Adobe moves to Creative Cloud, Cancels Creative Suite

[Wesley Byram]

No, it makes pirating easier. Local copy of a fake activation server you have the software ping once every 30 days?

Done.

Indeed that probably would work for now, if a pirate patch that simply disables the license check were impossible for whatever reason. It's worth looking at the games industry for an idea of where this sort of arms race is headed. Already, we're seeing games that don't just call home regularly to check that the license is valid. Some games actually have necessary executable code missing from the customer's copy. That code is run on the server side and without it, the game can't fully function.

It's very difficult to pirate something like that, but of course, a constant Internet connection is required to make it work. I doubt Adobe will go that far yet, as requiring an uninterrupted connection is asking a lot of the customers, and many wouldn't go for it. In a few years, however, when enough users are locked into CC.....

 

[awelgraven]

Yeah, but if you look at the torn apart wasteland that is the music industry today, I can't say I would want to go that route if I was a visual media executive. The music folks USED to love their power and money machine, now it is .$99 downloads and Facebook fans.

True, but you certainly can't blame iTunes for that. What you can blame is a music industry that refused to embrace new technology, and then got left in the dust by piracy. If the music industry had embraced legal downloading solutions earlier, I don't think the industry would be such a mess today. Instead, those chose to hamper any/all solutions with complex DRM restrictions that made it harder to play the music you bought.

The Creative Cloud approach can make sense for some people or businesses. But it makes zero sense for others. And Adobe killing off CS line in one fell swoop and replacing it with a one size fits all Creative Cloud approach is foolish.

 

[Bruce Watson]

...but to see if it makes them more money in the long haul.

When has a company in the USA ever been able to see past the current month? There's not a CEO in this country who can even say the words "long haul" let along understand the concept.

If you want long haul, you have to look to the Europeans or the Japanese (who really understand it) and large parts of Asia. Just sayin'.

Anyone know of a decent NLE from Japan that can work in English? Might be interesting, that.

 

[ggrantly]

Except that's not true. You have a full year to upgrade when a new version comes out...it doesn't happen automatically.

Sort of. The issue here isn't necessarily auto updates, usuallly you can turn that off. And this isn't just an Adobe issue. For years, one of the lesser appreciated features on the mac was compatibility of legacy applications. Now, with security updates by the week that include "other" updates, you have to be really careful. On one hand you feel compelled to install security updates, but cringe when you do since there are so many unintended consequences. Long term compatibility of expensive software is compromised and can kill you working out the kinks. I now have three different unique boot drives to accommodate this issue. In particular, the printing world is highly effected by this. Many of the more expensive and specialty apps don't keep up with system software quickly and are often behind by a half or full generation. In the case of Adobe, they tend to release stuff before it's ready; full of bugs. Once you do an upgrade, thats it baby, no going back. Just live with it. I have railed at Adobe on numerous occasions about this and the reps just "can't believe" that I'm having issues. Just try to make a form in Acrobat 9+ on the mac and you'll begin to understand. In my CAD business, Acrobat often fails to display elements on a page. Yet they want to sell me an upgrade to Acrobat 10 for a couple of bones crowing about all the great improvements. Barry is exactly correct about NEVER updating an app in mid-project. That can just be suicidal.

This isn't just an Adobe issue, but industry wide we are losing control over our software and the likely result will be more incompatibility hassles.


Grant

 

[adkimery]

When I upgraded from CS-5 to CS-6 I paid $525. Master Collection.
Plus there was about two years between 5 and 6.

Are you sure you went from 5 and not 5.5? The 5.5 to 6 upgrade is $525 and the 5 to 6 upgrade is a $1050.

 

[Bruce Watson]

The $50 a month is $600 a year. Upgrading the master collection every year was $999. It was $399 cheaper to go CC. Its just one of those silly "doing the math" things.

I agree to doing the math. I upgraded from CS5 Production Premium to CS5.5 for I think $375 in the six week window after CS6 was announced but before it shipped. So basically I skipped CS5.5. I did this because CS5.5 didn't offer enough bang for the buck. So basically, I was giving Adobe $375 every 36 months (skipping a version; I never bothered to download CS5.5).

With the CC "upgrade" I would be spending $375 every 7.5 months. Looked at another way, CC is a price increase for me of 4.8x. Lets say that again -- 4.8x. That's a whopping huge price increase. Even the health insurance companies don't have that level of chutzpa. And before you say it, all I need, all I use, is PPro, AE, AME, AU, PS, and EN. I would never even download the rest. Yet Adobe insists on the Adobe Tax to force me to support those tools I won't be using? Um... no.

