Has anyone removed Adobe CC completely from their PC?

That may be the case, but you can't exclude other products, some of which also appear to be used by professionals. People may try testing a number of products and go for one that may differ to the one you, or I may prefer. I'm not saying avoid trying out other products, more (at least for the moment) that you're in an ecosystem which works for you and continues to be updated.
 
Yeah, I'm just pointing out the folly of cutting out expenses to save money without considering whether the services provide are actually worth more than they cost. BTW, my internet service is on a subscription basis and and I could save some money if I cancelled and used public wifi at Starbucks instead. My electricity is on a subscription basis too. I could get solar panels and batteries to save even money. And TextEdit came free with my Mac, so why waste money on Word? iMovie is also free, so why buy any NLE? :)
 
Surely you jest. If not, then your needs are quite different than 99.9% of professionals I work with. There is no way in hell that the Media page in Resolve can even scratch the surface of what we use Bridge for. NOT EVEN CLOSE. I'm not saying your statement isn't true for however you choose to do get things done, but you are fooling yourself if you think the two programs have anything in common.
 
Doug Jensen said:
I use it to manage, sort, organize, copy, batch name, preview, and delete just about every kind of file on my computer -- not just visual assets -- without actually opening them. It is my main filing and organization system for everything. I'll admit that there's probably nothing you can't do with Bridge that you can't do some other way if you jump through enough hoops, but is is the speed and efficiency of Bridge that makes it an essential tool for anyone who values their time.

When I'm looking for a particular graphic, Photoshop file, image, or song on my computer, and I find it in Bridge, I can just drag and drop it right into Premiere. I can highlight a thumbnail and click my SPACE BAR and view the image full-screen. I can then use the arrow keys to go to back and forth through all other images in the same folder to see them full-screen too.

Here's an example from yesterday: I shot about 200 wildlife RAW stills with my A1. First thing I did when I got home was to use Bridge to navigate to the memory card. In about 2 minutes I previewed (full-screen view) all 200 shots and got rid of about 150 of them just by hitting the delete key when I saw one I didn't want to keep. The previews are instantaeous with no loading or waiting. And there's no confirmation messages after deleting or other BS to slow me down. It is great to use the arrow buttons to go back and forth between two similar shots and choose the one I like best and hit the delete key to get rid of the other. Kind of like an eye doctor asking you which prescription you like better. You can't do that so fast and easily with any other program that I am aware of.

After I cut the number of images down to 50 potentially good ones, I then ingested them to my SSD. Then I used Bridge to batch re-name them to identify the shoot and location. Then I imported just those 50 images into Lightroom for actual photo processing.

That's just one example. You have to use it yourself to really see how it can speed up and organize everything you do on your computer with all kinds of file types, including PDFs, DOCs, Keynotes, etc.. And I'm sure I'm only scratching the surface of how a power-user uses Bridge.
Click to expand...
This thread has been de-railed enough.... and maybe I'm totally missing out or not understanding this post or some others...but I can use Finder on my Mac very quickly for all that.
I don't want to get into a "my workflow is better or faster than your workflow" argument... I'll just say, that as someone who started with Adobe and AVID and older now extinct systems, I can't imagine ever going back.
 
markfpv said:
This thread has been de-railed enough.... and maybe I'm totally missing out or not understanding this post or some others...but I can use Finder on my Mac very quickly for all that.
I don't want to get into a "my workflow is better or faster than your workflow" argument... I'll just say, that as someone who started with Adobe and AVID and older now extinct systems, I can't imagine ever going back.
Click to expand...
What difference does it make if the thread drifts off the original question? That's what forums are for. Asking how he'll replace Bridge if he removes Adobe entirely from his machine seems a logical question to ask. And so far, I've heard of no worthy alternatives. Especially when Bridge is free.

If you don't use Bridge then you are not really in a position to know how it compares to Finder, are you? Well, take it from me, someone who uses both on a daily basis, I can assure you that they have very, very little in common. Finder can't do 1/10th the stuff Bridge can do. I'm not saying you should start using Bridge if you don't want to, but I'm saying your ignorance of the differences is obvious to anyone who uses Bridge in their workflow. How can you say A is better or the same as B if you've only used one of them?
 
