If you are an author or software
developer, you have many options for designing your own ebook cover
or software packaging. One of the most unusual software tools to
come across my desk for this purpose is Cover
Software Pro from Jason Bradley.
In Jason's own words, "Cover
Software Pro actually bridges the gap between beginners who
are forced to use 'push button easy' solutions that are limited in
function ability, and professionals who use tools such as Adobe
Photoshop."

Unlike competitive
products, Cover
Software Pro is not a standalone software tool. Rather it is
a series of preprogrammed "actions" for Photoshop 7 or
higher.
Once installed, you
merely select the type of graphic you want to create from the list
of provided actions (book cover, CD package, software boxes, etc.),
and then use Photoshop to customize the provided template.

When you are done with
the customization (changing colors, fonts, text), you finish playing
the action to generate the end product. These final images are quite
crisp and realistic and compare with the results of competitive
products.
The pre-design models
and pre-programmed actions take the majority of the work out of the
design process for you, but you will still need to know your way
around Photoshop to achieve the desired results.
To help the beginner,
Jason has created a series of online videos you can download (though
some are quite large -- a broadband connection is recommended). A CD
is also available.
To round out the
offering, Jason is also offering access to a collection of ebooks
and tools and a resale rights library. These bonuses, while nice to
have, offer little that is new and detract a bit from the overall Cover
Software Pro offering. His tool produces quality results,
especially for the experienced designer seeking more control over
the finished product.