Vector Drawing Applications for OS/2 - by Christopher B. Wright

few issues ago, I reviewed a prerelease demonstration of NeoN 2D Vector ("Shoot out at the OK Corel"). In that article, I mentioned that vector drawing applications were finally starting to break out into the market -- but at that time, all we really had was Freelance Graphics, which is more specifically a presentations package. The other programs -- including NeoN 2D Vector -- had not yet been released (NeoN 2D Vector was available in Germany, but the software I was reviewing was in English and had not yet been released). Well, much has changed since then. Not two days after my review, someone told me via e-mail that LogoArt had been officially released -- much to my surprise. The folks at WorkLab had been keeping very, very quiet about the progress of their product (the beta hadn't changed rev levels in a while) and I was honestly starting to believe they'd abandoned the project. Well, I'm happy to eat crow about this. Not only has LogoArt been released, it's been updated twice! In "LogoArt for OS/2", I'll be showing you what LogoArt can (and can't) do for you. My previous review of NeoN 2D Vector was of a work in progress, and over the past few months it has progressed a great deal. While the updated version hasn't been released yet, it is very close -- so close that Indelible Blue is taking orders for it. I had access to the latest version of the prerelease, and in "NeoN 2D Vector Revisited" I will be giving you a tour of what's been changed and updated since my last review. Also, a new program has very recently hit the scene. It's called "DrawCat", and I've been evaluating the demo to put it through its paces. Finally this month, I compare the three programs with each other in the "Final Observations" column.

Review Criteria In evaluating these programs, I tried to keep a few key points in mind: 1. Features. What can it do? What tools does it have? The more "Stuff" a program has, the higher I rate it. 2. Performance. How fast does it run? How quickly does it react? Obviously, the faster and more stable it is, the higher I rate it. 3. Price. How cheap is it? The lower the price, the higher I rate this category. I also rate price and features together to see what you're getting for what you're paying. 4. Usability. This is a somewhat subjective rating, but I feel it's important. Usability is an indication of: how skillfully the UI was designed, how easy it is to use the features of the program, and how customizable the program is. Essentially, the more comfortable I am with the program, and the more flexibility I have when it comes to customizing it, the higher I rate it.

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