Alternatives to the Creative Cloud

[davedunlap1]

With Adobe's decisions to force users to go to subscribe to the creative cloud, I thought it might be a good idea to get a list going of some alternative programs. I'm a designer working mostly in print with some web - anyone know of some good alternatives for these?

Photoshop -> Gimp

Illustrator -> ?

Indesign - Quark

Dreamweaver - ?

Flash - been moving away from that anyway

What programs are you going to look into to replace the creative cloud?

[pigulici]

Hmm, this days I was thinking that for newcomers it is bad, I learned how to use photoshop in that 30 day trial period(back in CS1 days), even the classroom course from Adobe take me 2-3 months, so I think with no alternative to online subscription the base of people who will learn/know Photoshop will shrink,and this is baaad for Adobe in long run...

[Adobe_Hacker]

pigulici wrote:

I learned how to use photoshop in that 30 day trial period(back in CS1 days),

There is no longer trial versions to download.  This is all stopped and people have to try Adobe Creative Cloud.  The idea is when people start to try the new "Product" then the uptake will pick up. 

So no more trial downloads for the most popular products.

[pigulici]

Well, I don't like greed people/company,I continue to work in CS6, meanwhile I will start to learn gimp(this is good because it is OS independent), so in 1-2 years, when CS6 will be obsolete I will have a safety belt, I will have the option to choose...

[smishlawi]

Thank you for creating this forum davedunlap1. I think we may be able to initiate a lawsuit against Adobe for anticompetitive practices, their move is uncalled for and hurts the consumer at many levels. Anyone else think a lawsuit would be appropriate?

[patx_willener]

smishlawi wrote:

I think we may be able to initiate a lawsuit against Adobe for anticompetitive practices, their move is uncalled for and hurts the consumer at many levels. Anyone else think a lawsuit would be appropriate?

No I don't think so because there are alternatives like using bootleg products that costs nothing and can lasts forever.

Is it really worth it to take on Adobe? 

[Phillip_M_Jones]

patx.willener wrote:

smishlawi wrote:

I think we may be able to initiate a lawsuit against Adobe for anticompetitive practices, their move is uncalled for and hurts the consumer at many levels. Anyone else think a lawsuit would be appropriate?

No I don't think so because there are alternatives like using bootleg products that costs nothing and can lasts forever.

Is it really worth it to take on Adobe? 

Yes if there were enough aggrieved people were to get together. Adobe and other Big companies going this route need to knocked down several pegs. They should be forced to have Boxed copies and provide subscription as well. There are too many people that can't afford constantly paying 1200-2400 dollars a year for  a Product they don't own or have too poor of Internet connection to work on the subscription service.

[urdaddi]

Phillip Jones wrote:

There are too many people that can't afford constantly paying 1200-2400 dollars a year for  a Product they don't own or have too poor of Internet connection to work on the subscription service.

How do you even come up with those numbers? Annual agreement is $50/mo = $600/yr. Even paying at a higher rate for a month-to-month is less than those numbers you are stating.

[Guest]

So you'd rather pay $600 a year FOREVER?

[urdaddi]

pellky wrote:

So you'd rather pay $600 a year FOREVER?

In reality it is NOT forever.

And rather than what? you have not provided a comparison.

For me, I do not mind paying $600.00 a year...I am perfectly fine with that. For me I get MY value's worth. I am very happy with what Adobe has put together and offered. I wish the situation could be different, as I know there are a lot of folks who would prefer to have the product delivered in a "classic" package.

[frankgrimes]

urdaddi wrote:

pellky wrote:

So you'd rather pay $600 a year FOREVER?

In reality it is NOT forever.

And rather than what? you have not provided a comparison.

For me, I do not mind paying $600.00 a year...I am perfectly fine with that. For me I get MY value's worth. I am very happy with what Adobe has put together and offered. I wish the situation could be different, as I know there are a lot of folks who would prefer to have the product delivered in a "classic" package.

How is this not forever? Adobe has said they may be open to disc-based distribution in the future, but that's not a promise.

Unless you mean it's not $600 forever. That's very true. I'd bet they crank the subscription rate up within a few years.

[Guest]

In reality, it IS forever, with "forever" meaning however long you want/need to use the software. You might as well be in a bear trap. And you think they're not going to raise the price of the Cloud in 6 months? The greed is unconscionable.

For Apple-hater Frank, here is a list of alternatives. http://photofocus.com/2013/05/28/alternatives-to-photoshopcreative-cloud-draft/

[urdaddi]

pellky wrote:

...... The greed is unconscionable.

Yeah...shame on a business for trying to make money.

I think that it is a given for most any product or service that at some point it will change in price. But like most anything as far as I am concerned, I decide what I want to spend my money on. As I have stated, I find Adobe to be offering a good product for an amount I am willing to spend.

[frankgrimes]

urdaddi wrote:

pellky wrote:

...... The greed is unconscionable.

Yeah...shame on a business for trying to make money.

I think that it is a given for most any product or service that at some point it will change in price. But like most anything as far as I am concerned, I decide what I want to spend my money on. As I have stated, I find Adobe to be offering a good product for an amount I am willing to spend.

That's great for you and I'm sure not many of us here begrudge Adobe for trying to be profitable. It is why they are in business after all.

However, this is a significant price jump for a lot of us with absolutely nothing to show for it when the term is up. That is the greed.

