Can I use Creative Cloud without being connected to the Internet?

[KrisShen]

Hi Jeff, I'm on a government site working with Premiere and I am not allowed to connect my editing workstation to the internet--ever. Is there a way I can purchase and use CC without the download and activation requirements?

I found this link for CS6 and this may have been what we did for 5.5 - is there anything like this for CC?

https://exception.licenses.adobe.com/aoes/aoes/v1/t1?locale=en

I also found this link about the CLP-G licensing programming but I can't find anything else about this on your sites:

http://www.adobe.com/products/creativecloud/faq.html

Is my only workaround to install CS6 and leave it at that?

Thanks,
Kris

[Jeff A Wright]

Branching this to a new discussion.

Kris I would recommend you look into Creative Cloud for Teams.  This topic is covered in the Creative Cloud FAQ at http://www.adobe.com/products/creativecloud/faq.edu.html#cc-teams.  In specific it states:

If I work in an enterprise or government agency that restricts access to the Internet, can I use Creative Cloud?

Yes, if you are part of a large enterprise, you can work with an Adobe representative to customize a Creative Cloud solution that meets your organization's needs.  Contact your Adobe account executive to discuss deployment options.

[KrisShen]

Thanks Jeff.

A follow-up questions. If we do get CC but don't renew our subscription, will the CC project files be backwards compatible? Will my CS5.5 be able to open the CC project files?

Thanks.

[Jeff A Wright]

Kris this is also discussed in the FAQ in relation to CS6.  Please see the following:

Can the new CC applications export to CS6?

Many of the Creative Cloud desktop applications provide the ability to export files to the Creative Suite 6 version of that same application. Creative Suite 6 products are available via a perpetual software license.

Adobe plans to continue to support the ability to export to Creative Suite 6 in the applications that have that capability now.

New features added to the desktop applications after Creative Suite 6 may not be supported in the exported file, or by the Creative Suite 6 application.

Which CC applications support export to CS6?

The following applications support the ability to export to the CS6 version of the application:

• Photoshop
• InDesign®
• Illustrator
• Flash® Professional
• Dreamweaver®
• After Effects®

Applications not listed here may not support exporting to Creative Suite 6, and may not do so in future releases.

New features added to the above list after Creative Suite 6 may not be supported in the exported file, or by the Creative Suite 6 application.

[KrisShen]

Thanks, I was wondering about CS 5.5 though. That's the latest version we have. If we subscribe to CC and then cancel, will we be able to open the CC projects in CS 5.5?

[Jeff A Wright]

KrisShen it will depend one which applications you are using.  If it is Photoshop then there should not be any difficulties experienced with opening the file in CS5.5.  InDesign on the other hand need to have the file converted to the Interchange format to be opened.

I would recommend posting the specifics of your inquiries in the relevant software specific forums.

[ProDesignTools]

Hi KrisShen,

If you get Creative Cloud then you will have complete access to both the new "CC" release as well as CS6 (you can put both on the same machines)... 

And in addition to being able to go from CC to CS6 as Jeff mentioned, you can also (if/when necessary) save back your files from CS6 to CS5.5.

But regardless, there's no way that CS5.5 alone can understand all new features that came out after it shipped (which may be embedded into the file formats)...  So naturally the possibility exists of losing some information even if you use the export or backsaving techniques mentioned above.

[ProDesignTools]

Jeff A Wright wrote:

I would recommend you look into Creative Cloud for Teams.  This topic is covered in the Creative Cloud FAQ at http://www.adobe.com/products/creativecloud/faq.edu.html#cc-teams.

Note also that Creative Cloud for Teams now comes with a new utility called Creative Cloud Packager (CCP) which was created for ease of deployment within organizations. 

This recent post from the Adobe Installation & Licensing Blog is helpful reading:

  Top 5 Myths of Creative Cloud ***IT Edition***

Per Adobe's FAQ, their standard Cloud membership can now run CC apps up to 99 days without needing a connection:

"For annual members, you can use the apps for up to 99 days in offline mode. Month-to-month members can use the software for up to 30 days in offline mode"

...but if that's not enough then one further solution for individual/everyday customers would be to buy a year (or more) of Creative Cloud in advance using the prepaid 12-month membership cards...  Then no online checks would occur for a full year, after the initial (one-time) product activation took place.