Academy of Art Cancels CS6 for all current and PAST students. I don't want the cloud. I've been robbed!

[pixelbruin]

Adobe and the Academy of Art University are in the process of canceling thousands of registered copies of the Adobe Master Collection - v. CS6 without warning, notice, or legal grounds. Be warned.

It's a direct violation of the licensing agreement, and both parties are blaming each other for the theft. I know they are canceling the serial numbers in batches, and I think it is an attempt to dampen the public perception. I am also pretty convinced they are doing it at other universities. I am going to organize a class-action lawsuit. This is theft, and coercion, of the highest order. The think they can force us to use Cloud, and pay them for eternity for the privilege, but stealing our property directly off our laptops.

Adobe is attacking their precious newbies, students, and recent graduates. They are harming the very people who would have supported them in future years, and they should be held accountable.

facebook.com/adobesteals

Please join us. We will only make waves in numbers. Get the word out.

[pixelbruin]

In the application folder, there is an HTML version of the licensing agreement. Also, no mention of expiration or limitations there.

[rjblake865]

Which application folder if we have Adobe Master Collection CS6? Can you direct us there please? This would be the proof we would need to confront this.

[pixelbruin]

[pixelbruin]

Each application has a copy of the licensing agreement. If anyone knows of another location - let me know! Thanks!

[rjblake865]

Here is the part of the license that says it is perpetual unless otherwise stated. It is never otherwise stated.

Adobe, give us back our keys place.

[rjblake865]

John,

I am hearing about temporary licenses being distributed. How do I obtain those so I do my work in the interim while a more permanent solution is taken care of.

This is effecting hundreds, if not thousands of people who had become loyal customers who are becoming increasingly frustrated with the customer service.

[rjblake865]

Can you post or send me your written documentation via e-mail? I really want to read it because I literally cannot find any from either company except for that license which took me forever to receive from Adobe. I want to see the legal standing, but literally cannot find any documentation on my own (even though this stuff HAS to be publicly available somehow, correct?!)

I am left with a bunch of projects I can do literally nothing with and want this resolved ASAP.

[Stimshock]

My point is that running around on every social media site claiming conspiracy and throwing accusations at all parties puts the burden of proof on those of you who are making these claims. Hence: can you provide any documentation, because that would actually get us somewhere beyond simply being angry. Even if it does mean there isn't anything we can really do about it. (yes I was screwed by this too)

We have some language from Adobe gathered; most addresses software purchased directly from Adobe, but some of which also pretty clearly states that they issue bulk-discounted licenses to large educational institutions that are meant to expire. I agree that these terms were definitely not announced clearly enough, but they are available to all of us. What did the school say? I do not have access to those terms or agreements.

If the program was totally free:

• sorry but you'll just have to purchase a copy for yourself. Adobe did say these licences were subject to different rules. Glad you liked it, but you have not been cheated. Adobe deserves to be paid for their work just as much as anyone else. If you do not agree, then find an alternative program to use. You were given $2,700 software at no cost and Adobe is not obligated to let you rest on it forever.

If you paid the school through tuition fees, we have two options:

• The school said the fees are for access to current software while you are an enrolled student. Quite possible, but unfortunately, it means they've upheld their end of the deal by providing CC. This means tuition fees were not related to owning CS6, rather, you paid for access to current software at discounted rates, which just happened to be CS6 at the time. Paying an access fee is not the same as purchasing the product. The school purchased the product, and received a replacement prior to it being discontinued.
• The school said that the fees were to purchase your copy of CS6 specifically. Pretty unlikely, but if you have proof it would make your case right there. If you have it, please do share.

And the last option, which isn't actually a possibility because of how the keys were delivered: did you purchase it directly from Adobe?

• No, you did not, it was offered on the school website free of charge or after paying the access fee.

