Easy Econ Graphs?

Scott Bardsley asks:

…what’s 
the best way to draw graphs in economics?  There doesn’t seem to be a good 
answer, much to the frustration of those of us who’d like to take econ 
notes on our computers.  Illustrator is too large and expensive.  Word is 
quite clumsy–it’s awkward to draw multiple lines that are positioned 
relative to text and the autosnap is too sensitive.  Paint doesn’t let you 
move your lines after they’ve been drawn.

Is there a quick and easy way to do econ graphs, or is this an opportunity 
for some clever programmer?

I use Mayura Draw.  Mayura is a vector based program which means each line or shape is an object that can be picked up moved, resized etc.  Curves such as indifference curves can be easily adjusted in order to draw tangencies.  Figures can also be expanded or contracted without loss of quality.  I particularly like that you can export files in EPS (encapsulated postscript) format which allows for very high quality printing.  I used it to draw this graph.  Mayura Draw would not be good, however, for drawing on the fly and the fact that it is vector based makes filling an area a bit of a chore.

Two years ago I considered buying a Tablet PC, which in theory ought to be perfect for taking notes and drawing in real time but the market for Tablet PCs never took off and I’ve never seen any of my students using one. 

Comments are open if you have thoughts, suggestions or relevant experiences.