I’ve highlighted some key points:
- Photoshop and Camera Raw: Photoshop CS6 (non-subscription) will remain available for sale alongside CC, and it will get free updates that add new camera support (though not new features).
- Creative Cloud: You don’t need a constant internet connection (in fact, yearly subscribers can be offline for up to 3 months at a time), and you don’t need to store your data in the cloud. If you’re really going to Antarctica for 6 months or work in a disconnected environment, please call customer service & we’ll get you taken care of. You can keep running older versions alongside the CC versions.
- Lightroom: LR5 will be included in Creative Cloud, but you won’t have to subscribe to Creative Cloud to get it (that is, you’ll be able to keep buying it via perpetual (non-subscription) license).
i hope adobe gets a bloody nose.
no way i let me force into this cloud stuff.
look at windows 8 … only idi*ts try to force their customers.
great opportunity for other companys to get some market share.
I can’t wait until there are viable alternatives to Adobe.
Let’s contact Corel Corp. and let them know we will support them if they pursue the professional market.
CS6 will be my last PS update. (And I am sure they will update ACR for new cameras for at least a year before dropping that.) So much for the thousands of dollars that I have shelled out to Adobe over the years.
[Is your objection practical (that 33 cents per day for Photoshop is just too steep) or conceptual? –J.]
you should not alway lie to us all the time faggot..
we pay much more then 33 cents in europe!!!
“Is your objection practical (that 33 cents per day for Photoshop is just too steep) or conceptual? –J.]”
Give us some credit, John. 33 cents a day is about what I’ve been paying for a perpetual license to Photoshop Standard — you know, the one that WON’T stop working if I stop paying you.
What you’re saying here is that — for the next year — we can pay exactly what we’re already paying. And then you’ll double the price.
It kind of makes the whole “Loyal Customer” spiel ring hollow.
I have to agree with Rick Popham here. This just makes me feel ill. Being completely at the mercy of Adobe’s monthly pricing structure or have my apps shut off is a seriously big brother move. Can’t skip that monthly bill in a pinch or you’re sunk. I have over 15 years of legacy files and most of the industry currently on Adobe products, so what choice do I have unless someone comes up with a viable and compatible competitor? I could understand having a choice between an ongoing monthly fee and the boxed software but the choice is gone and this is… ugh, certainly not feeling the good will, and I’m an Adobe fanboy.
With guaranteed monthly revenue rolling in and no real-world possibility of people stopping payment (their software stops working!) without a real competitor, what possible incentive does Adobe’s management have to innovate anymore? I can just hear the bean counters telling everyone it’s time to slow down, downsize the engineering staff, and just coast while the money rolls in.
Feelings aside, what about a businesses’ budget? A boxed software purchase is a capital expense. This is a rental agreement–an operating expense. Totally different budget. So the next time you’re feeling heat to keep operating expenses down, in say a recession or something, what do you do? It’s overhead, every month. And that boxed CS6 software you have isn’t going to last much past another OS update or two before it screeches to a halt. What a mess.
Just… damn. Only kick in the balls left here would be some “always on” internet connection requirement or something. Please god tell me I don’t have to always be plugged in for this to work too.
No – in fact according to the new CC FAQ, annual members will now be able to go up to 180 days offline before needing app revalidation.
http://adobe.com/go/cc_faq
For the ProDesignTools Adobe affiliate site, the CC glass is always at least half full.
Cosmo, at this point I’m willing to come out and just call ProDesignTools a bunch of shills. Any end-user who has mastered basic arithmetic and can think past the next calendar year sees that the Creative Cloud is a complete disaster.
John, did you really do the $XX/per day pricing dodge? And picked the “introductory price” to get that figure?
I used to work in retail, and that is the oldest trick in the book for misleading someone about the true price of something. You’re better than that.
You just lost a ton of respect.
[Well, I’m sorry to hear that. Let’s assume the worst case: full price for Creative Cloud Complete in a non-US market. That would cost roughly $4/day. –J.]
The question, of course, is not whether Photoshop is valuable. Just asking that is also dodging the real question with an emotional strawman.
