Adobe's big gamble - goodbye retail Photoshop, Creative Suite

[Patrick]

Re: Adobe's big gamble - goodbye retail Photoshop, Creative Suite

It can be installed on any two machine you own regardless of type, laptop or desktop, you can even mix platforms, one Mac one Windows.

You could use your upgrade disk to install on your second machine if you wish, all that's required to upgrade is your old serial number and your new one naturally, you don't have to have the old version actualy installed. The licence is for two machines whether you have the retail or the subscription, or have I read support for upgrades has been withdrawn, or is that they have simply withdrawn upgrade sales? i suspect the latter as terms of sale when purchased was for 2 machine. Try upgrading and see, if your problem is that you can't activate, either ring Adobe or use their chat line, explain and they they should allow activation.

I won't be bothering with Elements it dousn't have channels, (well it does won't work without) but they arn't available to use as you can with the full Photoshop. Also the lack of 16bit support, everything I do is 16bit for that extra edge in quality.

[JSR]

Re: Adobe's big gamble - goodbye retail Photoshop, Creative Suite

I know I'm not Adobe's target customer, given that I've never been financially affluent enough to buy into their products before this came about, so I'm kind of the "outsider looking in". I've occasionally used Elements but any time I've tried PhotoShop (an older version or a trial), it's always bogged down my machine so badly that it's not been worth the effort to run it.

I do have the "free" CS2 installed on my Windows 8 laptop, but it still feels sluggish compared to almost every other piece of software I use. Do Adobe make their software slow & bloated on purpose?

Other than the cost of the subscription model, that would be the main concern I had. If Adobe decides that your machine isn't powerful enough for the latest version of the desktop software, you would be stuck with using an older version while continuing to pay the same monthly price as those who are able to run the newest version. At the moment, if you don't upgrade to a newer version it wouldn't cost you anything more to stay on the old version. With Creative Cloud, you're expected to continue paying. The only alternative would be to replace your hardware every time Adobe decides that your kit isn't up to the job - thus increasing the cost of using the software even more. It's already the case that much of the Adobe Cloud won't run on your machine if you're still on 32-bit.

I see why Adobe is doing this because they want to ensure a steady stream of cash and they think it will appeal to users that can't currently afford to pay the big wodge of cash required to buy the latest CS version. But this speaks more about how over-priced their software is, that they've priced it out of the market for many, and that they just want you to pay even more, than it does about maintaining a loyal customer base. In the long run, I can see a lot of people just using an alternative - particularly new and future users that haven't yet "bought into" the Adobe eco-system.

Much of the software I use these days is free open source (and portable). I only pay out when either I have to or there's sufficient enticement. For instance, I recently upgraded my Serif products - that I rarely use. I wouldn't have upgraded except that they were running a special offer to upgrade to the newer versions for £10 each. The same with my Office software. I wait until the upgrade price drops to under £20 before I upgrade.

If I signed up to Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe would require that I pay £46.88 per month (https://creative.adobe.com/plans) - over £550 per year. If I don't wish to commit to the whole year, then it's £70.32 per month - a staggering £843 per year. If that wasn't bad enough, the very idea that they could stop me from using the software on their whim, or if there's a technical fault on their server, or they go out of business, or for any one of a dozen reasons, just doesn't sit right with me. I once bought the Microsoft Plus! pack for Windows XP which came with a demo game of "Hyperbowl". I liked it and paid for the full version. That required connection to a internet server to activate it. After a couple of years, that site went out of business so I could no longer use what I'd paid for. Had I invested hundreds of pounds in it, such as may happen with Creative Cloud, and then be cut off from using it, I'd be very annoyed to say the least.

I'm still using Macromedia Fireworks 4 (now an Adobe product) from 12 years ago and it hasn't cost me a penny since the day I paid for it. It still works just fine for what it does. If I'd been using Adobe Creative Cloud for that long, I would have paid Adobe £6,600 (or an amazing £10,126 without the yearly committment) and they could still prevent me from using it on a whim.

Adobe Creative Cloud feels a lot like those Over-50s insurance plans - in which you have to pay for the rest of your life because, if you stop paying, you get nothing back.

I'm surprised that anyone (except Adobe themselves) sees Creative Cloud as a positive thing.

[Pol]

Re: Adobe's big gamble - goodbye retail Photoshop, Creative Suite

It can be installed on any two machine you own regardless of type, laptop or desktop, you can even mix platforms, one Mac one Windows.

You could use your upgrade disk to install on your second machine if you wish, all that's required to upgrade is your old serial number and your new one naturally, you don't have to have the old version actualy installed. The licence is for two machines whether you have the retail or the subscription, or have I read support for upgrades has been withdrawn, or is that they have simply withdrawn upgrade sales? i suspect the latter as terms of sale when purchased was for 2 machine. Try upgrading and see, if your problem is that you can't activate, either ring Adobe or use their chat line, explain and they they should allow activation.

Thanks for that. I think it's just the sale of upgrade discs that was withdrawn. I thought the 2 machines might still be allowed but wasn't sure if that applied to subscription users too.. I already have the CS6 upgrade installed on my largest laptop so I shoud be ok to install it on a new desktop too. I could always deactivate it on the laptop too as I still have CS 5 on there as well as CS6.

Abobe has confirmed I qualify for the first year CC subscription at £7 (as I own the disc) so I'm thinking about it. I'm an addict - don't think I can or want to live without PS so I'm glad I have the discs for all versions.

I truly hate LR so it'll be CS6 or Elements (or both) for me.

Pol

[Patrick]

Re: Adobe's big gamble - goodbye retail Photoshop, Creative Suite

[Pol]

Re: Adobe's big gamble - goodbye retail Photoshop, Creative Suite

[Patrick]

Re: Adobe's big gamble - goodbye retail Photoshop, Creative Suite

Fair enough, but if history of Photoshop is anything to go by the only upgrades will be patches and new camera support at least until CS7 or whatever they call the next Photoshop. Unless of course the subscription idea means a continually evolution rather than formal launches at regular intervals.

Patrick

[Pol]

Re: Adobe's big gamble - goodbye retail Photoshop, Creative Suite

Fair enough, but if history of Photoshop is anything to go by the only upgrades will be patches and new camera support at least until CS7 or whatever they call the next Photoshop. Unless of course the subscription idea means a continually evolution rather than formal launches at regular intervals.

Patrick

My toughts exactly! The indications are that it's likely to be a continual evolution, no more formal launches with any new developments, new tools etc only available for subscribers. Then those tools etc would stop working abruptly if you stopped your subscription or it defaulted.

The other thing to consider is that they'd possibly, probably demand higher and faster computer specs requiring users to have up-to-date hardware to cope with the software. A fast internet connection is already required for CS6 and CC generally.

My overall feeling is that they don't really give a toss about amateurs - they're all about professional teams.

Pol