best web graphic design program?

[abcdefGARY]

hi, recently switched to working on a Mac here, and was wondering if any web experts here have any advice on what is the best web graphic design program available out there for Macs?

(web graphics such as web backgrounds, buttons, etc.)

I used to use ImageReady CS2 with Windows since it always produced gif's, snapped to the correct grid patterns, but that doesn't come offered anymore with the Adobe CS3 suite for Mac.

is there something like ImageReady/alternative for Mac?

Thanks.

[janitorC7]

adobe fireworks is the best hands down

[abcdefGARY]

adobe fireworks is the best hands downI've never tried fireworks before... is it similar to ImageReady? I liked IR because for some reason, the smart guides and snapping to the borders of the canvas was really good in IR, compared to photoshop.

[tominated]

fireworks does have snapping and all sorts of other features that make it almost equal to photoshop in it's flexibility. Mind you, i use fireworks mx

[chopcho]

I've been using Fireworks since version 3 and now i'm on CS3 and i can tell you for Web it is the best tool out there!

There is just one thing that annoys me on the OS X version is when i copy text from the web and paste in Fireworks it make the text with the same font and size from where i copy and not what is set in the program ... did anyone now how to fix this ?

[janitorC7]

I've been using Fireworks since version 3 and now i'm on CS3 and i can tell you for Web it is the best tool out there!

There is just one thing that annoys me on the OS X version is when i copy text from the web and paste in Fireworks it make the text with the same font and size from where i copy and not what is set in the program ... did anyone now how to fix this ?

I dont have this problem, I;m assuming that you are doing this on your 9 version.

could be somthing in your prefs. I would just say play around in there. I would check for you, but I;m away from my computer and currently at a library.

Good luck.

[nightelf]

Fireworks is the best.

[abcdefGARY]

thanks for the suggestions, I'll give FW a whirl.

[phantasmagoria]

Fireworks is great, but whether it's the best depends on what you're actually trying to achieve at the time. Photoshop and Illustrator are both more appropriate on occasion.

I do love Fireworks, and it's an essential part of my toolkit, but if I had to only use one program, then I'd pick Photoshop. I'd miss out on the superior vector-based graphics in Fireworks and Illustrator, but I wouldn't be able to do without the control for custom filters and the industry standard file formats that my clients and associates require their images saved to.

In the real world, I use Photoshop, Illustrator and Fireworks and wouldn't want to be without any of them, as they all have their strengths!

[abcdefGARY]

Fireworks is great, but whether it's the best depends on what you're actually trying to achieve at the time. Photoshop and Illustrator are both more appropriate on occasion. well, basically, like creating a single button graphic, etc.

[abcdefGARY]

the interface from PS/IR from Fireworks is very different...

I'm not used to working with vectors... am I suppose to flatten each vector shape if I want to add color to it in Fireworks?

[pengu]

I wouldn't be able to do without the control for custom filters and the industry standard file formats that my clients and associates require their images saved to.

um. you do know that Fireworks supports a lot of the "Photoshop" plugins available? And what format is it that you want to save/open that Fireworks doesn't support?

I'm not used to working with vectors... am I suppose to flatten each vector shape if I want to add color to it in Fireworks? on the properties window there are two colour wells. one for line, and one for fill.

[abcdefGARY]

on the properties window there are two colour wells. one for line, and one for fill.aha, thanks.

[Mac In School]

Let me first admit that I haven't tried it in CS3 yet. In CS2, the Fireworks/DW photo albums weren't that great. They couldn't automatically be put into templates, and they showed no camera EXIF data.

Jalbum rocks.

[ghiangelo]

well, basically, like creating a single button graphic, etc.

that's what it is designed for, web site graphics. the whole program is like Freehand for the web. there are tools for creating rollovers and optimizations on the fly and now the CS3 version has a page previewer to aid in the organization of a multipaged site. it's just the coolest thing around, that hardly anyone uses!?... there is no other program like it. it's one drawback is that it doesn't handle large files well, which is fine because it forces you to optimize ;)

[pengu]

define "doesnt handle large files"?

[rev316]

Fireworks FTW

[abcdefGARY]

now the CS3 version has a page previewer to aid in the organization of a multipaged site. it's just the coolest thing around, that hardly anyone uses!?yeah, the organization of the layers window is a bit confusing for me... very different from ps

[pengu]

Fireworks FTW

that FTW crap about Fireworks vs Photoshop, iPod vs Zune, Xbox360 vs PS3 etc etc is so STUPID. almost (but not quite) as stupid as every new product out being a <insert earlier product> killer.

Products can't be "killed" and they can't "win" or "lose". they can be POPULAR. or UNPOPULAR. they can even be DISCONTINUED. but WINNING, LOSING and KILLING (particularly the last two) is something we humans tend to do enough of without any requirement for our products to do so.

ok im done now.

[werther]

fireworks ftw! it's the photoshop killer!