As a web designer/developer, a search engine optimization specialist, and website manager and overseer for my clients, I have registered many of the websites I have created with Google Analytics, an enormously helpful tool to monitor visitor sources, interests and preferences. Each day, after checking my email, I spend a generous part of my morning analyzing its reports which include how many visitors viewed each website, how they were referred, what keywords they used, what pages they visited, how long they spent on each page and what service provider they utilize, among other things. I check the last item because it often specifies the name of a company, a university, a government agency or other specific source as opposed to a behemoth IT provider like Verizon or Comcast. Often this is critical information about who is visiting our sites.

Recently, and I admit I am late in addressing this subject, I have been intrigued by what page they “landed on.” The reason for my interest has to do with a concern about their ability to receive Flash, currently a contentious topic due to Apple Computer’s refusal to include this technology on some of its latest, very popular products which include the iPhone, the iPod and the iPad.

As a lifelong Mac user and lover, I usually admire and support anything and everything Apple, based on firsthand positive experience with their fantastic products and stock performance. I have benefited greatly from both. However, after having purchased Adobe’s Creative Suite software several years ago and exerted the arduous effort to teach myself Flash, I have a vested interest in being able to continue to utilize those sophisticated files on many of my major websites, particularly since my clients have paid me for their creation and they add glamour and pizzazz to any page they appear on.

But this recent development sadly appears to be little more than a nasty, competitive rivalry between two outstanding technology companies. Whether prompted by gluttony for market dominance or lack of compromise or cooperation under the guise of a better user experience, it has impacted everyone who has a website that uses Flash in its presentations. In researching what the consensus of opinion is on this topic, I read one account of a professional woman who was entertaining business guests in Great Britain. One of the guests was proudly showing off his new iPad and asked for the hostess’ URL address so they could admire her website together on this new stage. What happened next is what triggered my worry. When he arrived at her website, all they saw were big black holes because her website was primarily dependent on Flash. Her embarrassment was mortifying.

Realizing that my own company website home page is composed of three rather large Flash files along with some requisite HTML text, not to mention that some of my clients’ newly showcased home pages also flaunt large Flash movies to inspire, bedazzle and impress, I focused on my recent curiosity about some of the Google Analytics’ reports I had seen which showed 0:00 time spent on the landing page. In the case of my own website, the landing page is almost always the home page. It occurred to me that if visitors arrived there to view nothing but black, who could blame them for defecting immediately? Could such visitors be using the latest Apple products? Although Google Analytics does not specify the brand or type of computer or device used, it does pinpoint the operating system and browser which in this case would be OS X and Safari.

Changing what happened in the past is a fruitless pursuit so my goal now centered on controlling website visitations in the future. Having used Adobe’s Dreamweaver software to create my Flash files, I was aware and had already utilized a behavioral control which places a sensor on the page to identify whether a visitor has the Flash software necessary to view a Flash movie. If not, the visitor is automatically rerouted to an alternate page made specifically without Flash to accommodate this somewhat rare situation. But as with everything we encounter these days, the sensor does not work with all browsers (in this case, the old standby culprit: Microsoft’s Internet Explorer which historically, in my experience, has always included ubiquitous roadblocks to user-friendliness) so the web designer is left with a dilemma. What to do? While the intuitive sensor gives you the option to choose to reroute the visitor to a new page or just allow him to stay on the original Flash page if no detection is possible, this does not solve the problem. Everyone knows that Windows and Internet Explorer has been the predominant platform for most Internet use, despite Apple’s surge in popularity in recent years. But it seems that Google’s new Chrome browser has just overtaken that honor. That means that it probably makes sense to allow such visitors to stay on the original Flash page since they in all likelihood would have the Flash reader. After all, it was the Mac user which prompted this quandary, and only certain Macs at that. And supposedly the sensor would be able to detect Flash presence on a Mac operating system. To confirm this assumption, I researched further and found that Adobe’s Flash 10.1 is officially WP7 bound. This new update will be launched for all WP7 devices; this means that the entirety of the internet will be available on the browser for Microsoft’s latest mobile platform. The Google Android OS was the first to receive support for Flash 10.1 on the 2.2 Froyo version of the open source mobile platform. According to Adobe, the Flash player will also be adapted to other operating systems – except for Apple.”

Next hurdle, how to replicate the sophistication of Flash on an alternate page without Flash? After some investigation via a variety of Google searches, I learned that Apple is promoting an open source coding language called html5 for just such a problem. For me, that was not an option since I have not recently upgraded my operating system beyond Mac OS X 10.4.11 to the required level of advancement, 10.5.8. The other possible solution was to utilize javascript in some kind of slide show. There is one other solution as well but it is not terribly effective if you have large original Flash files. Should you have a small subtle effect created in Flash, you can choose to convert that file to an animated gif file which may be larger than the original Flash file but can still suffice as a replacement in this instance.

