The Present And Future Of Adobe Fireworks
December 29, 2013
What does this mean for you if you use (and rely on) Fireworks to design user interfaces and screens? What are your options?
In this article, we’ll take a close look at Adobe Fireworks, explaining why it is a unique and powerful design tool, how we can continue to use it effectively, and what our alternatives are for the future.
But first, a bit of background.
I have been using Fireworks since the Macromedia days, and I find it indispensable in my daily design workflow. Fireworks is like a small (but powerful) Swiss Army knife, or a superhero. In short, Fireworks is extremely versatile and powerful for screen design.
In fact, I am so passionate about this tool that when Vitaly Friedman asked me to be the editor of the Fireworks section of Smashing Magazine a couple of years ago, I instantly said “Yes!” Fast-forward to today: We’ve published over 20 high-quality articles about Fireworks and received many positive comments from our readers.
The news earlier this year that Adobe is abandoning Fireworks made me very sad. Looking at the over thousand comments on the Adobe Fireworks blog, it seems that I am not alone and that Fireworks will be missed by many.
So, what can you do if you also use Fireworks?
The good news is that we have quite a few options to continue using it, as well as some new apps on the horizon that could take its place. Let’s explore them!