What’s in store for Corel X5 once two industry giants release their own new suites?
Corel: most anyone using a computer for either the home or office has used, or at least knows of, their products. Over the years, Corel has managed to maintain a respectable following with its graphic design and word processing software suites. However, despite its best efforts, it’s been unable to dethrone the top dogs in the biz: namely, Adobe and Microsoft. Will this year be any different?
2010 marks a year of new releases from these three companies. Microsoft is scheduled to release its anticipated MS Office 2010 in retail stores sometime this summer. Adobe’s follow-up to its highly acclaimed Creative Suite 4 is also due out within the next couple months. Corel brought to the show its latest version, Corel X5. Corel, however, beat the others out the gate with its March release. Was this a pre-emptive strike to try to get an early chunk of the market? Perhaps. Regardless, X5 does have some pretty nifty features that shouldn’t be overlooked despite it being the underdog.
Corel has a bit of a unique challenge facing it in that it has products in two big venues: home/office documentation and graphic design. It isn’t merely in a competition of three, but rather two separate one-on-one competitions with each Microsoft and Adobe. Why do it? Well, with a strong track record and the loyalty of its consumer-base, Corel is able to hold its own in each ring.
Type the words “Corel vs. Adobe” in a Google search and you get bombarded with blogs and forums. After reading a few threads to see what the Posters wrote, I didn’t walk away truly converted to one over the other. Not that it was my intent to be swayed by a few Bloggers, but I was interested to look at the debate as a fence-sitter. Basically, all the ranting and ravings from the fans came down to one absolute: the product he/she endorses “rocks” while the competitor’s “sux.”
The battle between Corel and Microsoft wasn’t any less gory. Websites dedicated to prove one program is better than another, using a “scientific” point system, exist—complete with categories and wording catered to the favored product. I can’t help but laugh to myself. It’s sad though; so much discord among fellow writers and designers. Meanwhile, the companies soak up the free advertising and, no-doubt, resulting sales.
In this great society of choice, it’s comforting to know that whatever program you choose, you’ll have an army of support to teach you cool new things. And across the way you’ll have a group that despises you based on your choice and hopes your computer crashes for using “that abominable product.” Luckily, from this war spawns updates, improvements and lower prices from the competing companies. Who says war is good for nothing?
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