Adobe Creative Suite Goes Subscription Only

MD Optofonik · 05-07-2013, 07:51 AM

Never mind I found the answer to the above question and it appears that there is no real savings once the "introductory offer" is done. For enterprise, perhaps, assuming they upgrade every cycle but for most users of just Photoshop it means being forced to "upgrade" every cycle; i.e, spend about $550.00 plus tax annually.

Also, everyone becomes a beta tester. If an upgrade is buggy there is no option to go back to the version that works. Can you imagine a professional in the middle of a job suddenly being confronted with a buggy forced upgrade? I can't imagine post production supervisors being "told" by some software company, even if it Adobe, how they are going to have to re-adjust the schedule for picture lock due to a forced upgrade that upsets their workflow. Methinks Adobe have misjudged their place in the pecking order. Such hubris rarely comes without consequence.

Last edited by MD Optofonik; 05-07-2013 at 08:41 AM.

**LaurenOE** · 05-07-2013, 07:53 AM

I love this distribution model!!!
I love Steam and Battlenet as an example.
I like having my history portable to whatever machine I am using.
I like having updates continuously and crashes sent directly to the software maker.
It's the future.

As for storing images on the "cloud"? Not until Gigabit internet becomes a reality.

Smeggypants · 05-07-2013, 03:04 PM

Originally posted by Giklab

Reading this I'm just glad I decided to pop by Rawtherapee's site yesterday. Bye bye LR5.

You're saying" bye bye" to something that hasn't even been released yet on the basis of something that doesn't even mandatorily apply to LR5? Wow!

Smeggypants · 05-07-2013, 03:06 PM

Originally posted by Canada_Rockies

Yeah, mandatory upgrades - I cannot run LR v4 - My computer is not 64 bit. Guess who won't be upgrading.

Sorry to ruin your excuse for not upgrading, but Lightroom 4 can happily run in 32bit

- Lightroom 5 even runs on 32bit

Clavius · 05-08-2013, 03:42 AM

I've never really used illegal software. (Maybe once or twice for trying-before-buying.) But I've always been allergic for subscription services. I don't constantly rent a car either, I like to own one for myself.

I'm sure there will be some brilliant hackers that will enable us to use the new iterations of Photoshop without requiring us to attach our leg to a ball & chain. If I can't buy and own my own copy of that software anymore, then I can just as wel run illegal copies for the first time in my life from now on?

I've never really looked for alternatives for photoshop, because it always did what I wanted. Are there any such programs with comparable features? Working with layers, using 3rd party filter, plugins, etc...?

ChooseAName · 05-08-2013, 03:57 AM

Originally posted by Clavius

I've never really looked for alternatives for photoshop, because it always did what I wanted. Are there any such programs with comparable features? Working with layers, using 3rd party filter, plugins, etc...?

GIMP does layers and plugins. I don't know about filters, as I never used any 3rd party filters when I was using GIMP. (I'm now using LR which isn't going to be subscription-only)

tclausen · 05-08-2013, 04:10 AM

Originally posted by ChooseAName

GIMP does layers and plugins. I don't know about filters, as I never used any 3rd party filters when I was using GIMP.

On MacOS, I actually found that Pixelmator + Aperture3 took over quite nicely from Adobe, a few years back, when it became sluggish and inflated (& expensive).

Originally posted by ChooseAName

(I'm now using LR which isn't going to be subscription-only)

At least, for now....wait and see what happens next month.

Giklab · 05-08-2013, 07:23 AM

Originally posted by Smeggypants

You're saying" bye bye" to something that hasn't even been released yet on the basis of something that doesn't even mandatorily apply to LR5? Wow!

LR5 beta has been out for quite some time now

. I know the subscription isn't mandatory for now, but it's bound to happen.

rawr · 05-08-2013, 07:41 AM

Originally posted by Sol Invictus

Does anyone know of alternative software that can mimic the basics of Elements?

Paint.Net is a decent and free image editor that also does layers. It has a very nice interface too. There are also lots of extra 3rd party plugins that do some fancy stuff, including a variety of photo editing things. But for basic stuff you can't beat free tools like either FastStone Image Viewer or XnView.

Homo_erectus · 05-08-2013, 11:46 AM

I use the creative cloud at work. I work in a print shop and the subscription makes sense, economically, for us.

You have to have an adobe account and you do have to log into that account to use the CC software. However, you only have to log in once every 30 days and it doesn't immediately lock you out if, for some reason, you aren't able to successfully log in.