While these suggestions may be an acceptable interim strategy, I believe this conflict of interests is the beginning of a changing of the guard on the Internet as I notice that more and more websites are eliminating Flash from their files and are converting to use of html5 or javascript instead. By the same token, RedmondPie.com reports that a new entrepreneurial company is seizing this situation as a business opportunity with the release of a new product to receive Flash on iPhone: “… you can now get a very alpha version of Flash (aka Frash) to run right on your iPhone 4.” How many more innovators will soon follow this trend? I have already seen that the mobile phone market has been quick to jump into the fray with blatant marketing messages about their products’ warmhearted reception of Flash! Apple in the meantime has clarified its “hostile” stance by saying that its decision to restrict inclusion of the Adobe Flash Readers on its newest machines that still can receive Flash was made with concern that users receive the latest version of that software which they can get for free directly from Adobe. OK, that makes sense. But where is Apple going to draw the line? What is the plan for Adobe PDF technology? Will they be banning that too?

Although I was hoping to try to get another year out of my present operating system and dependent software, I think I have confronted a major reason why I need to upgrade soon, probably before the end of the tax year to get the benefit of these necessary business expenses. Unfortunately for me that will mean a possible expensive or cumbersome conversion to OS X 10.6.5, along with a need to also reinstall Parallels to simultaneously run Windows, which allows me to check how each browser and operating system is displaying my website creations. And as if that isn’t enough, doing such an upgrade will truly be the proverbial “opening a can of worms” because now I will need to upgrade all my other creative software, the least of which will include Quark 8.0 (which, by the way, now currently offers Flash creativity, a function I have until now been snubbing), Adobe CS5 Photoshop, Adobe CS5 Acrobat Professional, Adobe CS5 Illustrator, and Adobe CS5 Fireworks. Sorely missing from that list is my beloved Adobe CS5 Dreamweaver. Without being able to predict the future, who will prevail in the technology wars over open source vs. proprietary coding, or whether we all will eventually switch to smaller devices for Internet access, the question remains: To Flash or not to Flash?

Adobe Flash Player: a greater risk to privacy and security than you may realize

Do you know that if you have Adobe’s Flash Players plugin installed on your web browser that your internet activity and history is potentially being tracked and used without your knowledge or permission? Just managing your web browser’s tracking cookie through your web browser doesn’t prevent your internet browsing activity, and its history, from being tracked. Additionally, just keeping your computer current and fully patched with all of Microsoft’s critical updates keeps your computer safe from hackers, think again. Even using an antivirus program, with the most current virus definitions current doesn’t always prevent your computer and privacy from being at risk.

Recently I came across a news article that caught my eye. It was a New York Times technology piece with the title “Code that tracks users’ browsing prompts lawsuits” (Vega, 2010). This article reports about the increasing number of consumers taking legal action against companies that track their web activity without the consumer’s knowledge or permission. Adobe’s Flash Player is the main conduit for capturing this tracking data. This isn’t the first time that Adobe’s Flash player has created legal privacy issues. In 2008, Windows Secrets Newsletter published an article on Adobe’s Flash cookie privacy issues. Recently they published another article called “Eliminate Flash-spawned “zombie” cookies” following up on the same issue (Leonhard, 2010). Adobe has done little to resolve this issue. These law suits are directed at Adobe and other companies that collect and sell information about your web browsing activity without your knowledge or permission. Another ominous contention is that some companies are surreptitiously using Flash cookies to glean information from your browser, even though you have your web browser set to reject tracking cookies.

How does this happen

Adobe’s Flash Player browser plugin uses and stores Flash cookies on your computer, separate from your better known browser HTML cookies. Both types of cookies are used to store browsing and site preferences, along with your browsing history and tracking information. Flash cookies, like your web browser cookies, are small bits of data saved by the websites you visit. These websites use these cookies to store website settings and info (like your name, preferences, Flash game scores, etc.), to track website behavior, and to target you for specific advertisements. They can also create what is known as persistent identification element to uniquely identify you and track what websites you have visited.

Flash cookies are not managed through your web browser’s cookie settings. This same Flash cookies storage area can also be used to store a copy of your browser’s cookies, allowing Adobe’s Flash to recreate cookies that have been previously deleted from your browser, i.e. spawned ‘zombie’ cookies.

