P: Ask Adobe to reconsider their new Creative Suite upgrade/pricing policies

I bought this from you 6-7 years ago and I assume it was registered back then. I'm not in the habit of keeping useless documents because back then it wasn't necessary. Now you want me to re-register (which you won't allow me to do after 7 years) NOR allow me to use what I've already paid for unless I buy an upgrade. Do I have this correctly stated?

I'm assuming that you mean that you have images in the Photoshop *.psd format, and that you can't access them through Photoshop because your copy is un-registerable.
FWIW, the open source program GIMP (as well as others) handles photoshop format files pretty well. While I feel your pain that the copy of PS you have you can no longer register/use, you can at least access your files.

You have blocked me from accessing the photos already saved on my computer for the past 7 years! Pretty cute, a "pop up" comes up to "Register" what I've already done over 7 years ago and when I go to register you claim the "...time to register this version is gone past" and unless I upgrade to a very expensive Photoshop current version I am now unable to access my existing photos! What manner of Shenanigan's is that!!??

I have been a loyal Adobe customer for many years, having purchased Adobe PhotoShop Elements and then on to PhotoShop CS2, CS3 and CS4. PhotoShop CS5 was the only version that I haven’t upgraded to. I also have and use LightRoom. I’ve been waiting for PhotoShop CS6 to be released so that I could upgrade. I was also looking forward to upgrading to LightRoom Version 4.

I’ve heard recently that Adobe will not be allowing customers who haven’t purchased CS5 to upgrade to CS6!!! Is this true??? If so, I am outraged!!!! It appears people will be required to buy CS5 before they are allowed to upgrade to CS6!!!

My fellow photographers and I have often joked about “making our annual donation to Adobe” since you have frequent upgrades and that it is intensely profitable for you. I have put up with it before, but no longer! We all like to have the latest and greatest technology, but there are limits to our willingness to be gouged and taken advantage of.

I’ve been thinking a lot about PhotoShop CS4, which is my current version, and I realize that it is powerful enough to do nearly all that I need to do, as I post-process my images. If the rumors mentioned above are true, I want you to know that you have driven away a customer. It won’t be worth it to me to be ripped off in this manner. I will continue my photography with my current versions of PhotoShop and LightRoom.

My perspective as an individual for whom photography is a hobby (my primary, lifelong hobby, but just a hobby, nonetheless): I could afford the latest version of Photoshop (in the sense that I could budget for it, save for a few months, and then be able to buy it), but there is no way that I can justify it. Especially when I own an older copy (CS2) and it does 99% of what I need.

The bottom line is that Photoshop is too damn expensive in general. I know of no other software package that an individual would buy that costs as much. Sure, there's more expensive software out there (go price Oracle Enterprise Edition if you want some serious sticker shock), but nothing that a single person who may not even be deriving income from it would buy. (And even Oracle will give you a *free* single-seat license for Oracle Standard Edition for non-commercial use.)

I can tell you why Adobe is pushing the subscription model: piracy. I'm pretty sure Photoshop is some of the most pirated software out there.

Now, don't get me wrong on one thing: I believe if you make something, you have the right to charge for it. And you should have the right to set the price. But with software, the incremental cost is negligible. So you can either charge a lot and have relatively few customers, or you can charge less and get more customers. I think Adobe is going the wrong way by charging more. Charge less, Adobe, and many of those people who are using pirated copied *because they can't afford the expense* will be able to buy copies and put more money in your pocket in the long run.

I just learned about the new upgrade policy for the CS Suite. If you sent me an announcement I didn't get it, or it looked like a come-on for an upgrade so I ignored it. This upgrade policy and the way it is being rolled out regarding the timing (so late in the CS 5.5 cycle) has me questioning nearly 20 years of loyalty to your products.

Surely you have heard that there's a recession, which for many of us is being experienced as a depression. My business is down 70% with no assurance it won't get worse. Surely you've heard of the problem Netflix caused themselves, or Bank of America.

Many of us have skipped versions to mitigate the large upgrade fees. Believe me, I'd rather use the current version, but my business does not warrant the upgrade fees that you've been charging. I'm just not able to squeeze my remaining clients for the money to support those fees. Surely you know that not all of your users are rich corporations or wildly successful freelancers.

When Microsoft achieved their monopoly I refused to use their products, now you are abusing your market position and I will look into other options. I've been an advocate for your software for years, but unless you rethink this underhanded strategy I will discourage people from using your software and enlighten them about the alternatives.

I post this with due respect for your products and the loyalty that you earned so far. But I feel that you are now abusing that loyalty and respect, which I think is a mistake on your part. You seem to have made your calculation, but I am concerned that unintended consequences will be your ruin. Netflix and
Bak of America had the good sense to see that they had pushed their customers too far and walk things back. I hope that you do the same. At the very least adjust your announcement so that this policy starts after we have had a chance to upgrade to CS6.

With respect, Kevin

I can summarize my position very simply.

I have spent thousands of dollars on Adobe products for a couple of decades now.

If this policy goes into effect, I will never spend another cent on any Adobe product or service again. To the extent that I have any influence on anybody else, I will do my best to persuade them to do the same.

In my opinion, this would an inexcusable step under any circumstances. Taking such a step when the economy is in such poor shape, and many (most?) are short of money to do immediate upgrades adds insult to injury.

I am sadden to hear about your new upgrade policy. I am a very small business (1person) that supplements my retirement income using Photoshop. I have been a long time user and currently use CS5 extended. Your new policy of upgrading photoshop every year will force me to either quit what I am doing or find alternative software. Sadly you seem to be more concerned with generating more profits over the needs of your customers.

Adobe staff, you might want to see these debates.

http://www.modelmayhem.com/po.php?thr...

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2011/11/...

Photoshop Licensing.

I could not find an alternative means to communicate with Adobe. Please pass on to the appropriate channel.

I was just about to purchase a full copy of Indesign. I have been a long term user of Photoshop and Lightroom and to-date I have purchased every update.

I was just about to purchase In Design. Because of the recent change by Adobe on their upgrade policy I have deferred / reversed this decision.

When the new version of Photoshop is announced I may or may not upgrade. It will need killer new features for me to upgrade. I know at some point in the future I will not purchase an upgrade. When that happens I will never re-purchase a license for Photoshop.

I am now nervous of investing in other Adobe licenses, as I am afraid that the same rules will apply.

So, at best Adobe have substantially deferred revenue from me. A more likely scenario is that Adobe may never get any more revenue from me.