Why upgrade from CS to CS4?

As previously mentioned, this question is really off topic for this forum but here are some thoughts anyway:

laksdjf wrote: or should we just continue with existing Suite until we find we are lagging behind and then bite the bullet and be prepared to spend out even more for full CS (we will probably be on CS5 by then)? Am i just delaying the inevitable?

Sounds like you've already hit the "lagging behind" point, hence your question.

The real question here seems to be what decision(s) to make for the future of the business rather than weighing up, in isolation, whether CS4 justifies a hardware upgrade.

<neutral questions />

Do you have an ongoing hardware/software upgrade policy at your studio? or do you tend to wait until hardware dies before you upgrade?

If you're really facing the expensive upgrade chain of events that you describe then I'm inclined to suggest that you're reaching an inevitable "catch up" point where you're faced with investing a large amount at one time rather than spreading your upgrade cost (and tax write offs) over time.

If you're running dated gear and software, have you thought about doing a cost benefit analysis of what you might gain in speed and productivity by progressively rolling out staggered upgrades over time? The speed of faster rigs and productivity gains of updated software with integrated features can often outweigh the perceived savings of not investing in upgrades for a long period then having to upgrade everything at once.

How long does it take you to get projects out the door now and what might the difference be with an upgrade policy in place with allocated annual budgets for upgrades? What are your competitors running?

In short, I see this as more a "bigger picture" business decision for the future of your studio than a simple technical one based on the merits of CS4.

Smart objects

Smart filters

Lens correction

Auto align and blend

Auto alignment of layers

B/W adjustment layers

Improved layer control

Camera RAW

This is just my list for Photoshop. For InDesign I wouldn't be able to tell you as I made "the switch" in CS2, but how about the bomb -- object styles. And PSD layer support, anchored objects, placing multipage PDF and IND files, table styles.

Also, keep in mind if Adobe continues with their same upgrade policy, you will be cut loose for CS5. So pay attention. Even if hardware demands you keep the suites in their boxes, you should probably upgrade. They give a fair warning and some kind of grace period. But keep sharp come 2010, no matter what.

http://lowendmac.com/software/i/indesign.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Photoshop_release_history

It depends on your needs.  Each of the product pages lists the features of the CS4 products; you may start there.   Or vist on of the suite forums.

This forum is for discusssing the forum itself.