Graphics Software

Overview Do you know the difference between bitmap and vector graphics? How about knowing when to use CAD software vs. when to use presentation software? If you don't, you're not alone. The wide variety of graphics software and available formats confuse even the most savvy graphics professional. The good news is that there's plenty of information on the Web to paint a very clear picture of all your graphical choices.

General Information In the complex world of graphics software, a good starting point for finding information about the graphics software that is best for your needs can be any one of the many graphics resources online. Read this article to learn about the different graphics software packages available and how to choose the best one for your needs. Click this link to read about graphics software topics ranging from 3-D and animation software, to photo editing software. For reviews and pricing information on the latest graphics software, visit this ZDNET page. 

Bitmap Graphics Software Bitmap graphics software is used for manipulating graphics files that are composed of many individual "dots" or pixels. Paint, photo editing, and other image editing software are all examples of bitmap graphics programs. For a concise definition and additional information about bitmap graphics, visit Webopedia. If you are interested in information about popular bitmap graphics software, then visit the Corel Web site to read about their graphics software packages including Corel Graphics suite 10. This software functions as a paint program and it includes some photo editing features as well. Visit the Adobe Photoshop home page to learn about their popular and powerful photo editing software. GIMP is a popular GNU Image manipulation program.  Visit GIMP.org to view tutorials, read about features, and download the program. 

Vector Graphics Software Vector graphics software is used to manipulate graphics composed of lines, curves, and shapes. For a definitive description of vector graphics, visit Webopedia. A discussion about the strengths and weakness of vector graphics, as well as additional vector graphics information, can be found at this Web page. If you are interested in reading about specific vector graphics software packages, visit the Adobe Illustrator home page or CorelDraw 10 home page. 

3-D Graphics Software As personal computers continue to become more powerful, 3-D applications and graphics are gaining popularity. Many computer games and even some new applications are taking advantage of advances in the growing 3-D field. Visit Webopedia to read a definition of 3-D software, as well as to view links to 3-D graphics and software sites. To find information about 3-D graphics software, tutorials, and clip art, go to 3dgraphics.about.com. Another site for those interested in 3-D art and software is the 3-D Artists home page (www.raph.com/3dartists). Here you will find 3-D art galleries, interviews, tutorials, and forums. The Caligari home page (www.caligari.com) provides information about their TrueSpace and iSpace programs. TrueSpace is a 3-D drawing program while iSpace is used for creating 3-D images for the Web. Another popular 3-D graphics program is Poser by Curious Labs (www.curiouslabs.com). Poser helps you to create high-quality 3-D animation and images.

CAD Software CAD (computer-aided design) software is used primarily by drafting professionals, designers, and architects for creating complex 3-D objects or models. CAD software often incorporates functionality from both vector and 3-D graphic software packages. You can learn about the more popular CAD software packages at both www.procad-software.com/ and this Web page.

Presentation Software Presentation software helps you create, organize, and display slide-show like presentations from your PC. Some presentation software works directly with devices such as projectors and transparency display devices, while others prepare your presentation to be displayed on either a computer screen, or in printed form. Visit this Web page to find a wide variety of many popular presentation software packages. Microsoft PowerPoint is one of the more popular presentation software programs and is included in most distributions of Microsoft’s Office suite. Visit the PowerPoint home page to read about this powerful tool. You can also visit OpenOffice.org to find out more information about their presentation program "Impress".