ADOBE Monopoly

[SaxPlayer]

On the one hand, it made sense for Adobe to go subscription only as it allows them to move away from expensive boxed updates and from what some people are reporting the software improvements are coming thick and fast.

However, for me as someone who is self employed it didn't make sense. I'd been buying a boxed version of CS every other release and that was cost effective. I did the cheap first year on Creative Cloud but once the price went up it just didn't stack up for me any more. The problem was finding alternatives, however that situation is improving all the time.

For me Coda 2.5 for web development is great. This new version has a few bugs, but they'll sort them out and it's much better than Dreamweaver ever was. Flash is no longer needed and I don't use Illustrator very often so can live without it. Could do with a replacement for InDesign, although quick documents are easy enough in Pages even if it's not a DTP package by a long way.

Pixelmator is a great price, but as I've used Photoshop since version 2.5 (not CS 2.5 - I'm talking about version 2.5 in around 1994) it's a hard habit to break! Pixelmator needs a better UI and an option to have a background for the app palettes to live in. However, the really great thing for us Mac users is that there are lots of smaller developers coming up with some really great software to offer us one-off cost replacements for Adobe products so while I'll stick with Photoshop CS 5 and InDesign CS 5 for now, there will come a time with they will no longer work on whatever version of OS X is out at the time and by then I feel sure that we'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to alternatives.

 

[MechaSpanky]

I'm not going to join the gripe about how I deserve free upgrades forever! I'm a software developer myself. It costs money to keep it going.

smirking,

I didn't read anyone in this thread saying that they deserved free upgrades. The issue is Adobe has limited users choices with the subscription model as well as charging more for the same products.

This was a great quote that I totally agreed with. I do think that the whole subscription model by default boxes users in.

Paying for an updated and smoothly running copy should not be free, but it should be priced fairly and the terms of licensing shouldn't box in someone from being unable to get off of the subscription... that's where I'd join the gripe.

 

[superscape]

The catch is if you are professional designer and have to share files and projects with other designers. Every design company I've worked in uses Adobe products. Until some of the other apps become more popular, or they band together and create a suite, Adobe isn't going away any time soon.

That's true, of course.

However, things *do* change, albeit slowly. When I started my career in design Adobe Pagemaker was the standard. Then Quark Xpress came along and became the new standard. Now we have Adobe InDesign. The point I'm making is that the industry standard of today often becomes the ridiculed dinosaur of tomorrow.

I don't think Affinity Designer is going to replace Adobe Illustrator right now in professional design companies. However, *big* graphics companies (such as the one I work for in my day job) are keeping a close eye on it and would switch in the blink of an eye once it's got all the features the pro's need.

 

[steveash]

I mostly like the subscription system, it makes my accounts much easier to cope with. The only downside for me is that as my business depends (as many do) on Photoshop in particular that if anything happened to Adobe and the product was pulled then I like many other imaging professionals would be in serious trouble. I still keep a CS 5.5 disk for emergencies but CC has made some large steps forward.

The original post seems a bit mixed up to me as Golive was an Adobe product and Dreamweaver was from Macromedia. Dreamweaver is now a bit of a dinosaur because of how far the web has come but it was great in its day.

 

[MechaSpanky]

The original post seems a bit mixed up to me as Golive was an Adobe product and Dreamweaver was from Macromedia. Dreamweaver is now a bit of a dinosaur because of how far the web has come but it was great in its day.

Steveash,

I think you are missing the original poster's point. Yes GoLive was an Adobe product and Dreamweaver was the competing product that was offered from Macromedia. So the consumer had two choices, after Adobe bought Macromedia, they killed one product (which was GoLive) leaving consumers with only one choice. The same is true with Illustrator and Freehand. The original poster is unhappy with what they see as monopolistic behavior. They are unhappy with Adobe limiting the number of choices that consumers have.

 

[smirking]

I didn't read anyone in this thread saying that they deserved free upgrades.

Nobody said it outright, but I get the feeling that some people think that... our freemium and "free app" society at work.

 

[chaosbunny]

I think a "pick 5 apps for 30-35 bucks/month" style subscription from Adobe would satisfy the needs of many users. Nobody likes to pay for stuff they don't use.

 

[Nosferax]

I think a "pick 5 apps for 30-35 bucks/month" style subscription from Adobe would satisfy the needs of many users. Nobody likes to pay for stuff they don't use.

You can pay per application. I only use Photoshop CC so I pay only for Photoshop.

