http://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/05/06/adobe-launches-new-creative-cloud-only-apps-and-services-photoshop-cc-indesign-cc-illustrator-cc-dreamweaver-cc-and-more/


Man, I don't like having to pay a subscription for software - I was on the "every other verision" with my Photoshop purchases.   I currently have PS 5 and was waiting until PS 7 for a possible upgrade.   

I may think about changing my workflow.  Lightroom has become almost all of my workflow - as soon as they add perspective corrections to it, I might not need Photoshop for much anymore.     

I also have a purchased copy of Illustrator, which I guess is going to be doing the same thing.  Guess that is the last Illustrator copy I will buy for a loooong time, as I am not enough of a vector artist to justify the subscription price.

I'm already a member of the "Creative Cloud" and I think it's great.

Quote from: daveh900 on May 06, 2013, 19:10
I'm already a member of the "Creative Cloud" and I think it's great.

Ditto. I've been very happy with it.

It might be a good value for someone who uses every application they offer.  But at $50, and just using 2-3 apps, I'd feel like I'm getting ripped off.  Although I think I read there's a $20 a month charge for a single license.

That's a bummer.  I'm still using CS4 and was thinking of going to CS6.  Guess I'd better do it while I can - I don't do subscription programs.  Their pricing will make it a non-issue for me - 600 bucks a year, every year for PS?  I will have to find another program.  Too bad.

$600 dollars a year is a total non-starter for a huge number of people.  Including me. 

I don't need PS anyway, I can do everything I need with Elements, but it still sucks to see Adobe tightening the screws like this.

I used to be a software developer and I am all too familiar with the 'subscription model'.   Marketing people hate waiting for developers to finish a release with enough new stuff in it to make it attractive - they want to put more pressure on the developers, with more frequent, short-term deadlines.   Management hates the uncertainty, and wants predictable recurring revenue.  So they try to sign up customers for a subscription plan.  And it never works, and invariably they give up on it, because a development group can't produce compelling new functionality in bite-size chunks, every 3 months, in a huge and complex application like PS.  Customers end up feeling the subscription isn't worth the money.

Management also loves the idea of the software running over the web because they can lock out pirates.  And the end result is always poor performance and unhappy users. 

It's not for me. I didn't see anything in PS CS6 that I needed, so they'd have to really come up with something great in CS7.
Plus I've heard that if you have a suite, which I have, you can't upgrade only one part, so it certainly wouldn't work for me, as I only 'play' with the other progs.

I've just checked UK pricing at it weighs in at £46.88 ($72.81 dollars)!! Per month

Quote from: stockastic on May 06, 2013, 20:00
$600 dollars a year is a total non-starter for a huge number of people.  Including me. 

I don't need PS anyway, I can do everything I need with Elements, but it still sucks to see Adobe tightening the screws like this.

I used to be a software developer and I am all too familiar with the 'subscription model'.   Marketing people hate waiting for developers to finish a release with enough new stuff in it to make it attractive - they want to put more pressure on the developers, with more frequent, short-term deadlines.   Management hates the uncertainty, and wants predictable recurring revenue.  So they try to sign up customers for a subscription plan.  And it never works, and invariably they give up on it, because a development group can't produce compelling new functionality in bite-size chunks, every 3 months, in a huge and complex application like PS.  Customers invariably end up feeling the subscription isn't worth the money.

Management also loves the idea of the software running over the web because they can lock out pirates.  And the end result is always poor performance and unhappy users.

I think Symantec has done this from the very beginning, Stock.  I'm not supporting the idea; and despise the "subs" programs for software and microstock.

But, it certainly has worked for Norton and Symantec.

Also, I too do not use Photoshop.  I'm just getting around to upgrading to Lightroom from Elements.  And, still prefer Elements at this point.

Here's hoping that enough people resist the subscription idea to make Adobe think again.

ED: Look for this to trickle down to Elements, Lightroom and other Adobe Products.

Quote from: sjlocke on May 06, 2013, 19:42
It might be a good value for someone who uses every application they offer.  But at $50, and just using 2-3 apps, I'd feel like I'm getting ripped off.  Although I think I read there's a $20 a month charge for a single license.