Continuing with the disc-based version while also offering the internet version seems like a better solution to me. Offer the newest features to the subscribers first then phase them in to the disc-based users over time. That could keep everyone happy.

[Guest]

I have no quarrel whatsoever with Adobe making a profit. What they are doing is raping their long-standing customers who have already paid many thousands of dollars to them for these programs, and beyond that, not giving those long-standing customers a choice but to be held hostage. Greed is worlds away from profit.

[urdaddi]

frankgrimes wrote:

Continuing with the disc-based version while also offering the internet version seems like a better solution to me. Offer the newest features to the subscribers first then phase them in to the disc-based users over time. That could keep everyone happy.

I wish they would do this as well. It certainly would make more people happy, as it would give that choice back to people. I know that some are extremely unhappy with that removal of choice. Your last sentence kind of sums it up......and would it not make better business sense to have more happy customers than not?

[quenton8]

So $600 a year??  How many adobe products are you using?  If you are using 3 or more, your upgrade costs would be more than that I would think, and now you get to use ALL the CS products.

IF you are only using one, then its $240 a year.

If you never upgrade, then you don't have a problem because you already own the previous versions.

And to all those who claim the price will go up in 6months or double in a year -- I doubt it very much -- you may not like Adobe because of CC but they are NOT stupid, and a price increase in the first year or even at the end of the first year would be stupid.

Inflationary increases once things have been going for a year or two yes -- why wouldn't they?  and why would you complain if they did?

[Phillip_M_Jones]

Many of us have Internet connection so bad they would be expensive paperwieghts. They didn't consider that many people just don't have decent Internet.

Even my Comcast Cable I am constantly having to unplug Cable and and power from Cable modem and leave unplugged for two minutes to give the cable connection time to reset. In the dead of winter at least one time a day. In hot humid days like now  sometimes 5 times a day.

[frankgrimes]

This is not a fee. This is a problem with your Comcast service. If it's that bad, there are other providers. You've said in the past thta 80% of Americans have unreliable internet, but never said where you got that number. Please elaborate so we can better understand your point.

Phillip Jones wrote:

Many of us have Internet connection so bad they would be expensive paperwieghts. They didn't consider that many people just don't have decent Internet.

Even my Comcast Cable I am constantly having to unplug Cable and and power from Cable modem and leave unplugged for two minutes to give the cable connection time to reset. In the dead of winter at least one time a day. In hot humid days like now  sometimes 5 times a day.

[quenton8]

Phillip Jones wrote:

Many of us have Internet connection so bad they would be expensive paperwieghts. They didn't consider that many people just don't have decent Internet.

Even my Comcast Cable I am constantly having to unplug Cable and and power from Cable modem and leave unplugged for two minutes to give the cable connection time to reset. In the dead of winter at least one time a day. In hot humid days like now  sometimes 5 times a day.

So if you can get enough to download the initial install and then updates every few months, you need to a short connect once a month to validate your subscription -- otherwise you run disconnected if you like.

[Guest]

Has it ever occurred to you to call your Comcast local office??? You obviously have water in a line or connection. Tell them to check at the pole. If they balk because they don't want to climb it, tell them you'll call the supervisor. I had the same problem, now fixed.

[frankgrimes]

I'm curious, too. Most I can see is $840/year. Are you including Internet costs in your $1200?

[Phillip_M_Jones]

That's only for a CS Item Then there are other  Fees for other services that go along with often necessary that would Jack it up to $100.00 per month or more.  I there was another looked at that would be needed That $39.95 and applications such as LightRoom is a Separate fee $39.95 So the $600 fee don't fly depending upon what you need.

[quenton8]

Phillip Jones wrote:

That's only for a CS Item Then there are other  Fees for other services that go along with often necessary that would Jack it up to $100.00 per month or more.  I there was another looked at that would be needed That $39.95 and applications such as LightRoom is a Separate fee $39.95 So the $600 fee don't fly depending upon what you need.

What other fees?  If you have "fees" you are already paying then you can't add them to the CC monthly costs for comparison, just keep them out of the discussion totally.  If they are "new" fees?? related to CC?? then what are they, I have seen none!

I don't see that Lightroom is an issue, I have been paying $80 every two years to upgrade, $40 a year??  not bad.

[frankgrimes]

Dennis Smith wrote:

Phillip Jones wrote:

That's only for a CS Item Then there are other  Fees for other services that go along with often necessary that would Jack it up to $100.00 per month or more.  I there was another looked at that would be needed That $39.95 and applications such as LightRoom is a Separate fee $39.95 So the $600 fee don't fly depending upon what you need.

What other fees?  If you have "fees" you are already paying then you can't add them to the CC monthly costs for comparison, just keep them out of the discussion totally.  If they are "new" fees?? related to CC?? then what are they, I have seen none!

I don't see that Lightroom is an issue, I have been paying $80 every two years to upgrade, $40 a year??  not bad.

Yeah, that doesn't make sense to me either. There are no other fees. You used to buy a disc for $X, depending on the product and if it were a new license or an upgrade. Now you buy a subscription for $600-$840 per year (personal or business).

I don't see how any other factors can change these.

[Phillip_M_Jones]

Try:https://www.acrobat.com/welcome/en/home.html

https://www.acrobat.com/sendnow/en/home.html?trackingid=JPZKQ

http://www.adobe.com/products/catalog.html?promoid=KAWQI

This is just a few. I can find more.