Should you upgrade to Adobe Creative Suite 3?

Adobe Creative Suite 3 has been released for about a week now and everyone has had a chance to try it out and see what kinds of new things it can do or what new features it has. So far everything that we know and love about the products is mostly there. Although the new palettes in illustrator CS3, InDesign CS3 and Photoshop CS3 are similar to InDesign CS2 as in they stay mostly out of the way unless you need them. Which is a huge benefit for saving screen real estate and possibly one of the most useful features so far. There are of course more functional features that are useful but some of the best features are organizational.Dreamweaver CS3 has now includes multiple different tabs within the software for various different aspects of the web design experience. One of those is the incorporation of the Spry framework, which should help to boost the AJAX via the Spry framework into the mainstream even further then it already is right now. I have been personally toying with the idea of incorporating some major AJAX into the web site but I am still leery of how I use it and how the search engines will respond.

The Spry framework/AJAX integration is pretty seamless a long with various other specific options that the new top toolbox gives you. You can even have a customizable toolbar that you specify which tools you want in based of course on which tools you use most frequently. Another organizational improvement for the design software. I am not sure that these are necessarily beneficial to beginners more as to seasoned designers that have a good idea of how the software already works.

One of those toolbars with limited functionality out of the box is a PHP toolbar that has some basic PHP markups available on it. These buttons can of course be modified to include more advanced PHP technique depending on what you as the designer use more when developing your PHP code for your projects.

One surprise that a lot of people discovered was that Adobe did not in fact keep the Macromedia name on Flash, Fireworks and Dreamweaver. They are now Adobe Fireworks CS3, Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 and Adobe Flash Pro CS3. There was a lot of speculation amongst various blogs that Macromedia would remain apart of the software titles.

I myself like most of the new layouts but I have heard some opinions to the contrary about the new layouts, some of my fellow designers wish the layout wasn’t changed in some of the ways it was. I have so far not found anything that is counterproductive however and every issue they have had is easily altered. At any rate it is worth it to upgrade to Adobe Creative Suite CS3 if you would like to free up some extra screen real estate. The jury is still out on added functionality overall, it seems to run a little smoother on my Mac and PC both.

I still have the Adobe CS3 editions table available for those curious about the various versions of Adobe Creative Suite 3. I personally upgraded to the Adobe Creative Suite CS3 Web Premium. Let me know your opinions of the software and whether you think it is worth the upgrade based on your experience or feelings in the comments section.

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2 Responses to “Should you upgrade to Adobe Creative Suite 3?”

  1. sburton says:

    Well i use mx and is a great program but the new one seams much better even thow i think it well over priced will i get it no not at that price ill wait till i find some that selling it on ebay

  2. David says:

    I am still working my way through Adobe/Macromedia/whatever Studio MX and
    upgraded to Studio * Pro, which is still in the box until I have time to
    read the trivia about what is new. Now out trots Adobe CS3 (what was CS1
    and CS2?) More grand additions to confuse the many. Having exhausted the
    usable features, upgrades now mean learning adjunct programs to run the one
    you bought, sharing as if you want to, hypotechnical nonsense, and the
    wasted labor and cost in adding once more the umpteenth edition of the same
    software. Then the book companies get rich beacuse before you’ve finished
    reading the new MX books, you are three versions behind in buying the
    lateest and greatest of all must have now or be left behind CS3 edition.
    Bill Gates created this business mosel marketing approach with the mottoo,
    “If you don’t build it right the first time, you can sell it again…and
    again…and again.” I am off the wagon now and sober enough to quit while
    I am ahead. Hellow MX, my ole friend.

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About Dustin Brewer

Dustin Brewer

Dustin Brewer is a freelance web designer based out of Oklahoma City, OK passionate about web standards, and beautiful web design. Dustin Brewer has been in the web design industry for over 8 years through freelance and professional experience. If you are interested in hiring Dustin Brewer please visit the web design services page to find out more information. You can also checkout the web design portfolio.

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