The school has held up their end of the deal, Adobe had stated (though definitely did not communicate clearly) that licenses are not necessarily permanent, and your free ride of CS6 is over now. If you have a problem with the subscription business model, then pursue that, but you have not been stolen from because you never actually purchased CS6. It was given to the school for a limited time, and a suitable replacement has been offered to you by the school for the same deal (free or access fee) Either way, do you honestly anticipate using CS6 for years just to spite the subscription model? If you put half the time you've spent complaining and organizing around this issue into your own work you wouldn't need to worry about the subscription fee at all. Write it off as a business expense and get yourself paid for utilizing Adobes products like a professional.

It still does not matter who I work for, I am not a representative for Adobe or AAU. I'm just tired of the misinformation being spread around as fact when things still have not been proven. Sorry for being a meany pants, but you're acting like petulant children. So I'll ask again: Can you provide any documentation that you paid anyone for CS6 specifically?

[pixelbruin]

I have a lot of documentation, actually. Seems like you're giving up, which is of course your choice. But people who aren't accepting being robbed, can't rightfully be equated to whining children. Anyway, I have a lot to organize, for those who wish to join me, and I'm not going to focus my time proving things to you - no offense. Have a great day. I hope whatever it is you seek is found. Good luck!

[Stimshock]

If anyone has the evidence and it will make the case, that should be a top priority to get out in the open. If I had it I would be happy to throw it in here and prove myself wrong, but I do not have access to that information, though I am speaking with the people who actually arranged the deal. Regardless, unless someone can prove we actually purchased the product, we were not robbed, they just changed the product that was being offered in exchange for the access fee. It sucks, I know.

So again, unless you can provide proof that you paid specifically for CS6, you have no legal standing because it was never yours to begin with. You paid for access to the Academy's Enterprise licenses.

[eso2530]

Stimshock wrote:

Either way, do you honestly anticipate using CS6 for years just to spite the subscription model? If you put half the time you've spent complaining and organizing around this issue into your own work you wouldn't need to worry about the subscription fee at all. Write it off as a business expense and get yourself paid for utilizing Adobes products like a professional.

No, I anticipated using CS6 for years because it did everything I needed it to do, without having to move "up" to CC; spite has nothing to do with it. Regardless of the legal technicalities in the agreement between Adobe and AAU, enough people have been misled/misinformed about their rights to the software, and we deserve recourse in some form. You're obviously not contributing anything to this conversation besides ire, so why don't you just take a hike?

[pixelbruin]

eso2530 - I feel the same way about having no desire to upgrade. I loved CS6 and Adobe did a great job building it (credit due, where credit is appropriate). With regards to "Stimshock" I'm sending rainbows, kittens, and love your way. I hope your mood improves, and you get what you're looking for.

[Stimshock]

No, I'm just not contributing what the bandwagon wants to hear because it goes against the "we've been robbed" narrative that is so easy to support when everyone is frustrated and upset. Try to consider that you guys might actually be wrong about how things unfolded here rather than dismissing what could likely be an unfortunate truth. I sympathize fully with the frustration, but the accusations and finger pointing only serve to get people riled up and breed further misinformation while drowning out the work that people are doing to try to alleviate the situation in the short term for the benefit of those affected. Until we can actually prove wrongdoing, we need to assume that we do not have the full picture and cannot jump to any conclusions yet. I have been asking for clear evidence of wrongdoing and was met with hostility, question dodging, and accusations from the very start. Amazing how assuming innocence until proven guilty was met with such ire, no? How dare I express an opposing possibility and lay out the logic behind it for you.

From the bits of documentation we have been provided here, it appears the Academy opted for an Enterprise License Agreement which does indicate that the service could be cancelled and would affect all licenses included in the agreement. Students and faculty were provided the software as subcontractors, as per the enterprise agreement terms section 4. I am waiting for confirmation from the people who actually made the purchase, but there is nothing illegal there. If tuition fees paid for access you have not been robbed because you paid for access, not the software. Arguing that you paid for the software is not logically possible since licenses were not purchased directly from Adobe by students and they are in fact a part of the Enterprise License purchased by the Academy. Adobe is correct that this is something that needs to be taken to the school, it is out of their hands. However, the school had already honored their deal to provide you access to current software in exchange for the tuition fees. Nothing illegal there either, they have done exactly what they said they would.

