It actually means once you are using the creative cloud you are locked for life, stop paying the subscription and you can't open any older projects anymore. Adobe is trying to make it sound much better then it is.

But couldn't you just pay for a 1 month subscription when you want to open an old project in the future?

Yes ok, but just the thought you have to pay extra each month you want to open a older project is plain ridiculous. If you would change to another nle you will have a lifetime subscription with adobe anyway anytime you need access to a older project.

But you'd still have CS6 installed. Wouldn't you?

would that version be able to open any projects made with the newer "cloud" versions?

I think the best solution here is to hang on with CS6 and wait and see what happens. If Adobe start to see people not upgrading they may back down.

There is no compelling reason to use their cloud software right now. Perhaps in a year or two time they may have killer features in there. Or, you know, they may have even worked out the AVCHD bugs from Premiere (stop laughing!).

It's all about delivering results for their shareholders. If the leasing model doesn't perform as promised heads will roll and they'll have to rethink. Those of us already on CS6 can afford to sit tight as the "special offers" to entice us to the new offering aren't so special when you realise you are "upgrading" to the same versions of Premiere etc.

the problem is not to pay, but how to pay ?
do you have to charge your credit card every month, do you give Adobe rights to renew and charge your card unless you say stop. and if you have no credit card, or only a personal one and want to charge a company account ? can you purchase one year in advance ?

There's wisdom in the madness. The new business model likely gets Adobe off the hook over product liability fitness for purpose issues outside of the US. It might just leave the company wide-open for breach of contract class action in event of a major prolonged crashdown no matter what the clever lawyers have put into the small print. It is a whole different beast to an end-user licence agreement.

I anticipate that re-activation of existing licences after clean re-installs will be disabled sooner than later in order to put the cattle-zapper to the butts of the cashcows to get them moving. I have been twice caught out with software providers getting out of the game and no longer supporting existing product that has been locked up with activation codes. I remain majorly hostile about it.

I have been a buyer and user of Adobe since the original Premiere v6 way back when and have been a skip version upgrader since. I have not gone the hack route.

This move by Adobe could be the greatest ever incentive for previously honest people to use the hack for CS6, if for no other reason than to get a vindictive kick in before departing the bar. Loyalty works both ways. People do not have such short memories as to forget CS4. Trust and respect are earned, not demanded.

For myself, when Linux, Resolve, Cinelarra and Cineform are able to cohabit with acceptable functionality, that is where I shall be headed. In the meantime, I shall stock up on computer parts to keep my existing rig enduring for as long as possible.

I have bit the bullet and purchased a year's worth of Creative Cloud.

I actually welcome this system. I understand there might be teething pains, and I'm sure to grow a few white hairs dealing with service, but it seems every aspect of life has this problem nowadays.

Will Adobe raise prices after the year is up? I assume so, for my own sake and sanity. It's up to me to justify the expense, which is still cheaper than buying a whole boxed suite. When I compare it to an Autodesk Flame or an Avid system, the price is cheap.

Will I have problems with Adobe authentication? Sure, I expect so. Why? I have had problems with google, gmail, facebook, hotmail and yahoo, too. This is a fact of life now.

Am I concerned about privacy? Not really. I don't have to upload my files to the cloud if I don't want to. But if I want to, I can, which sounds cool. The Adobe Anywhere idea sounds cool.

Am I locked in to Adobe? Yes and no. It's a business, not a marriage. If I earn my money with Adobe, I can continue the business.

Do I trust Adobe? No. I've used Adobe since the beginning of my career 12 years ago. I know it like the back of my hand, but I don't trust them. Why should I? It's just a tool. If it doesn't work, I'll move on. As far as I'm concerned I'm taking an acceptable risk. Actually, all things considered, it's not risky at all.

Will the software work? I hope so. Even an installed boxed version can develop snags. That's why there is tech support. Will they help? Maybe, if you make a hundred calls. Factor that into your head before you begin, and it will seem okay. It's out of my control, so why worry about it?

I can use it on my mac and pc, and any other system I want, as long as I don't use it at the same time. I have no clue how Adobe will know I'm using it at the same time. Maybe they don't, but if they catch you they might terminate the agreement. That's a risk they're taking, which seems like a big risk.

