InDesign Backwards Compatibility in CS5 an MAJOR issue

I work full time and freelance on the side. My employer did not upgrade to CS4 due to the economy and other considerations. When we found out that CS5 would only work on Intel Macs, it necesitated the upgrade of about half of our computers--a costly affair, but we do build regular upgrades into the budget, so we gritted our teeth and did it. As soon as CS5 actually went on sale, we ordered 3 new computers and put in an order for (not CS5) CS4.  We installed CS4 on everyone's computer and then ordered the free upgrade to CS5. Most of our computers now have all 3 versions installed. Our contract editors had to buy their own versions of CS5 Incopy to stay with us.  Unfortunately for at least one of them, this included a necessary computer upgrade because the Macbook purchased 2 years ago wasn't Intel. This particular editor is switching platforms since she can't afford a new Mac (she can get a new PC notebook with all the software for less than the purchase of an Intel Mac). Because the main corporation did the upgrade, it forced everyone else to do it too.  It made some people unhappy, but it's part of the cost of doing business.

On the personal side, I upgraded to CS4 a year ago.  I can't afford the CS5 upgrade quite yet, but I am planning to get it eventually. I still have CS3 on my computer. I don't have a lot of clients, but when I deliver files to the ones I have, I just tell them what version the files are and that's it.  They want the files for their archives, whether they can open them or not. I support all my files for as long as the client needs me to support them, so it shouldn't matter to them whether they can open them.

The backwards compatibility of ID may be an important issue for collaborative users. . . however, I have to side with those who want a stable ID over one that is able to backsave multiple steps back.  I've been in the business long enough to remember how unstable PageMaker was because it was built consistently on old code and never cleaned up and truly updated. ID is staying fairly clean and stable because Adobe doesn't try to maintain the compatibilty that would bulk up the program and make it unstable. I like having the new features and a mostly stable program. If Adobe hadn't offered the CS5 upgrade free to recent CS4 purchasers (once CS5 was announced), I'd probably be unhappy because we'd have had the same issue people are complaining about here. But Adobe did support that concern by allowing users to upgrade to CS4 (for a period of time) and get CS5 for free. I think that fulfills their obligation to their users regarding backwards compatibility.  I don't mean to be insensitive, but I really don't see that this is  Adobe's problem. I agree that they should concentrate on producing the  best product and not spending an inordinate amount of time on maintaining the users that won't upgrade--for whatever reason.

Regarding new users who are not compatible with old users because they don't have the older versions. I agree that could be a problem, and I sympathize with you, but I honestly don't think that is Adobe's fault. It's bound to be a problem regardless of whatever you do for a living that newcomers to an industry may be at a disadvantage--part of being new.

To be honest, I think the Mac Intel only requirement for CS5 is the bigger issue than backward compatibility. It's costing a lot of people a lot of headaches.  Especially when the new Macs come with Snow Leopard, which brings a whole new load of issues to the table. I'm happy that personally I've chosen to use a Windows platform, which so far has mostly run the various versions of Windows and Adobe apps without too much trouble.

All that said, I agree with the person who asked for the files to associate with their last-saved-in version. For those of us working in mutliple versions on the same computer, it would be nice to be able to tell which version of software the file was last opened in, rather than have everything default to CS5. I don't mind dragging the files to the correct app, but it's really annoying when I'm trying to quickly output files and I can't remember which file was last opened where and then I waste time doing the trial error method. I also wish that third-party plugins were easier to erase when converting files. It's not helpful for CS5 to tell me it's missing the plugin if it doesn't give me a way to strip out the plugin (the IDML export does it, but you often don't know that you need to do it until you reopen the newly converted and saved file and it opens untitled with the plugin warning again). Most of the documents didn't even use the plugin to begin with.

Just as an FYI, we have attempted the CS3>CS4>CS5 change path as suggested by Adobe and the issues carry from one version to the next to the next.  It is ridiculous that you cannot open a CSx file in CS5 and expect stability or AT LEAST the ability to covert the file to a working format.  We have tried everything under the sun on multiple systems and both PC and Mac platforms and nothing has worked to resolve this for us. 

So basically we just spent the equivalent cost of a small car to upgrade to the latest and greatest release from Adobe only to bring our department to a stand still.  Converting hundreds of files manually via copy/paste and reconstruction would be a huge expense in time and effort we cannot afford, so we are forced to roll all of our systems back to CS3 and pray that someone at Adobe starts to care enough about their customers to fix the issue.

Wow. After just slogging through this entire thread I must say I'm quite turned off by the condescension present here. In my past experience with Adobe forums (I had another username prior to my current one) the "elders" were helpful, considerate and generous. I felt better and more knowledgeable after visiting. Definitely not true here.

