Adobe refuses to sell their products!!! We have to just RENT them now? [2013]

[Renato_Cillero]

Why won't Adobe sell it's products any longer? If I pay Adobe the monthly subscription for 12 months and then have a poor couple of months financially and need to cut costs, then I loose all rights to use Adobe products installed. Or if I pay you this monthly fee, and Adobe has financial issues, ie the GFC, and it goes bankrupt and closes down, then bad luck all the thousands of Adobe subscribes, you no longer have a product to use. This makes about as much sense as a kick in the head. What happened to looking after your valued customers that have purchased your products from the early days when Adobe actually valued it's clients? Sure give us the option of a monthly subscription, but some don't want to rent your product. We would actually prefer to buy them and own it. Some of us give their older versions of photoshop to our kids to learn and hey maybe one day when they leave school and work in the creative world because of that old version of photoshop dad gave them, end up buying the latest version of adobe CS for themselves. But if I rent it, well bad luck, only I can use it on my computer (One user at a time) and too bad everyone else in my household. Mmm, to say I'm disappointed with Adobe would be an understatement. More like disgusted. So much for loyalty and valued clients. If Adobe refuses to sell me their products well I guese I'll just have to look for an alternative, or keep using my older versions which I purchased and own. Good bye Adobe, Whenever you are ready to start selling me your products, I'll start listening again.

[D Sam Hartman]

While what you say seems totally reasonable, the elephant in the room (and thread title) is the 'renting' of software. In what industry anywhere do people rent their tools? Software is NOT a service, it's a tool. I use it to craft things that make me money. This whole old-software-can-now-be-cloud hoopla across the industry is such bunk. It's a total bastardization of the original 'cloud' concept.

Cloud works for chrome books because the apps are html based and free. Cloud works for storage because that actually IS a service.

To me, it's obvious we'll see development stagnate when adobe isn't forcing increments of new versions every 1.5 years in order to satisfy stock holders. Also, it's obvious this profit shceme will plateau once/if everyone gets on board, and we'll promptly see some bs 'CCpro' version with mission critical stuff in it, in order to further bilk us.

This company made 1 billion in profit in 2012 doing it the old way. Just cry me a river about pirates and less volatile stock price through steady profit.

[D Sam Hartman]

now that GIMP can do 16-bit channels and the open source nature of it, that's probably the safest bet for legal work, but it's still going to feel incredibly well.. gimped.. comparatively. For print however, GIMP just can't hang, as it doesn't have (true) cmyk support.

but as noel stated, (hopefully) cs6 will be available for a while to come. stick with it for the short term (1-2 years) with an eye on what's next.

[CSIPHOTOG1969]

Unfortunately, it will depend on hardware purchases... when agencies buy new cameras (whose RAW files won't be supported) six months or a year from now, CS6 will be effectively obsolete (unless a RAW converter like DxO Optics Pro is added to the workflow). Given the limited range of adjustments which can be made on forensic photos, programs such as GIMP or Corel products are quite capable.

My personal rig is a quad-core with Win8 and CS6 Primiere Pro bundle (with Lightroom 4.4 for print) for my Nikons... although I'm getting ready to switch to Canon 6Ds. I don't have the money to pay the monthly for what I need. My agency has Photoshop/CS2, and was preparing to upgrade when they upgraded cameras. Needless to say, things are now up in the air as the budget won't support the subscription cost. We're already using an alternative to Acrobat.

I suspect most governmental agencies will be gone from Adobe in their next iteration of hardware/software... since I expect there are some developers hard at work to fill the gap left by Adobe -comparable software out within a year, I'll bet. Adobe's decision just made competing with CS/CC not only possible, but profitable.

[Noel Carboni]

CSIPHOTOG1969 wrote:

when agencies buy new cameras (whose RAW files won't be supported) six months or a year from now, CS6 will be effectively obsolete

Wrong.  Have you read the FAQ?  Adobe is going to continue to provide new camera support to Photoshop CS6 through Camera Raw 8.x updates.

