Adobe - Finally

[Tony Teveris]

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-3513_7...-cloud-push-arrives-at-its-final-destination/

or

www.adobe.com

Your going to love it or hate it.

 

[ProWraps]

i dunno. im on the fence. for the most part, i want to say i dont like it. BUT, if it gets me around the two licenses per buy, it might be a good thing. i dont really know how it will work. im scared of change heh. ive been a buyer since 3. not cs3. 3.

 

[visual800]

Ill keep my disk thank you very much

 

[SightLine]

Ill keep my disk thank you very much

While I agree, sadly this is the last disk we will ever have. I will eventually be forced kicking and screaming into the da&# clouds.

 

[rjssigns]

I'll get the CS6 discs and that will hopefully be enough for many years. Time to start looking for software where I still own the discs. Got enough payments. And what about tax time? How do you write off your Adobe "cloud"?

The one thing that has gone unanswered with all the "cloud" stuff is upgrades. A subscription would mean as they roll out updates you automatically get them. What if the update is F'ed up? I can hear Adobe now: "Well gee whiz we've never had any problems in the past".

 

[dypinc]

What incentive will Adobe have to produce new features or even fix bugs once they get you hooked on their Creative Captivity drug. And once they get that revenue stream from your CC addiction you will pay monthly or no software to use, crappy full of bugs or not.

Without any real alternatives withdrawal could be painful.

 

[The Vector Doctor]

i dunno. im on the fence. for the most part, i want to say i dont like it. BUT, if it gets me around the two licenses per buy, it might be a good thing. i dont really know how it will work. im scared of change heh. ive been a buyer since 3. not cs3. 3.

No it still limits you to 2 installs per license unless you buy the more expensive group license

 

[omgsideburns]

I don't understand this fear of cloud software stuff.

Steam has done it effectively for years. I've lost the discs to old games, but still have access to them thanks to steam. Same goes with old Blizzard games.

Apple distributes OSX almost exclusively online (or is it only that way now?). In the event of a serious problem, with an internet connection you can do a fresh install from the bios (or whatever it's called on a mac.)

There are always going to be bug fixes and updates. I don't understand why everyone thinks they won't have an incentive to fix it. With a subscription service I imagine the incentive is even higher because people with drop it. Not that their software has ever been a miserable stew of bugs and glitches before.

Holy crap, the price is good too. $50/month for access to all software?? That's a great price! Master collection is what.. $2600? Now it's $600/year. Considering upgrades were coming out every two years it seems like, that sounds a bit more reasonable in an environment where you need to be at the leading edge of software.

I know I know, some of you still use the same software you bought ten years ago, but that doesn't work for everyone.

 

[jayhawksigns]

I have no problems with cloud based storage, I'm a Steam user and am mostly satisfied with it.

But cloud based storage and subscription models are two totally different animals. I don't and won't pay per month to use software like this new Adobe CC thing they are pushing. And any requirement of a online connection to use software will not work here either.

 

[rjssigns]

Cloud based is a scheme for guaranteed revenue. Why sell you software once every two or three years? Heck we'll just bend you over and make you pay every month. Yeah that's it!
Personally I don't care for the wonders of "cloud" anything. You can say it's only 50 bucks for this or that but it adds up quickly as more programs move to the cloud.
What happens when every bit of software etc...becomes cloud based? It will create another unnecessary inescapable bill for hundreds a month to stay current.

Adobe 50 bucks a month, Windows OS 50 bucks a month, Windows Office 50 bucks a month, Flexi 50 bucks a month, Corel 50 bucks a month. RIP software 50 bucks a month. Where does it end? Anybody here really want to see this?

Sorry guys, I like to pay cash for things and OWN them. Not a fan of the "perpetual bill".

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Apple distributes OSX almost exclusively online (or is it only that way now?). In the event of a serious problem, with an internet connection you can do a fresh install from the bios (or whatever it's called on a mac.)

I have zero problem with a digital download. I can burn my own optical disks if need be. That isn't my gripe.

There are always going to be bug fixes and updates. I don't understand why everyone thinks they won't have an incentive to fix it. With a subscription service I imagine the incentive is even higher because people with drop it. Not that their software has ever been a miserable stew of bugs and glitches before.

Holy crap, the price is good too. $50/month for access to all software?? That's a great price! Master collection is what.. $2600? Now it's $600/year. Considering upgrades were coming out every two years it seems like, that sounds a bit more reasonable in an environment where you need to be at the leading edge of software.

First off, Adobe's pricing is killer for what you get in the first place. My software costs 15k for one program, not a suite of programs, and to upgrade to the very next version is $1400. Y'all have it good with Adobe pricing.

However, here is the stickler. If you do not need the Master Suite in your workflow, let's say Design (Production) Premium is what you need. In 7 years you are paying more for the cloud then if you upgraded every new release with the perpetual license. This is factoring in no upgrade pricing what so ever when you just start out, rather you are talking about getting the perpetual license or the cloud. That would be worse case scenario. Not every one needs the Master Suite. My workflow, if I was to keep with Adobe, can be run with Design Standard. The ROI of sticking with perpetual is even less then the two Premium distributions.

