Create Web Graphics with Fireworks
(Sent to BU Web community on 23 January 2001.
Updated
13 November 2002.)
Campus Web Publishers and Developers,
For many people interested in creating Web graphics, Photoshop
can be an intimidating obstacle. Fortunately, you now have an attractive
alternative. It's called Fireworks. Fireworks is a graphics program
from Macromedia, the company that develops Dreamweaver and Flash.
Most people who are familiar with both Fireworks and Photoshop
will tell you that Fireworks is more intuitive and much easier to
use. They also report that Fireworks has more than enough features
and functions to create and manipulate Web graphics. And, because
Fireworks is from Marcromedia, it is well integrated with Dreamweaver.
For example, when you click on a graphic in Dreamweaver, it will
automatically open the graphic in Fireworks.
If you manage a departmental Web site and you want more control
over the graphical components of your site, Fireworks is for you.
You can use Fireworks to:
- Manage your navigational graphics.
- Modify existing graphics or create new ones.
- Easily create rollovers and other interactive behaviors.
- Automatically generate JavaScript code for those rollovers
and behaviors.
- Move files between Fireworks and Photoshop.
For a more in-depth look, you can try
Fireworks before you buy it (ignore pricing info). NIS also
teaches classes on Fireworks.
Fireworks runs on Windows and Macintosh. It normally retails for
$299. However, as part of the Education Volume License program,
you can purchase it for $69. You get the program on CD and excellent
Web-based help.
Only departments and employees of Boston University can purchase
Fireworks through this program, and you can install Fireworks only
on University-owned computers. To get Fireworks at this discounted
price, please
see the ordering information.
We expect delivery of Fireworks in early March and will notify
you then with instructions on how to pay for and pick up the software.
Richard Mendez
Director, Networked Information Services
Office of Information Technology
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