Photoshop has for a long time been the best choice for digital photographers and graphic artists as the number one image manipulation software. Even with the superb open source and free GIMP (GNU image manipulation program) floating around the internet, serious users still buy the very expensive Photoshop for their graphics needs.
Photoshop 8 is still available in stores packaged in the much hyped Creativity Suite series of Adobe, but rumors are floating around the net of a Photoshop CS 2.0 that improves upon the already formidable Photoshop CS.
According to rumor mill Thinksecret.com, Photoshop CS 2.0 will feature enhancements like a customizable user interface. This new object-based user interface will enable users to select multiple layers and perform manipulations across all of them at the same time. Another improvement to the Photoshop interface is Adobe's new cross-suite file browser (a.k.a. Bridge) that will allow easy access from one Adobe application to another. This will greatly increase productivity because of the enhanced interoperability of the whole CS 2.0.
Not only did Adobe add some refinements in the products UI, they also added editable filters allowing it to update when filtered content is adjusted. This auto-updating routine is also available with bit-mapped images and vector files where the image is updated while retaining the ability to edit the original.
The new adobe series will also have a stringent product activation process as a deterrent against piracy especially from P2P networks. Strangely enough, if you download Adobe_Photoshop9.exe in P2P networks, you will be downloading a strange, mass-mailer virus called Bagle-Q.
On the downside, Photoshop CS 2.0 will still be restricted to below 2GB of ram usage, in addition, the software will only be for 32-bit systems though they will be laying the groundwork for 64-bit systems.
