macOS Catalina and Adobe apps

[guyw63211410]

Hi - I'm a "newbie" here but can't seem to find a way to ask Adobe this directly. I do basic photo and video editing with Lightroom 5 and Photoshop / Premiere Elements 11 on my iMac (currently running 10.14). I've not updated the apps as have not found a need to do so (as I said, it's just basic stuff for my own use) and so can't justify the cost. 

My iMac now wants to upgrade to 10.15 (Catalina) but I read that many Adobe apps don't work on this as 32-bit support has been withdrawn.

Can anyone tell me which (if any) of these apps are likely to work with Catalina and, for those that will not work, what my options are to have a working environment again.

Many thanks

Guy

[John T Smith]

NO 32bit program will work on Catalina, and Adobe is not going to update old programs

https://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/fix-macos-64-bit-compatibility-errors.html

[Test Screen Name]

So, to be very clear: you can have a shiny new Catalina system (and buy all new apps), or you can have the old apps on an old system. When you buy a new Mac, eventually, you will have to buy new apps, as it will not run old systems.

[Test Screen Name]

Thank you for asking by the way. We have a steady stream of people in the forums that did not ask, and are probably regretting it now!

[guyw63211410]

Many thanks, John T Smith & Test_Screen_Name. Not good news that purchased apps stop working after a while (I like to keep my OS up to date for security reasons, but guess I will need to stop that process now). I wonder if Apple/somebody (Crossover, perhaps?) will bring out an emulation environment for 32 bit apps.

[Test Screen Name]

" Not good news that purchased apps stop working after a while" But very much the way it has always been if you upgrade your system. What has changed is that there is a more urgent need to upgrade, because of the hackers. Ironically, therefore, the hackers are helping the rest of the software industry make a profit. You should mean in mind that there is MUCH more to Catalina's changes than just the 32/64 bit thing. Most 64 bit apps aren't going to install either. The 32/64 bit thing is just the headline because it's the only part most journalists could understand.

[guyw63211410]

Oh dear - that doesn't sound very like the Apple "we know and love." Generally things continue working well pretty well indefinitely... Definitely need to hold back on the upgrade then.

[Test Screen Name]

I guess you haven't been using Macs as long as some of us. Apple do this sort of thing often. I have worked through at least 3 complete "throw your old apps away" moments with Mac OS, perhaps more. In the industry, Apple are considered pretty poor at this, compared to Microsoft (whatever else you might think of their respective products, Windows apps mostly just keep going).

[Klaus Göbel]

I don't use Mac, but I have some hope for you:

https://medium.com/adobetech/estk-and-macos-10-15-catalina-cbcc30300918

Read the VSCode-part. That doesn't cover all capabilities of ESTK, but it may help you.

[guyw63211410]

Thanks, Klaus. I don't really understand it (VERY basic user of Elements and Lightroom), but hopefully it points to Adobe trying to find ways for things to keep working...

[guyw63211410]

Incidentally, I don't suppose Adobe will be offering inexpensive upgrades to 64-bit versions of their apps for people like me using Photoshop / Premiere Elements, etc., who can't justify buying software over again at normal price? Would be a great gesture and a way to keep people in the Adobe fold...

[Test Screen Name]

I fear that the post about ESTK was posted in the wrong place. It's a tool used by people doing advanced stuff with Creative Cloud, not the Elements apps. Upgrades are available for something like a 20% discount, I believe. Adobe really do expect people to buy upgrades once a year to stay current. It's almost like a subscription, but you have the choice to not upgrade (and hence, not get new important features). The most important new feature here is "running on Catalina". The mistake made by many people is to think that kind of new feature is different from other new features... while Adobe particularly like that kind, I imagine.