November 2011 Archives
Like many of you, I use Adobe Creative Suite applications every day, specifically Photoshop, Dreamweaver and Acrobat Pro. These form the core of the tools I work with to maintain Graphics.com. The only significant exception is in the area of vector graphics—while Illustrator is part of Design Premium, I've never warmed to it and instead use Xara Designer Pro. I also have something else in common with more than a few of you, in that I'm not using a current version of these Adobe apps. Since I pay for the Suite myself, keeping it current, especially with new versions now being released more often, is a luxury I can't afford. But a recent shift in upgrade policy puts into question my ability to ever upgrade my applications.
It was of course the Marquis de Sade who once observed from his observatory of mankind that was the asylum of Charenton that "Those who define are the masters." In that he not only summed up the most important issues of our time but some of the most trivial. I speak here of the very minor footnote to Internet history which is the misguided Occupy Flash site and the shadowy figures behind it that prefer to not come forward.
One of the oldest tricks in the book when you're on a tight budget and looking to purchase goods or services is to go for one of the least expensive offerings of a high-end provider, rather than one of the most expensive from a business that focuses on the low end. Have lunch in a top restaurant, for example, and order just a single dish, washed down by mineral water. You'll eat well in a memorable environment and pay little more than for a more copious offering in a forgettable establishment. If your focus is on the quality of the experience, not the quantity, this approach can't fail.
A few years ago there seemed to be a bit of lull in the introduction of new typefaces. Perhaps not surprising, given the hundreds of thousands already available, ranging rom the classics, through contemporary releases and on into experimental offerings from individual designers and small font shops. But there's no doubt about it—we're now in the golden age of typography, with an avalanche of new releases upon us. And this will only increase, as the use of webfonts picks up speed.