Last edited:
At this point, I'm about to get a subscription for one month just to try Bridge because I'm wondering how many possible ways could there be to "preview, organize, edit, and publish multiple creative assets quickly and easily" (according to Adobe).

It sounds like the most basic software ever but DJ selling hard...add 'Adobe software seller' to the signature. 😜
 
Uh, oh. I feel like I've just been slapped in the face with a pair of gloves.

Try it if you want. I make no guarantees that it will make a damn bit of difference in someone else's productivity. That is entirely up to you. But for someone say it is no different than Mac Finder, Resolve's Media tab, or Windows Explorer is just ignorant.
 
There is alternative specialist software that people may like to explore. However, some aren't free and may not do everything that Bridge can do, it depends on the work you need to do.

https://www.xnview.com/en/xnviewmp/

eagle.cool

Eagle - Organize all your reference images in one place

Unify your creative inspiration in one place. Store anything – inspiring images, design mockups, illustrations, screenshots and more.
eagle.cool eagle.cool

https://www.acdsee.com/en/products/acdsee-free/ This company also offers a range of products, which you can purchase.

home.camerabits.com

Tour Photo Mechanic - Camera Bits, Inc.

Photo Mechanic, fast image browser software at the center of your workflow. As a metadata automation tool IPTC, EXIF and XMP can be added using image variables to increase productivity and save time editing.
home.camerabits.com home.camerabits.com

There are other products, and the above links are just to offer some possible options.
 
I give up.
I looked at the links you posted, and if you really think they are substitutes for Bridge, it merely confirms you have a fundamental misunderstanding of what Bridge does and how it can be used. Carry on.
 
I'm not making recommendations, however, one or two were suggested by people dissatisfied with Bridge.

The paid versions offer more features than the free, with a range of products, e.g https://www.acdsee.com/en/free-trials/

It's not a complete list, but more a starter for anyone not wishing to use Adobe for whatever reason and may be using other products.
 
Doug Jensen said:
Surely you jest. If not, then your needs are quite different than 99.9% of professionals I work with. There is no way in hell that the Media page in Resolve can even scratch the surface of what we use Bridge for. NOT EVEN CLOSE. I'm not saying your statement isn't true for however you choose to do get things done, but you are fooling yourself if you think the two programs have anything in common.
Click to expand...
You asked what my alternative to Bridge is, and I told you, then you say I'm fooling myself? I have used Bridge in the past, and everything I needed it to do I can do in Resolve. Bridge isn't some sacred irreplaceable tool to me. It's just another choice.
 
Interesting thread this. One of the main reasons that I use Bridge is because my workflow is quite customised. I looked at other products but they just couldn't do what I wanted to do, which is where the underlying scripting available in Bridge came into play and with a bit of work I managed to make it cover 90% of my requirement. Ok it's not perfect and the only way I could make this 100% would be to write my own UI but for me Bridge was way ahead of everything else.

Another reason I didn't consider alternative products is the risk of them becoming unsupported. I've lost count of the times I've run an OS upgrade on my Mac and found something no longer works and with Bridge as part of a bigger suite that's less likely to happen. For a professional I think the price for the entire suite as a business expense is negligible given the broad range of applications it offers, and having those available when needed can be really useful.
 
Doug Jensen said:
What difference does it make if the thread drifts off the original question? That's what forums are for. Asking how he'll replace Bridge if he removes Adobe entirely from his machine seems a logical question to ask. And so far, I've heard of no worthy alternatives. Especially when Bridge is free.

If you don't use Bridge then you are not really in a position to know how it compares to Finder, are you? Well, take it from me, someone who uses both on a daily basis, I can assure you that they have very, very little in common. Finder can't do 1/10th the stuff Bridge can do. I'm not saying you should start using Bridge if you don't want to, but I'm saying your ignorance of the differences is obvious to anyone who uses Bridge in their workflow. How can you say A is better or the same as B if you've only used one of them?
Click to expand...
I didn't say A was better than B, nor did I say "it is no different than Mac Finder". And I have been an Adobe user in the past. And I certainly don't need a sales pitch here to jump back on board.
I'm happy that it makes you more productive.

The other thing that forums can be good for - is helping those with less experience, gain knowledge and insight from other professionals. My opinion differs from yours on the helpfulness, or ability of Bridge or any other subscription Adobe product to make my workflow faster or more productive.
Carry on.
 
