599 for any premium package upgrade. So I have three equally priced choices:

Stick with Web Premium, upgrade everything I have, and gain Soundbooth

Move to the design package, gain Indesign, but lose an upgrade for Contribute, which I don't use anyway.

Or the choice I went with. Upgrade to Production, gain After Effects, Premiere, Encore, and Soundbooth. Upgrade Photoshop, Flash, and Illustrator. I don't get upgrades to Contribute and Fireworks, two programs I never use. And I don't get an upgrade to Dreamweaver, which admittedly sucks and will probably cost me $199 down the road, but for After Efects alone I don't mind, as I do filmmaking also. I bought the 3.3 upgrade, so I have Acrobat Pro 9, and get an additional $160 of the CS4 Upgrade price.

The Production Premium upgrade is significant enough that Adobe is raising it to $799 in February, so this is a limited time thing, along with upgrading CS1 or CS2 to CS4 for the same price.