All things considered, I think it will work out for me. Adobe has always delivered, so I have no cause for concern. Will it end in disaster? If yes, so what? My office could burn down, I might meet with an accident, or my clients might stop answering my calls. There are bigger problems in life than software.

I'll definitely post my experiences in the coming months. Expect a lot of twists and turns. I am.

I think that in a week from now, when the shock has worn off, a lot of people are going to have second thoughts and sign up. Unless I am missing something, I am pretty sure I'll give the discounted first year a try.

Every so often I have to use Photoshop CS4 on a buddy's laptop. I hate it! In fact I hate having to cope with ACR6 and Photoshop CS5. I'm using Photoshop as meter here, because I still know it a lot better than Premiere Pro, and way better than After Effects, but I must have saved countless hours with some of the cool new tools from the last two or three upgrades. I just asked in a DPReview discussion how long it takes to earn $600 (the cost of the CC for a year) Surely most people could do that in a day?

I wonder if cameras could ever do this. I mean, implement some firmware into the camera so
that it quits working if you don't pay your monthly fee. Then they could price it at say $500 a month.
I mean you have to upgrade your camera every year anyways when a new one comes out right?
This way, you could get all the new improvements that the new model has, without now feeling
that your camera is obsolete. Maybe Red could try and implement something like this to
truly make their motto true, once and for all.....
(Yes people, I am kidding).

I just received an e-mail from CVP, my UK supplier. The Production Premium CS5.5 upgrade to CS6 is not available as a boxed item any more - Adobe apparently only do it by download now - and they have just sent me the link.

So there goes my plan to have a boxed version with a disc for future safe keeping (my CS5.5 came in a box)...

This is actually for a Mac build I will be doing in a few weeks time (different configuration - OS version and HDD - to the one I'm on now)....when I'm less busy.

Am I right in assuming I can download the software upgrade (on my current Mac Pro) and just burn that to disc (without opening) for safe keeping/use in the future??? Any gotchas with doing this???

Sorry if it sounds like a silly question but this whole thing has really ruffled me. I'm very busy with client work and really did not want to be dealing with something like this right now.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Andy,

You can archive the downloaded files to disk. Just make sure that you do not lose any of the product or activation keys that you receive from Adobe for the CS6.

I wonder if cameras could ever do this. I mean, implement some firmware into the camera so
that it quits working if you don't pay your monthly fee. Then they could price it at say $500 a month.
I mean you have to upgrade your camera every year anyways when a new one comes out right?
This way, you could get all the new improvements that the new model has, without now feeling
that your camera is obsolete. Maybe Red could try and implement something like this to
truly make their motto true, once and for all.....
(Yes people, I am kidding).

Aren't Apple some way down this route with their sealed-in batteries that make replacement as expensive as upgrading in some cases?

Andy,

You can archive the downloaded files to disk. Just make sure that you do not lose any of the product or activation keys that you receive from Adobe for the CS6.

Thank you!

Anyone know how the CC works with machine installations?

Under CS I can install it on two machines and use them simultaneously. Will the same be true under the CC platform?

Under CS you can install it on two machines, but you CANNOT legally use both at once, and both installation must be on the same platform (i.e. Windows OR Apple).

Under CC Adobe are not sure, some say one installation only, but other voices are saying two installations which can be used simultaneously and need not be on the same platform.

I guess I didn't realize you couldn't run two at the same time legally. I do that all the time in my office, generally exporting something from one machine while editing on another.

I was sure that with the Cloud you could use both platforms. That was one of the advantages.

What is concerning me is that I only have 50Gb left on my SSD C: drive, and I definitely don't want to uninstall my CS6 apps. :-( There is so much space taken up by hidden folders that are not easily relocated. Looks like a bit of Google time coming up.

Anyone know how the CC works with machine installations?

Under CS I can install it on two machines and use them simultaneously. Will the same be true under the CC platform?

Adobe have clarified you can have two installs, but can't run them at the same time. Same arrangement as now basically.

Now if only every plug in would also do the same!

Havent read the whole five pages, so i apologize if this has already been said. For those who edit for a living (i.e. its a huge part or all of what they do), this is pretty cool. For people like me who only edit occasionally for pay, it makes no financial sense and kind of blows.

