The Web: Designing like an expert online.

Byline: GENE KOPROWSKI

CHICAGO, July 26 (UPI) -- Design and graphics software used to be targeted solely at commercial art professionals -- creative directors at ad agencies and magazine production editors. And, perhaps, rightly so. But the Internet is changing all that, experts tell UPI's The Web. Now, entrepreneurs in small businesses, and middle managers in corporations, are the focus of marketing efforts for Corel Corp. and other graphics and design software makers.

"We have become focused on specific market segments," Nick Davies, general manager for graphics at Corel Corp., told The Web. "We're now focusing on occasional users -- people who have their own businesses. Many of these people have an aptitude for graphics, but are not trained."

Most of the time, these professionals are designing and developing their own Internet sites, and own Internet adverts, as well as creating their own brochures and business cards.

So, Davies said, the latest version of Corel Draw Graphics Suite has been made easier to use than earlier versions. "We're not dumbing down the product," said Davies. "We're just making it easier to use the application."

For instance, Corel is including some training videos on CD-ROM with the new version of the software, CorelDraw Graphics Suite X3. "Entrepreneurs and small-business owners want that -- because they don't want to spend two hours out of the office, at a class learning about the software," said Davies.

What's more, inspired by other software vendors, like Microsoft Corp., as well as their own consumer markets research, Corel has added a "Hints Doctor" to its latest software. "When you are using it, you get hints as to how to use it better," said Davies. "The Hints Doctor gives you pointers, or additional information, should you so desire. That has been very well-received by the users. They can explore things they have not discovered. As with most applications, many who use graphics applications only have ...