What to do to protect yourself

Adobe doesn’t make it easy for users to manage Flash cookies. By default, when Flash Player is installed, it automatically allows third parties to store and access your computer. To change these settings you need to access Flash’s Global Setting Manager. The easiest, most straight forward way to get started is to open your web browser and copy the Adobe URL listed in my references (Ezinearticles does not allow me to place the link here). Or do a Google search on: “adobe flash player setting manager.” The macromedia.com link should be the first and second items found.

This will take you to the Global Setting panel for Adobe’s Flash Player (see Adobe Flash Player Global Setting Manager below). The image embedded on the web page is the actual management console, not a picture. The current version of this panel has eight panels or tabs. Each tab covers a different aspect of privacy and security. You may want to add this to your browser’s Favorites for future reference.

Adobe Flash Player Global Setting Manager Global Privacy Settings

The first tab on the Global Setting Manager is for your computer’s camera and microphone settings. You have the option of setting this as “Always deny…” or “Always ask…” The “Always ask…” option forces the Flash Player to ask for your permission before allowing a third-party to access your computer’s camera and microphone. “Always deny…” does just that, it always denies permission to access your camera and microphone. You will not receive any notification that a third-party tried to access either your camera of microphone with this option.

Your current settings are not displayed. Clicking on “Always deny…” or “Always ask…” overrides any previous global setting made for this. This setting is for sites you have not already visited. I recommend that you select the “Always ask” option. This will allow you the option of using an interactive flash site, requiring the use of your camera and microphone. You will be prompted to confirm your selection.

You will always be prompted for your permission at any website requesting access to your camera and microphone.

Global Flash Cookie Storage Settings

The second tab of the Global Setting Manager controls how much disk space you will allow for new web sites (third-parties) to store information, Flash cookies, on your computer. By denying all, you may prevent some websites from functioning correctly.

This panel determines the amount of disk space you will automatically allow third-parties to use for websites you have not already visited. Some websites may not function correctly if you do not allow some disk space storage. This is the total amount for each website. If a website needs or wants more you will receive a prompt to allow or disallow this additional space (see below). Your installed Flash Player must be version 8, or newer, to have the option of allowing or disallowing third-party flash content. If your Flash version is older than version 9, you will not have the option to allow/disallow storage and sharing of common Flash components.

The suggested settings that work for me are shown above. The Allow third-party Flash, and Store common Flash, are needed by a lot of sites to allow them to function correctly.

Global Security Settings

The third tab is the Global Security Settings panel. This panel controls how Shockwave Flash (SWF) and Flash Video (FLV) are handled. The problem with these types of files is that they can contain applets or computer scripts that can be used to collect and share information about you without your knowledge or permission. Both SWF and FLV files can be embedded on web pages. These files can and do exchange audio, video, and data using Macromedia’s Real Time Messaging Protocol. It is possible for SWF or FLV content stored locally on your computer to communicate with the Internet without your knowledge of permission.

I recommend setting this to “Always ask.” If a website needs to store Flash cookies on your computer, you will be prompted for permission. By being prompted, you will be aware of the website’s tracking activity.

Global Flash Update Notification Setting

The fourth tab is the Global Notification Settings panel. This is where you set how often Flash checks for updates. I recommend enabling this feature and having Flash check for updates at least every seven days. I strongly recommended that Flash updates be installed as soon as possible for security reasons. By keeping your Flash Player updated, you make the malicious code writers’ job just a little harder. The security vulnerabilities for Flash Player plugins are very well-known.

After installing any Flash updates you should validate that your privacy and security settings have not changed. With previous Flash updates, the settings within the Flash manager have reverted back to default, i.e. wide-open, settings.

Protected Content/License Settings

The fifth tab is the Protected Content Playback Settings panel. When you purchase or rent Flash “protected” content, license files are downloaded to your computer. Sometimes these files become corrupted. By resetting these files, new licenses can be downloaded. This option should only be used when protected Flash content is not playing correctly, and a technician has advised you to reset the licenses files. This will reset ALL license files stored on your computer; you are not able to select individual files.

If you click on the “Reset License Files” button you will be prompted to confirm or cancel your selection.

Website Privacy Settings

The sixth tab is the Website Privacy Settings panel. This is the list of websites you have granted permission to store data on your computer. This panel is where you can “Always ask,” “Always allow,” or “Always deny” access you your computer’s camera and microphone.

The recommended setting is “Always ask” or “Always deny.” You can edit these by highlighting the website and change the permission or delete the website. You can also remove all the websites from this list by selecting “Delete all sites.” The settings on this panel override the default setting from the Global Privacy Settings panel for these particular websites.

If you choose to delete a website from this list you are prompted for confirmation.

