Serif DrawPlus anyone?

**MarcT** · 23 July 2007, 12:00 AM

http://www.microsoft.com/expression/...x?key=download

Min or Wac

There is a couple of nice features in this application, it handles ''vectorized'' bitmap strokes very well. It also have a very useful "variable width" editor that I wish Xara had.

The "Effects Lines" feature is also quite inspiring.

-coco

**steve.ledger** · 23 July 2007, 12:28 AM

Originally Posted by coco

http://www.microsoft.com/expression/...x?key=download

Min or Wac

There is a couple of nice features in this application, it handles ''vectorized'' bitmap strokes very well. It also have a very useful "variable width" editor that I wish Xara had.

The "Effects Lines" feature is also quite inspiring.

-coco

Thanks.. I actually found a direct link while reading about CH Expression 3 on Wiki. The Microsoft link requires passport login & registration. Wiki listed the [working] direct download link here:
http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...ression3_3.exe

**David O'Neil** · 24 July 2007, 05:38 AM

Originally Posted by sledger

... I actually found a direct link...

Thanks for posting it! I had given up earlier when I saw it wanted Passport.

**Giovanni** · 07 August 2007, 09:13 AM

Serif DrawPlus X2 is out!

http://www.serif.com/drawplus/drawplusx2/

Layers and brush system seems cool, but do matches Xara's speed?
I don't think so; hope there will be a trial version in the future.

**Xhris** · 07 August 2007, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by Giovanni

Serif DrawPlus X2 is out!

http://www.serif.com/drawplus/drawplusx2/

Layers and brush system seems cool, but do matches Xara's speed?
I don't think so; hope there will be a trial version in the future.

Yes, and hopefully the trial will actually install on Vista this time. There are a lot of common features in these graphics programs all appearing at the same time. 3D, tabbed browsing, better brush handling, better layers, improved UI feedback, improved Live shadow, eraser and cutter tools, canvas rotation, fill unclosed shapes etc. I'm expecting to see these things in the next Xara release. Serif also seems to have introduced a variant of caching; something Xara uses to good effect, and flash animation.

**Xhris** · 08 August 2007, 07:17 PM

There is a PC Adviser blog of DrawPlus X2 available. It briefly discusses a few features in the software.

**Giovanni** · 09 August 2007, 07:23 AM

Originally Posted by Xhris

There is a PC Adviser blog of DrawPlus X2 available. It briefly discusses a few features in the software.

Thanks for the highlight Xhris.
If I'm lucky I will be able to doodle a bit with DrawPlus X2 next week (on a friend's PC) and will let you know first impressions.

**GeoBen** · 09 August 2007, 05:36 PM

sorry, but why in the world would anyone pay for Serif anything when there are loads of better software at little or no cost.

Draw Plus vs Xara or Inkscape?
Page plus vs Open Office?
PhotoPlus vs Gimp?

not a chance in hell.

I do use the free version of Web Plus for mocking up web pages, but the real work is done by hand.

I commend Serif for making the lesser versions cheap or free, but the software just cannot keep up.

geo.

**Giovanni** · 13 August 2007, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by GeoBen

sorry, but why in the world would anyone pay for Serif anything when there are loads of better software at little or no cost.
Draw Plus vs Xara or Inkscape?

Well I think Serif DrawPlus has something to give. For example is one of the few programs with full vector stroke (with Adobe Illustrator and Microsoft Expression).

It has also a good layer system, and I have to say that they made some good step ahead in workflow (for example now many tools have real time quote feedback, so you know dimensions as you draw).

On the other hand DrawPlus X2 crashes a lot! Hope they produce a patch very soon because at the moment is near unusable.