Any professional will agree it’s valuable. The question has always been, after you’ve paid a fair price for it, how much are the upgrades worth. Now you’ve solved that problem. Everyone will pay full price for every upgrade, whether you need it, or you can afford it, or not. Or Adobe shuts you down and you don’t work.
It’s the mob. And that’s why people are upset.
Both – but it is not 33 cents per day, it is $240 per year after the first year.
[It’s both. –J.]
BTW the $9.99 intro offer is not shown on the list of available pricing.
[Thanks; we’re working to fix that. (It does show up for some people & not others.) –J.]
Hey John,
So if I understand this right, I can keep Photoshop CS6 and it will continue to get Camera Raw updates perpetually? So, when LR5 is released there will be a Camera Raw update for PS CS6 that makes it compatible with the raw engine in LR5?
Thanks,
Rob
[Yep. If we see those new feature settings in a file while opening it from LR5 to CS6, we’ll render it into memory using ACR8 with full compatibility. We just won’t show the new features. –J.]
John, which question were you answering? You said yes, but your only clarification was about Lightroom 5’s ACR to CS6 integration.
Will CS6 users receive perpetual camera and lens updates for ACR, even if our feature set is frozen at CS6 levels?
[Yes, the plan is that for as long as Photoshop CS6 is available for purchase (the time frame for which is stated as “indefinite” in the FAQ), it’ll receive updates that provide compatibility with cameras & new features (i.e. you can see them rendered) but not access to the new features (i.e. you can’t change their parameters). Let me know if that doesn’t make sense. –J.]
This is a practical matter for me. Do I have a year or two to continue my hunt for an ACR replacement, or do I need to find another developer RIGHT NOW?
more like 2 euros a day….
[It depends on the plan you’re considering. I was referring specifically to the price for Photoshop (or other individual apps) for existing customers. –J.]
I use CC in my business now and it’s useful because I use several of the available applications, but when I retire in a few years, there’s no way I’ll pay $50 a month for this just to use Photoshop. Thanks for screwing most of your non-professional customers, Adobe.
What if in my country only teams can get the CC ?
I am a freelancer and only need PS for my work.
Also – why for a cloud product I must pay a reseller ? Why can’t I buy through ADOBE’s website ?
Isn’t the whole cloud concept about not being tied to a hardware/place ?
Shame on you Adobe. We pay much more money because of paying through a local reseller – you are punishing legal users ! (and believe me there are plenty of ways for us to not pay).
Adobe has been punishing us the legal users since CS2 with the introduction of activations…
I have used Photoshop since version 3. All I use is Photoshop! I am an amateur
photographer and like digital painting. I have absolutely no need for any other adobe product! Looks like I will be using Photoshop CS6 for the rest of my life or until Adobe comes back to selling future stand alone versions of Photoshop. This is a stupid move on Adobes part. They obviously did not think this through. I bet there are thousands of people out there that use only Photoshop and have no need for any other product!
PHOTOSHOP CS6 HAS ALL THE FEATURES I NEED TO CONTINUE TO ENJOY DIGITAL IMAGING. I ONLY CONTINUED TO UPGRADE AT $169 PER YEAR TO GET THE LATEST VERSION. I WILL NOT PAY $600 A YEAR FOR SOMETHING I WILL NOT OWN!!!!!
I predict Adobe will see a great decrease in the number of customers because of the move. It may take a year or two, or a change in management, before we will be able to buy Photoshop as a stand alone again.
Hi Leon, Photoshop is not $50 a month. That is the price for Creative Cloud complete which includes the Creative Suite Master Collection, plus all the cloud services and applications (including the EDGE HTML5 authoring suite). You can get Photoshop for $9.99 per mont promo price if you’re a current CS3-CS6 user: http://blogs.adobe.com/photoshopdotcom/2013/05/answering-your-questions-about-photoshop-cc.html#JustPhotoshop
Even $20 a month for a single app is ripping us off, since we can’t keep whatever the latest version we’ve been paying for, without future upgrades. It’s $20 a month forever.
