h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This looks like it's a free vector art program for the Mac - from Microsoft!

I don't know if it's any good; it's a 57MB download, and I only just got it to pass on to a friend with a G3 system but no broadband access... I'll report back when he's tried it. Anyhoo...

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=bb222487-dc7a-46d0-bcec-7275bbc73788&DisplayLang=en


Overview
Expression 3, the innovative vector-based stylish drawing and illustration software that continues to re-define vector graphics. Whether you are a veteran professional illustrator working on print-quality illustrations, a web designer building the most dazzling web site or a budding artist eagerly experimenting with various styles and techniques, you will find Expression 3 an indispensable tool for your creative tasks. It brings you the best of both worlds — the richness of pixel-based painting software and the convenience and editability of vector graphics.

I use Illustrator at work (on PCs <spit&gt - though I log n here through an old G3 iBook - and I have pornband

I'll give it a go

My pal Bob (for whom I was downloading it) speculates that Micro$oft bought over a software company (as they do) and this product came their way as part of the deal; not knowing quite what to do with it, they stuck it on their download site for free, but didn't actually index it on the download area in any meaningful way. Apparently, the only way to find it is if someone tells you about it...

fyi, I heard about it from il viaggiatore (U153746) - thanks, Lautaro!

"Microsoft last week released Expression 3.3 on its web site, after Microsoft finalized a deal late last year to acquire Creature House and its Expression 3 software."
http://www.macnn.com/news/24390 or http://www.macminute.com/2004/04/23/expression

Tour: http://www.microsoft.com/products/expression/

Reviews at MacUpdate: http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/14792

Kewl. But note that if you go to the home page of the downloads site it doesn't appear under any of the sensible categories...

I'm not sure about last night, but it does today. At least I think of "Macintosh & Other Platforms" as the most sensible category. Not only in this case!

*I* only saw it because of your post here, though!

*I* heard about it before they added it to the category listing!

Wouldn't most Mac users go to "mactopia", where it most definitely is *not* listed? http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.aspx

I just gave it a look. At first glance it seems a bit like "Painter", but with vector graphics. It's also labelled "beta 3.3". Does anyone know if this expires? Does M$ plan to continue developing it for the Mac, or are they going to turn it into another Frontpage?

Wouldn't most Mac users *not* go to Mactopia?
("Funny" thing is that the 'Downloads' link in the yellow part of the top stays at Mactopia where the program as you say isn't listed, while the download link in the black part takes you to MS where it is.)

The question about whether it's beta or not was one reason to link to MacUpdate. From the reviews:
"The splash screen still has the Creature House logo on it, though this 3.3 beta (last official version was 3.2) is copyrighted by Microsoft. The version string says "beta", but the Readme says "Macintosh Freeware Version", and the program seems to work without limitations. Did anyone test if there is a time limit? If there are really no limits at all, this would be a rather unusual move on Microsoft's side. Are they, all of a sudden, a public domain publisher? Expression was abashingly cheap at the regular $150 price. If they give it away for free now, it would qualify as the biggest freebie since RagTime 5.6. On the one hand, Expression doesn't fit into Microsoft's portfolio. On the other hand, giving it away doesn't conform to their corporate culture. So what's the business plan behind this release?"

"I think Microsoft has launched it, for free, so that it gets wide recognition, and then releases a tweaked version that actually has an interface. Then sell that for a price. Many would buy i am sure. If they released a fully carbonised ap for sale nobody would try a drawing app from Microsoft"

"It's not free, it is a BETA. VersionTracker also lists it as free, but puts the attached price of $149, about the same it used to cost before being acquired by M$"

"Is it a beta or free? I've set my system clock ahead as much as 6 years and it still ran fine. It may look like a beta, but seems to be a free and stable product, no less stable than the previous two incarnations which were very good indeed."

I'm confused here -- people are saying "beta", but then saying other things that make me think they really mean "shareware".

I've had beta versions of lots of software, and only once has there been a timed expiration. I've also done both beta and user testing for Microsoft (including their Mac stuff), by the way. The only beta software I've ever had that expired when the real release came out was EverQuest, I think. And even there, it wasn't that the software expired, it was that the account I used to access the servers would no longer work for free.

The shareware software I've used, on the other hand, quite often has expiration dates -- use for free for 90 days, then pony up the money or the software doesn't work (unless you diddle with the registry file).

So someone 'splain, what is it I'm missing here?

I think my pal Bob had it spot on. Micro$oft bought the original company, presumably either to aquire the in-house programming talent, or to stop them publishing some other app that was cutting into their bottom line. The company came "bundled" with the rights to this software; it didn't fit into their product line, they didn't want to have to support it but at the same time they didn't want pirate copies floating around the web as "abandonware" since now that it was under M$ copyright that would set a dangerous prescident, yet policing it would cost them time and money. So, the simplest solution was what they've done - give it away on their site. It's costing them nothing but a little bandwidth, and attracting Mac users to the site, albeit briefly. I think that all makes sense.

I downloaded it yesterday and today my Mac is DEAD

(It's probably no comfort, but Bob installed it under OS9.2 without incident; he hasn't done much with it as he can't figure out the intracacies of the UI yet.)

(intracacies = intricacies )

In post 9 d'E said 'At first glance it seems a bit like "Painter", but with vector graphics.'

Painter has got vector graphics . I can't get this new thing to run at all, but perhaps I don't need it .