I've been running CC since it first came out. I also run CS6 Production Premium. I use CS6 on my main editing computer, and the second copy of CS6 on my laptop. I wanted to run the Adobe Suite on a third computer, and decided to try CC; it was more cost effective for me than buying anther CS6 license.

In many ways there is little difference between the two; except with CC I've hogged up and installed almost every program. The only program beyond Production Premium I extensively use is Acrobat XI Pro; I do plan to use all the web tools but have not had time for that so far. I also like that they added Lightroom so upgrades come along with CC, as I'm a big Lightroom user.

I do have a warning, or perhaps a best practice. If you want to run both CS6 and CC (on different computers) - it is very important to get a new Adobe account for CC. The problem if you don't, when CS6 checks into Adobe for updates, Adobe looks at your account and sees your CC license and assumes your CS6 installation is really CC, and converts it over to the CC license. This might be a good idea if you only run two computers, but not if you want to run three or four computers on two licenses. When this happens you need to contact Adobe support and get one of the licenses moved to another account. Seems kind of dumb but that's the way it works.

I have been waffling over whether to buy the latest offer from Sony for Vegas Pro Suite for a discount. This move from Adobe made me decide to buy from Sony. Need I say anymore? Adobe? Do you miss my money yet?

I don't think they will back from this CC but I hope they offer to the change for a fixed purchase fee when they start reading all the bad press.

What keeps surprising me this far into the CC news, is that so many people are still getting it so very wrong. I keep seeing wrong pricing, like people think they will have to pay $600 a year just for Photoshop, or that they'll never be able to return to CS6 if they don't like the CC in a years time. I wish there was a page somewhere that that had all the 'facts' laid out in unambiguous language. Anything to rid us of this mass hysteria. My greatest fear is that Adobe will withdraw the offer, because it a great deal IMO, and I can't wait for the new CC apps to be released. I'll be signing up for sure.

I wish there was a page somewhere that that had all the 'facts' laid out in unambiguous language. Anything to rid us of this mass hysteria.
Here is a great start: Adobe Creative Cloud - FAQ (http://www.adobe.com/products/creativecloud/faq.html)

Here is an interview with Bill Roberts, Director, Audio/Video Product Management, Adobe Systems, Inc: Digital Production Buzz - May 9, 2013 (http://www.digitalproductionbuzz.com/2013/05/digital-production-buzz-may-9-2013/#podPressPlayerSpace_2)

All of the misunderstandings are adressed on both pages, such as:
"You are not forced to update when an update is released", "All applications are installed locally", "Storing anything in the cloud is optional and you are not forced to store anything in the cloud", "You don't need to be connected to the net to launch applications", "None of your project files are deleted when/if you opt out for CC", "None of your project files or footage are stored in the cloud by default", "All exports are done to a local hard drive", etc.

All the best, Roger

Anyone from outside the US thought about purchasing the PrePaid card?

Amazon.com: Adobe Creative Cloud Membership 12 Month Pre-Paid Membership Product Key Card: Software (http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Creative-Membership-Pre-Paid-Product/dp/B007W7A1OY)

With the old approach, there was a big need to improve the software or people
would not buy the upgrade. Now with this approach, they can 'trickle out' new improvements and
still keep people paying. So while FCP may not be a perfect solution, it will work for many of us.
I do my own motion graphics and I'm not an expert by any means....Motion is plenty to do what I
need.

Hi Gabe,
I see this complaint about the future of Creative Cloud lately; that innovation will slow down, etc. From where I sit, this is not the case at all. In fact, innovation is ramping up. We must continue to innovate to please our current customers, and to provide incentive for others to join the Creative Cloud.

Thanks,
Kevin

Anyone know how the CC works with machine installations?

Under CS I can install it on two machines and use them simultaneously. Will the same be true under the CC platform?

Under the former EULA, you can install the software on two computers, but were are only supposed to run one at a time.

Under the new EULA (which will be released with the software), you will be able to install it on two computers and run applications on both computers concurrently. Further, if you have more machines, you can install the software on them, and then activate and deactivate them as you like.

