Windows and Mac users across a dizzying array of disciplines-from photo editing to publishing to film editing-will find something to help them, and will probably find something in CS5 they hadn't previously thought possible. Not so with Adobe's Creative Suite 5: Comprising over a dozen of the most powerful design and production apps on the market, all of which (except Acrobat) have received some degree of tweaking to improve the way they work alone and together, it looks as bright-eyed and optimistic as a kid on summer vacation.

Often when software gets to be of a certain age-or a certain version number-it starts showing its wrinkles, even if it's dressed up in snazzy new clothes and sports some shiny new skills.