I came to this forum with a question: Even if it means loss of some data/features, can I save down from CS5 to CS3? Suddenly I found myself in a flurry of crap and errant assumptions. I am disappointed in the posters who have taken a legitimate question or concern in this thread and answered with (I paraphrase) "That's stupid. Also, why can't you see that you're an idiot and cheapskate?"

I am a young designer. I saved up my money through wise planning and fiscal responsibility and purchased CS5 Design Premium. This was a personal investment because I take my career seriously, though my money and how I use it is really none of anyone's business and should have no bearing on this topic.

Persons I need to share files with have InDesign CS3. Again, the reasons or circumstances for which I need to share InDesign files instead of PDFs have no bearing here. It is not my place to force upgrades on these people. It is not my place as a young graphic artist to turn my nose at clients who are "less sophisticated" than others. (Which isn't even the case, as these particular persons have not upgraded due to this very compatibility issue and their relationship with vendors using CS3.)

So, apparently, the only answer to my question is that I'm supposed to go find every past version of InDesign? Though I can't get them through Adobe? And though when I checked just now on Amazon, for instance, InDesign CS3 for Mac was "currently unavailable?"

Bob, you said:

If it was every customer, these forums would be flooded with complaints. While I understand the frustration, the evidence points to a very small number of people that have been horribly inconvenienced.

Perhaps it could be considered that this particular thread has not progressed as a very welcome place for people to express their concerns.

ETA: Before anyone brings it up, yes, I already submitted my complaint/feature request to Adobe.

If it's any help, I have CS5 and CS4, and I use both for different purposes and clients.

If I know a client is on CS4 or CS3, then I'll start the workflow in CS4.

If I'm not collaborating or if the client is on CS5, then I'll work in CS5.

But honestly, I am finding CS5 to be pretty unstable, and it's crashing and hanging a lot.  CS4 is perfect.  CS5 is buggy.

I don't mind at all working in CS4 in the interum.

This whole nonsense about "Adobe can't provide a save as CS3/CS4" option because of text reflow is rubbish. You can export a CS5 file as a pdf (a different file format) and you can even open and edit it in Acrobat Pro. Adobe chose now to put resources against it and that's all there is to it. CS5 seems to have no problem opening up files from older versions of InDesign and I haven't noticed any text reflow.

Yeh ok.

We're at a stage now where there are loads of versions of indesign. InDesign is wonderful, we all love it. But at this stage some need backward compatibility. Which is fine... I have no issues with that.

It seems such a simple thing I guess people don't understand the ramifications.

I can't understand it why it should not be compatible.

I am a student and must look to remain compatible with other students, because we have to co-operate in many projects. And not every student can buy a new version to himself.

A file format can be extended and be compatible to basic functions. Why does Adobe not do this?

If you are working with InDesignCS5, and you want to send your layout for review, then CS5 has a new feature available, CSLIVE. Sending by this route your clients can review the layout online at Acrobat.com without needing to open any version of InDesign. Does it help in your client workflow?

I also think it's ridiculous not to have a better workflow for backward compatibility. I've been working with InDesign CS5 and have yet to see a feature that suggests a new file format was necessary for this version. I suppose it's the dynamic/interactive content enhancements that are behind the format change. Since a key client is using CS3 and doesn't have any reason to upgrade, I'll likely set Bridge to default to the older software and may, on occasion, use CS5 when I have time to diddle around with it. It's tiring to be a working designer and see the Adobe fan club beat someone up because they're exasperated with the treadmill logic of the annual upgrade. Adobe could provide a compatibility mode of operation of InDesign, but they don't. That makes my job harder and I'm less likely to use the "wonderful" new scheisse I got in my Master Collection. Living on the bleeding edge doesn't pay my bills.

I don't see keeping 3-5 versions of InDesign as being too much to expect of a freelancer. Also probably a good idea to keep Illustrator CS3 at minimum for the compatibility. I think it just comes with the territory. This isn't MS Word where years of format confusion all culminates into DOCX and everyone is sick to their stomachs because they've had years of compatibility on a stagnant format designed a decade ago. It beats digging ditches.

Real complaints could be directed at Freehand, not InDesign.

An auto mechanic has to buy new tools as new cars come out, but still has to use the old ones to work on older cars. A bad analogy maker has to make new analogies when car analogies no longer work, but still have to use car analogies to explain why my Epson GS6000 solvent printer, like gasoline in a car, performs differently with different substrates. There is a point where you have to tell your client that you don't work on Trans AM's if you can't handle keeping all the tools around.

We used to make steel in this country. We are talking about gigabytes that cost less than a couple of dollars and a couple of minutes application launch time. I've got hundreds of custom dies eating up space that I can't get rid of because the moment I do someone will need a job printed and cut with one. Physical space costs money, the storage space for 4 versions of InDesign will cost less than the delicious sandwich I will soon eat.