All of the applications are installed locally. If you've bought the creative suite digital download, the installation process of the CC is more or less identical. Basically, other than having to sign in to your adobe account every 30 days or so using the CC is identical to using the CS.

Also, the CC let's you install and use it on two computers in any combination of MacOS and Windows. Simultaneous use is not allowed but switching is fine.

The CC doesn't force you to install updates. It uses the same updater as the CS. It notifies you that there are updates but it doesn't auto-install them or anything.

For my work use it's great and saves my shop a bunch of money.

Personally, I'm very unhappy that Adobe is going subscription only and I am investigating alternatives for my home use. I updated really infrequently. I went from Photoshop 7 to CS6 and probably wouldn't have upgraded again until CS14 or something.

magkelly · 05-08-2013, 01:55 PM

This has been posted on the forum before but you guys do know about the CS2 suite being in the wild now because it's no longer being supported by Adobe? It does run on Win 32 and 64 bit and there is a Mac version available too. Don't know about Win 8, not into using that crap OS, sorry. Technically it's supposed to be a backup for users who bought that suite and who might need to dl it, but in reality it's all over the net, Adobe really doesn't care who knows it, and about 2 million people out there have probably dl it and are using it by now I am sure. No activation required and the serial to use it there. Me, I really think they did it on purpose to get people to try the suite legally and to hopefully sell them on future legal versions but it's definitely the deal of the year for people who have been up to now using GIMP et all.

Adobe - CS2 Downloads

Smeggypants · 05-08-2013, 02:44 PM

Originally posted by Giklab

LR5 beta has been out for quite some time now

. I know the subscription isn't mandatory for now, but it's bound to happen.

I know I have it installed, but LR5 hasn't been released yet.

kh1234567890 · 05-08-2013, 03:13 PM

Originally posted by Homo_erectus

I use the creative cloud at work. I work in a print shop and the subscription makes sense, economically, for us.

You have to have an adobe account and you do have to log into that account to use the CC software. However, you only have to log in once every 30 days and it doesn't immediately lock you out if, for some reason, you aren't able to successfully log in.

All of the applications are installed locally. If you've bought the creative suite digital download, the installation process of the CC is more or less identical. Basically, other than having to sign in to your adobe account every 30 days or so using the CC is identical to using the CS.

Also, the CC let's you install and use it on two computers in any combination of MacOS and Windows. Simultaneous use is not allowed but switching is fine.

The CC doesn't force you to install updates. It uses the same updater as the CS. It notifies you that there are updates but it doesn't auto-install them or anything.

For my work use it's great and saves my shop a bunch of money.

Personally, I'm very unhappy that Adobe is going subscription only and I am investigating alternatives for my home use. I updated really infrequently. I went from Photoshop 7 to CS6 and probably wouldn't have upgraded again until CS14 or something.

In which case, what is the point ?

Homo_erectus · 05-08-2013, 04:40 PM

What's the point in what?

Investigating alternatives? Well, in five or six years when I am ready to replace my aging copy of CS6 I'll have a good understanding of whats available and how its developed over the years.

Or, what's the point in the Creative Cloud? Well, you always have the current version of the software and, if your business has to track new releases for some reason, it'll save you a fair chunk of change over the years. For non-business users? I think it's not worth it.

Why do I use the adobe programs at home when I only update so rarely? I also use them professionally and I know what I need and what I use. I don't upgrade until there's a host of new features that I actually use. I have thousands of hours and dollars invested in my knowledge of and skill with the creative suite programs. It'd be sort of foolish not to use those assets at home. But I also don't have either the need or the resources to track the latest releases just for the sake of tracking them.

Arpe · 05-08-2013, 05:08 PM

Originally posted by LaurenOE

I love this distribution model!!!
I love Steam and Battlenet as an example.
I like having my history portable to whatever machine I am using.
I like having updates continuously and crashes sent directly to the software maker.
It's the future.

As for storing images on the "cloud"? Not until Gigabit internet becomes a reality.

But some people (thousands, millions probably, esp. in rural areas) are still on dial-up. Some people like to have their editing machine on a non-connected machine for security. Adobe are saying you have to download Photoshop CC (and the others), try that on dial-up!

