What Can We Expect from Fireworks CS5?

Not since Steve Jobs announced that Windows developers would never get to design legal iPhone apps, has a company so angered the entire developer nation than Adobe and the CS5 release. With promises of grandeur and hints of unimaginable advances in the software, Adobe has kept a shroud of mystery surrounding their new release. Here in about two weeks (8 a.m. on April 12^th, 2010), the rest of the free world can see what the fuss is all about. The problem with the way this release was handled though, is that we developers were told the beta release would be open to the public. When the beta came out last October, it was a closed beta. No one but the hand picked coders that Adobe invited in was allowed to play. With the capabilities that Adobe has boasted of in this new software suite, this angered many developers and now some may not jump on board. The superior hype may all be a smoke screen and the new version may fall flat just like the CS4 release. The limited developers may also limit the number of bugs and shortcomings that could be found. If they can honestly find the bugs and glitches, then many people will get over it eventually. On the other hand, it is doubtful that they have accomplished this and it may be just as buggy, if not more so than the previous versions. We will have to wait and see.

Until then, we can analyze a little bit of the features we have been able to glimpse and the little excerpts from developer posts that can be found in the search results. From what Adobe tells us, this is just the "bomb-biggety" of all software suites in the history of computing. I find that a little hard to swallow, but there are several features that may be nice to have around. The first of these is the capability of creating iPhone apps from Flash. This will be another platform that, temporarily, will allow Windows coders to design a few apps for iTunes and sneak them in under the wire. This will work until Steve Jobs finds out a way to tag these apps, if he hasn't already. One of the big parts of this release is Fireworks. Not only will CS5 make some smoother Flash programs, games, and websites, but the Fireworks portion is going to take the visual capability of Adobe programs to a whole new level.

Fireworks is getting a definite make over in this release. Considering this was the most buggy part of the CS4 release, there has to be a lot of focus on this version. Version 4 really angered a lot of developers, especially on the Mac side, with its inability to work on Apple devices. For CS5 to compete in the iPhone market, it must be Mac compatible. This means Fireworks is going to be completely overhauled. Almost all of the visual upgrades in this release will come in Fireworks. It is being placed in the center of all of the programs in this suite. Whether you are building games or websites, all of the Flash graphics will have to pass through the Fireworks software for a visual upgrade. The problem with knowing what to expect is that Adobe has been so tight lipped on everything. For now, we will have to take their word for it.

Some of the features to look for in Fireworks are 3D capability, smoother transitions, PNG upgrades, and conversion capability. With everyone going high def, Adobe will have to keep pace and come up with a very stunning new platform. For the gaming world, there are promises of more realistic and deeper graphics that can produce an almost lifelike feel to Flash games. For a visual translation, imagine the new Final Fantasy graphics incorporated into a Flash game. If this is possible through the use of PNG's without making the system stagnant, the Flash game coders are in for a treat. You may also see an influx of Xbox games coming through this platform. The real test will be whether the new software will slow everything down like it has in the past. With a new layering capability added to the PNG format, the high def appetite may be satiated through this new release. Either way, there will be a lot of graphical upgrade to the entire CS5 platform with the new Fireworks image software.

One more thing that Adobe wants us to believe, is that PhotoShop may become obsolete with this release. The Fireworks platform is going to be very user friendly and capable of almost any graphic editing challenge you can throw at it. Whether you are adapting images for printing, creating fake scenarios to spread rumors around the internet, or create a robust background for games and websites, Fireworks will take any images to a whole new level. Considering the bugs in the past, I am still doubtful that it can handle all of this. With the use of Acrobat and Flash, I also doubt the speed capabilities. Adobe has a habit of making beautiful and robust products that take hours to load since they concentrate on quality not speed. There needs to be a balance, and I don't see it.

With the hundreds of bugs, and the stagnant speed of prior programs and releases, this one may flop as well. Adobe is great for when you need a PDF or electronically signed document, but outside the business world, there is little use for these programs. I hope to be wowed and amazed by the CS5 release, but just like in the past, it is likely going to be a hyped up let down. The fact that the beta was closed almost guarantees the same old buggy programs that crash all day long. If you try to do anything complex, expect delays and errors. Adobe can't debug a suite with an open beta and they expect to get it right with a limited one?

Sources:

Adobe Creative Suite 5 Launch

Adobe Fireworks CS5 Search Results