Photoshop CS4 vs. CS4 Extended Student Edition

Hi Bob,

I was also confused by your comment, but now I see what you're referring to. Yes, I too agree that whether one person is using both activations on two PCs, or two separate people are "sharing" in the use of one license, each using one of the allowed activations, that would be difficult to enforce.

As I think more about "personal" and "commercial", I realize part of my angst in wanting to see more specific and clear verbage from Adobe, is perhaps a heightened awareness resulting from an issue I was involved in not too long ago, when I gave my sister permission to use photos I'd taken at various zoos in a book she was going to publish. A season pass holder, the pass having no "fine print" to read, I'd never given any consideration to the possibility that zoos might restrict how photos taken on their premises are used. But, on normal admission tickets and a zoo website, there is a photo policy stating "personal videos and still photography" is encouraged for your enjoyment, but they "may not be used for commercial profit (i.e., financial gain)..." By the time I'd learned this, 2000 copies of the book had already been printed and were ready for sale, but this policy statement made it very clear that no such use of those photos was permissible, especially without the zoo's consent. Luckily, we learned this ahead of any sales and abated problems by an honest approach with the zoo, who subject to the payment of commercial use fees ultimately permitted the book to be sold, although only this initial printing of 2000. Beyond that, my sister will have to pursue another way to market her story, apart from using my zoo photos.

In any case, just as with the Adobe UK site, this zoo policy did not rely simply upon "personal" to convey also the commercial restrictions also applicable to their policy. Instead, they specifically included "commercial" verbage that made the policy clear. So, while Adobe US may say "personal use only" in that reference Jim cited earlier, I can't help but wonder if that is legally sufficient to also mean "no commercial (for profit) use"?

In the end, I think the important thing is that such threads as this heighten everyone's awareness of the "gotchas" to be aware of in regards to product licenses.

Daryl

>any more than there is to enforce the two activations for only one user.

???

It is fully functional and you can do what you like with it, but not for financial gain, either privately or in a company.

I was considering getting my son (with student eligability) to get a student version scince it is sooo much cheaper.. could you explain the difference again ( in simpler terms) I'm not quite understanding the Commercial use? does this mean that you dont get to have ALL of the funtions or it wont let you doo certian things??

Ah, finally a "personal use only" reference, from Jim Jordan's post #30 above. So, while I'd tend to echo his comment in #34, at least there is an implication that perhaps "personal use" means "non-commercial use". But definitely more clarity is needed from Adobe, rather than using such a vague phrase more subject to interpretation than simply stating very concisely that "no commercial use is permitted"...although I still don't see how Adobe would really ever be able to effectively enforce such a restriction.

Regards,

Daryl

What if my personal use is commercial? :) If I use Photoshop for personal reasons, am I not allowed to edit family photos and share with others?

This is still gray area until Adobe spells it out explicitly.

I'm reading the 'personal use' text as a variation from the previous restriction that an educational volume license could not be installed on personal computers. It could previously only be installed on computers owned by the institution.

The problem with this discussion is that I recall there was a time during the CS3 release where Adobe explicitly said student editions were not for commercial use. Something fell apart with the advent of CS4.

The only definitive statement may come from this K-12 student licensing FAQ for CS4 (which probably applies to the higher ed student license as well).

Too many JJs around here!

I claim precedence! :)

> which is available for personal use only

The above statement, in JJs link, should provide the evidence we have been searching for that you CANNOT use the student versions for commercial use. Note that the link is to Adobe US, not UK.

>the edu version is for everyone else associated with the schools.

Actually, the student version is also available for faculty as well.

http://www.adobe.com/education/hed/promos/facultystaff_tc.html

Adobe is screwed up. Is the education license doomed? With this lack of organization, I'd be less worried about the commercial use aspect and do everything one can to get in writing that their license can be upgraded later. (Macromedia's academic licensing did not allow upgrades or commercial use. Is this where Adobe is heading?)

>There would be zero reason for the student edition to exist if it didn't carry any restrictions above the regular academic version.

why sure. i've NEVER seen microsloth deep dish discounts to near free on their software to students to make SURE that's what the student knows how to use when they enter the real world.

>If you want to do commercial work, then buy the academic version, not
the student version.

but read the eula first just to be sure you're not over paying... ;)

my guess is the STUDENT version is a special discount ONLY for students. the edu version is for everyone else associated with the schools.

but don't take my word for it. RAFO! (read and find out!)