[mattyd]

Can anyone recommend a freeware or shareware vector-based drawing app.?

Anyone use iDraw? What about Cenon?

Thanks!

[larkost]

I feel dirty suggesting it, but Microsoft Expression might be worth looking at. Since it is basically abandoned, it is now free.

[mattyd]

Huh. Never heard of it, but I might give it a try.

Any chance it can open Illustrator files? (I'm at work on a PC, or I'd try it myself.)

[paully dub]

Back when I was having freezes, I worked on my dad's machine running Red Hat. There were a couple linux vector apps that were kinda ok. But for OS X never looked. I know, Linux not OS X, but still....

I can't think of any off the top of my head, but search and you will find.

[headbirth]

You should check MacUpdate or VersionTracker first.

Checkout Intaglio ... http://www.purgatorydesign.com/Intaglio/history.html

[mattyd]

Thanks, man. I did check VersionTracker.

That's where I found iDraw and Cenon that I asked about in my original post.

I was just asking if anyone had experiece with them and/or had recommendations.

And thanks to the pointer to that app., but a $90 license doesn't qualify as shareware in my book.

[MacGorilla]

About FrameMaker-like shareware apps? Opening VirtualPC to run Framemaker gives me the creeps.

[Rickster]

OmniGraffle actually opens Illustrator 10 (and newer) files, since Adobe changed the file format in that version to be based on PDF. It only gets basic graphic styles, and no text, but it opens them... and it's kinda confused as to whether it wants to be an illustration app or a diagramming app, but it has some good illustration features you won't find elsewhere.

[larkost]

Originally posted by Rickster:
OmniGraffle actually opens Illustrator 10 (and newer) files, since Adobe changed the file format in that version to be based on PDF. It only gets basic graphic styles, and no text, but it opens them... and it's kinda confused as to whether it wants to be an illustration app or a diagramming app, but it has some good illustration features you won't find elsewhere.

Rickster: I am really a fan of OmniGraffle, but it is not a good suggestion here because:

The PDF opening feature is OmniGraffle-Pro only and that is a $119 program... since the OP has already turned down a $90 solution on the basis of price...

OmniGraffle is not really a vector drawing app. The objects are stored as vector shapes, but there is no path tool, and to me that one tool defines what a vector drawing app is. OmniGraffle is not an Illustrator replacement except in a very narrow set of cases. I do wish it had a few more features, and then it could be (path tool being prime among them). But it is not.

I would say that OmniGraffle is more a cross between a diagraming and a layout tool. The major layout "tool" that it lacks is the ability to do text-runaround (or even non-rectangular text boxes). There is also the lack of advanced text manipulations, but for a simple layout tool that would not be required.

[NordicMan]

Originally posted by larkost:
I feel dirty suggesting it, but Microsoft Expression might be worth looking at. Since it is basically abandoned, it is now free.

Creature House is the name of the company that has been swallowed by the Borg from redmond.

A bright programmer named Alex wrote this vector type programme, which caught the attention of many artists, for its abilities.

Part of the buy out agreement was that if it were discontinued, that people could download the last build of it for free.

It was developed for the Mac, and for the IBM personal computer.

So really miscrosoft has nothing to do with the software programme itself. It has to do with the fact that it bought it. Why? I don't know. It had a nice little community that was helpful to one another.