 

[sigmadog]

I think a "pick 5 apps for 30-35 bucks/month" style subscription from Adobe would satisfy the needs of many users. Nobody likes to pay for stuff they don't use.

Exactly. I would have little problem with this as it would put me into what I consider a reasonable subscription level comparable to what I was spending for ownership, and for just the programs I use.

I don't get Adobe's argument:

4 programs I use individually: (4 x $20) x 12 months = $960
All (29 at present) programs: $50 x 12 months = $600

Adobe wants me to subscribe to a full package that I will NEVER use. Why?

EDIT TO ADD: There are 29 separate applications in the Creative Cloud, and I only need 15% of them.

 

[FieldingMellish]

It''s not only about the amount of software apps in the Cloud package. It's how frequently the apps are used. Professionals going at it day in and day out get some bang for the buck. But infrequent users are the ones getting spanked. I could in years past be one or two versions behind the times and do some nice occasional Photoshop work and not pay a penny more than the initial financial hit. No longer.

 

[Nosferax]

It''s not only about the amount of software apps in the Cloud package. It's how frequently the apps are used. Professionals going at it day in and day out get some bang for the buck. But infrequent users are the ones getting spanked. I could in years past be one or two versions behind the times and do some nice occasional Photoshop work and not pay a penny more than the initial financial hit. No longer.

You can still use non CC version of photoshop if it did the job in the past. It will still do the same job now. Occasional user can also use Photoshop Element if they don't want to spend a lot on PS CC.

 

[Kgox]

I was going to post this on the alternates for Photoshop and Illustrator but what the heck....


One of my all time favorite vector programs is/was FREEHAND. Even 20 years after Adobe killed it, it is still light years ahead of todays Illustrator.

Some groups have gotten together and tried to buy the rights for Freehand and resurrect it but of course ADOBE won't it out of the cellar.

I know when I read about ADOBE buying up MACROMEDIA they would kill all the great programs acquired via that buy out, and stagnify what Adobe programs they already had.


Now look! Adobe killed all the great programs such as Golive, Freehand and force us to over pay/RENT programs that not only don't get any better but in fact every release gets even worse.

Ask anyone who has uses Dreamweaver. Version 4 was the last GOOD WYSIWYG version of that program and there is not one user of Dreamweaver that wouldn't say the latest version BITES harder than it ever did. I mean it really really sucks now. You can't even own it any longer you have to rent it….

This is what happens when one ends up with a monopoly of any kind. Crap Products that never improve and higher costs and NO customer service.

I wonder what the next 10 years will bring….

Agree. I still can’t find a good alternative to freehand. Stlll use my freehand & keep a very old mac running with just that on it. Dreading the day it breaks!

 

[Strider64]

I started out using Photoshop V3.0 (I think that is what it was called?) and took a couple of Photoshop courses in college (I believe Photoshop CS 5.0). Then when Adobe went to a subscription service I tried getting away from Adobe. I tried Pixelmator Pro, but the more I tried to like the more I started missing Photoshop. I have tried GIMP, but to me the how menu system is confusing and doesn't seem as polished as Photoshop. So back to Photoshop and paying a monthly fee to Adobe's greed, but better the Devil that you know than the Devil you don't.

 

[Black Baron]

I was going to post this on the alternates for Photoshop and Illustrator but what the heck....


One of my all time favorite vector programs is/was FREEHAND. Even 20 years after Adobe killed it, it is still light years ahead of todays Illustrator.

Some groups have gotten together and tried to buy the rights for Freehand and resurrect it but of course ADOBE won't it out of the cellar.

I know when I read about ADOBE buying up MACROMEDIA they would kill all the great programs acquired via that buy out, and stagnify what Adobe programs they already had.


Now look! Adobe killed all the great programs such as Golive, Freehand and force us to over pay/RENT programs that not only don't get any better but in fact every release gets even worse.

Ask anyone who has uses Dreamweaver. Version 4 was the last GOOD WYSIWYG version of that program and there is not one user of Dreamweaver that wouldn't say the latest version BITES harder than it ever did. I mean it really really sucks now. You can't even own it any longer you have to rent it.

This is what happens when one ends up with a monopoly of any kind. Crap Products that never improve and higher costs and NO customer service.

I wonder what the next 10 years will bring.

I have tested some CC versions 2017, 2018, 2019.

When I noticed that Adobe changed something in their path operations in Illustrator I moved back to CC 2017.

It's really exhausting to test out all the functions if they really do work as expected. And always these version
numberings whenever you hit the "Save" button and there is no way back ... in case of ...

Regards,

BLACK BARON
Design / Photo / Art / Music