Now, factor this in. Let's say Adobe CC 8 requires other software/hardware upgrades in order for it to even run or run to it's potential. You are stuck doing those upgrades as well. You won't be able to hold off to do that where you are able to handle that "pill" more efficiently.

Having a rough patch as far as business goes, you run the risk of being without software that you use to make money with. That will probably hurt the freelancers the most.

I don't buy Adobe's marketing spin that now that they are able to focus on one type of offering that they can produce a better product. They should be able to easily implement a solution that would make it easier for them (after the first generation of doing it) and be able to continue to offer both a perpetual license and cloud based license.

Thankfully, I do have an alternative and ironically it's one that I shell out more money to and it's going to be even more worth it to me now then before and I usually don't have any issue with shelling out for upgrades even just 1 generation a part upgrades. Like a couple of others, I consider it a cost of doing business, but this is one "pill" of a cost too big for me to swallow.

 

[omgsideburns]

Right, but their monthly price is less expensive than the "one time purchase" price was.

If anything, they are trying to get people who would have been scared off by the giant price tag their software carries to buy because now it's available in a low monthly installment. The same reason people buy crap they see on TV.

So cool, a discount for me, and Adobe gets what they are in business for.. money.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Sorry guys, I like to pay cash for things and OWN them. Not a fan of the "perpetual bill".

Technically speaking we don't truly own the software. We license it. It has restrictions that are legally enforceable. AutoDesk had a ruling in their favor back in 2010 over this very thing.

 

[royster13]

Wildwest is is very obvious you are the type of client Adobe has no interest in......They are quite prepared to "**** off" a certain portion of their client base and have them leave....We all get to talk with our wallets and I have no problem giving Adobe my money, even if it works out to be more....

 

[Custom_Grafx]

I'm sure we'll live.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Right, but their monthly price is less expensive than the "one time purchase" price was.

Not over time it's not, unless you need the Master Suite. How many really need the Master Suite for their workflow? I'm not talking about wanting it or even piddling with it if you have it. But truly need it for their everyday workflow? Not many. I would say the majority would be at best at Design Standard (which is why I did the calculation based of that). The majority here that is. I can't see all that many needing the Master Suite, but I could be wrong, I have been before.

The huge price tag initially of the software (which is not that huge, not considering the price tags that I deal with), is easily made up if it's used in a business scenario.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Wildwest is is very obvious you are the type of client Adobe has no interest in......They are quite prepared to "**** off" a certain portion of their client base and have them leave....We all get to talk with our wallets and I have no problem giving Adobe my money, even if it works out to be more....

That's true. I just wonder if their breakdown of the population that's going to migrate versus going to stay is as good as they think it is and it all depends on how they handle it from here.

I'm a huge risk adverse person, maybe too much so.

 

[The Vector Doctor]

Adobe 50 bucks a month, Windows OS 50 bucks a month, Windows Office 50 bucks a month, Flexi 50 bucks a month, Corel 50 bucks a month. RIP software 50 bucks a month. Where does it end? Anybody here really want to see this?

I agree. I can deal with the $20-50 per month, but what happens as the other big companies follow suit? It adds up quickly

 

[SightLine]

I don't understand this fear of cloud software stuff.

Steam has done it effectively for years. I've lost the discs to old games, but still have access to them thanks to steam. Same goes with old Blizzard games.

The scenario you present I do not have a problem with. I pay for it one time and can use it forever. With Adobe's view of cloud, if you ever stop paying, you will never have any way to open or modify any of your files again. Sure, there are workarounds to at least view/print psd and ai files. I created these files in Photoshop or Illustrator, up to now I can forever open and modify my creations in CS6. In CS7, anything you create, if you stop paying Adobe every month, you are locked out of your creations.

I'd be okay if they would set it up like this. They would need to set a baseline "perpetual" license cost for each product or a group of products like they always have. Have the subscription cloud payments in some way go towards that baseline cost. Then if you want to discontinue your subscription give you 2 options, if you have subscribed long enough and paid in enough then let you have permanent access to your current revision levels, or let you pay the difference that might be due to reach the perpetual license cost to keep permanent access. Of course in this scenario you would lose all "cloud" privileges and any future updates. Your applications would continue to function at their current revision and would not qualify for any additional updates.

This I'd be okay with as long as the ultimate cost was somewhat comparable to current costs.

 

[rjssigns]

I agree. I can deal with the $20-50 per month, but what happens as the other big companies follow suit? It adds up quickly

Well it looks as if we are the only two people here that noticed the elephant in the room. When the rest of the industry sees guaranteed monthly income it will all swing that way.

Another thought I had is the loss of incentive for Adobe to be at the bleeding edge. Why bother when you are linked to millions of customers bank accounts? Innovation is what makes people want to buy the latest software, gadget etc...