See the FAQ here: Adobe Creative Cloud ? FAQ (http://www.adobe.com/products/creativecloud/faq.html)

From the Getting Started section:
Yes, you can use Creative Cloud desktop applications on two computers at once, regardless of operating system, for the individual associated with the Creative Cloud membership. See the product license agreements page for more information.

Adobe have clarified you can have two installs, but can't run them at the same time. Same arrangement as now basically.

Whoever said that was incorrect. You can now operate the software on two computers at the same time, see the FAQ here: Adobe Creative Cloud ? FAQ (http://www.adobe.com/products/creativecloud/faq.html)

I can use it on my mac and pc, and any other system I want, as long as I don't use it at the same time. I have no clue how Adobe will know I'm using it at the same time. Maybe they don't, but if they catch you they might terminate the agreement. That's a risk they're taking, which seems like a big risk.

You can use them at the same time with the new EULA coming out. See the FAQ "Getting Started" section which states you can do this: Adobe Creative Cloud ? FAQ (http://www.adobe.com/products/creativecloud/faq.html)

Thanks for your post. It was a fair, realistic and thoughtful viewpoint, in my opinion. I hope you will find that Creative Cloud works well for you.

the problem is not to pay, but how to pay ?
do you have to charge your credit card every month, do you give Adobe rights to renew and charge your card unless you say stop. and if you have no credit card, or only a personal one and want to charge a company account ? can you purchase one year in advance ?

You can prepay for one year of membership when you purchase through a retailer or etailer (like Amazon). This gives you the same price as purchasing an annual plan directly from Adobe, but you pay up front instead of monthly.

From the Creative Cloud FAQ: Adobe Creative Cloud ? FAQ (http://www.adobe.com/products/creativecloud/faq.html)

What DOES concern me the most is if some erroneous CC update somehow slips through testing and a bad version, or one with a major bug...

Hi Dennis,
From what I understand, there will be multiple versions of each application available at various stages, so you can roll back to a previous version if need be.

Thanks,
Kevin

About the only reason I can think of that the've gone this repeated/periodic cloud subscription verification route is to counteract software piracy - I can certainly understand that aspect. However, there must be a better way so that those of us who pay our way don't get gouged whilst still allowing those periodic checks - surely!

I just hope Adobe are listening - heck, perhaps Apple were not so bad after all - compared to this ;-)

While it may help that, there are numerous other reasons that Adobe has done this. Above all, we think it will create more advantages than drawbacks.

•You'll get updates to your favorite applications all year long, rather than just once a year at NAB time.

•If a new device or workflow were to come out, you'd get support for it much more quickly.

•As a business owner, you can write off 100% of the subscription price, while if you expensed it, you'd have a residual amount sitting around after depreciation has run out.

•You can use new applications to bring in new revenue to your business. For example, if you use After Effects, you could easily learn Edge Animate and sell HTML 5 compliant banners to media companies. You can host your own website and customer websites to save money, and to bring in revenue with Business Catalyst.

There are just a few that come to mind.

Add me to the now VERY LONG LIST of disgruntled long-term Adobe customers!

Here's why:

I own CS6 master collection. Over time my upgrade costs have been around $35.00 per month. For example, I used cs5 from December 1, 2010 until April 24, 2012 (17 months) when I upgraded to cs6 for 549.00 (via cs5.5 deal). That works out to 32.29 per month. The new price will be some kind of weighted average between 19.99 per month for the first year, and 49.99 (and likely up!) after that.

This really is quite a large increase in cost over time. Also, I don't feel that the value of the cs6 suite that I own is reflected in the current Adobe offerings. I know it has value, because I can continue to use it, but that is about as reassuring as a slowly sinking boat in the middle of the Ocean... time to start swimming :)

Hope that helps explain why there is so much "hysteria" on the net.

Mark Wilson

PS If I was a new user faced with paying 2600.00 for cs6 master, I can certainly see how 49.99 per month would be appealing. But I am not a new user, I am a long term loyal customer!

And that last sentence in your PS hits the nail on the head - as Apple found out. I'm a recent convert to Adobe from FCS but it seems some of the lessons of (very recent) history did not count for much in the Adobe boardroom...

Anyone from outside the US thought about purchasing the PrePaid card?

