If you’re planning on adding animated GIFs to a web site or CD-ROM, here’s a great program for compressing them without sacrificing the quality in any way. It also serves as a full-function animated GIF viewer. Includes both 68k and PPC versions.
Acrobat Reader 4.05 - Freeware
Adobe Systems Inc., Voice 408-536-6000, http://www.adobe.com/
The latest version! This free reader allows you to view and print PDF files across all platforms and is a companion to Adobe Acrobat. This new version features a Netscape Navigator plug-in for live viewing of PDF files on the Web, faster and more reliable printing, support for longer and more complex documents, better color handling, and more. You may need this to view various PDF documents contained within some of the included software programs. Requires a PPC running Mac OS 7.1.2 or later. 68k users should use the older 3.02 version downloadable from Adobe’s Web site.
Adobe Illustrator 8.0 - Tryout
Adobe Systems Inc., Voice 408-536-6000, http://www.adobe.com/
Hands down, one of the most popular illustration packages for the Mac. Version 8.0 is a major upgrade with many features such as the ability to output Illustrator layers to Photoshop, record and automate certain illustration tasks, smart guides for precise tracing and positioning, and more. This demo is save and export disabled. Requires a PPC running at least Mac OS 7.5 and 32 MB RAM.
This “must-have” Photoshop plug-in extends the 216 color Web-safe palette to an almost infinite number of non-dithering hybrid colors and patterns that any Web designer can appreciate. It utilizes an interactive RGB color picker to allow the creation of matching optical colors from the Web-safe palette to any color. 68040 and PPC compatible running Mac OS 7.0 or later and Photoshop 2.5 (or compatible filter host app) or later.
Compress JPEG Pro 1.0.2 - Shareware
Jeff Greenland, bahamutzero@writeme.com, http://www.angelfire.com/nh/retrotech
Optimize your graphics for Web or multimedia use with this cool tool. Rather than give your visitors a reason NOT to visit your Web site, crunch down your PICT files with this app, which uses QuickTime’s JPEG compression codec, to ensure quick page loads and repeat visitation. It allows you to control the amount of compression applied to your files—from simple line art (low quality) to high-quality photos—for optimal resolution. It also features batch conversion and a quick icon maker. Note: this app compresses PICT files only—it doesn’t make JPEG files. Requires a PPC and QuickTime.
Cutout 2.5 - Freeware
James Moravec, moravec@chorus.net
Moving? Tired of the look of your room? Gaining a roomate? Take the guesswork out of figuring out where furniture or office space will be laid out with this simple planning program. It allows you to easily enter, move, and modify objects within a space, or room. Though it’s not an accurate CAD-type program, it will let you quickly get an overview of how various objects can be grouped and arranged before trying to do it yourself physically. 68k and PPC compatible running Mac OS 7.0 or later.
Enhance Preview XT 2.1.3 - Evaluation
Koyosha Graphics of America, http://www.koyosha.com/
Quark users—take note. This helpful tool well help put an end to those “uh-ohs” when viewing those final design proofs. It allows you to spot potential problems right in QuarkXPress that you might otherwise miss until you get back the final film. It enables you to view high-resolution images in Quark at views up to 1200% and allows you to see soft shadows, blends, and glows instead of jagged edges. Plus, your onscreen previews will be more color accurate and better enhanced. Requires a PPC, QuarkXPress 3.32 or later, and 12 MB RAM.
Enhance Preview XT 2.1.4 - Evaluation
Koyosha Graphics of America, http://www.koyosha.com/
Optimized for QuarkXpress 4.03 users! This helpful tool well help put an end to those “uh-ohs” when viewing those final design proofs. It allows you to spot potential problems right in QuarkXPress that you might otherwise miss until you get back the final film. It enables you to view high-resolution images in Quark at views up to 800% and allows you to see soft shadows, blends, and glows instead of jagged edges. Plus, your onscreen previews will be more color accurate and better enhanced. 68k and PPC compatible. Requires QuarkXPress 4.03 or later and 12 MB RAM.
Fireworks 2 - Trial
Macromedia, http://www.macromedia.com/
Web designers and users of Dreamweaver should check this one out. This graphics solution will allow you to create and optimize professional web graphics, create animation for the web, optimize production work flow, and integrate fully editable web graphics into your favorite HTML editor. It features a full set of image editing tools, multiple layer support, transparency by object, vector graphics, GIF animation controls, onion skinning, tweening, live graphic effects, automation, slicing, URL management, button and rollover creation, and much, much more. Requires a PPC running Mac OS 7.5.5 or later and 24 MB RAM.