Also means you can't go bush on some assignment for longer than a month, if you're on the monthly plan, and still use the programme.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Adobe offering Free CS2 Suite Download	jmick	Digital Processing, Software, and Printing	1	01-14-2013 12:53 PM
Anyone using Adobe Creative Cloud?	Blue	Digital Processing, Software, and Printing	3	08-17-2012 09:31 AM
Adobe 3 month subscription	howzat	Digital Processing, Software, and Printing	1	08-05-2012 01:59 PM
For Sale - Sold: FS: Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Premium. (Macintosh)	SLC Flyfishing	Sold Items	10	11-22-2007 08:28 AM

05-07-2013, 07:51 AM	#31
MD Optofonik Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: California Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 962	Never mind I found the answer to the above question and it appears that there is no real savings once the "introductory offer" is done. For enterprise, perhaps, assuming they upgrade every cycle but for most users of just Photoshop it means being forced to "upgrade" every cycle; i.e, spend about $550.00 plus tax annually. Also, everyone becomes a beta tester. If an upgrade is buggy there is no option to go back to the version that works. Can you imagine a professional in the middle of a job suddenly being confronted with a buggy forced upgrade? I can't imagine post production supervisors being "told" by some software company, even if it Adobe, how they are going to have to re-adjust the schedule for picture lock due to a forced upgrade that upsets their workflow. Methinks Adobe have misjudged their place in the pecking order. Such hubris rarely comes without consequence. Last edited by MD Optofonik; 05-07-2013 at 08:41 AM.

05-07-2013, 07:53 AM	#32
LaurenOE Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Back in Florida, but worldwide gigs! Photos: Albums Posts: 3,690	I love this distribution model!!! I love Steam and Battlenet as an example. I like having my history portable to whatever machine I am using. I like having updates continuously and crashes sent directly to the software maker. It's the future. As for storing images on the "cloud"? Not until Gigabit internet becomes a reality.

05-07-2013, 03:04 PM	#33
Smeggypants Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,536	Originally posted by Giklab Reading this I'm just glad I decided to pop by Rawtherapee's site yesterday. Bye bye LR5. You're saying" bye bye" to something that hasn't even been released yet on the basis of something that doesn't even mandatorily apply to LR5? Wow!

05-07-2013, 03:06 PM	#34
Smeggypants Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,536	Originally posted by Canada_Rockies Yeah, mandatory upgrades - I cannot run LR v4 - My computer is not 64 bit. Guess who won't be upgrading. Sorry to ruin your excuse for not upgrading, but Lightroom 4 can happily run in 32bit - Lightroom 5 even runs on 32bit

05-08-2013, 03:42 AM	#35
Clavius Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: De Klundert Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,150	I've never really used illegal software. (Maybe once or twice for trying-before-buying.) But I've always been allergic for subscription services. I don't constantly rent a car either, I like to own one for myself. I'm sure there will be some brilliant hackers that will enable us to use the new iterations of Photoshop without requiring us to attach our leg to a ball & chain. If I can't buy and own my own copy of that software anymore, then I can just as wel run illegal copies for the first time in my life from now on? I've never really looked for alternatives for photoshop, because it always did what I wanted. Are there any such programs with comparable features? Working with layers, using 3rd party filter, plugins, etc...?

05-08-2013, 03:57 AM	#36
ChooseAName Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Southeast USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 390	Originally posted by Clavius I've never really looked for alternatives for photoshop, because it always did what I wanted. Are there any such programs with comparable features? Working with layers, using 3rd party filter, plugins, etc...? GIMP does layers and plugins. I don't know about filters, as I never used any 3rd party filters when I was using GIMP. (I'm now using LR which isn't going to be subscription-only)

05-08-2013, 04:10 AM	#37
tclausen Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 1,397	Originally posted by ChooseAName GIMP does layers and plugins. I don't know about filters, as I never used any 3rd party filters when I was using GIMP. On MacOS, I actually found that Pixelmator + Aperture3 took over quite nicely from Adobe, a few years back, when it became sluggish and inflated (& expensive). Originally posted by ChooseAName (I'm now using LR which isn't going to be subscription-only) At least, for now....wait and see what happens next month.

05-08-2013, 07:23 AM	#38
Giklab Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Slovenia Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,182	Originally posted by Smeggypants You're saying" bye bye" to something that hasn't even been released yet on the basis of something that doesn't even mandatorily apply to LR5? Wow! LR5 beta has been out for quite some time now . I know the subscription isn't mandatory for now, but it's bound to happen.

05-08-2013, 07:41 AM	#39
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Originally posted by Sol Invictus Does anyone know of alternative software that can mimic the basics of Elements? Paint.Net is a decent and free image editor that also does layers. It has a very nice interface too. There are also lots of extra 3rd party plugins that do some fancy stuff, including a variety of photo editing things. But for basic stuff you can't beat free tools like either FastStone Image Viewer or XnView.

