I have been using CorelDRAW since version 3.0. It has always been one of my favorite vector illustration packages, even as Adobe Illustrator started to catch up in the features department I still liked CorelDRAW better. Part of the reason is it has a better interface which makes doing certain tasks much easier.

And, then there was the whole Linux mess that nearly put Corel out of business. They were gutsy for doing this but they just didn't do it at the right time. Will a Linux era come on the consumer desktop that is hard to tell. My opinion is long before consumers move from Windows to Linux the will move from Windows to a Mac. Microsoft Vista has been doing a great job driving this, Mac's have never been more popular and that is all thanks to Vista.

After Corel got themselves straightened out I really watched the first few updates to CorelDRAW, I was concerned that Corel having missed the jaws of death by the skin of their teeth was now a lame duck company. While most of the updates has been lean and mean they have been good updates, by this I mean that the quality of the update now far exceeds the quantity of new features and improvements. Corel chose to go for quality, this is not something we see in the software industry very often, most times we get moderate features and poor quality figuring they can fix any problems later. Corel on the other hand while needing to release updates has only had to fix what I call minor issues. I also like that the update time table has been changed so that there is more time between each update. This is not only good for the consumer, it allows Corel to take their time and make sure that what they release is really ready, stable and as bug free as possible.

The recently released CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 offers a nice selection of new features and enhancements. It is by no means a massive update. If I had to choose between a buggy massive update and a more modest update that is stable and fairly bug free I will take the smaller update.

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 includes the following improvements:

• Modernized user interface Screen Shot: The new, more intuitive user interface features redesigned icons, menus and controls.
• CorelDRAW ConceptShare: Share your designs and ideas with colleagues and collaborate with clients in real time.
• Corel PowerTRACE X4: Save time and enjoy more control with this enhanced and powerful bitmap-to-vector conversion solution.
• Windows Color System: Closely match colors between Corel and Microsoft applications.
• Adobe Color Management Module: Match colors between Corel and Adobe applications.
• Enhanced Windows Vista integration: Organize projects and search for files.
• New, editable content: 10,000 clipart images (40% new), 1,000 high-quality photos and more specialized fonts: includes 75 Windows Glyph List 4 (WGL4) with support for Greek, Cyrillic and other international character sets, as well as single-line engraving fonts and OpenType cross-platform fonts.
• Redesigned New From Template dialog box Screen Shot: Easily find the right template for any job, and browse by keyword or industry.
• 80 professionally designed templates: With keywords, notes about design choices, output tips and ways to maintain good design when customizing templates.
• Interactive tables: Create and import structured layouts for text and graphics.
• Independent page layers: Vary page layout within a multipage document.
• Live text formatting: Preview formatting changes before applying them.
• Integration with WhatTheFont: Quickly identify fonts.
• Mirror paragraph text: Mirror text horizontally or vertically, or both.
• Welcome screen: Access recently used documents, templates, learning tools, and inspiring designs from one location.
• CorelDRAW Handbook - Insights from the Experts: View impressive projects and learn from seasoned design professionals.
• Training videos: Delve into hours of new training videos.
• CorelTUTOR: Access online, project-based instruction with new tutorials.
• CorelDRAW.com: Share designs, ideas and inspiration with this online community.
• Support for RAW camera files: Interactive controls let you preview adjustments in real time.
• Straighten images: New, interactive controls make it fast and easy.
• Histogram feedback: Available with more features than ever before.
• Enhanced Tone Curve dialog box Screen Shot: Lets you adjust images with more precision.
• Streamlined page sizes: Reflect the geographic location of the user better.
• The easy-to-use, yet powerful, Cut out lab is accessible from CorelDRAW and Corel PHOTO-PAINT, making it an ideal addition to your workflow.
  Corel PowerTRACE X4 has a new centerline trace option that produces more accurate strokes and is perfect for tracing line drawings or signatures.
• Corel PowerTRACE X4 generates a color palette, allowing you to easily edit, merge, or delete colors and control which colors appear in traced results.

What's Included

• CorelDRAW X4
• Corel PHOTO-PAINT X4
• Corel PowerTRACE X4
• Corel CAPTURE
• CorelDRAW ConceptShare
• Bitstream Font Navigator
• WhatTheFont
• Barcode Wizard
• Service Bureau Profiler
• Duplexing Wizard
• 10,000 high-quality clipart images, individually selected to meet the needs of design professionals and occasional users alike.
• 1,000 high resolution, royalty-free photographs from iStockphoto.
• 1,000 OpenType fonts, including 75 Windows Glyph List 4 (WGL4) and 10 single-line engraver fonts
• 80 professionally designed templates.

As I said this is not a massive redesign of CorelDRAW it just adds some really nice useful new features that brings it up to date. I really like being able to have different page sizes and orientations in the same document. Being able to find the name of a font used without having to spend hours thanks to the new integration with WhatTheFont is a small thing but one of those things that when you need it are very happy it is there. I am sure at sometime or another we have all gotten a document or something that used a font we love but have no idea what it is called or where to get our own copy of it.

The new tone curve dialog box is just fantastic, the controls and flexibility it offers is just wonderful. Finally an implementation that causes me to use curves more than levels. I am also thrilled to see the included clipart and fonts and stuff updated. CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 has 40% new clipart. All I can say is it is about time.

While the number of applications included in the Graphics Suite have been whittled down the ones there are tops and I don't think most of us will miss the applications that have been removed. I doubt most of us used Ventura Publisher, though I have to say I miss the texture making program (CorelTEXTURE) that they used to include, that was a cool little program and a useful one too.

All in all CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X4 is a very nice update with some welcome new additions and improvements. It is nice to see Corel and CorelDRAW back on track doing what they do best and that is putting out one of the best illustration packages on the planet.

Needs

• Windows XP (with Service Pack 2 or later), or Windows Vista (32-bit or 64-bit editions)
• 512 MB of RAM, 430 MB of hard disk space
• Pentium III, 800MHz processor or AMD Athlon XP
• 1,024 × 768 or better monitor resolution
• DVD drive
• Mouse or tablet