Note: The list of websites displayed in this and the following panels are stored on your computer and displayed to allow you to view and change your local settings. Adobe claims that it has no access to this list, or to any of the information that the websites may have stored on your computer.

Website Storage Settings

The seventh tab is the Website Storage Settings panel. This lists all the websites that you have visited that use Flash content, and how much storage they are using on your computer. You can change the amount of storage you allow, delete individual websites, or all the websites. This panel overrides the Global Storage panel settings.

On a Windows 7 computer, the storage location for these files is: C:Usersuser_nameApplication DataMacromediaFlash Player in a folder called #SharedObjects or a subfolder of: macromedia.comsupportflashplayersys.

Note: Deleting the website using the Flash Global Settings Manager only removes the website’s storage content; it does not remove the folder created for the website. An empty folder will remain on your computer.

By selecting a website and using the “Delete website” button, you can delete that website from the list of visited websites. This also removes all data that the website has stored from this storage area.

Peer-Assisted Networking Settings

The last tab is the Peer-Assisted Networking Settings panel. This is where you allow or disallow users who are playing the same content to share your bandwidth. If you are not on a broadband internet connection, you never want to use this option. When in use, this option increases network traffic on your internet connection and to your computer.

It is recommended that you disable this option. This will not prevent Flash from working.

Other Notes and Considerations

The current versions of Internet Explorer 8 and Firefox version 3.6 share the same Flash settings. Changing or updating Flash through this console makes the changes for both. To verify this, validate the Flash Management console from within each web browser you use.

After installing any Flash updates you should validate that your privacy and security settings have not changed. With previous Flash updates, the settings within the Flash manager have reverted back to default, i.e. wide-open, settings.

On a Windows 7 computer, you can manually manage Flash cookies by navigating to: C:Usersuser_nameApplication DataMacromediaFlash Player in a subfolder located at #SharedObjectsnonsensical-filename and macromedia.comsupportflashplayersys. Deleting the website using the Flash Global Settings Manager only removes the website’s storage content; it does not remove the folder created for the website. An empty folder will remain on your computer in the C:Usersuser_nameApplication DataMacromediaFlash Playermacromedia.comsupportflashplayersys folder. The Application Data folder is a hidden systems folder. You will have to have hidden directories visible using the “Show hidden files, folders, and drives” option under the Fold Folder View option. You may also need systems permission to actually view and navigate these directories on a Windows 7 computer.

Instead of doing this manually, you can also use a free utility like Flash Cookie Cleaner 1.0, produced by ConsumerSoft (www. ConsumerSoft.com). This product will clean up and eliminate unwanted and unneeded Flash cookies in both the #SharedObjects and macromedia.com subfolders. This is a much simpler and more efficient way to clean up Flash cookies. You can download this free program from: http://www.flashcookiecleaner.com/ . This utility is free of spyware, adware, viruses, and other malicious programs. Download and save this file to your desktop and run it from there. This is a stand-along program that does not install itself on your computer.

References

Adobe – Flash Player: Help. (n.d.). Adobe. http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager02.html

ConsumerSoft – Freeware Products. (n.d.). ConsumerSoft.

Leonhard, W. (2010, August 5.). Eliminate Flash-spawned “zombie” cookies. Windows Secrets.

Vega, T. (2010, September 20.) Code that tracks users’ browsing prompts lawsuits. The New York Times.

To request a pdf of the article with screen shot please visit the Friend Consulting web site and send an email from there with the Title: Adobe Insecurity.

Adobe After Effects isn’t really the type of software that some professionals would want to upgrade right away. Not only is a major software upgrade a huge investment but some professionals don’t just see the need to upgrade as older versions like Adobe After Effects CS5 and even Adobe After Effects CS3 are still sufficient for doing serious visual work. While Adobe is known for adding improvements that may be considered by some to be minor in between major releases, Adobe is looking to reach to new heights with their new Adobe Creative Suite 6 bundle. All programs including After Effects CS6 feature numerous key improvements while still having the same familiar interface so you can continue with your Adobe After Effects training program even if it covers an older version.

The first major feature is the Global Performance Cache which should benefit those who are experiencing performance issues when working with older versions but do not have the budget to upgrade on the hardware end. This technology works by utilizing a global RAM cache to make frame rendering more efficient making it possible to reuse the same elements without waiting for previous frames to render again. This means that you can not only follow your Adobe After Effects training more smoothly but you can also practice different ideas and undo them as many times as you like without all the waiting. The persistent disk cache also contributes to this technology by keeping previously rendered caches in memory even if you close the project and reopen it. Preview playbacks are instantaneous as a result. Also, if you decide to make a new project that will utilize the same frames as another project recently opened, you can use those frames right away. The disk cache options are fully customizable in the "Preferences" window. Finally, the new graphics pipeline offloads some of the processing power to the GPU as it processes OpenGL more effectively. This should improve the overall responsiveness of the application.