I distinctly remember adobe saying that there would be future version of cs available, now they turn around and say no, only cc will see new features. They have screwed us and have us over a barrel due to lack of competition. I want to buy the right to use the software until such time I choose to upgrade. I have ps cs6 and would love the new features, however I don’t want to sign a life long commitment to adobe.
Shame on you!!
Yes, I distinctly remember that too: a timeline linked to from this very blog.
[I don’t recall it. Can you provide a link? –J.]
Adobe has become progressively more difficult to trust throughout the years, but this is still hard to believe.
I accepted the idea of purchasing software as a download, but I sure did not see this coming, being forced to CC. I just don’t use all my Adobe software that much. It has been more of a luxury than a necessity. I have PP CS6, ID CS6, Acrobat Pro 10, LR4. Other than LR, this just may be the end for my upgrades.
I see Bridge is 64 bit but is it retina?
[Yes. –J.]
Its the forever part that I think pisses most people off. Once we are on CC we are totally at Adobe’s mercy on future pricing, with no fallback of voting not to upgrade. Yes its cheap in year 1, but that’s just a sucker move…. Personally I will not be one of those suckers… and I hope a lot of other users vote with by not signing up.
John:
I have both Photoshop CS6 and Lightroom 4. I have bought the single program Creative Cloud for Photoshop, and will buy the download LR5 when it is ready. Can I assume that the two will continue to play nice, at least for a year?
Yes. See this post from Tom Hogarty here for more details: http://blogs.adobe.com/lightroomjournal/2013/05/adobe-camera-raw-8-support-for-photoshop-cc-and-photoshop-cs6.html
There is NO WAY I will be paying you guys for a cloud subscription! CS6 is my LAST version of photoshop. I’m sick and tired of your greed and your bully tactics.
So is it true that Fonzie will be the new Adobe spokesperson???
Thanks for the updates, particularly with respect to the off-line. I’ll be away-from-Internet for 36 or 37 days next January, but doing computer work, and I’m glad to know I’ll have a workable system to do my work.
I own CS6 and LR 4.1. Regardless of the initial price, I will not enter into a software subscription that is more of a utility bill than anything else. And if I discontinue, my files are locked???? No thanks. I’ll buy LR 5 cause it’s still perpetual but CS 6 is it for me. The question is, what will Adobe do to discourage that? A year from, what will they break to force the CC subscription? And you know they will.
I have to say, this is not unexpected but to not also offer a boxed version of Photoshop is disheartening. I think Adobe’s going to regret this. Maybe not tomorrow, but in 5 years, this may seem like the day when Adobe screwed up big time and people will ask “how did this happen”? And the answer is always the same: greed.
What I don’t understand is, why, since Adobe is so sure this Cloud option is “the future”, they just don’t offer us, the customers, the choice between suscribing or not?
I mean… they say that already half a million people registered to their Cloud Creative concept… well… good for them!
What about the millions who didn’t?
Maybe they just don’t need this CC concept, because this is just, for Adobe, a marketing one that doesn’t fit very well with their customers concerns, see?
If Adobe had balls, they would offer both possibilities, for at least many years, and then, ONLY THEN, after being sure that their customers are ok with this cloudy concept, they could say: “see, we were right, the world has changed” (or not).
But now, this “forcing us toward paths no one needs in reality” is going to let traces deep in the trust we could have in that company.
Also… Adobe… come on… so many customers just don’t need to upgrade constantly their software you know?
Do you really think, when in a production business, every Photoshop user is going instantly to upgrade because you’ve put some “new things” in the app?
I know a lot of Photoshop users who only upgrade a long time after the new version is on. Because, you know… for instance… so many people just don’t need no 3D fonctions into a photo software, for instance…
But if I understood well, with your new “concept” (!!!), wether we want the new fonctions/version or not is irrelevant since we will have to pay yearly right?
This looks a lot like “forced selling” (vente forcée). I don’t know if it’s a legal concept in USA, but in France, it is: forcing some non needed paying service only to be able to use what you really buy.
I just downloaded the trial of Capture 1.
Bye bye Adobe.
