The requirements for windows are: A Pentium or faster Intel processor; Windows 95, 98 or NT 4; 64 MB of RAM or 96 MB of Ram to run Photoshop 5.5 and ImageReady 2 concurrently; 125 MB of hard disk space; 256-color (8-bit) display adapter with 24-bit color recomended, CD- Rom drive; and a sound card for viewing interactive tutorial files.
For users who do not own Photoshop 5 or ImageReady 1, the cost of this program is $599. For owners of Photoshop 5 or ImageReady 1, after a $70 manufacturer's mail-in rebate (good until 9-30-99), the cost is $129.00. These prices were taken from one mail-order catalog; however, check Adobe's website at: http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/photoshop/price.html for more pricing information for owners of previous version of Photoshop, etc.
The combining of ImageReady and Photoshop into one program has not only simplified using both programs to create great web graphics, but I have found it useful in other ways. It is known that Photoshop can only make available a certain number of plug-ins. However, ImageReady can point to an additional plug-ins directory. Thus, if some filters cannot be available to Photoshop because too many are already in use, one can modify their image in ImageReady without having to go outside of the program. I timed it with a filter available in both programs, and the time interval it took to complete the task was the same.
The number of web features now contained in this merged program is great. While some already existed in ImageReady, they are so much easier to access in Photoshop 5.5 because with the click of a button the user can go from one program to the other. In addition, new web features have been added to the Photoshop side of the program. One of these is a Save for the web command. Without ever leaving Photoshop or using the command to initialize ImageReady, one can perform a Save for the web command and see how various web settings can look.
With Photoshop 5.5, the artist has a lot of control when dealing with gif files and jpg files. One can regulate compression, optimize for download speed versus image appearance, and control individual colors in gif images. There are many other features included such as slicing and creating rollovers. For information on these and other features see the Adobe's website at: http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/photoshop/main.html.
Adobe has also added features to the Photoshop module such as precise masking, the art history brush and the creation of contact sheets, picture packages, and a magic eraser for removing the background of an image along with the more precise lasso that was introduced in Photoshop 5.
A non-publisized feature that I really like can be found when the text tool is activated. Now one does not have to rely on a font that has a bold or italicized version. One can create text that is "faux (fake) bold" or "faux italicized." Text layers can be rendered automatically when a filter is applied. One does not have to go into the layer's menu and then render the "type layer" as a regular layer. When the rendering is necessary, Photoshop 5.5 will ask if the user wants the layer rendered. This is a very time saving addition.
Another new feature in Photoshop itself can be found in the View menu.Choose: View> Preview> and then either Mac RGB, Windows RGB, or Uncompensated RGB.
As I continue to use both Photoshop 5.5 and ImageReady 2, I keep finding new features that I was not aware of. Do I like this new version? Absolutely. Did it work smoothly? Once again, absolutely.
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