I really like Adobe Illustrator CS2. There are a few items it still lacks that I'm used to using in applications like CorelDRAW and Flexi. But there is a good number of areas where Illustrator has key advantages over CorelDRAW. Here's a few key examples:
Illustrator integrates with Adobe Photoshop far better than Corel. You can place Illustrator vector paths within Photoshop documents and use those paths to generate more efficient and accurate selections, as well as use the paths for other purposes like masks and shape layers. CorelDRAW has never been able to place paths into Photoshop.
Illustrator generates popular vector effects, such as outlining effects with a much higher degree of accuracy and efficiency. CorelDRAW's contour effect has been disappointing for the past several years, and has only grown worse in recent releases. You get shapes riddled with many hundreds of control points and straight line segments instead of a clean, fluid shape with only the minimum number of points needed. Both Illustrator and Freehand excel in that regard. Corel's Convert Outline to Object function generates fewer control points than the contour effect. But the end result often is infected with errors. Again, both Illustrator and Freehand beat Corel handily. You'll see the end result in the quality of cut vinyl graphics and
computer routed parts.
Color control. IllustratorCS2 is just simply better right out of the box. Corel has always been hit or miss. The only way to reign in Corel's color control madness is by using a third party RIP software application in conjunction with it. You don't have to do that with Illustrator. The new Adobe Bridge setup keeps the color profile matched between all CS2 suite applications and minimizes any attempts
Windows or the MacOS makes against the color control system.
You can generate encrypted & password protected PDF files from within IllustratorCS2. Corel doesn't do that on its own (Canvas X is the only non-Adobe app I can think of that does create password protected PDFs). There are ways to get around PDF encryption, but those hacks would be a pain for most people to use.
Illustrator gives one an easier path to a variety of other types of output. It's easier to do professional printing from Illustrator because you have a better idea of what you're going to get on the output. You have a more direct path to other professional page layout tools. Integration with Photoshop and After Effects provides a more direct route to video and motion graphics.
Overall, Corel needs to do some hard work to keep CorelDRAW from slipping into oblivion. There seems to be a lot more momentum on the side of Illustrator now.