Amazon.com: Adobe Creative Cloud Membership 12 Month Pre-Paid Membership Product Key Card: Software (http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Creative-Membership-Pre-Paid-Product/dp/B007W7A1OY)

There seems to be a bit of a price variation between countries.

Adobe Community: Adobe, when will you get your pricing structure in order? (http://forums.adobe.com/message/5315047#5315047)

No great surprise I guess given the differential in jean prices.

There seems to be a bit of a price variation between countries.

Adobe Community: Adobe, when will you get your pricing structure in order? (http://forums.adobe.com/message/5315047#5315047)

No great surprise I guess given the differential in jean prices.

I wouldn't mind purchasing it from the USA and even paying the VAT but not sure the product would activate? No reason why it shouldn't?

I have loved Premiere from the very start because it was so easy to use. Although I use premiere proffesionally, I dont produce so many programs that it can pay for the cloud solution - the price in Denmark is way above the US price. I will buy a AVID product and start to learn the use of this. That would also be a good thing because all the TV stations use AVID and I will then be able to edit on their systems. Guess some smartasses told Adobe that this was the way to go - I can tell: It is not....

The CC arguments have been going in circles for days now, but the poster 'Conroy' made a point on the Adobe Photoshop forum that I'd not heard before, and one I thought particularly well made:

I bet a significant number of these customers only upgraded to the horrendously buggy CS6 because they were led to believe that they must do so if they wanted to remain on the upgrade path to a perpetually-licensed CS7 and beyond.

Overall, there isn't nearly as much hysteria here as some other places...

I think the ultimate vote will be taken with each user's wallet.

And...I doubt that Adobe went into this thinking they'd have 100% customer retention...if they were smart, they were planning on maybe a 50% signup rate relative to normal upgrade cycle traffic with maybe an 80% rate in a year. Big changes like this rarely cause immediate growth...

I tend to think about Discreet *edit, which was a solid editing application...probably 5 years ahead of it's time in some ways...and eventually the very loyal user base were quite satisfied...so satisfied that frequent upgrades weren't that interesting any more...and it was shut down as a product.

Supporting mature software applications previously sold isn't a business...it's a cost of doing business when you sell the application, not the maintenance.

If purchases of CS are primarily upgrades, the majority of those units are 30-40% of retail...and a significant portion of the user base then decides to upgrade every other release...or every third release...and now your revenue is getting a little limiting. Adobe has been working their tails off (at least from what I've seen in the video end of the business) to add whiz-bang tradeshow traffic-stopping features for 5 or 6 years now. After a while, it gets a little bloaty...but improving efficiency and speeding up responsiveness and file management doesn't make much of a tradeshow demo, so the resources get prioritized to the circus features as that's what gets the users to buy an upgrade.

Now...does this subscription system have its drawbacks? I would say so...

-Resellers can only sell the workgroup licenses, which are priced to drive any group directly to individual licenses, which seems odd to me. It's like the heave-ho Apple gave its resellers with FCPX, but with one last bone thrown their way.

-How will plugin developers keep up? The versioning is going to be a little fluid...hopefully the innovations will leave the SDK alone for practical periods...

-No mention is made of what happens if an application is simply discontinued...what if Adobe continues to change the plan as they did with Soundbooth...Flash Catalyst...On Location. If current apps are discontinued, it sounds like they will probably be available in the "cloud" to use in their last state for subscribers...but it isn't really stated anywhere that I've seen yet.

-I think it could have been implemented with customers having a bit more warning...which is the source of much of the panic in the streets at this point. the "Cloud" subscription was available, and I suspected they'd be heading this way, but I don't know if any of us saw the complete elimination of perpetual licenses coming this year.

But, while I am not without some concerns about the subscription system, one thing I am looking forward to is Adobe working on innovations that make the software faster, more efficient, and more intuitive...the fundamentals.

I'm sure they don't have a plan to drop the super-amazing magical improvements, but with the revenue less erratic and the pressure not being on for the one chance they have to prove value and produce revenue each year (or cycle), I'm looking forward to each application being able to settle in on release schedules that make sense for them instead of all of them trying to hit the same synchronous target date with vastly different additions/revisions...which does result in compromises being made in the state of readiness of some apps over others, etc.