Doug Jensen said:
Well, it all depends on how much time the Adobe suite (or any other software) saves you; how busy you are; and what your hourly time is worth. In my case, if it saves me even just 30 minutes per month, it's easily paid for itself. And it absolutely does that, by a long shot. To other people, it might not make any difference at all to their bottom line. Time is money. And I can't make more time.

If someone is just a freelance shooter, and doesn't offer the turnkey services of a production company (writing, planning, shooting, editing, graphics, music, animation, prompter, footage archiving and long-term management, etc.) then I can understand why Adobe wouddn't be worth the cost. Fortunately, I don't live in that world. Corporate video, baby, where you offer turnkey services, that's where the money is. And you have to have the right tools that allow you to be fast and efficient. If saving $60 a month is how you need to justify spending on other necessary gear, that's a sad commentary on your situation. Personally, it is the use of Adobe software and other tools of the trade that are make possible to buy whatever computers, drives, cameras, lenses, audio, lighting, etc. I want to own without even batting any eye at the cost. Peanuts in the big scheme of things.
Click to expand...
 
markfpv said:
The other thing that forums can be good for - is helping those with less experience, gain knowledge and insight from other professionals.
Click to expand...
That is exactly what I am doing for people with less experience. While at the same time, perhaps opening the eyes of fellow professionals to consider a solution they originally didn't think they needed because they didn't understand it's capabilities -- but who now might reconsider their previous dismissal of it after a little education. Personally, I have had the experience many times in life, where I initially dismissed something until someone showed me what I was missing. If you've never had that experience of changing your mind about something after you learned more about it, then I feel sorry for you. On the other hand, if you want to make an opposing argument to anything I've said, that is what forums are for.
 
Last edited:
Doug Jensen said:
Well, it all depends on how much time the Adobe suite (or any other software) saves you; how busy you are; and what your hourly time is worth. In my case, if it saves me even just 30 minutes per month, it's easily paid for itself. And it absolutely does that, by a long shot. To other people, it might not make any difference at all to their bottom line. Time is money. And I can't make more time.

If someone is just a freelance shooter, and doesn't offer the turnkey services of a production company (writing, planning, shooting, editing, graphics, music, animation, prompter, footage archiving and long-term management, etc.) then I can understand why Adobe wouddn't be worth the cost. Fortunately, I don't live in that world. Corporate video, baby, where you offer turnkey services, that's where the money is. And you have to have the right tools that allow you to be fast and efficient. If saving $60 a month is how you need to justify spending on other necessary gear, that's a sad commentary on your situation. Personally, it is the use of Adobe software and other tools of the trade that are make possible to buy whatever computers, drives, cameras, lenses, audio, lighting, etc. I want to own without even batting any eye at the cost. Peanuts in the big scheme of things.
Click to expand...
Yeah this is all an interesting point. Because if I were to be stupid enough to pay Adobe, it would cost me not only money, but time. Both FCP and Resolve utterly eat Adobe’s lunch for both speed and stability. I would not only be spending an utterly useless amount of money every month for stuff I could do in a cheaper app, but it would take me longer to do it.
And yes, I do end to end corporate productions, where I do all the shooting, editing, motion graphics and text, music, voiceover, or anything else needed and have never come across anything which I used to be able to do with Adobe which I cannot do with cheaper, faster alternatives. There is zero reasons for someone like me (who isn’t working as part of a team, working for an ad agency, or similar where you have to interface with what they want to use) to use Adobe. I don’t care if it’s ‘cheap’. Want to know what you call something which is ‘cheap’ but doesn’t actually help you be more productive or do anything that you can’t already do with what you have? Answer is overpriced. There is a reason I have been in business for over 20 years in a tiny isolated Alaskan town. I don’t just throw money at something because I ‘can afford’ to and it’s not a ‘sad commentary’ on my situation that I choose not to be wasteful. I can ‘not bat an eye’ at the cost of things if I wanted to as well but I don’t think it’s a flex to pay for stuff that is unnecessary even if it is cheap. I have a truck and house paid off and 4 kids in college that my video business has paid for so I’m doing just fine, your not so subtle verbal jabs not standing.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top