Macromedia: FreeHand 8 Authorized [With Includes All the Media & Other Files, Demo Version]

The book is easy to understand. I would like to find new edition of this book.

After years of griping, my company migrated to Freehand8 from Designer 4. While I was happy to get some current software, I was frustrated trying to learn to use a program that was far more advanced than any I had used before. Simple tasks that I took for granted became completely alien to me. The manuals offered little help. I rolled the dice and bought this book. I'm glad I did, I learned all I needed to know to get started with this program. And I did it while working hands-on with real projects. Since the book came with a demo version, I was able to do it at home. It was far and away better than the lecture style classes I went to. It explained and demonstrated all the things beginners need to know, especially complex concepts like layers & bezier curves. Obviously, if you don't think those are complex concepts, the book is not for you. Those 700-1000 page books are fine if you already know a product, but are intimidating and frustrating to "newbies." At this price, this is a much better deal.

This book is excellent choice for users who want to learn about FreeHand, this book is well organized and easy to follow. A person can learn it within a matter of days, it teaches you everything you need to know about FreeHand 8.0.

After receiving Freehand 8 as a gift, I was so intrigued with the program's capabilites that I had to find a text that would show me some of the program's more sophisticated enhancements. Macromedia's Authorized version does exactly that! It will teach you how to make some really cool illustrative designs that are actually fun to do. Plus, once you have finished you have some really nice pieces to show what you have created, (but, please give credit where credit is due!). Everyone of the lessons contained in this book can be used as a base for your own projects anyway. So, buy the book, kick back with a fresh cup of coffee, and get ready to have some fun. --m. a. ackerman

The 400 or so pages of this 'authorized' manual are utilized very well to spell out a basic foundation for the use of this program. The authors start out slow laying ground work for the more complicated lessons that follow. They are careful to explain background info and scenarios a typical user might find themselves in. While this book is a terrific starting point for anyone interested in learning this program, it really only covers about 1/2 of what you need to know. After reading it you will be prepared for doing lots of experimenting, but experiment you must in order to take your competence to the next level. I would like to have seen a little less repetition for the sake of clarity, and a little more information for the sake of completeness. Over all a very well written book, especially for a newcomer to Freehand.