[Capture 1 competes with Lightroom, which is not part of the move to subscriptions. –J.]
“Capture 1 competes with Lightroom, which is not part of the move to subscriptions. –J.”
John, I seem to recall not too long ago you commented here that in the future we’d be able to purchase perpetual licenses just like we had in the past. That wasn’t exactly true, now was it?
[I don’t recall making that statement, and I try to remain focused on the present, especially when I don’t control high-level policy decisions. –J.]
yeah sure pinoccio…. when enough customers are in the cloud adobe will start increasing the cost for the customers.
that is for sure.
but you don´t knwo about these future plans.. sure….
Looks like cs6 is the end of the Adobe line for me. Not being able to buy boxed software is a deal breaker. No way I’m spending days downloading a package.
So CC *doesn’t* require an always-on Internet connection?!
I purchased CS6 Master Collection in March because an Adobe customer service rep told me CC had to phone home once a month and wouldn’t work with our secure offline computer system.
Does this mean Adobe is now going to take InDesign’s compatibility with itself seriously?
Or does this mean InDesign is going to fracture into a bazillion different incompatible versions? Not everyone is going to continuously upgrade, and if the continuously upgraded InDesign is not going to be compatible with itself I guess I should look for alternatives. I haven’t even upgraded my CC for fear of breaking my multiple-language setup.
this guy is lying when he opens his mouth…..
You say “Photoshop CS6 (non-subscription) will remain available for sale alongside CC,” but I’ve just spent 30mins on the Adobe UK site trying to find how I can upgrade my PS5 to PS6 without any success. I’d be very grateful for a direct link.
I’m also adding my voice to those people complaining about the new subscription-only service. Adobe may be doing itself a favour in terms of providing itself a more stable & regular income, but to state that this is beneficial to the very many people who love the product but whose use of it does not justify an ongoing commitment (people like me who would upgrade every other version) is disingenuous at best. Even an annual upgrade would cost less than the monthly payment once the first year discounts cease.
I don’t have a link to their UK site, but the US store link for the CS6 product & upgrades are quite hiding on the store too. The only way I found one was by following another link to the product availability announcement in this post above. Perhaps there is a similar UK link as this.
http://www.adobe.com/products/catalog/cs6._sl_id-contentfilter_sl_catalog_sl_software_sl_creativesuite6.html?start=20
Richard, thank you very much for the information & the link – I’ve taken another stab at finding the UK alternative page and it is here https://www.adobe.com/uk/products/catalog/cs6._sl_id-contentfilter_sl_catalog_sl_software_sl_creativesuite6.html?start=10
For every negative comment here there are literally thousands of very happy users.
Personally I can’t understand any of the negative arguments.
Did anyone bother to watch the Adobe MAX keynote address ?
Very exciting stuff happening – even if we in South Africa do pay an inflated price it’s still worth it.
If you can’t manage to budget $50 a month for software (it’s your major tool!!!) maybe digital design / publishing / editing, etc, etc isn’t for you.
Woke up this morning excited by the future of digital design for the first time in many years.
Well done Adobe.
well yeah 50% of americans thought invading iraq is a good idea. and tehy votedt twice for bush.
so who cares what morons think?
adobe will increase price step by step.. lets see how good you will find that…..
Thanks so much for telling me (us) how we should manage our business. This is really kind of you since I only started in 1990 to dive into it, so you understand, I missed a lot this kind of advice.
If the solution is good for you, then… good for you!
Only, don’t try to generalize your point of view because seeing it from mine, I find yours very narrow.
“For every negative comment here there are literally thousands of very happy users.”
Yeah right! If you want to know what users think just read through the designer and photographer sites and blogs today. All you can read are classical shitstorms where more than 95% are upset and angry!
One example is this site where this news hit the all time high of (angry) posts:
http://www.dpreview.com/news/2013/05/06/Adobe-kills-perpetual-licenses-as-creative-suite-moves-to-creative-cloud-cc#comments
If only it was 50 dollar for us… We need 5 upgrades, so it’s about 300 Euros each month. (78 dollars each seat) Can we pay? Sure, do we WANT to pay? NO.