Here’s a wonderful gift from the nice folks at SoftPress. This program will help you easily create amazing, professional Web sites quickly—this ain’t a demo kidz—you’ve got the entire full package! Design and layout your Web pages using Freeway’s unique and intuitive page layout interface without having to know any code. It also automatically generates text as anti-aliased GIFs on the fly, converts imported graphics to the correct Web format automatically, and gives you complete design freedom for unlimited creativity. If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at creating your very own Web page, now is the time! You’ve got the tools. Requires a 68040 or faster Mac running Mac OS 7.5.1 or later, a minimum 800x600 screen resolution, either Netscape or Internet Explorer versions 3.0 or later, and 20 MB hard disk space.
This all-purpose image editing program can open and save images in just about any graphics format. It also features high-end editing tools for graphic manipulation, as well as support for Photoshop plugins. It also offers batch-conversion capabilities, a slide show window, can import 96 file formats, and export 38 file formats. This is the latest version. Requires Mac OS 7.0 or later.
Pen Tool How To Templates
Elyse Chapman, elyse@compuserve.com
These three PICT images are templates that folks working through the Pen Tool how-to can use to practice their Bézier path creation skills. The first has entirely straight lines, the second is a smooth curve, and the third presents a challenging mixture of straight and curved segments. See the article "How To Use a Béziér Pen Tool" by Elyse Chapman for instructions.
This plug-in for Adobe Acrobat 4.0 takes advantage of the new features of Acrobat 4.0 and combines for the first time preflight, interactive and native PDF editing at any production stage, and automated correction capabilities for PDF documents. It features comprehensive preflight checking of PDF docs, tools for checking fonts, colors, and images, automated correction, and extensive production editing features. Requires a PPC running Mac OS 8.0 or later and Adobe Acrobat 4.0 or later.
Can you really recreate a colorful photo image with just two colors? Seeing is believing. This award-winning color-separation software will add dynamic color and value to your two-color print jobs. This Photoshop plug-in allows you to generate dynamic and colorful images that can be printed with just two inks. Much more than just a duotone processor, Powertone offers incredible color separations from your RGB or CMYK images in a simple, easy-to-use interface. Requires a PPC running Mac OS 8.1 or later and Photoshop 5.0 or later. Please see enclosed documentation on how to run this demo on pre-OS 8.1 Macs.
Here’s a nice full-featured drawing application that won’t put a hole in your pocketbook or bog down your system. Create high-quality illustrations, drawings, schematics, and more. It features multi-copy effects, powerful gradients, graphics library support, color blends, free flowing text, familiar graphics tools, 24-bit color, and much more. 68k and PPC compatible running Mac OS 6.07 or later.
Reproduce any metallic color in print accurately with this Photoshop plug-in. It produces ultra high-quality metallic process separations for offset printing and can make objects appear as they do in real life. It can replicate metallic paint on cars, the sheen of a new drum kit, jewelry, sparkling water, and any other object that’s metallic in nature by printing a silver ink first with a CMYK tone on top of it. Requires a PPC running Mac OS 8.1 or later and Photoshop 5.0 or later. Please see enclosed documentation on how to run this demo on pre-OS 8.1 Macs.
Holy Mackerel! This way-cool program simply smokes! Create your own images and artistic renditions with total control in this paint synthesizing, drawing, and image and video processing program. It utilizes intelligent-assisted drawing technology that will have you creating stunning eye-candy no matter what your skill level. Imagine organic wet paints that mix and smear, dynamic brush textures that evolve under your control, and complex visual stylizations that can be created easily just by the mere scrawling of your graphics pen or mouse. It features over 200 editable parameters, over 600 factory presets, warp capabilities, auto-rotoscoping and video effects processing, raster painting with vector editing, and an unlimited amount of complete customization. A definite winner! Requires a PPC running Mac OS 8.0 or later, 32 MB RAM, and QuickTime 3 or later.
Tile-it Icons 2.3 - Shareware
Jacques Theriault, appajt@nbnet.nb.ca
Display pictures or text on your desktop or in any window with this icon-generating program. It allows you to take any PICT file from your clipboard and break the image down into icon tiles that recompose to form the original image. 68k and PPC compatible running Mac OS 7.0 or later with a drawing app.
