Fireworks the great graphic tool is DEAD, long live Fireworks the Swiss army knife

Though, some of you out there may not agree with me, I'm going to call Fireworks, the great graphic tool, as DEAD as a door nail. Yes, yes, yes... I can already hear some of you looking for the comment button to fire off a few rounds of points my way. They will most likely sound like this, "look at the list of new features, how can you call FW dead?" or "Dude, did you even bother downloading the beta?" Or "Did you see the part about the beta not being a full feature release?" or "Just go buy Photoshop if you want Photoshop" Yes, all valid points, but hear me out.

If you hold to the old adage of growth is a sign of life, then as a graphic tool FW is dead. True FW has Lots of new really neat features. Many of the features are for related Adobe products Flex, Photoshop Import, Air and PDF. Where is the list of improvements to the graphics editing engine? Where are the V brushes, healing brush, Filters and a 10th of the other features that Photoshop is hording. I know that FW is not Photoshop and never will be. I was just hoping that Adobe would just allow the features of.. oh say photoshop 6 to filter down to FW.

Applying the same "growth is a sign of life" adage... It looks like Adobe has wrapped FW in a chrysalis and is in process of meta morphing FW into a rather handy Swiss army knife of the Adobe tool box. Though, I don't really have any use for those new features. I have more need for a new round of features to the existing graphics editing engine. After all, a graphics editing tool is what ponied up my own $ for when I bought FW CS3. So I'm left with what option, if I want more features in the graphics editing, paying BIG $ for Photoshop? Ah, I like Photoshop, I have used it since version 2.5, but it is a bit pricey for my 3-5 freelance sites I make a year.

I am hopeful that Adobe will add in a few new features to the graphics editing engine in the final shipping version, though I am not holding my breath.