Would you like it in the form of a timeline?

Academy purchases Bulk Enterprise License for CS6 > The Academy provides students access to the Academy's licenses for a fee > Adobe updates to Creative Cloud > Academy updates to Creative Cloud and drops support for outdated software by cancelling their enterprise agreement associated with CS6 > Students and Faculty get no warning and are forced to either purchase CS6 on their own to continue or accept the replacement offer of Creative Cloud at no additional cost.

You have not been robbed, the school updated the product offered and cancelled their deal for their outdated software licenses. You never owned the license you were using, you paid for access to a license owned by the school. You can try to apply pressure on the school to bring back the deal, but you would be better off just buying the software yourself so you actually do own your license and never have to worry about it again.

[oherik]

Support checked my expired key, and it was a student and teacher edition, not an enterprise / VLK / EED. 
Also, as I pointed out before.  the VLK style keys can not be used with trial software  .Adobe volume licensing serial numbers don't work with retail or trial versions of Adobe software.

Oh, and along with the fact that I was able to register the key to me!

[oherik]

The keys are not VLK

"LICENSE KEY INFORMATION

Each Adobe single-user license key is unique to the user and the user's Operating System.

To use your assigned single-user license key, you must download the entire Adobe Creative Suite Master Collection (trial version)"

Where given full keys.  VLK will not install on trial versions of the software.  I do keep really tight notes on everything I do.  None of the TOS' from both the academy and adobe stated that they would expire.

Heck after you installed the single-user license key Adobe would thank you for your purchase.

Also, my CS5.5 has yet to expire.explain that to me?

[eso2530]

BINGO- gold star to oherik!

[Stimshock]

oherik said "Also, my CS5.5 has yet to expire.explain that to me?"

Sure, that was a separate deal between the Academy and Adobe subject to different terms of agreement. Next question please.

[briankrecik]

It was NOT pad for in your tuition.  No where on your bill from the bursars does it read, $xxx for the sale of Adobe CS6.  Wake up and stop being a blind monkey.  This is part of the Enterprise licensing sold to AAU as part of their yearly subscription and governed under the ETLA.  This licensing specifically stipulates that the licensing is renewed every 1-2 years and is the property of Adobe that is leased to AAU for the term of their contract.

• http://wwwimages.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/education/pdfs/edu-etla-datasheet-ue.pdf
• Enterprise Agreement, lower licensing cost, license management | Adobe Buying Programs

If the University did not renew their license be upset but not because they did not renew their licensing.  Be upset because you are trying to get something for nothing.  Spend your money and buy a license and stop your complaining.  This is really starting to get old already.  It is time to start wearing big boy pants and take responsibility for yourself for once.

[pixelbruin]

I understand that you feel like an expert in this situation, and it is clear that you have strong beliefs. Others who have examined the evidence disagree, and will continue to act accordingly. You have already been banned from the Facebook group and I'd like to encourage others not to feed into the negativity or be persuaded by this misinformation. Good luck to you sir. I won't expend another moment "discussing" this or anything else with you.

[joshsand]

LOL... this troll is on a mission!! First the group facebook page, and now here. If only he spent as much time designing his "professional website" as he does trolling all the media outlets regarding this situation!

[mikefromoakland]

That agreement is from 2013 not 2011-12

[designwizard63]

it was free from the university

[joshsand]

it wasnt free... it was included in tuition

[Rajashree Bhattacharya]

We have come to know about it, we apologize & we shall be updating you as this issue is being investigated.

We apologize about this issue and we’re working with AAU now to resolve. We will update this forum thread when we have more information.

Regards

Rajshree

[pixelbruin]

It is confusing to me when you say you "have come to know about it." It is your companies choice to revoke our property. Of course you know about it.

My university claims they knew nothing about it. I don't know who to believe. This will be a public opinion nightmare for you.