We have to pay lots of other things too, why would I want to pay a fee to use MY OWN software? And if Adobe suddenly raises the prices, we are obliged to move with them? What happens if we end the subcription? Do you know what a economic crisis is? In The Netherlands things are really bad, and software is very last on our priorities. Adobe notices that lts customers are not upgrading anymore, so they need a new direction, that is their right. What I just want, is a CHOICE, to buy a regular licence, or a cloud subscription.
We as a people are saddled with perpetual bills – cell phone – utility – cable/satellite – and more. Inflation and lack of pay increases are also a part of our existence. For many of us, photography is a hobby, an escape from the negative aspects of daily life. We wanted and used the best photographic software like Photoshop, because it was some what affordable after the initial purchase, through upgrades that were priced with the Adobe customer in mind. (same can be said for the design-video-audio customer). We are now being told, in order to continue to enjoy the best product, we need to have yet another monthly bill. Yes, we can search for comparable products, but lose the integration that we have become familiar with. Like any dealer of addicting/necessary products, we can climb aboard for a year with savings, but after that, boom, pay full price or be gone. Like a smart phone, I’m fine with paying for a stand alone product and fine for not having any type of upgrade for a year or two. The hobby that brought so much joy has now turned into another expense that in, in my opinion, didn’t need to. Especially since if Adobe wanted to, could still give us the stand alone applications, even with restrictions. I wish all the companies would cater to the lowest common denominator of their client base first and then address the affluent.
The price of renting a single app like Photoshop is simply too high. It cost over 32 dollars per month in Denmark with an annual plan.
The price of the whole Creative Cloud kinda make sense for what you get, but paying 32 dollars per month for the rest of one’s live for a single app will not do.
If you have spend some time reading the responses amongst the photo community, you would think that Adobe had just committed suicide. Adobe will have to rethink the price, sooner or later.
fuk off jack… you better don´t meet me on a con or i will tell you what i think about the asscloud.
and fuk of adobe.
Not a fan of the cloud concept. This is all about cash flow and profit margins. I currently have CS6 and will not move to a cloud version of Photoshop.
It’s not a cloud version. It’s the same application you’ve always used. Right there in your applications folder. The only change is the licence is no longer perpetual – you have to subscribe and that’s where the cloud comes in – the software checks every 90 days (not sure of the number – some say 180 days) to make sure your subscription is up to date. You renew annually – like you would if you had to buy upgrades.
Main point being that the software is on your computer. Not in the Cloud.
I think this is mostly a trust issue with Adobe. $240 per year for Photoshop is in the ballpark of upgrading the boxed version every two or so years. And if I understand correctly, I can access some CC tools like Lightroom that I do not currently own (someone please correct me if I’m mistaken). But once my files are saved in a post-CS6 format, I am at the mercy of Adobe’s plans for the future. Do I trust that they will not double the monthly rate once we’re locked in, or stop innovating as another poster has suggested? Adobe will have to work hard to win that level of trust.
I’ve been a Photoshop user for over 22 years (September, 1990) and now CS6 is the end of the road for me? How is that right?
what about using old AE or PREMIERE projects if i decide to switch to another software?
well i will tell you.. i have to pay adobe again.
today i can just install CS5 and work on my old projects.. but that will not be possible with the cloud.. not without throwing money at adobe AGAIN!!
don´t be fooled… adobe is evil!!!
John, I have always enjoyed your blog, and felt you were honestly on the users’ side. I feel sorry for you now, since you seem required to tow the company line. I fear this is testing your integrity. Clearly this new plan is not for everyone and unfortunately not me, after 20 years as a user. The issues are: being forced, not knowing future costs and TRUST. Break it once and it’s hard to get back. I hope you land OK.
Wholeheartedly agree.
Wow.