Hi Gabe,
I see this complaint about the future of Creative Cloud lately; that innovation will slow down, etc. From where I sit, this is not the case at all. In fact, innovation is ramping up. We must continue to innovate to please our current customers, and to provide incentive for others to join the Creative Cloud.

Thanks,
Kevin

Kevin,

Thanks for the comment. Please understand, this is not an attack on you in any way.
(Just for the record, I'm a customer of yours and bought your FCP book back in the day!)
As a matter of fact, I am sure you are right......for now. The part I am worried about is in
two, or four, or 'fill in blank here' years from now. When Adobe has a large, steady base of
customers that are on the cloud system. I have seen subscription based services in many
walks of life. Cable subscriptions and cell phone subscriptions. Even my electric bill. On
all of these, my costs have steadily went up over the past couple years, with no increase in
the services offered. One of the reasons for this may be the near monopoly
status of these groups. You cannot get over the air TV because of the mountainous
area I live. So you either pay for cable or don't get TV. Cell phone companies have
been consolidating and buying each other to form one company, and renting each others
towers. So costs have went up.....but as for service we have 3G service. Why pay to
give more service when you have a group of subscribers with almost no other options?

I am sure that you mean what you say and truly believe Adobe will continue to push
out innovation. And they probably will for a time. I am also sure, that if a decision is made
that 'this is really about as good as it gets and we are going to do mainly bug fixes
from now on' that decision will not come from you but someone else in the company,
that would be more concerned with the bottom line. If they have a bunch of subscribers,
with almost no options, they won't need to spend money on innovation, they will
have a captive audience. I wish you the best with this new subscription model.
Unfortunately, this is where I get off the train. I like Adobe products. A lot. But I
absolutely abhore the subscription model.

Under the former EULA, you can install the software on two computers, but were are only supposed to run one at a time.

Under the new EULA (which will be released with the software), you will be able to install it on two computers and run applications on both computers concurrently. Further, if you have more machines, you can install the software on them, and then activate and deactivate them as you like.

See the FAQ here: Adobe Creative Cloud ? FAQ (http://www.adobe.com/products/creativecloud/faq.html)

From the Getting Started section:
Yes, you can use Creative Cloud desktop applications on two computers at once, regardless of operating system, for the individual associated with the Creative Cloud membership. See the product license agreements page for more information.
Kevin, thanks for that info. Welcome news!


Hi Gabe,
I see this complaint about the future of Creative Cloud lately; that innovation will slow down, etc. From where I sit, this is not the case at all. In fact, innovation is ramping up. We must continue to innovate to please our current customers, and to provide incentive for others to join the Creative Cloud.

Thanks,
Kevin
I also think the innovation will need to be ramped up. Essentially Adobe now will have to convince me every month to stick with them, versus yearly(ish) now. Now, obviously I'm not going to be jumping from editing system to editing system every other month, but if I ever feel like someone else is worth moving to it will be much easier to do at the end of a month versus trying to amortize a yearly upgrade cost.

I personally hope this single minded license model fails for Adobe. I don't use their products directly and I'm totally pissed about it.

I have feet in the commercial world and in the indie film world. Adobe has just totally alienated and pissed off the entire low budget indie world that has come to heavily rely on AfterEffects to increase the production valve of their films. Every effects person I know that works on indie stuff is totally turned off on Adobe right now.

These people can't afford to pay a monthly subscription when much of their work is so modestly reimbursed. Adobe is taking a tool away from people that use it for passion and not for profit. They may not loose use of it today but as the market moves forward they are stuck in the past.

Luckily the paint vendors didn't start charging a monthly subscription for use of their products while Van Gogh or Rembrandt were creating their art.

Supporting mature software applications previously sold isn't a business...it's a cost of doing business when you sell the application, not the maintenance.

I'm looking forward to each application being able to settle in on release schedules that make sense for them instead of all of them trying to hit the same synchronous target date with vastly different additions/revisions...which does result in compromises being made in the state of readiness of some apps over others, etc.

Tim, I appreciate your optimism and gentleness in your approach to Adobe, but I think they are treating you (us) quite roughly!

As a former software marketing executive, I can assure you your first point is quite wrong. Upgrading the existing user base is far far easier, cheaper, and more reliable than selling new seats (ofen having to convert people from competing products.) It is highly lucrative, that is why all software companies have done it for the last 30 years! It's not just for the end users benefit.