I can definitely can see that, but considering my whole business revolves around these programs, it isn't really all that pricey (even with my humble earnings). It probably isn't necessary to have the latest and "greatest" software, but the convenience has been nice.

Quote from: WarrenPrice on May 06, 2013, 20:22

I think Symantec has done this from the very beginning, Stock.  I'm not supporting the idea; and despise the "subs" programs for software and microstock.

But, it certainly has worked for Norton and Symantec.

Yeah, but I would say that's different.  They mainly update the database of known virus signatures, and that changes every week, so a subscription makes sense.   And even so, if you Google on this, you'll see that their anti-virus programs really aren't that effective, and it's questionable if the subscription is worth the money.   

Well, I figured 30 dollars per month, I could get CS6 but of course they charge me 30 euros, so they can suck on a lemon. Why someone in Europe has to pay 30% more is beyond me.

I'm still using the original CS from 2003. It did pretty much everthing I needed back then ... and it still does. One day I might even get around to learning how to use it properly.

I just looked at the subscriptions, they are all priced for "annual commitments".   If you cancel before your year is up (after the 30 day trial period), you are billed 50% of the remaining commitment terms.   

http://www.adobe.com/misc/subscription_terms.html

I haven't found the info on the month to month pricing yet.    Depending on how they price that, it might be cost effective for me to just buy a month here and there when I need it.  (I am only a hobbyist at this) 

I am interested in the new camera shake tool they are advertising.   I would be very curious as to how good that ends up being (especially since I just did a helicopter tour and ended up with fewer keepers than I had hoped for due to the chopper motion - several are "almost" sharp enough, but not enough for large prints let alone stock)

On the UK site, the monthly payment is on the same page as the annual payment.
While it is much more expensive than the US price, the US Adobe site won't let me see the US prices, although I can click around on the US site, whenever I try to look at prices, it changes me to the UK price. So I can't check if the US price includes US taxes. The UK price is correctly inclusive of VAT, but I know that in many cases US prices are quoted net of taxes.

Actually, I have to pay € 36.89, so never.

Some of the enhancements to the pure cloud services are interesting and make the monthly fee a slightly less bitter pill to swallow.  They've added Behance ProSite integration to the subscription for making a personal portfolio website ($11/mo value):

http://www.adobe.com/products/creativecloud/behance-community.html
http://prosite.com/

Also, it looks like they are adding file versioning to their included 20GB cloud storage which would be quite useful for backups and works-in-progress.

I dislike software subscriptions but I got the subscription to the adobe suite with the view that I was going to use more software . I still haven't opened any of the other software (only ps, lightroom, illustrator a couple of times) but I get academic pricing ($15/month) so am still happy with it.

I can see this subscription model opening up the market for a new company to come in.

Quote from: shotupdave on May 06, 2013, 22:22
I can see this subscription model opening up the market for a new company to come in.

They've got a lot of development to catch up on.
Paint Shop Pro was OK back in the day. Did it ever go anwhere? Is it still being developed? Oh, it's OK, I can Google. Seems it has taken over by Corel, but very much aimed at the hobbyist nowadays.

I'm using Darktable and The Gimp on Linux most of the time now, all free.  I'd much rather spend money on cameras and lenses than give it to Adobe.

Quote from: ShadySue on May 06, 2013, 22:41

Quote from: shotupdave on May 06, 2013, 22:22
I can see this subscription model opening up the market for a new company to come in.

They've got a lot of development to catch up on.
Paint Shop Pro was OK back in the day. Did it ever go anwhere? Is it still being developed? Oh, it's OK, I can Google. Seems it has taken over by Corel, but very much aimed at the hobbyist nowadays.

Yeah, I doubt it too. Most companies probably switched over to the subscriptions last year, so whoever wanted to jump in missed their chance. I know I switched last year because it seemed like that was where they were headed in the future. I guess a year later, the future is now.

Bad news, I think many will be looking at alternative software.

Quote from: flotsom on May 06, 2013, 23:24
Bad news, I think many will be looking at alternative software.

Certainly makes GIMP look good.  And, some people never stopped using Paint Shop Pro.

I can see the amount of photoshop sales going down, with this current plan you will be buying a new version every year.