The Evolution of Adobe Photoshop: From 1.0 to 10.0 (CS3)

Posted by Justin

As a designer I see the Photoshop startup screen several times a day. I can easily recall what each one looks like, from 5.0 to CS3. This got me wondering: What did the startup screen look like before I ever used Photoshop?

After some research I was able to find the Photoshop startup screen from the very first retail version all the way until CS3. Take a walk down memory lane and see how many of these you remember and discover the humble beginnings of the world’s most powerful image editor.

• Photoshop 1.0.7
  
  The very first retail edition of Photoshop, and the eye that would appear for many startups.

• Photoshop 2.0.1
  
  The next version introduced color to the splash. Notice the eye in the lens.

• Photoshop 2.5
  
  Version 2.5 had an identical splash, although you no longer had to click anything to continue on. This was also the first version to be ported over to Microsoft Windows.

• Photoshop 3.0
  
  Photoshop 3.0 continued with the paint palette. The eye has now moved on to film strip. This version of Photoshop introduced layers, something that every designer on Earth uses. Tabbed palettes also joined the club, allowing more tools in the same amount of space.

• Photoshop 4.0
  
  The palette and film are now gone, and the eye has become the centerpiece. Photoshop 4.0 brought about adjustment layers and actions. Actions are a life saver for anyone who has done repetitive tasks.

• Photoshop 5.0
  
  Photoshop 5.0 brings back a camera lens. 5.0 also introduced the history palette, allowing multiple undos. Type also remained editable, previously it was rasterized as soon as you left the type tool.

• Photoshop 5.5
  
  Photoshop 5.5, also known as the “Web Edition”, allowed you to switch back and forth between Image Ready. Another big feature was the “save for web” save dialogue.

• Photoshop 6.0
  
  Photoshop 6.0 introduced vector shapes. Another big step was the introduction of the “liquify” tool, something used heavily by fashion magazines.

• Photshop 7.0
  
  Version 7.0 brought back the lens to the startup screen. A major tool for this release was the healing brush.

• Photoshop CS (8.0)
  
  For the first time since 1.0, Photoshop CS removes the familiar eye and replaces it with a styled feather. 8.0 brought a new Slices tool, previously used in ImageReady.

• Photoshop CS2 (9.0)
  
  Photoshop CS2 continues the feather trend. A major tool in this release is the introduction of smart objects. The Vanishing Point tool was also brough onboard. Layer selection was modified and it became possible to select more than one layer at a time.

• Photoshop CS3 (10.0)
  
  The latest release of Photoshop has the simplest splash page, using only a shadow and blue gradient. New to the tools are non-destructive smart filters. Improvements were made to many tools as well, such as the print dialogue, RAW editing, Curves, Brightness and Contrast and more.