So there's my version of that "silly 'doing the math' things". Does that give you a clue how some of the rest of us see it?

 

[refocusedmedia]

Here's a little break for everyone:

 

[mtan]

I really don't think most people upgraded the Master Collection every year, many people don't even need the whole Master Collection to begin with. We have CS5 at my workplace and I doubt it will be upgraded any time soon. Of course they will have most companies by the gonads with this and force them to do the CC in order to keep the necessary tools. They will loose a lot of small business and individuals though in the process.

 

[hscully]

that's freakin' hilarious...Bruno Ganz... sign us up

 

[ethan cooper]

-- How can I invade Russia with rented software? --

Take a deep breath everyone, I don't think this will be the end of Adobe or the creative world.

 

[Samuel H]

Where do you people find those prices? $375 for an upgrade of Production Premium, and $525 for a Master Collection upgrade? I'm not in the US, and I know here it is more expensive, but a quick google search for the American prices gives me much higher numbers than those!

In any case, what's clear is that this pricing change will benefit some users, and it will hurt others. I guess those for whom the CC is a good option could already take it before, but also that all these complaints come from those who will be hurt by the move.

 

[Hidef1080]

Are you sure you went from 5 and not 5.5? The 5.5 to 6 upgrade is $525 and the 5 to 6 upgrade is a $1050.

You're right. 5.5 to 6 was $525.

I still cannot get pass 'the stop paying and you have nothing to work with' nature of it all.

At this point either some other company or open source group will step in/up or I will need to make some changes.
Whatever happens in the next year or so I cannot in my heart, mind or bank account support the Adobe model.

 

[Gary Huff]

At this point either some other company or open source group will step in/up or I will need to make some changes.
Whatever happens in the next year or so I cannot in my heart, mind or bank account support the Adobe model.

I am having a blast with Creative Cloud, but I think that, in a show of solidarity with my "perpetual license" brethren, that I may just get CS6 and stay there until those whole thing shakes out.

My CC subscription expires next month.

 

[Hidef1080]

I am having a blast with Creative Cloud, but I think that, in a show of solidarity with my "perpetual license" brethren, that I may just get CS6 and stay there until those whole thing shakes out.

My CC subscription expires next month.

You ROCK brother!!!
Power to the People!!

 

[adkimery]

Where do you people find those prices? $375 for an upgrade of Production Premium, and $525 for a Master Collection upgrade? I'm not in the US, and I know here it is more expensive, but a quick google search for the American prices gives me much higher numbers than those!

From Adobe.com.

I am having a blast with Creative Cloud, but I think that, in a show of solidarity with my "perpetual license" brethren, that I may just get CS6 and stay there until those whole thing shakes out.

My CC subscription expires next month.

That's funny Gary because my CC intro rate expires next month and I was thinking about getting the CS6 Produciton Premium upgrade (I have CS5.5 PP) and letting my CC lapse. The kicker for me though is I was really looking forward to the upgrades in the next version of Pr and the big over haul to Speed Grade.


-Andrew

 

[Gary Huff]

That's funny Gary because my CC intro rate expires next month and I was thinking about getting the CS6 Produciton Premium upgrade (I have CS5.5 PP) and letting my CC lapse. The kicker for me though is I was really looking forward to the upgrades in the next version of Pr and the big over haul to Speed Grade.

Exactly. I am so pumped about the new Pr and what Speed Grade could become...but, yeah, might do exactly what you said.

 

[Bassman2003]

It is not an internet event until the bunker footage rolls out! Great stuff.

 

[gregpen]

Brilliant!

 

[gregpen]

Adobe really screwed us large universities and enterprise customers. We (my workplace) bought a volume license (CLP) plus Maintenance for 30 machines, which was supposed to cover our upgrades for 2 years. Now Adobe got out of it by canceling the SKU and moving to CC. We just got bent over by Adobe. Our vendor had no answer other than "Adobe canceled the maintenance SKU."

 

[keylight]

I know you can't go from CS6 Design Premium to CS Master Collection (which is just plain stupid), but does anyone know for certain whether or not CS6 Design Premium and CS6 Production Premium can work together with all the dynamic linking?

So if you're on CS5.5 and upgrade to CS6 Design Premium and CS6 Production Premium separately, the cost is $750 and you get exactly what's in CS6 Master Collection (well, plus an extra PS and IL). But to buy CS6 MC costs $1050.