05-08-2013, 11:46 AM	#40
Homo_erectus Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 410	I use the creative cloud at work. I work in a print shop and the subscription makes sense, economically, for us. You have to have an adobe account and you do have to log into that account to use the CC software. However, you only have to log in once every 30 days and it doesn't immediately lock you out if, for some reason, you aren't able to successfully log in. All of the applications are installed locally. If you've bought the creative suite digital download, the installation process of the CC is more or less identical. Basically, other than having to sign in to your adobe account every 30 days or so using the CC is identical to using the CS. Also, the CC let's you install and use it on two computers in any combination of MacOS and Windows. Simultaneous use is not allowed but switching is fine. The CC doesn't force you to install updates. It uses the same updater as the CS. It notifies you that there are updates but it doesn't auto-install them or anything. For my work use it's great and saves my shop a bunch of money. Personally, I'm very unhappy that Adobe is going subscription only and I am investigating alternatives for my home use. I updated really infrequently. I went from Photoshop 7 to CS6 and probably wouldn't have upgraded again until CS14 or something.

05-08-2013, 01:55 PM	#41
magkelly Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,901	This has been posted on the forum before but you guys do know about the CS2 suite being in the wild now because it's no longer being supported by Adobe? It does run on Win 32 and 64 bit and there is a Mac version available too. Don't know about Win 8, not into using that crap OS, sorry. Technically it's supposed to be a backup for users who bought that suite and who might need to dl it, but in reality it's all over the net, Adobe really doesn't care who knows it, and about 2 million people out there have probably dl it and are using it by now I am sure. No activation required and the serial to use it there. Me, I really think they did it on purpose to get people to try the suite legally and to hopefully sell them on future legal versions but it's definitely the deal of the year for people who have been up to now using GIMP et all. Adobe - CS2 Downloads

05-08-2013, 02:44 PM	#42
Smeggypants Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,536	Originally posted by Giklab LR5 beta has been out for quite some time now . I know the subscription isn't mandatory for now, but it's bound to happen. I know I have it installed, but LR5 hasn't been released yet.

05-08-2013, 03:13 PM	#43
kh1234567890 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Manchester, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,653	Originally posted by Homo_erectus I use the creative cloud at work. I work in a print shop and the subscription makes sense, economically, for us. You have to have an adobe account and you do have to log into that account to use the CC software. However, you only have to log in once every 30 days and it doesn't immediately lock you out if, for some reason, you aren't able to successfully log in. All of the applications are installed locally. If you've bought the creative suite digital download, the installation process of the CC is more or less identical. Basically, other than having to sign in to your adobe account every 30 days or so using the CC is identical to using the CS. Also, the CC let's you install and use it on two computers in any combination of MacOS and Windows. Simultaneous use is not allowed but switching is fine. The CC doesn't force you to install updates. It uses the same updater as the CS. It notifies you that there are updates but it doesn't auto-install them or anything. For my work use it's great and saves my shop a bunch of money. Personally, I'm very unhappy that Adobe is going subscription only and I am investigating alternatives for my home use. I updated really infrequently. I went from Photoshop 7 to CS6 and probably wouldn't have upgraded again until CS14 or something. In which case, what is the point ?

05-08-2013, 04:40 PM	#44
Homo_erectus Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 410	What's the point in what? Investigating alternatives? Well, in five or six years when I am ready to replace my aging copy of CS6 I'll have a good understanding of whats available and how its developed over the years. Or, what's the point in the Creative Cloud? Well, you always have the current version of the software and, if your business has to track new releases for some reason, it'll save you a fair chunk of change over the years. For non-business users? I think it's not worth it. Why do I use the adobe programs at home when I only update so rarely? I also use them professionally and I know what I need and what I use. I don't upgrade until there's a host of new features that I actually use. I have thousands of hours and dollars invested in my knowledge of and skill with the creative suite programs. It'd be sort of foolish not to use those assets at home. But I also don't have either the need or the resources to track the latest releases just for the sake of tracking them.

05-08-2013, 05:08 PM	#45
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452	Originally posted by LaurenOE I love this distribution model!!! I love Steam and Battlenet as an example. I like having my history portable to whatever machine I am using. I like having updates continuously and crashes sent directly to the software maker. It's the future. As for storing images on the "cloud"? Not until Gigabit internet becomes a reality. But some people (thousands, millions probably, esp. in rural areas) are still on dial-up. Some people like to have their editing machine on a non-connected machine for security. Adobe are saying you have to download Photoshop CC (and the others), try that on dial-up! Also means you can't go bush on some assignment for longer than a month, if you're on the monthly plan, and still use the programme.