-Noel

[pigulici]

Well, initial statement was that CC it the way, the rest will be cast, but after our cry, they tell now that CC it is th way, like before, but the CS6 it will be for sale for a time(only digital),with no update, and CC will require to have internet for DRM verification only once in 30days...well I pay a rent for power, for home, I understand that, but I don't have to learn each day(for years now) how to use power/home, at PS6 I will pay the rent and still have to learn each day;I have many games on steam,I like the idea of automatic online updates, but those are games , I don't make a living form that,the internet it is not too reliabel even in USA/EU, the new CC add too much possible problems which I can control/prevent myself...c'mon Adobe, I see you put your hand in my wallet but at least lie to me nice, don't just spit on my face...

[Noel Carboni]

pigulici wrote:

Well, initial statement was that CC it the way, the rest will be cast, but after our cry, they tell now that CC it is th way, like before, but the CS6 it will be for sale for a time(only digital),with no update

Maybe we're having trouble with terminology, here, but they most certainly did NOT say "with no update". 

And there has been no change in strategy after "our cry" that I'm aware of.  Adobe planned to continue selling and supporting Photoshop CS6 all along.

There will be no new features, perhaps, but in fact Adobe specifically DID say that they would be providing new camera support via Camera Raw 8 (I know for a fact this is true - I have personally run Camera Raw 8.1 with Photoshop CS6), and they stated (without promising) that they would try to make sure it works with the next new operating system releases from Apple and Microsoft.

pigulici wrote:

I don't make a living form that,the internet it is not too reliabel even in USA/EU,

It is completely bogus to imply Creative Cloud subscription software is not usable because of Internet problems.  Half a million people have subscribed to the Creative Cloud already (including myself).  Don't you think there would be more posts with the sentiment "I can't use my Adobe software because the Internet went down" posts if that were any kind of significant problem?

Clearly, pigulici, you have been offended by your perception of what Adobe has done - I respect that, and I'm not going to change your impression (I'm not trying) - but spouting emotionally-driven misinformation doesn't help anyone here.

-Noel

[pigulici]

Well, I feel "offended" when I feel blackmailed; I don't "spouting emotionally-driven misinformation", I just read between the lines all Adobe has communicated and I concluded all that(I don't wanna be another iSHEEP);also "Half a million people have subscribed to the Creative Cloud already", that it is bad, because a lot of people use Photoshop,it is like Windows in OS enviroment, it is a monopoly, if I say at my client I edit the image in gimp or corel it is look at me with a strange look,if I say with Photoshop, oh yes, instant he look at me"o yeah, good job", in fact the editing image becomes synonymous with photoshoping image(like it was with make photocopy a paper become xerox a paper), so 500k it is verry little, I think the most people think "let's wait and see for next 1-2 years", myself I think "what don't kill me, make me stronger", I usually learn/read something about PS functionality 30min each day, today it is the second day in which I added 30min of learn/read something about Gimp functionality(it is not easy, at least at my age...), so after 1-2 years I will have the ability to choose(I see the ability to choose like this: to be able to make same editing at same spend time at same quality output in at least 2 different software)...my 2c...and I have 15years of working in PS(I invested not only money, but time too in PS,I even buyed the Clasroom  Course on paper)...

[Phillip_M_Jones]

As Gordon Gecko in Wallstreet put so susceintly. "Greed is a Good thing" This applies well to companies such a Adobe. Who cares nothing of its customers. Only the almight Dollar.

[CSIPHOTOG1969]

Noel, as a matter of fact, I did. I also read a number of interviews and statements. Yes, they plan on providing the CameraRaw 8 update, but they have also stated that will be the last one provided to CS6. So, yes, 8 will be available, but after that they will not support CS6. Cnet had a great interview, as well as some good commentary on this.

The "support" is for a limited time (and one last Camera Raw edition), and updates for CS6.5 will be CC-only (that includes bug fixes). Perhaps you should read a bit more. They specifically said support is for a limited time to make the transition easier for those who just bought CS6, but that it is only for a LIMITED time.

[Guest]

We use Adobe tools because they are a comprehensive package of products that work well.

We can depend on them.

