via CNET News:
Microsoft has released a test version of a new professional graphics tool code-named Acrylic.
The software is based on Expression, the graphics application Microsoft acquired with its 2003 purchase of Hong Kong company Creature House, the software giant said on its Web site.
Microsoft describes the software--currently available as a 77MB free download--as bringing together pixel-based painting and vector graphics features. These capabilities will put the product squarely in the market currently dominated by software maker Adobe Systems with its pixel-focused Photoshop and vector-driven Illustrator products.
Acrylic appears to support opening and exporting to Photoshop and Illustrator file formats, as well as other standard graphics formats. In addition, the application appears to be able to export to Adobe's Portable Document Format, or PDF.
However, Microsoft noted Acrylic would not currently save pixel-type data to formats other than its native XPR file type.
Although a Macintosh version of Expression was available before the Microsoft purchase, the software giant said the test version of Acryclic cannot be used with the Apple Computer platform.
The test software, or beta, also has a limited life; it will expire Oct. 1.
Microsoft has recommended relatively high system specifications for Acrylic, saying consumers should preferably run the software on an Intel Pentium 4 machine, with Windows XP Service Pack 2, 512MB of memory, 500MB of disk space and a pressure-sensitive graphics tablet supporting the WinTab interface.
I just downloaded the beta and I honestly don't think Adobe had ANYTHING to worry about with this software. Acrylic seems to be on par to compeate with Adobe Elements, or some other entry-level photo editor. Yes it does open up psd files, but it opens it as an flattened image (no layers). The main reason why I would catagorize this software as junk is the brush renderer. You draw a stroke and the engine lags behind your mouse - eventually catching up and not drawing the stroke acuratly.
There's no way this software could touch any Adobe products, not even PSP or the open source GIMP.
Posted by: Jonathan Moore | June 10, 2005 at 07:35 PM
I totally agree with you.
Have also a look at Jhon Dowdell post about that argument :
http://www.markme.com/jd/archives/007893.cfm
Posted by: Marco Casario | June 11, 2005 at 02:28 AM