A simple Adobe version list with release dates?

[quoz]

Adobe, would you please simplify the many ways your documentation refers to versions? 

For example, looking at https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/kb/pantone-color-books-indesign.html

about the Pantone change, I see:

"Standardized pre-loaded color libraries, also known as Pantone Color books, have begun to be phased out of Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop in software updates released as of August 16, 2022.

After the November 2022 release, the only Pantone Color books that will remain are:

• Pantone + CMYK Coated
• Pantone + CMYK Uncoated
• Pantone + Metallic Coated"

If some of us get Adobe 2022 is that the August 16 release? Or the November 2022 release? In the CC app, there is yet another set of numbers:  e.g. InDesign 17.4.1.  I think that's Adobe 2022, but I don't know if it's the August or November release. The software itself doesn't tell me either.

I can't seem to find a page, a list, a cross-reference, etc. on the Adobe site that pulls these references all together with release dates so our team can determine when and how we're actually going to be impacted by a change. I end up googling, and have to sort through obsolete, poorly worded or downright wrong explanations.

[jane-e]

@quoz 

Each of the applications was started by its own team and has its own number. In your example of InDesign, for instance, it was started at Aldus and was codenamed K2. Adobe bought Aldus, "upgraded" PageMaker to 7.0 without making major changes, and put the engineers to work on what became InDesign 1.0.

In the old days, each product had their own release date, then Adobe started standardizing the names and releasing them at the same time. With Creative Suite they used 2,3,4,5,6. With Creative Cloud they began using the year.

Nowadays, the new releases have been on the first day of Adobe MAX, which is in the fall in October or sometimes early November, and are named with the upcoming year.

When I need to have a date or match the numbers with the year, I do a web search for something like "indesign versions" which brings me to Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_InDesign

InDesign 2022 (17.0)	October 2021	Master Pages are now called Parent Pages, Adobe Capture integration, scalable UI. [18]
InDesign 2022 (17.1)	January 2022
InDesign 2022 (17.2)	April 2022
InDesign 2022 (17.3)	May 2022
InDesign 2022 (17.4)	August 2022
InDesign 2023 (18.0)	October 2022	Content aware Auto Style (technology preview), Copy text between Illustrator and InDesign without format loss, support for HEIC, HEIF, WEBP, and JP2K formats. Duplicate page after selection, UXP Scripting, Document preview.

When I need details, I turn to the amazing James Wamser's guides. He is a volunteer and offers them for free. They are priceless!
 @JamesWamser 

• InDesign
  https://indd.adobe.com/view/0fe50e63-71b1-4db5-91c1-c8f6c4738df2
• Photoshop
  https://indd.adobe.com/view/c7191893-fc7c-4b41-b61a-130dd125a1e7
• Illustrator
  https://indd.adobe.com/view/0bff348c-febc-4351-8a11-8101037228d9

Jane

Forum volunteer

[JamesWamser]

Thanks Jane, appreciate the nice comments. I'm glad people find the New Features guides helpful.

[quoz]

Thank you, this is helpful!

The providers of other programs I use (e.g. Extensis font manager) are very good about maintaining clear compatibility cross references, system requirements, etc. in an easy-to-find location. Based on other feedback, it seems I wasn't the only one wondering if for Adobe, I have to trust Wikipedia, or google until I find a third-party site. I do find articles on the Adobe site, like the one about Pantone Connect, warning me that certain releases will have certain changes, but not telling me Which One I Get if I download e.g. 26.5.2.  (Now that I look, the https://indd.adobe.com/view/0bff348c-febc-4351-8a11-8101037228d9 link doesn't even list an Illustrator 26.5.2. It's offered on CC right now, though.)

So just saying they could do a better job helping users understand which version has what.

[jane-e]

You're welcome, @quoz , happy to help! A lot of us keep those links handy, as James has done a fantastic job of keeping everything up to date.

Jane