How about a new Mac version of Corel DRAW?

Corel has a highly successful product with its Painter software. Version 11 has just been released, with versions for both Windows and Mac. With Painter, Corel has gained the respect of all digital designers, regardless of whatever operating system they choose to use.

My question is why has Corel stopped production of CorelDRAW for the Mac? As anyone who has seriously used the product knows, CorelDRAW is more than just a viable option to the "industry standard" Adobe Illustrator. In many ways, CorelDRAW's features far outweigh those of it's competitor.

Why then has a Mac version been snubbed? I simply can't believe that Mac users are so naive or stubborn as to not accept a new design tool. As a longtime Windows/PC user who has now switched over to Mac, I can say without hesitation that an up to date Mac version of CorelDRAW would be most welcome. While it is possible to run CorelDRAW on an Intel-based Mac (as I do, natively under Bootcamp or through a virtual machine configuration), either scenario requires the purchase of another operating system, namely Windows. Macs are expensive enough already. Users shouldn't need to spend that kind of money just to get their favorite program to run.

Corel has shown through its Painter program that it's beneficial to create dual platform versions. Corel's last Mac version of CorelDRAW was version 12. That's simply far too outdated now for today's demanding designer. Please, Corel: Consider creating an up to date Mac version of CorelDRAW. CorelDRAW is far more than just a "business graphics" program. If you want the program to have the recognition it truly deserves, you have to play on everyone's field. Build it, and they will come.

There are MANY threads out on the Internet discussing this topic. It all has to do money. :-)

One interesting thing to mention, I am using VMWare Fusion to run Window on my imac. I can now run all of my favorite Win apps including CorelDRAW X3 and Xara. It's the best of both worlds and I recommend it highly.

I also use VMWare Fusion, and run CorelDRAW X4 (and Xara Pro Extreme) with it. For the most part, both programs run fine this way, but even better through Bootcamp.

My point is that in order to run either program on a Mac, Windows is required, adding to the cost of owning a Mac. If both programs were ported to Mac, the added purchase of Windows would not be necessary.

But even more to the point, a Mac version of CorelDRAW would put Corel in a far better position to compete with Adobe.

Yes, it is all about the money. And if Corel is serious about making money, it will get on the playing field, not sit on the sidelines. There's no reason other than poor marketing to explain why CorelDRAW is not the "industry standard" in illustration and design software.

Hi rocket,
No argument, Corel could (is) the biggest competitor to Illustrator but the fact is that Win machines have most of the market share. I don't think it would be tough to create a product for the mac but to SUPPORT it, that's the big one. I am sure that Corel is in the business of making money and I am sure that if there was a big enough carrot out there on the mac side, they'd be all over it. Apps like VMWare Fusion and Bootcamp are certainly not helping to drive the need.

Xara is not developing for macs for the same reason.

Rocket, I went out to visit your web site, not making the connection. Is that not longer active?

Corel has obviously enough problems to develop new features that would entice users to upgrade to the latest version already (developing for a single platform). Draw is certainly very usable at the moment but it should not be carrying around as many bugs as it does either.

@lutz
Funny, after my last post Corel crashed on me three times. Back to ai to finish my work. :-)

I realize Windows-based PC's far outnumber Macs worldwide, but like it or not, Macs are still the preferred platform for many designers, service bureaus and publishers, at least here in the USA. This is why I feel Corel should be concentrating more of their marketing efforts to this crowd.

I know it's expensive for a software developer to create a quality product for just one operating system, let alone two. But Adobe is doing just that. Why can't Corel follow suit?

As for my own website, tekarts, it's currently not online. I'm hoping to have the site back up soon. CorelDraw and Xara will both be used in the site's creation, as well as (dare I say it?) Adobe Photoshop.

On a side note, CorelDRAW X4's 3D rotation feature does not work for me when running under VMWare Fusion. It does work when running under Bootcamp. I suspect a video driver issue.

It has been awhile so I do not recall details.

Corel dropped their Mac version not so much because of the number of Macs in relation to Windows.

It was more due to low sales figures in relation to the number of existing Mac systems .

Adobe dominates the Mac graphics world mostly because they began creating for the Mac before including Windows development. Also Adobe has bought out a large percentage (possibly all) of their competitors for the Mac. Many designers learned on a Mac using Adobe products. Many continue to use Mac + Adobe be cause it is what they know.

I don't disagree with you, Soquili, on what you said about Adobe. Most of their customers are Mac-based who continue to use Adobe products primarily out of tradition and an unwillingness to change. But even so, Adobe has ported versions of all of their products over to Windows. It's profitable for Adobe to produce, and support, dual platforms.

I maintain that CorelDRAW also needs to be dual platform. It works for Corel Painter, doesn't it?