When Adobe did this stunt, for those of us that have been using Adobe products since the mid 90's, this was a rude awakening to the fact that the world we thought we could depend on, was in flux and it's being driven, not by the commuity that depends on this software but on the money people in corner offices that probably don't even use the software.

I agree with this shift in public opinion about Adobe and I think people WILL start trying to find other programs. Finding comparable alternatives is going to be tough and it's going to take time. For such a massive group of people to change how they work and where they intellectually congregate, there has to be a shift in what is available; we'll all have to move together for it to work...

Our shop is willing to put Adobe on hold for a couple of years while using CS6 but after that, if nothing has fallen in place, I worry that the technology gap will start to appear and we'll be pressed to fall in line. However, at this point, Adobe won't get our money for a couple years. That's 3 licenses of CS6. 

Corel Suite is a sizeable package but I just don't see them as a viable alternative. Unfortunately, as it becomes apparent that our community is looking for alternatives, I think Adobe will start to take aim at smaller companies (buying them up) in order to corner the market even more. That would leave the open source community to offer a solution.

If all that fails to materialize, I think this move, by Adobe, really hurt us as a community. While users making money using this software will conform, the "little guy," that isn't making a good enough living producing work using this software, will be hurt the most.

My greatest hope is that the Open Source community stands up, marches forward and fills this gap. Just as open source standards replaced Adobe Flash I hope alternatives can give us something useful. Take that Adobe.

Even if Adobe changes it's mind, this might be helpful to see what life might be like without Adobe. Perhaps...

[John T Smith]

Please note... this reply is not specific to one person, I just clicked on the last message as a starter

About changing computers and OS versions... I build my own (this computer June 2010) so as long as I can buy hardware that will work with Win7 (or, maybe, Win8 that I have in a drawer) I will just build a new computer when the one I am using stops working, and keep on with the same OS that I now use (wife uses Win8... so I know that once past the new start screen, it works very much like the Win7 I use)

With that same OS, the CS5 Master Collection I have does everything I need... and several programs that I never use... so I have absolutely NO need for the Cloud

I don't know if I would have upgraded the Adobe software I have in the future, but I know that I will NOT rent software... I am not a business, so no income to offset the monthly cost of the Cloud

[yesIreadit]

I have been using Adobe products since they were Macromedia, I have bought most web and art versions of all programs. I spend half my time in hospital and can use whatever I want on a laptop.

I don't have internet access in hospital

So for me CC is just not possible.

Also, sometimes I am unable to use a computer for a month or two at a time.  Also, I am on limited income.

So Adobe is basically pricing out individuals in favour of companies and large users.

Great for them , but maybe not. See how many users they have in a years time.  Not me for sure.

Goodbye Adobe, not nice to know you.

[Spannernick]

Cool Edit Pro and Macromedia were bought by Adobe, they were never Macromedia, I still use Cool Edit Pro 2.1 and used Flash before they bought it, Macormedia apps were on a Mac originally that's why they have Mac in there name.
I would not mind subscribing if the product was yours at the end of it, the model there using is a Subscription Service model, like a TV service, like Netflix, its like if PlayStation rented there games only, it would not work, users want to own them too so should have a choice too, I think Microsoft tried that and it cause a backlash againt them and they had to revese it.
If you subscribe you are trapped in it for a whole year at £20 a month(PS) so end up paying £240 and no app is yours at the end of it if you leave so no wounder users are looking for hacked versions of there software, it there fault, they made it this way.
This model is for the US FAT Cats with money, Adobe(its spanish for house or home, weird) never thing anyone with no money would use there products, I use a old version of PS and use on my website and that and get on money for it because most of the things I made are free for non commercial use, maybe Adobe should think about that, but its all to do with money with them money is first, that's all that matters, once your dead it will not matter. "They say, you can't take it with you when you go, Phil Collins" do Adobe want there legacy be know for renting there apps only and not give the customer a choice to buy or rent, I bet hacked versions of there sofware has now risen but thats there own fault
or uses will look eleswhere and download older versions that work on the own, before CC, I have Photoshop on CD in its box so it was sold at one time and I still use it, Photoshop looks like Deluxe Paint on the Amiga, it has the same toolbar on the left.