| Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editing program | | | | font technology. However, despite the sophisticated |
| developed and marketed by Adobe Systems | | | | technology behind the product, Adobe Illustrator has |
| Incorporated. The very first version of Adobe | | | | always been relatively ease to learn and use, making |
| Illustrator was developed during 1986, released to | | | | it accessible and suitable for graphics and design |
| public in January 1987, and was only available for the | | | | professionals who are not necessarily technical |
| Apple Macintosh. Today, current versions of the | | | | wizards. |
| program are available for PCs using the Microsoft | | | | Over time, successive versions of Adobe Illustrator |
| Windows operating system, and for Apple Macintosh | | | | have gradually been enhanced with more and more |
| computers, but in the past, older versions of | | | | features. For example, Internet-orientated features |
| software, were once released (admittedly on a | | | | to support web publishing have been added, as have |
| somewhat sporadic basis) for Solaris and some other | | | | advanced rasterization and PDF features. Recent |
| UNIX operating systems. | | | | versions of Adobe Illustrator have even added |
| From its inception, Adobe Illustrator has been based | | | | capabilities for extrude and revolving shades in 3D, |
| around the concept of Bézier curves as the | | | | thus allow you to use the program to create simple |
| main element of documents - in fact degenerate | | | | 3D objects. Additionally, a relatively new feature |
| Bézier curves are used to represent lines, and | | | | known as "Live Trace" provides a powerful method |
| the curves are even used to emulate circles and arcs. | | | | of converting bitmap images into vector art |
| Additionally, Adobe Illustrator has incorporated | | | | ("vectorization"). |
| technologies derived from PostScript and Adobe's | | | | |