And yes, Adobe has bought up a lot of its competition. How long before it buys out Corel too? That will be a sad day indeed.

I think the point Bill was trying to make, and I agree - is that Adobe had to develop for the Windows platform or die. They continue to support the Mac platform because they have a large loyal customer base. As you say, there are many professional who rely on their Macs.
Corel were in deep doo-doo and almost folded when they made several expensive marketing mistakes and received a rescue package from Microsoft to help them survive. Throwing money and resources into Mac software development would have been commercial suicide for them.
Painter, like Adobe products, was originally a Mac graphics program developed by Fractal Design.

I doubt Corel will "die" as a direct result of not immediately porting over to Mac, but given Mac's ever rising market share, it wouldn't be a bad idea either. Just having a Mac version of CorelDRAW would show Corel's competition, namely Adobe, that they're here to play serious hard ball.

Corel's past bad marketing decisions are just that: in the past. And while Corel should be grateful to Microsoft for helping them out in tough times, I don't believe Corel should feel obligated now to limit it's marketing to only Windows-based PC's.

As for Painter, it shouldn't matter whether that program was originally designed for Mac or not. What's more important is to recognize that today's designers work on both Macs, and Windows. For a graphics software developer to not cater to both camps is simply bad marketing, in my opinion.

Likewise with CorelDRAW, so what if it was originally designed to work on Windows only? Times sure have changed since then. A successful, forward-thinking graphics software company must be willing to change with the times, and accommodate their existing and potential customers' choice of operating systems.

Have you contacted Corel directly with your thoughts?

Why was my last reply not posted?

Oops! Sorry, I see now that it was.

No, I have not contacted Corel directly, yet anyway. Sounds like a good idea though. Thanks, Sledger.

I'm a long time Corel user, sincer ver 2. I also use AI and Xteme Pro.

Corel has good product. I've always liked how it worked particularly against AI. However, I don't think porting to the Mac would be a good idea for them right now.

They need to make their product better, especially if they're going to entice Mac users. They need to get more intuitive with the tool set they already have, like Xtreme, and stop adding new features continually. But most of all, they need to seriously ramp up Draw's engine.

It has become seriously bloated and extremely slooow. I need a graphics app that will keep up with me, not slow my workflow down. Xtreme rocks in this respect, and AI isn't so bad, but Corel, I rarely use it now because of it's performance.

You're not going to convert Mac users without some serious performance enhancements. Draw has got to impress not only with its tool set, but it also has to create that WOW, or COOL factor. That's what Mac users like. You have to blow them away to get their attention. Draw doesn't have that. That's why their last attempt failed.

Corel would get spanked if they ported their existing product to Mac.

As for Painter, it already had a loyal Mac following before Corel aquired it. They didn't need to do anything to maintain market share except not to screw up what they had. They've done well with that. The old Corel of a few years back would have tried to bundle Painter into the Draw suite. They've matured since the days of Copeland's leadership.

I think it could be a good idea under the right circumstances, just not now.

That's my 2 cents.

Actually that was at least 5 cents, but well said http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

I think CorelDRAW, version X4 at least, contains a whole lot of WOW factor, that any Mac user would love. As for performance, I think it runs very fast. I'm running version X4 natively on a Mac with 12 GBs of RAM and a 512 MB Nvidia video card. Even running X4 under a virtual machine (via VMWare Fusion with 6 GBs dedicated RAM), X4 runs quite well.

Running CorelDRAW on a Mac is obviously not the issue here. Running CorelDRAW on a Mac without the need for purchasing a separate copy of Windows is.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rocket

I'm running version X4 natively on a Mac with 12 GBs of RAM and a 512 MB Nvidia video card.

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now I'm confused - I thought the point was you couldn't do this.....:confused:

EDIT - ah, you mean installing windows on an intel-mac - right fair enough......:)

I must admit it probably won't affect me if CorelDRAW is never again ported over to the Mac. I love, and need, CorelDRAW enough that I don't see myself giving up on it anytime soon.

And unlike my many fellow Mac users, I also do love Windows. One of the main reasons I bought a Mac was so I could run both OS X and Windows (Vista) together on the same machine. It's like having the best of both worlds.

But there are those Mac users who, mostly out of ignorance, hate Windows and will never use it. It's those people who would benefit most out of having a version of CorelDRAW made just for them.

Were Mac users' numbers shrinking, Corel would not necessarily be wrong in passing them off. But the fact remains that Mac users are ever on the increase. Corel must realize this too. If they don't, then they're just as guilty of being ignorant.

It's a business and positioning decision as much as anything. When Mac users love their Illustrator. And the colleges pretty much push Mac and Adobe products, why would Corel want to take them on when they can carve out their own niche?