The Chinese use the same character for the word crisis as they do for opportunity. Corel has had enough of the former and would like more of the latter.
But Corel hopes to convince Mac users uneasy about its purchase of Painter, Bryce, KPT, and KPT Vector Effects that it means business. “We want to make sure people see us as a company with a reputation for strong Mac products,” says Corel spokeswoman Meredith Dundas.
That’s a tall order, given Corel’s shaky Mac track record. But the company is trying to back up the talk. It released Bryce 4.1, adding new mapping modes. Painter 6.1 should be out by late fall.
“They prove to users we’re strong, we’re working with the Mac, you can trust us,” Dundas says.
Mac users may not be as encouraged by Corel’s decision to release CorelDraw 10 for the Mac in early 2001 while already shipping the Windows version. The company has its reasons–the next Mac will be OS X-savvy, so Corel can’t release the product until a final version of the operating system is ready. But Mac enthusiasts take it personally when they have to wait for a product that Window users already have.
Corel also plans major revisions of each of its graphics programs–including the former MetaCreations products–for spring of 2001.
That certainly gives Corel the opportunity to redeem itself in the eyes of Mac users. Now all it has to do is deliver.