Adobe After Effects CS6 adds more than 80 new effects along with some updates to the existing effects. Some CycoreFX HD effects that didn’t make it to past versions are included as well so you really have more of a creative edge if you decide to upgrade. Of course, older Adobe After Effects training programs won’t cover these effects, but you can experiment in the "Effect" menu knowing that the software performance is drastically better. One of the noticeable additions is the 3D Camera Tracker effect which uses a breakthrough technology in analyzing the various aspects of a 2D footage including the position, field of view and orientation. This effect uses the data to create a 3D track point overlay so you can attach any of the new 3D After Effects layers being offered. You could achieve similar results using After Effects CS5.5 with the Warp Stabilizer but the 3D Camera Tracker works a lot faster and is much easier to use. You might not need any Adobe After Effects training to try out this effect.

However, going for Adobe After Effects training programs and guides that specifically cover CS6 can really put you ahead in terms of creative power over the professionals that still rely on outdated software. Plus, Adobe After Effects CS6 works fine in Windows 8 too!

Adobe Photoshop is popular these days for it helps designers and editors in their works. It turns mere pictures into masterpieces. Its demand in the creative world is that it is the best photo editing software program that gives you great features for a fully fabulous design. Other than that, Adobe Photoshop is user-friendly and it provides tools that will aid you in the editing and enhancing of photos.

There is no doubt that the knowledge and skills in Adobe Photoshop have helped so many artists to earn money and to have pride in their works. There are many reasons why one should learn Adobe Photoshop. Here are some of them:

1. You can express yourself creatively.

Once you start exploring, you will certainly explore more and learn to use them for your designs. You will soon find out how to make your designs better. And as you create and design each day, your creative ideas will flow.

2. You can create different creative design projects.

Aside from editing photos, you can also create a greeting card, a business card, a poster, and others. By using the different creative tools in this software, you can surely come up with a great design that will not only impress clients but will also enable you to pour your ideas into it and make you feel contented.

3. You can restore old photos.

Old family photos may have worn out and before Photoshop came, these pictures ended up in trash bins. But nowadays, you can restore these photos and refresh the memories of the old times. Using healing brush, clone stamps, patch tools and others, you can give the old photos an innovative touch. Everyone would always want to treasure memories and the best way to do that is through restored and renewed photos.

4. You can artistically combine graphics with text.

In graphic designing, images and text always strive to combine together in order to have a great output. In Photoshop, you will not merely combine them but you can even find better ways to make it look artistic and attractive. Strokes, drop shadows, bevel and emboss and other effects can add more beauty to your text. Images can also look better even by simply adjusting brightness, contrasts, exposure and others.

5. You can make art works using brushes.

There are many available Photoshop brushes. This gives a special effect to your photo or the layout that you have in hand. Brushes could give your design that amazing touch when you choose the right one and apply it to your design.

6. You can change the color of a picture.

Isn’t it cool that your colored pictures can turn into monochrome ones in just one click? You can easily do that in Photoshop. You can even edit some parts and change the color or even add effects using gradient and other tools. Some change the entire photo into sepia or other colors.

7. You can correct the mistakes of a photograph.

Even if your photograph doesn’t really look good or has certain mistakes, you can still adjust and rectify that in Photoshop. It can cover up poor lighting, marks on the picture, dark photos, red eyes and others. You can also crop the picture if there are some parts which were mistakenly included when you took the snap. You may use a brush to edit marks and even match the colors with the existing picture.

8. You can do T-shirt designs.

If you are having some problems on how to make a great T-shirt design, Photoshop can be the answer to give you a truly appealing output. They will look better when printed on T-shirts with the added effects from this software. This will even give you more clients.

9. You can transform pictures artistically.

In Photoshop, pictures can be transformed into a charcoal drawing, a watercolor rendered art, and many others. You can even choose to make it look like a photocopied work, a stained glass art, and others using the Filter tool.

10. You can have personal fulfillment.

The outputs in Photoshop are completely worthy and give pride to your designs. You will gain more self- confidence. The knowledge and skills you have will enhance you to bring the job using the software to the next higher level. It is a treasure that you will always have. This is a tool that will help you succeed in the graphic design field and give you utter fulfillment.

This software not only allows you to make professional designs but it will also help you to earn. If you haven’t tried learning Adobe Photoshop, it is about time for you to learn. There are so many Photoshop Tutorials that you can find in the web. You may use this article to help you learn the beginner highlights in Photoshop.

