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| Microsoft PhotoDraw | |
|---|---|
 | |
 A screenshot of PhotoDraw 2000 version 2.0 running on Windows 95. | |
| Developer | Microsoft |
| Final release | v2.0 / October 4, 1999; 26 years ago (1999-10-04) |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows |
| Included with | Microsoft Office 2000 |
| Successor | Microsoft Expression Design |
| Type | Vector graphics editor |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | office |
Microsoft PhotoDraw is a discontinued vector graphics andraster image editing software developed byMicrosoft. It was released in 1999 as part of theMicrosoft Office 2000 family of products and was specifically designed for creating and editing graphics, illustrations, and photo compositions.
PhotoDraw offered a range of features including image editing tools, drawing and painting capabilities, text manipulation, special effects, and the ability to work with layers. It also included templates and clip art to assist users in creating various types of designs, such as flyers, brochures, and web graphics.
Despite its initial popularity, Microsoft PhotoDraw did not receive significant updates or continued development. The last version released was PhotoDraw 2000, which came bundled with Microsoft Office 2000 Premium and was compatible withWindows 98 and later versions of Windows. Microsoft eventually discontinued PhotoDraw, and it is no longer actively supported or available for purchase.
Microsoft PhotoDraw 2000 was released in 1999 along withMicrosoft Office 2000 Premium and Developer, but came separately on 2 CDs. It developed from thePicture It! 2.0 engine's.MIX format and expanded further into vector imaging technology. It required a separate installation from the main installer for the core Office suite, and was also released as a stand-alone product as part of Microsoft's Graphics Studio line of products (Greetings, etc.).
It released the subsequent version called Microsoft PhotoDraw 2000 Version 2 toGeneral Availability on October 4, 1999.[1]
PhotoDraw 2000 shipped via these release vehicles
PhotoDraw 2000 Version 2 shipped via these release vehicles
Both versions of PhotoDraw were branded "Microsoft Office Application," and considered a "member of the family," as were other Microsoft applications (most notablyPublisher) at the time.
After PhotoDraw 2000 Version 2 was released, Microsoft discontinued the program. Functional equivalent would be found inExpression Graphic Designer.
PhotoDraw is a full-featured dual-type (vector and bitmap) graphics software application likeAdobe Fireworks, developed for semiprofessional business use. It includes a vast library of clip-art, and a good collection of additional fonts. Its user interface introduced an activity-based approach (manifested in special graphic menus), a concept later evolving into theRibbon interface of modern MS Office and other applications.
As positioned mainly as an MS Office family companion and a business graphical solution suite, it was not useful enough for home users, who are more interested in manipulating digital pictures - which are bitmaps - than creating vector graphics. Microsoft has responded by bundlingWindows Picture and Fax Viewer withWindows XP, developingMicrosoft Picture It!, as well as creatingMicrosoft Office Picture Manager for Microsoft Office 2003 to expand on Microsoft Photo Editor. Furthermore, PhotoDraw was also not good enough to challenge Illustrator, the de facto standard for graphics professionals. For professional purposes Microsoft acquired, introduced and developedMicrosoft Expression Studio, a graphics solution suite but it has been also discontinued, leaving MS Office users without any proper illustration tool with capabilities exceeding those of PowerPoint.
PhotoDraw's native file format is .MIX.
Photodraw can open files in these file formats:
Photodraw can save files in these file formats:
PhotoDraw's native file format is ".mix", a proprietary format developed by Microsoft. Only PhotoDraw can save and load its MIX files and retain the full ability to modify those files.
The MIME media-type for the MIX format is "image/vnd.mix" (IANA assignment for the MIX format)
PhotoDraw is no longer available for purchase from Microsoft.
