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Eugen_Something
Participating Frequently
January 8, 2013
Answered

Is Photoshop CS2 free after all or no joy?

  • January 8, 2013
  • 6 replies
  • 142815 views

Hello, ive been a long time photoshop user, i believe pre cs2, i imediatelly liked this piece of software since the first day i used it, it was easy to use, intuitive with a set of powerfull features that would speed up my image developments, i used it at school design classes and even 1 month at an ads printing company. At home i could definitly use it to create high quality sprites for my software and since i never really had 850€, once i stumbled across this information you can understand i was thrilled by it, i stumbled accross this info from a fb post, then read some other websites over a google search specyfing the same so i took the plunge and downloaded it.

Now that i came here to triple check, im hinted it might not be free after all, could i please get a definitive answear by someone who works or represents adobe if this piece of software is indeed legal to be used free or not?

Thank you for your time everyone.

      This topic has been closed for replies.
      Correct answer Jeffrey_A_Wright

      Silence means consent. Cs2 is free for everyone.


      Please see http://forums.adobe.com/message/4919014#4919014?sdid=KCHDS where this topic has been discussed.

      6 replies

      L
      lorimacinnis
      Participant
      February 9, 2016

      soooo frustrating....I have the original CS2 install disks, which I can not reinstall with their seria l # provided for the "free" activation from the adobe site. One error after the other for the last year trying to trouble shoot this CS2bullshit...i'm pulling out my hair.

      "

      bobsadobeid
      bobsadobeid
      Participant
      February 2, 2016

      When Adobe were issued a license for this software, the terms of the license includes the time limit for its saleability (how long before it was replaced) and the time they are prepared to support it after it becomes redundant.  Once they declare it "no longer supported", most of the terms of license become redundant also!.  As long as you use it for your own use, without modification in any way, or offer it for sale or rent, the only action the distributor can take is to make it no longer available. These rumours of Adobe keeping it available for people who have a license are RUBBISH, the license is no longer valid anyway, that's what NO LONGER SUPPORTED MEANS!.

      A
      Anonymous
      May 19, 2014

      Why are they openly issuing the serial key if it were only for those who purchased it ?  I mean they could have provided some special login method for it ?

      R
      RKG456
      Participant
      December 18, 2013

      So was this ever hashed out as to if CS2 is free? The link in the Jan 8th 2013  statement by Jeff Wright is a long thread that i went through and it mainly covers addressing the instalation and activation issues. With all of the inquiries of folks directly asking Adobe to address this very simple question all see to have been dodged. There are still Facebook posts and articles that are spread around that get everyone thinkng CS2 is now free, with some supplying updates that say maybe not but not sure etc.

      The only official line I can find from Adobe on this is "While this might be interpreted as Adobe giving away software for free, we did it to help our customers."  This does not actaully seem do counter the claims that CS2 is now free.

      I doubt that I would use the software so I would most likly not try to grab it, but I know persons that would if they thought it was for free, and I would like proof to try and deter them from breaking any laws.

      Even in this thread there are many folks making claims and good dialogs for their interpriting that the software does now appear to be free, as there is no clearly posted disclaimer from Adobe stating otherwise. Please Adobe, make a statement, if it is not free / legal to use the unsupported CS2 installers / software if you didn't previously own a license, then state that fact so that it IS obvious.

      Change the line of "While this might be interpreted as Adobe giving away software for free, we did it to help our customers." to be clearer, to something such as " Note: This move is to assist in the reactivation of legally licensed purchases of the CS2 software line that is currently unsupported and no longer able to be activated as it was originally designed. This does not mean that the software is now being given away for free."

      That would be clear and simple and as easy as chagning a single line of text on the download page that anyone with an Adobe ID can access.

      kglad
      Community Expert
      kgladCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      December 18, 2013

      darren88 explained it clearly and accurately in message 2. 

      everyone else (expositing information counter to that statement) is playing the role of internet lawyer trying to justify software theft.

      alansky1
      alansky1
      Participating Frequently
      May 2, 2016

      The CS2 situation is obviously ambiguous rather than clear-cut. This being the case, it is ridiculous for anyone to jump to the conclusion that downloading CS2 without a previously-purchased license is "software theft". Some people feel all warm and fuzzy inside when they think  they occupy the moral high ground; but often as not, it's just their imagination.

        D
        Darren__
        Participating Frequently
        January 8, 2013

        It is categorically not free.  It is for people who already own it to reinstall it as the activation servers are down.

        It's been widely misrepresented because blogs, even the really big new site ones, just repost other people's content without fact checking it.

        There appeared to be a suggestion that Adobe would let it go but this has not materialised and the most recent official statement is:

        "Effective December 13, Adobe disabled the activation server for CS2 products and Acrobat 7 because of a technical glitch. These products were released over 7 years ago and do not run on many modern operating systems. But to ensure that any customers activating those old versions can continue to use their software, we issued a serial number directly to those customers.  While this might be interpreted as Adobe giving away software for free, we did it to help our customers."

        G
        ginopilot
        Participating Frequently
        January 8, 2013

        It's not that easy. It's free for download. No indication, limitation, warning, ecc. is on the download page.

        Adobe, we have a problem.

        D
        Darren__
        Participating Frequently
        January 8, 2013

        Actually I counter checked the license terms during installation. The following paragraphes are part of the license terms:

        "THE SOFTWARE MAY INCLUDE PRODUCT ACTIVATION AND OTHER TECHNOLOGY DESIGNED TO PREVENT UNAUTHORIZED COPYING. THE ACTIVATION TECHNOLOGY MAY PREVENT YOUR USE OF THE SOFTWARE IF YOU DO NOT FOLLOW THE ACTIVATION PROCESS DESCRIBED IN THE SOFTWARE AND DOCUMENTATION."

        and


        "2. Software License. If you obtained the Software from Adobe or one of its authorized licensees and as long as you comply with the terms of this agreement, Adobe grants you a non-exclusive license to use the Software in the manner and for the purposes described in the Documentation, as further set forth below. See Section 14 for specific provisions related to certain components.

        2.1 General Use. You may install and use one copy of the Software on up to the Permitted Number of your compatible Computers;

        [...]"

        This is the standard Adobe license terms. Especially the Section 14 does not contain any mention of restriction due to the download version and their keys. At no point in the license terms is a mention about the need to have purchased a prior version in order to be able to use the "free" CS2 version.

        People have obtained both, the software and the keys through an Adobe web page (which is still up and reachable), which does not contain any further mentions about any license term changes.

        According to this, and the license terms shown during installation, the fact that people access the Adobe download page to download both, the software and the keys, makes the software legal. Unless they change the terms and/or restrict the access to the downloads + key, there's nothing they can do about this.


        It doesn't specifically mention serial keys so I've just run the PS install to see what they define software as:

        "all of the information with which this agreement is provided"

        So I suppose it hinges on whether the keys being on the same page means they're provided with the agreement or whether that's considered to be providing them separately.  I would never assume legal language means what a normal person would think it means.

        I'm still not bothering with it myself.  It's not worth the slightest chance of losing access to my bought software over.

        E
        Eugen_SomethingAuthor
        Participating Frequently
        January 8, 2013

        What i meant by someone who works at adobe, i didnt meant to exclude moderators or administrators of this forum, a reply from 1 of them is far more than welcome and wanted

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