As both an animator and an instructor, I get many questions regarding Adobe Flash and Anime Studio Pro. Which software is more affordable? How does each utilize animation? Is Anime Studio easier to use? And overall, which software is better? The clear answer is this: neither of these pieces of software are better than the other. However, there are differences that may or may not benefit users, depending on the circumstances. I will list five main points in this article regarding the pros and cons of each software.

1. Bone VS frame by frame animation. While AS can do frame by frame animation, it was built for bones. Bone animation is the technique in which you draw out a skeletal structure and animate an object based on it. Flash has a basic bone and tween system, but it doesn’t hold a candle to Anime Studio’s. However, Flash is more usable as a frame by frame animation software. There is no right or wrong here, it just depends on your style.
2. Anime Studio is more user-friendly. It’s true, especially if you have never dealt with animation before. The software is pretty straight forward (especially the Debut version) yet deep enough for professionals to get some real mileage out of it. AS was designed to be an animation solution. Adobe Flash is an overall more robust package, allowing for programming, web design and more, so the focus isn’t strictly on animation. If you’re new to animation, and don’t want to become overwhelmed, Anime Studio may be your best bet.
3. Adobe Flash costs more. If you’re on a budget, you may want to consider the cost of these software. Adobe Flash can cost upwards to $500 USD while Anime Studio can be snagged for $100 or so, depending on where you buy. There is, however, a trade off to this…
4. Adobe Flash does more than just animation. Interactive websites, games, mobile applications and the list goes on. Flash is used by many in the industry for more than just cartoon animation. Plus, it integrates well with the entire Adobe Suite. If you want more than just vector design, Flash may be your best bet.
5. Try them for yourself! I could go on and on about the differences between these two pieces of software. At the end of the day though, it all comes down to personal preference. Ease of use VS more features, bone animation VS traditional animation, cost VS integration, etc. These are all things to consider before plunking down money. Take some time, download the demos and try them out for yourself.

Adobe Illustrator is becoming a very popular program in the design world. Why is it so popular? The flexibility of this tool and ability to export high resolutions artwork has made it a killer program for graphics designers. Colors, lines and strokes can be easily manipulated in Illustrator. Let’s find out what designers are using this program for their daily work.

1) Drawing Icons

Why draw icons in Illustrator? Illustrator has a powerful grid system that makes it so easy to draw precise icon graphics. You can draw basic shapes likes squares, rectangles, circle and fit it to the grid. The snapping feature and align tools make it so easy to draw and arrange your shapes. To fill it with a color, just select the shape and pick the color your want.

2) Drawing Maps

The line tool and pen tool makes it so easy to draw lines and shapes in Adobe Illustrator. The pen tool allows you to draw any possible shapes. It may be difficult for beginners to learn how to use the pen tool but once you have grasp how it works, you will find how easy it is to draw and edit any shape.

3) Drawing Info Graphics

Newspaper and magazines often makes use of info graphics to show statistics and figures. Most of the drawings are done in Adobe Illustrator as it contains some useful tools to draw graphs and pie charts automatically by simple entering the data figures.

4) Drawing Realistic Objects

Photo realistic product drawings can be achieved in Adobe Illustrator. The gradient tool and mesh tool are the most common tools to create realistic and smooth shadings. The final output is a realistic object drawing that will amaze your client.

5) Drawing Cartoons

The flat colors look has make it a popular style to create cute cartoons. The pen tool makes drawing shapes and coloring so easy in Adobe Illustrator. Besides the pen tool, the gradient tool makes shading and coloring in illustrator so easy. Even if the clients reject your color palette, you can easily swap the colors.

6) Logos

Most of the professional logos are done in vector programs as it can be easily exported and use in other medias. The EPS file makes it easy to print sharp and good looking logo heads for company profiles and advertising materials. The isolated background makes it so easy to place the logo over your advertising materials.

If you are looking to enhance your photos or want to create stunning digital artwork, Adobe Photoshop is the software you need. The latest version CS6 includes five especially noteworthy features that will turn your photos into works of art. Features in the latest update include new design tools, an updated user interface, a new crop tool, improved autocorrect and the inclusion of Adobe Camera Raw 7. These five features are useful tools for photographers, digital artists and everyone else who wants or needs to edit photos and other images. If you want to learn about the many other features of Adobe Photoshop, you can also sign up for Adobe Photoshop Classes.

New Crop Tool

Picture cropping is commonly part of the process of editing digital photos. The new enhanced crop tool found in Adobe Photoshop CS6 is a noticeable improvement and allows you to crop photos with higher precision and speed than its predecessor. The Mercury Graphics Engine is what gives the crop tool in CS6 its quick and accurate results.