John, I salute your willingness to stick your face out there and take all the tomatoes. I know that running this blog is not part of your job description, nor is offering pablum to the masses. Your openness and honesty is refreshing in the otherwise yucky environment that is “Adobe PR”. I’m not sure where you are with all of this Creative Cloud stuff, but here’s where I am:
I’m a longtime user – since v2.5 (pre-layers, yikes!) As a result of my long reliance on Adobe software, I have the output of my entire artistic and professional career dependent on that software. In retrospect, it was perhaps naive of me to put all of my eggs in Adobe’s basket, but who ever thought this would come to pass? I can’t help but feel a low-level panic setting in as I project into the future with questions like:
– What do I do when I retire?
– How will my heirs be able to access my archives?
– Does anyone truly believe that Adobe is going to be around forever? Does anyone remember Wang or Lotus 1-2-3? Or how ’bout KODAK for god’s sake? And all those now-unreadable Kodak CD files?
– Why would I EVER choose to leave my fate in someone else’s hands?
The Creative Cloud concept is clearly a great thing for Adobe shareholders; ADBE is near an all-time high. I’m a current CC subscriber, not because it’s a good investment decision, but it’s because I have no other choice for updating my software. My other choice (…seriously considering it…) is to cancel my CC subscription and revert to CS5 and stay there. I’ve got a perpetual license for that.
This could be a B-school case study in how to alienate your primary user base. Force something on them in such a way as they (the customers) feel powerless. Think cable companies.
I need to go read some Seth Godin. I think your bosses should, too. Maybe have him come and do a seminar for the high-level gang.
Rick
I really like the “software as a service” idea. I think subscriptions will make adobe more flexible to consumer needs. But right now the creative cloud subscriptions is a pain in the ass to manage.
To manage licenses for our team I need to have to different adobe ID’s set up to two different teams one for yearly and one for monthly subscriptions. This gets even more complicated when trying to move a user from one to the other.
It seems a bit strange that no other “software as a service” company have trouble solving these problems.
I do not understand why Adobe is forcing people to embrace their competitors. I have not been happy with Adobe lately, but I had zero interest in looking for alternatives. This move will certainly create fertile ground for startups vying to replace Photoshop; one’s who would never have had a chance until now.
So, us middle-of-the road users are screwed, John? Either we downgrade to Elements (will that even still be available?) or pay out the nose. And yes, it is out the nose, in the US, for some of us.
I am a part-time photographer; I work sporadically throughout the year – sometimes my work bunched into only a couple of months. How in the world does this work out anything but lousy for me, John?
As someone who did the (very common) every-other-version upgrade, my last upgrade cost me about eight bucks a month, with that technical “monthly cost” decreasing each month. And guess what – my software will never stop working.
So with CC, what now? My monthly price is more than tripled, I need to pay whether I use the software or not (or predict when I’ll need it pretty accurately) – and if I’m not “active” when I need to access my archives, I’m screwed, because my software will be dead in the water?
I’ve feared this subscription-software concept coming full circle for years, and now it finally has, to my disgust.
I will absolutely NOT be upgrading to CC. Not now, not ever. No way am I paying $300+/app/year ad infinitum for an app that will shut off if I forget to update my credit card info.
I’m also disgusted at Adobe pushing the “social” and “cloud” buzzword BS, just following the ignorant software marketing industry in lock-step, not looking for a second at their customers besides the high-user-base powerhouses, which I guess are the only customers Adobe cares about now. Such it is with a monopoly that’s lost any benevolence for the customer.
Go figure. Adobe got it’s customer good will through the small professional; great job destroying that good will.
Let’s hope for all of our sake that this is Adobe’s New Coke and they’ll see the error of their ways.
Adobe, this is your QUARK MOMENT.
It’s not too late to go back . . .
Its too late, they have to push through at this point. They’ve already pissed off all the boxed software users, and as we’re a dying breed we don’t count in the new math since we might have skipped a version. Plus, this gives them better control over their users through lock-in (ugh), their revenue stream becomes more predictable, and the tidal wave of disgust and distrust probably couldn’t be countered by the PR department at this point anyway. They’ll expect an initial drop to be followed by a steady increase once CS6 stops working on new a new OS, or some new feature becomes desirable. Don’t think they passed this news before upgrade time on accident do ya? They’re committed.
