A new focus on animation, better video support and deeper integration, but not the core authoring package it once was.

A new interface, drawing engine and programming language, but surprisingly little new power.

Macromedia Flash (May 2002, page 60), Dreamweaver, Fireworks and FreeHand (Studio MX, November 2002, page 71), have all been given the MX treatment, and now it's Director's turn.

With Flash media handling and integration with Acrobat.com the Acrobat platform embraces the Internet – at last

A cheap and cheerful approach to Flash but the sheer power it offers is exceptional, as is the price.

PowerPoint’s ease of use, The efficient web delivery of Flash, and a truly professional player.

Advanced long document functionality and screen-based publishing via Flash contribute to another Quark-bashing.

With Web Standard/Premium, Design Premium AND Macromedia’s products now absorbed into CS3, choosing the right suite is EASY.

Improved media handling, Flash video support and greater interactivity see Captivate extend into new areas of training.

Our massive guide to Adobe's huge overhaul of the Creative Suite, including reviews of Photoshop CS4, Illustrator, InDesign and Dreamweaver.

New multiple page support and improved text handling, but the program’s main strength remains its underlying speed.

A period of transition as Adobe deals with its Macromedia inheritance and the changing nature of the web.

Adobe significantly strengthens its print, web and production workflows – and the integration between them

One way to get your Website's logos and page titles to literally stand out is by making them 3D. Xara3D is designed to make the whole process a cinch.

A shift of focus to advanced CSS and JavaScript handling, but Dreamweaver is beginning to look old-fashioned

Macromedia Contribute (March 2003, page 57) caused considerable excitement with its ability to keep site content up-to-date, under control and within budget.

Modern and efficient conversion to WMV with ahead-of-the-curve Silverlight capabilities

Adobe builds on its print strengths to take its rich design mission online. And it has made a success of it, too.

An improved working environment and ground-breaking colour handling make Illustrator fresher than ever.

The new interface plus PDF and AIR export sees Fireworks CS4 fully integrated into the Creative Suite.