Improved Autocorrect

Autocorrect allows users to make simple edits to their images in a matter of seconds. A simple click of the mouse button can autocorrect curves, brightness, contrast and color levels. Sometimes, all a photo needs is a quick touchup with this tool. It’s an easy to use and powerful tool that every Photoshop user should become familiar with.

Configurable User Interface

If you’ve had trouble with the rather dark default color scheme in recent versions of Adobe Photoshop, you’ll be glad to know that you can now choose from four different gray color schemes, each with a different level of contrast.

New Text Layout and Design Tools

One improvement which graphic designers and publishing industry professionals will be especially excited about is Photoshop CS6’s improved handling of text, including a Paragraph Styles feature. If you’ve used Adobe InDesign before, you’ll remember this feature – and even if this is your first time using it, you’ll appreciate how easy it is to add and fine tune text in your images.

Adobe Camera Raw 7

Adobe Camera Raw 7.2 is also included in Photoshop. This feature allows you to upload .raw and .dng format images from your digital camera and edit them, while keeping the original file intact on your camera’s memory card. This feature is also incorporated into Adobe Lightroom and is very popular with professional photographers, since it allows users to work with the original image at the highest possible quality while keeping an untouched copy for archival purposes or further editing later on.

Conclusion

These five different features can help you do more with Adobe Photoshop CS6. If you would like to learn more about what Photoshop has to offer, you can also sign up for Adobe Photoshop Classes in your area. Instructors can teach you more about the software and features, and how you can apply them in your digital photography.

The Adobe Reader 7.0.7 read me file is the free viewing companion for adobe application, it produces the Adobe Portable Document Format or the Adobe PDF files. This is for creating, enhancing, reviewing, editing and sharing information in Adobe PDF files.

System requirements:

1. Power PC G3, G4, or G5 processor.

2. Mac OS X version 10.2.8, 10.3, or 10.4.

3. 128 MB of RAM (256 MB recommended).

4. 110 MB of available hard disk space.

5. 800 x 600 screen resolution.

Enhancements in Adobe Reader 7.0.7

Support for 3D content. Reader for 7.0.7 allows you to view and measure 3D models created in Computer Aided Design (CAD). Forms improvements, it works more efficiently with static and dynamic forms enabled for saving data using reader by Adobe server products. (Windows only) Yahoo! direct search text box. Search the web directly from reader using the search text box. Enter the search phrase and click the Yahoo! icon. Results are provided by Yahoo! and are returned in a new browser window.

Troubleshooting

If you are an experienced computer user, problems when running it can be easily determined. This section may help you about the cause of those problems. Choose online support from the help menu.

1. The help and how to windows are not available when you open it from within a web browser. To access the help button or the how to window from a task button, start it from outside of a web browser troubleshooting information, or choose online support from the help menu in Adobe Reader .

2. The help and how to windows are not available when you open it from within a web browser. To access the help button or the how to window from task button, start Adobe Reader outside of a web browser.

3. The detect and repair features in windows repairs or replaces corrupt or missing installation components.

4. You can drag the how to window anywhere on-screen. If you move the window from a docked position, it becomes a floating window and can be resized only by dragging the lower right corner. To re-dock a floating how to window, control-click below the title bar and choose docked left or docked right. For more information, see the Adobe Reader help.

5. The enter key and the space bar function differently in the accessibility setup assistant in Windows and Mac OS. In Windows, both the enter key and the space bar close the wizard. In Mac OS, the enter key advances the wizard to the next page and the space bar closes the wizard.

6. Windows XP and 2000 include Microsoft magnifier, an accessibility tool that was the interface. When started, this tool activates accessibility in Adobe Reader until you quit it. Each time you open PDF document, the following message appears, “Please wait while the document is prepared for reading”. To reduce the time that it requires to prepare a PDF document for reading, set the page document preference to only read the currently visible pages in the reading preferences. Setting the reading order preferences to the reading order in raw print stream also speeds up this process but may interfere with the functionality magnifier.

7. To improve the startup time and performance of Adobe Reader , defragment your hard drive by using the disk utility before you install this. You can use the disk included with your operating system or a utility. Hard drives become fragmented through normal use (for example, installing and uninstalling applications, adding and deleting files). Over time, the computer is unable to locate contiguous blocks of free space and saves files in pieces across the hard drive, which increases the time required to open these files. The hard drive pieces files back together and improves performance.