Lucky for them they wiped out most of their competition before pulling this move. Except Lightroom of course–which has lots of competition, and it’s no surprise that was made an exemption to this subscription model. No one would go for it because there are too many choices and not enough lock-in or legacy format issues. Just turns my stomach.
I admire and believe, to some degree, in what Adobe are trying to do by packaging the entire creative process into one all encompassing solution but I have a number of issues:
1) Membership plans should either be customisable or more specifically targeted along the lines of:
– CC Design (PS, AI, ID, etc.)
– CC Web (DW, FL, FW, etc.)
– CC Video (PR, AE, AU, etc)
Currently the plan is great value for money if you plan to use a majority of the features but it needs to be more affordable to those who don’t. I would jump on board in a heartbeat if CC Design was available for $30/£30 (£25+VAT).
2) Continual Subscription (Rent) vs Perpetual License – I think the biggest issue I have is the same as many have voiced. The fact that you don’t have access to anything once your subscription ceases. Am I right in assuming that the archive copy versions of software also cease to function without a valid subscription?
One way to alleviate this concern would be to offer a perpetual license for the latest archived version of software upon completion of 1 or 2 years fully paid membership.
The collaborative elements which this approach brings are a real game changer. If Adobe truly mean what they say in their letter …
“Our plans for Creative Cloud are much greater than the applications themselves. Our vision is to remove friction from the creative process and make it more productive and connected.”
… Then you must accept that your user base is vast and for everyone to benefit from this you need to better reflect this in the pricing model. Unfortunately, as things stand you have only served to build new barriers.
I am a professional photographer. While I can easily afford to go the CC path, I really resent the corporate greed Adobe is displaying. This is how I will move forward:
– Unfortunately there is no alternative for Photoshop yet. It’s Photoshop CS5 until I’m forced to upgrade the OS for some reason. But every Euro I may spend on Photoshop in the future will be matched by a donation of equal amount to a possible competitor (probably the Gimp project, at present).
– Lightroom will no longer be upgraded. It will be replaced by the more expensive Capture One, as a political decision.
– Long term goal: an Adobe free working environment.
No way for me to place a permanent payment card on any site !
(Usually I pay once and remove the payment card immediately after the deal, as I do on i-tune or any other web shop). There is no option for this.
Adobe and many others, especially in usa, have an infinite confidence in the web and imho they should not. and the “cloud concept” is not working that well outside usa, you know.
I’ve been using Adobe products in the professional world for over ten years now and although most of the Adobe upgrades were useless – I still liked their products. At this point I don’t even care if Adobe cancels their Cloud idea. They no longer innovate and they could care less about their customers. Now to find an alternative…
No longer innovate !!
Have you even looked at what’s coming in CC ?
Amazing, amazing stuff in web dev and motion graphics.
Hardware and software innovations.
Check the Adobe MAX videos you may be pleasantly surprised.
I took your advice and looked through the Adobe max videos. They added a raw filter and camera shake to PS. The raw filter isn’t new. You could always work with RAW in PS. I can’t tell you if they camera shake filter is any good or not because it’s a YouTube video, but my experience with those kind of filters hasn’t been good in the past. Now you may want to take my advice and start learning alternative programs in case the Adobe thing doesn’t work.
The RAW filter is new. It allows you to open any image you have open in CameraRAW.
Admittedly also not a fan of the Shake Reduction Filter but these aren’t the only 2 enhancements.
CameraRAW has had massive improvements.
We have rounded rectangles with live shape function.
Behance sharing, Setting Sync, etc, etc.
Just the Camera RAW additions are worth the upgrade.
And I wasn’t only referring to PS – all the other programs have amazing new features.
I’m really excited.
I just want to add to the weight of comments. Because I’m a software writer, I actually paid full price for CS5 rather than get a Chinese copies at 20% of the price. Now, like watching a DVD, I get punished for doing it legally.
I want to buy it and own it, then it’s mine. If I don’t use it for a couple of months, who cares? I’m not going to give Adobe permission to remove money from my bank account whenever they feel like it.
