I still have a machine around just to run old 86 stuff like freehand..I have Fireworks CS6 as part of the CS6 master suite ( runs on a win 7 ulti 64 box..which is never allowed to connect to the net directly )..Adobe also said no to ninite* [theregister.co.uk] which now means that keeping a production win box "safe" from bad updates etc is even harder ( means using an intermediary box..and technically paying for two "seats", just to do it )..Adobe really are the epitome of "we really do not care about our listen to our customers"..

*the comments thread there contains what is IMO the best ever comment on the adobe company attitude to customer service ..the nick is .."Shadow Systems"

The comment is.."It's worse than you think"..comments ..page one..

Deserving of a whole barrel..not just a beer :)..

I guess I will be using Fireworks CS4 then for another ten years or so.

That garbage they call "Creative Cloud". It's a subscription software with DRM. It's a "Creative Cage". Also they have started calling their software "apps" now, like Photoshop was some kind of $2 smartphone mini game.

I have a CS6 suite, upgraded ever since CS2.
I guess I'll never upgrade it anymore and keep a mac around to run it once the current version of OSX isn't compatible with CS6 anymore. Or hopefully by then there are alternatives to Illustrator, Distiller and InDesign - I could probably do without Photoshop already.

Subscription model: NO!

I don't know whether these are misunderstandings, but the two major gripes I saw about this model yesterday were these. (1) One *must* be online to use the software. (2) Once one stops paying, simply, access to software is denied (no legacy software).

I don't know whether these are misunderstandings, but the two major gripes I saw about this model yesterday were these. (1) One *must* be online to use the software. (2) Once one stops paying, simply, access to software is denied (no legacy software).

No you need not be constantly online to use the software. You download the software and install it. You need to be online once a month though. And yes, once you stop paying you can't use the software anymore. The only "cloudy thingy" there is to this "creative cloud" is that you get 20 GB of online storage and the only way to get the software is to download it from Adobes server. Oh and of course that your credit card will be charged online. Once a month.

Also subscription model: NO!

Perhaps this will create a gap in the market that someone else will take advantage of.

Adobe fears users going back to old versions.
I'm an advanced Photoshop user to the level of "almost guru". If you are curious take a look at the discussions taking place at Adobe rejecting the new features, per example the "new crop tool" it's a hell. 1 or 2 seconds lost per image mean a lot when you deal with tons of images per day.

There is a central discussion filled with complains and despite the price of the suite only the "cloud members" got an update to try to fix the problem. Adobe wants to push people into the cloud mode, but there is something else there, if you read the discussions you will see how many members are going back to previous versions of Photoshop that are fast and usable just because the new one sucks. I'm there too, I already did at home. At the company I work for it's impossible because the software version it's imposed so here we are working with something we love but now we hate.

Photoshop has many uses, don't misunderstood the comment from your sole point of view, consider the point of view of the many who are using it in a diff way and are not happy with it. Photoshop it's not just for painting and cropping, it's a serious color correction tool that happens to became more and more an "all public" tool.

Consider your notepad (you software developers) and they change the CTRL+C into ALT+F1+9, it sucks. Sure you can switch to other notepad like software, but not from Photoshop. PhotoStyler we miss you.

Just so I'm clear:

Is what Adobe is moving to any different to the Creative Cloud offering which has been around for the last few months?

I'm getting the sense on some sites reporting this that the post June version is somehow 'different' to what is currently being offered - is this the case or are they just making this to all intents and purposes 'compulsory' for future upgrades?

Yes.. CC will be compulsory..

... but no different to what is being offered currently by Adobe CC?

In the way it works.. no different.."hostageware"

Could be a real bad business decision. I have to admit that I would enjoy seeing it backfire on them. ;)

The only Adobe product I use is Dreamweaver and I upgraded that every four years or so. There just wasn't enough new stuff I needed to warrant frequent upgrades.

I'll just keep using my older DW CS4 install for a lot longer as a result of this news. It works just fine for what I need, and it's not all that special to warrant the subscription price. Now that I think of it I might grab a copy of CS6 now before they're gone.

I hate software subscription models. Hate.

