Fireworks 3.0 Complete package > Reviews (7)

Fireworks is an excellent graphics package that is designed to integrate well with Dreamweaver for web work. I’m a committed Dreamweaver man, so you might imagine that I’d be likewise sold on Fireworks, but it’s not quite as simple as that.

It is a very good package, no question, but I’ve found that I prefer to work with CorelDraw for most things and the only facility I really use Fireworks for is to produce GIFs with transparent backgrounds. It’s a bit quirky, I know, but I’ve developed this as my own preferred solution and because I’ve got access to both packages I can mix and match without really having to worry about the cost – what a luxurious life I lead.

Having said all that, Fireworks is still a marvellous package that allows you to do all manner of things and produce some outstanding graphical images.

It’s specifically designed to be web-friendly and so is particularly good at producing outputs which will both look good and work efficiently as part of finished web pages.

Macromedia have issued this new upgrade in order to prevent the competition from nibbling too fiercely at their heels and it’s intended to very much keep them ahead of the pack.

There’s a marvellous preview function now available which allows you able to preview your image in live mode. That means that in 2-Up or 4-Up view you can move or recolour an object, for example, and the preview images and their file size feedback will automatically update. Alternatively, you can select an individual image slice and fine-tune its settings in situ. Even better, the preview windows are also live, so you can quickly check your rollover effects without having to load your browser. The boost both to efficiency and ultimate image control is immense.

I have to say that for some strange reason I still find CorelDraw the better solution to my needs, but that’s probably because I came across that package first and can’t be bothered to un-learn all my duff habits.