Filed under: Software, Graphic Design
Lineform 1.5.1 is out: TUAW readers can save $30
It's been a while since Freeverse's vector application, Lineform, got an update. Lineform 1.5 came out in January 2008, but the Apple Design Award winner has remained unchanged since then. That's not a bad thing; as we've mentioned in the past, Lineform is great vector program. But it's always nice to get new features.
Freeverse has just released Lineform 1.5.1, fixing some bugs and adding some new treats for users.
Here are some of the highlights:
- Improved gradient behavior -- you now have more control over your gradients.
- Improved performance with multiple objects on a canvas
- Undo now includes the function name, so you can see what you are undoing
- New Lineform Clips available in the Media Browser.
That last item is actually pretty great. Lineform now comes with a bunch of vector clips in various shapes and symbols that you can drag into your documents to use as they are, or edit. You can also add additional vector clips to save and use later.
When Robert did a faceoff amongst low-cost vector apps, he commented that having more shapes would be a good addition to Lineform. Lineform now has pre-built polygons and star shapes that can be simply dragged into your project.
Plus, Lineform continues to support SVG, PDF and EPS formats and it's easy to apply non-destructive filters to your projects.
The guys at Freeverse were also nice enough to extend a $30-off coupon code to TUAW readers! Enter tuawlineform151 when ordering at Freeverse's site and you can score Lineform 1.5.1 for just $49.95.
$50 for a vector app that is as powerful and easy to use as Lineform is really, really hard to beat. If you want to give it a trial before buying, you can download it free and use it for 30 days. Lineform now requires OS X 10.5 (previous versions did run on Tiger) and it is a Universal Binary. Existing users can install this free update either by using the built-in update check or downloading the DMG from Freeverse.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
KP said 12:02PM on 7-21-2009
I just installed LF 1.5.1, and it refused to recognize my serial number as valid and considered my trial period over. Downgraded to 1.5 and it works fine.
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Justin D said 12:11PM on 7-21-2009
KP - please get in touch with us at http://freeverse.com/support, and we'll get the problem sorted out.
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KP said 12:18PM on 7-21-2009
Thanks, Justin. I submitted a support request.
Quix said 12:15PM on 7-21-2009
I tried Lineform and own Intaglio and VectorDesigner. I like VectorDesigner's interface the best, but Intaglio wins (for me) for functionality and ease of use.
Intaglio could *seriously* use an interface revamp though.
If I could merge VectorDesigner and Intaglio, I'd have the perfect illustration app for my needs.
Lineform came in third in my personal preferences. So you may want to check out Intaglio and VectorDesigner before buying Lineform...
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Aaron said 12:36PM on 7-21-2009
I might be doing something wrong (knowing myself, I am) but the clips that I seem to have on upgrade are just clip art, not vector editable.
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bmp said 5:01PM on 7-21-2009
Xara is my favorite vector graphics program. It is extremely fast and offers a nice direct-manipulation interface. I can perform a lot of editing functions without constantly going to the toolbars or palettes. Ever since I've switched to the Mac, I've been looking for a Mac OS X replacement for Xara, which was only available for Windows at the time (the only Windows program I miss).
So, a while ago I've tried Lineform on my 12" PowerBook G4 and was a bit dismayed by the performance -- probably due to the laptop, rather than Lineform. Inkscape didn't fare much better and for some plugins it was absolutely horrendous (something simple as a gradient fill, actually).
I thought that my only choice was to run Xara through Parallels or VMWare Fusion, but it seemed ridiculous to pay for Windows and the virtualization software just to run Xara (I already own a license to Xara).
Later I found out that there is an open source version of Xara available for Linux (http://www.xaraxtreme.org/), which I managed to run from within Ubuntu on VirtualBox (http://www.virtualbox.org/) on my Mac (This time I have a workhorse in the form of the original Intel iMac). Once Ubuntu and VirtualBox are fully setup (i.e., fix some driver issues, install guest additions, enable shared folders, etc.), Xara can run in full screen and can save files to the home folder.
That said, I'll give the new Lineform a try, although I still prefer Xara's interaction style.
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Nigel Hall said 11:28PM on 7-23-2009
I've been begging the guys at Xara to port it to OS X ever since moving back to the Mac over 5 years ago. But every time they just say they have "no plans." Bunch of loosers.
I've been using Intaglio for several years now. It does what it's supposed to, but could really do with a little attention from the developer. I'm tempted to try Lineform.