CS6 has serious bugs in its FTP system, which will not be fixed. I would not recommend it. I am pissed off because I bought it just nine months ago and now I am told that it will no longer be upgraded.

The main motivation for us will be the InDesign / app integration. Hence why I am going to talk to them to find out if the CC I may sign up for before June 13 will be any different in terms of the programs (or versions) functionality etc after June.
I do continue to marvel at how companies (not just in this industry) seem to want to make it more financially difficult for business in times of recession. We are looking for ways to give our clients more for their money, or better value for money, to retain business and build loyalty and gain more business. People like BBDU have recently shelled out for CS6 and now won't get upgrades unless he spends more money... Hardly speads a nice warm feeling about Adobe.

Thanks BeeDeeDubbleU. Considering I am having no issues with CS4 I think I will just save my $400 and not upgrade. What if I could find a copy of CS5, do you think it's worth going that route?

You know, I would feel better about this whole thing if they would just offer the ability to purchase a license as well. Forcing subscription-only, that I have a problem with. But they're free to do it and see what happens. For me, it's caused me to look at the alternatives.

Now would be the perfect time to launch the new alternative to Photoshop.

Anyone?

Please?

Thanks BeeDeeDubbleU. Considering I am having no issues with CS4 I think I will just save my $400 and not upgrade. What if I could find a copy of CS5, do you think it's worth going that route?

I didn't have CS5 but I don't consider CS6 to have been worth the money. In some ways it has actually slowed me down and if I could turn the clock back I wouldn't buy it.

Not being an Adobe user, I always wondered what the "CC" stood for.
Now I know. Credit Card!

Jonesy -- linux - gimp - and all that other OSS productivity S/W.

@ bhonda - That is how I look at this situation as well, it's an excellent opportunity for other publishers to step up their game and capture market share that up to this point has been strangled by Adobe.

I've been on board with Adobe since well before the first iteration of Creative Suite, but this recent subscription model decision has compelled me to look elsewhere and systematically replace its key applications:

So far I'm replacing:

* PhotoShop with CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6.3
* Audition with Reaper 4.4

The big issue is Dreamweaver... there isn't anything else at that level of sophistication on the market. Even Microsoft appears to has given up. And the smaller lesser known HTML software titles look uninspiring at best in their features and refinement. Surely we haven't all just caved in and accepted Dreamweaver as the sole HTML design platform outside of full development environments?

Final word: Adobe's heavy handed tactless approach to this subscription-only business model migration really left me discontent. Subscriptions are fine for those that want them, but to leave people whom purchased multi-thousand dollar licenses of CS6 in the cold for updates so they would be inspired to then shell out for a monthly subscription because "that's where all the action is" boggles the mind. Not to mention the single application subscription costs only serving as gateway drugs to full CC package (who is going to pay $20 for a single application when $50 includes everything - it serves only to entice full subscriptions). The last thing I want is another bill, the accumulative effect of these subscriptions is a credit card statement full of $15 for Microsoft, $50 for Adobe, and so forth. Is this really the direction we as consumers want this to go?

I'm done venting, thank you for reading.

I still use CS3 on Win7. My next machine could easily be an iMac, but not sure when as my PC is working just fine and I don't foresee any more demanding software coming my way (CS3 and Office 2007 work just fine). So, theoretically I could keep it until Firefox version 362 says it needs better processor than my i7 860. ;)

P.S.
Really, few days ago I was tempted to buy some CS6 for Mac that can still be found around the net, but as I had no clue when I would be getting that iMac, heck, when the times come, I may simply opt for a software switch pain and forget the Adobe. And this is not about money, it's about my choice, you (Adobe) do not shovel that thing down my throat just like that, and plus try to make me think how happy about how cheap is to be paying that perpetual $29.99/month fee. It reminds me on banks and that word that means "death contract" in French.

I like the subscription model. I use a few Adobe products and the cost to upgrade them all to the latest versions would have been greater than I'll pay for more than two years of the subscription. Plus, I get updates and access to many more software packages than I had. And, they allow me to install and use the software on two computers. So, I have the latest versions on both my laptop and desktop.