8. If you scan a PDF into Notepad using a scanner, the resulting data may contain null bytes or illegal characters (Characters that can’t be typed at the keyboard). This data may execute desktop shortcuts that cause windows to open. The problem doesn’t occur with all scanners. No solution exists

9. If you open a PDF file in AOL 6.0 to 9.0, the file opens in a text editor. save the PDF file to the hard drive and open it in Adobe Reader .

10. Mac OS X v. 10.3 or later and Safari 1.2.2 or later are required to use Adobe Reader in a browser window.

11. Although adobe has tested Adobe Reader 7.0.7 on future versions of Mac OS, those operating systems aren’t supported by Adobe Reader as final testing wasn’t completed when Adobe Reader 7.0.7 was released.

12. If you paste the character U + 3400 into the search field and perform a search, the search fails even if the character exists in the PDF document you’re searching. The same applies to the U + 3500, U + 3600, and U + 3700. Type the U + 3400 character in the search field instead of pasting it.

13. If you install adobe acrobat elements 6.0 after installing the full version of Adobe Reader 7.0, you may encounter an error in acrobat elements when you try to convert a file to PDF asking if you want to run the installer in repair mode. If you click yes, the same error appears the next time you try to convert a file to PDF in acrobat elements. Install acrobat elements 6.0 before you install Adobe Reader 7.0.7 to ensure that both applications are installed in the same folder. (Acrobat Elements 6.0 doesn’t allow you to specify the install location). Please note that installing Adobe Reader 7.0.7 doesn’t remove Adobe Reader 6.0 which is installed by adobe elements to the same folder. This installation of Adobe Reader 6.0 (unlike the download version) doesn’t interfere with Adobe Reader 7.0.7 functionality.

Shortcut keys:

Use the following keyboard shortcut keys to navigate between the document, the help window, and the how to window:

F1 – It opens the help window and moves the focus to the first item in the help contents tab. If the help window is already open, pressing F1 returns the focus to last selection. Enter key opens the selected help topic. Press up and down arrow keys to select other help topics.

Alt + Tab – These tabs move focus between the open help window and the document.

Shift + F1 – Moves focus to the how to window only if you’re in the document, not if you’re in the help window.

Adobe Illustrator CS6 is the newest in Adobe’s line of high-performance vector image editing programs. This newest member of the Illustrator family provides increased speed, precision and stability when working with complicated or large files. It also makes use of a range of new tools and features to help you make beautiful vector images, whether they’re clean, sharp and traditional-looking, or make use of Illustrator’s wide range of painterly effects.

Adobe Mercury Performance System

The Mercury performance system offers a new, faster, more flexible way to work in Illustrator. It offers native 64-bit support, allowing you to preview and work with complex files without suffering from slowdown or a halting work flow. This engine is designed to make everything in Adobe Illustrator CS6 feel more responsive.

Pattern Creation

The new version of Illustrator also allows for seamlessly tiled vector patterns using the new pattern creation tool. It lets you use a wide range of new repeating pattern types, editing them at any time. That means much less labor and more flexible designs.

Improved Image Trace Tool

Image trace is one of the most useful options for Illustrator, allowing you to easily convert raster images to vector for further editing and resizing. The new image tracing engine in Adobe Illustrator CS6 allows you to get accurate fitting, reliable traces and clean lines without needing to use complicated dialog controls. The whole process has been streamlined.

Gradient Strokes

While gradient fills for shapes have been available in Illustrator for a long time, CS6 brings them to strokes. That makes it easier to apply gradients to text, outlines and a wide range of other graphical elements without tediously converting each stroke to a shape. The gradient stroke dialog allows you to apply gradients across the width, across the length, or inside the stroke, controlling the opacity and placement of the gradient.

Inline Editing

Adobe Illustrator CS5 and past versions required you to edit names and other information in panels via an intermediate dialog. This could be tedious and distracting. Illustrator CS6 puts this task in the panels, where it belongs, reducing the number of visual elements you have to deal with and making the whole process much simpler.

Enhanced Effects

Adobe Illustrator CS6 also brings enhancements to Gaussian blur and other effects. The Mercury engine allows you to apply glows, drop shadows, blurs and many other raster-like effects faster and more efficiently than in past versions of Illustrator. You can also skip previewing in the dialog box: the effects appear right on the art board.

Panel Enhancements

The new design allows for faster, more convenient access to expanded color spectrums, the scale panel, the type panel and many others. Extra steps have been removed and the most frequently used tools are ready to hand.

Dockable Hidden Tools

Previously hidden tools such as the pen and shape tools are now available as dockable options. While they still default to their hidden location, artists who use these tools regularly can "tear" them off the main tool bar, docking them in a convenient location for a more efficient workspace. Docking works both vertically and horizontally, allowing you to adjust your space however you choose.