I’m waiting for Adobe’s next bad decision when they make our perpetual license software worthless when their activation servers go the way of CS2 and don’t offer an alternative except the Creative Cloud.
Don’t kid yourself, folks. Adobe knew a significant percentage of its customer base would react like this; yet, they chose this path with disregard to negative customer reaction. This indifference is very telling to me, showing the company’s priorities. Obviously, they believe they will weather this storm longterm. Rather than investment centered around a broad base of customers, Adobe is putting the PR department into overdrive and betting on their higher end customer base.
I’ve read from several sources that one of the reasons Adobe has gone with CC is to avoid theft/software piracy? (I don’t believe that for a minute.) With this change, their product line has become too expensive for creative “dabblers” like me. I’ve always chosen to legally own my software, even though with each upgrade and new product packaging scheme I have increasingly felt almost like I was being held up at gun point. With CC I am asking myself, “Who is robbing whom?!” I don’t use their products every day or even every week.
Additionally, the CC creates a level of dependence with which I am too uncomfortable because trust matters immensely to me. I invest money in trust and innovation.
Until the market has had time to speak (I think I know what it will ultimately say) and Adobe has decided to listen, I bid Adobe a very sad farewell.
John, thanks for an informative blog. From time to time I’ll continue to snack on your feed.
Who can trust Adobe anymore? They keep changing their direction to justify their bottom line.
I just checked Adobe’s website and I no longer see an option to upgrade to any of the CS6 products. The only links I see are to either subscribe to their Cloud subscriptions or pay full price for individual programs or the CS6 suites.
Adode just created the perfect opportunity for other vendors to gains market share in the casual user category. I use only PS CS6 and LR4. I love LR, but I find less use these days for PS as the OnOneSoftware and Nik plug-ins work great for 99% of what a I need for pixel mashing.
I’ve been playing with Pixelmator and for $14.99, it rocks as a PSD editor.
I use Aperture 3 as a replacement for iPhoto on all of my Macs. I prefer LR, but if LR moves to the cloud, Aperture could become my workhorse.
Good luck with your pricing model Adobe.
Adobe could do two things to earn trust for its subscription model. First, make the single month and yearly subscription rates identical, so that users can access and pay for the tools as needed.
[And then we’d be crucified for not offering longer-term subscribers an even better deal. –J.]
Second, support a free file format conversion utility in perpetuity, so that an inactive user can use older software to access their files created in CC.
I’m really disappointed in the actions of Kelby et al shilling for Adobe. I find their argument for this rent-a-program insulting. I have used PS in both my job and my my side business for over a decade upgrading frequently (currently using CS6).
I guess this cloud thing invalidated my ACE certification. That’s OK because I have no intention for moving past CS6.
Whats needed is a User Revolt! The tone of this and other blogs on this subject is dissatisfaction bordering on anger.
One final note, the cottage industry for PS books will be suffering a serious hit, I can see the title for Kelby’s next book …”Photoshop CC 12014 for Photographers” Yeah I’m running out and buying it NOT.
John, I appreciate your feedback. Yes, that is the rock and the hard place. Your professional users will expect volume discounts, and your semi pros may be put off by a substantially higher cost of ownership based on their usage patterns.
Other companies with professional users are facing the same dilemma. For example, Avid has recently spun-off their hobbyist / semi-pro audio products and doubled down on their pro users. I’ve predicted that any company wanting to serve their pro community first and foremost will need to do something like this (software as a service) or risk financial challenges.
The only way to interpret this move to CC by Adobe imho is that your company is prepared to lose some hobbyist users in order to better serve your working pros, who are in a better position to justify subscription purchases.
I agree, the subscription model makes sense for professional users and not for others. It’s worth noting that Mathematica (by Wolfram) offers the home version for £200 – it is identical to the professional version (~£1500) but you are not allowed to earn money from it.
It would seem sensible from Adobe’s point of view to follow suit; they need to price it so that someone who wants to respect copyright does not get tempted into illegal copies. I write software for a living and paid Adobe their asking price, partly as an investment with a view to keeping up to date by buying ~alternate releases. Now I’m wondering how much of a sucker I was.