I have some questions that need an answer, if any member should be able to help!
I know Adobe is BIG and has quite a few different types of software. I am using Elements and Photoshop 7.0 which is perfect for what I do. I have a very good friend who say's I should 'upgrade' but I dont know the differences between these ie:- 'Illustrator 10' - 'Adobe Premier 6.5' - 'After Effects' - and 'Deep Paint 3D'.....Please - can any member help in describing the differences of these, or do you think I should 'stick' with what I know!!!!!
I would be most grateful for any help from you.
Thank you
Bob

Illustrator is a totally different product to Photoshop because as its name suggests - its an illustration program for creating vector based artwork as opposed to rasterised image editing that Photoshop is for. Premiere and After Effects are for video editing and adding effects to video so have nothing to do with either illustrator or photoshop. Deep Paint is for applying textures to 3d models as far as I know so again totally different. If your happy with using photoshop as you are then leave it. You can however upgrade to either the latest photoshop (CS2) or the fully Adobe Creative Suite that includes Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign (page makeup) amongst others for a substantial discount if you have a legitimate licensed product already (your copy of Photoshop/illustrator)

If you happen to remain unclear on Illustrator and Vector art ... Away ~@~ groo2k ... is an example .. as well as many things in the groo meister's gallery

Forgive me, for I know not what I do

Vector art employs, basically, the same technology of Outline Fonts (truetype, postscript, etc) in that the area between points A and B are not filled with pixels but, instead, a line (an outline) .. and when printed or displayed on screen it is filled with the appropriate color .. this technology allows for, almost, infinite enlarging or shrinking without any loss of quality .. because this "line" bows and bends smoothly and is then filled

If, by chance, you remember "bitmap fonts" .. these were pixel based fonts that were blocky to begin with ,, and when resized, became even worse .. (imagine the side of the great pyramid at Giza, with its sandstone blocks) ... Now imagine Graph paper with a small grid pattern (1\8 inch or whatever the metric equivalent is) .. and color in full grid squares to make a letter "O" .. notice it is blocky (the term "Jaggies" was coined to fill savage man's need to grasp the problem)

This is pixel based, rasterized imaging

with Outline\Vector technology .. imagine standing on the end of a rope .. and the other end is attached to your head .. as you move your arm out straight at your side this rope arcs .. forming a perfect, smooth half circle .. do the same on the other side .. and then blush from embarrassment at being asked to do such a thing .. thus filling your personal letter "O" smoothly and cleanly

Before judging a man's lesson, walk a mile, reciting it to yourself

If you found this lesson helpful, count yourself lucky .. because I'm confused

(*another couple vector portraits Wake Up & Towards the within ... by .. CrisVector

Humble thanks for your effort to unscamble the differences for me!.. I am further forward in understanding the various aspects of the Adobe progammes...I think, at my age and still a digital amateur..I will now be content with what I am using and maybe upgrade at a later day as you requested Phil..
Obliged and kind thanks to all who responded.

Bob