Your second point rings true to me. Keeping all these applications in lock-step must be a nightmare. But there are many possible ways for Adobe to manage its offerings to solve this. For example, they could transition back to individual products instead of suites - that would also smooth out the revenue flow.

In my opinion, they are treating the existing user base with a great deal of contempt, and are imagining (hoping) a new, higher paying, user base will emerge. Silly thing is - they could have had both!


Regards

Mark Wilson
B.Sc. MBA

I don't mind bending over backwards to support Adobe as a company that produces the great creative software that I use. I just draw the line at bending over forwards, that's all.

Currently planning to stick with CS6 for the foreseeable future.

Andrew

I Currently planning to stick with CS6 for the foreseeable future.

Andrew

Sounds good but what happens if your computer craps out and you can't reactivate on a new computer?
I wasn't worried about it at first, because I own the CS6 master collection, but obviously there will not be an upgrade path for me...other than CC that is. I also wonder if the updates will come automatically or when I decide. That could be problematic if I'm in the middle of a project. I love the suite and I'm hoping it works out. All my old software will be useless as well if they don't allow you to reactivate it. I own Avid Media Composer, and can always move to Edius, but I can't live without After Effects and Photoshop.

Tim,

As a former software marketing executive, I can assure you your first point is quite wrong. Upgrading the existing user base is far far easier, cheaper, and more reliable than selling new seats (ofen having to convert people from competing products.) It is highly lucrative, that is why all software companies have done it for the last 30 years! It's not just for the end users benefit.


What I was talking about is supporting software that isn't upgraded.

More mature products get upgraded much less often...some of the loudest voices in the protest noise are those users who object to the subscription because it will cost more than buying every other upgrade...or sometimes every third release... Those users are in the ecosystem, but as larger and larger numbers of them go to infrequent upgrades, it's less lucrative...and frankly less predictable.

That's what I mean by "maintenance"...not the selling of upgrades...

Very often users don't need the very latest upgrade, the codecs they use may only be changed every two or three years (or perhaps longer). Do most users need the latest version of Photoshop, when they only use 10% of it's capabilities? I could quite happily use Word 2003 because Word 2007 (which I've got) doesn't really offer any further functions that I'd use.

Perhaps VFX is the area that seems to need the very latest versions. A maturing product range isn't something that manufacturers like to see and bundling together fast moving with the slower moving technology makes business sense.

A maturing product range isn't something that manufacturers like to see and bundling together fast moving with the slower moving technology makes business sense.

Unfortunately once a software company has made the perfect software for some people, their sales drop...if they make the perfect software for everyone, they're out of business...

Very often users don't need the very latest upgrade, the codecs they use may only be changed every two or three years (or perhaps longer). Do most users need the latest version of Photoshop, when they only use 10% of it's capabilities? I could quite happily use Word 2003 because Word 2007 (which I've got) doesn't really offer any further functions that I'd use.

Perhaps VFX is the area that seems to need the very latest versions. A maturing product range isn't something that manufacturers like to see and bundling together fast moving with the slower moving technology makes business sense.

Brian, a point I have made in other forums, is that some of the features in recent Photoshop upgrades have saved me many hours of processing time. The RAW processing engine in Photoshop CS5 was good, but I'd feel crippled without ACR7. Same thing with the Content Aware features. Heck, some of those don't so much save time, as make it possible to do things you simply couldn't do in earlier versions. The cost of a single app subscription could easily be earned in a single day. In fact, the cost of a full range subscription ($600) shouldn't be too hard to recoup. On that basis, I am sure my Photoshop upgrades have easily paid for themselves over the years.

I have been creeping up, one additional Adobe product at a time over the last three years, and was actually feeling irritated that a full Creative Suite would make more sense for me, I'd be starting from scratch again, and would lose the upgrade discounts on my existing products. With CC costing me the same in NZ as it does in America (I have been paying up to 50% more up to now), I will be in a win win position, and am very happy. Roll on June 17th.

I absolutely accept most of the negative comments made in this thread, and if some of the long term fears are realised down the road, I'll 'reluctantly' look at other options.