**Update**
One of our astute commenters, Eric J, directed us to this wonderful YouTube video that quickly answers the concerns presented here. We highly recommend that you take a look. Thanks again, Eric J!
[tentblogger-youtube xADqehaGh2A]
…
Adobe Creative Cloud isn’t a new topic for ChurchMag. In fact, we’ve actually found a few things that we like about it. However, the thing I liked the best was the ability to choose.
But now that’s gone.
It seems that Adobe has decided that the future is today, and so they have announced that they will no longer be selling their Creative Suite software. Instead, all further development will only be released as a part of Creative Cloud, their online offerings.
I have two basic problems with this:
I Still Want to Own Something
I was just expressing this compulsion to own digital media in a post about music a few days ago. I hate the idea of just throwing money into the ether continually with nothing to show for it when is over.
One Big Variable—Connectivity
Maybe I’m the only one, but I just don’t see how the majority of people have the Internet connection speeds to make this work. Depending on the project a particular file may measure in the hundreds if not thousands of megabytes. How is that going to work? Maybe if your church is lucky enough to have a T1 line you’ll be okay, but I doubt it. I know that my church’s Internet connection would struggle at the very least, and we’re getting the fastest speeds offered in our area. So where does that leave designers and photographers who happen to live in areas where there are little to no options for Internet? Before, it was all about your hardware. Now, it’s going to be about your geography, which is a bit ridiculous, if you ask me.
Choices
I’m going to miss the ability to choose. I think the consumer should be allowed as many options to choose from as possible, but then again, I’m old-fashioned. Of course, just because Adobe is taking away our choices regarding their software doesn’t mean that we have no choices at all. There are many replacement apps out there (Acorn, GIMP, etc.) that will let you own them and won’t require a miracle Internet connection. Personally, I’m thinking about Acorn as a PhotoShop replacement, but what about you?
What apps will you need to replace and what will you replace them with?
Or does Adobe’s Creative Cloud sound like a great idea to you?
[via Cult of Mac]
Matt James says
Adobe updates my laptop on a monthly basis – now they want to update my bank account as well!
Phil Schneider says
#BOOM
Thanks for the comment.
Eric J says
Fortunately you only have to download the software once and then ping the authentication server after that, while it would take ~48 hours to download Photoshop (assuming 1GB) at 56k or 90 minutes with a T1 after that you can work on your files locally and do not have to sync them to the cloud.
Phil Schneider says
Well, that makes it better, but what if your connection is done and your deadline is quickly approaching? I only because I’ve been there.
Eric J says
I assume you already have the software downloaded ahead of time right? If you have the annual subscription you only have to go online twice a year.
Check out this video it explains a lot: http://youtu.be/xADqehaGh2A
Phil Schneider says
I don’t have CC. I have CS4. I was commenting on the announcement in general.
Thanks for the video link! This is really informative!
MGalloway says
PaintShop Pro is an affordable option and it’s quite powerful. It’s a little more difficult to find effects tutorials for it, though, since so many sites and books are devoted to Photoshop.
Phil Schneider says
Do you have a link to its website? What’s it cost? Does it have support for PSD files?
Sorry for the third degree! Thanks for the comment!
MGalloway says
Here’s the product page. It’s usually under $100.
http://www.corel.com/corel/product/index.jsp?pid=prod4900069
Here’s Corel’s main page:
http://www.corel.com/corel/index.jsp
I currently use version 10, and it looks like it can open PSD files. I haven’t tried it, however.
rcarmstrong says
The other question that comes to mind is what happens (and, we all know it WILL happen), when whatever version of Creative Suite is no longer supported or otherwise “discontinued”. I’m thinking specifically of AI and ID, since they can be downright ornery when it comes to playing nice with older/legacy files. Photoshop thankfully, is very flexible and forgiving with older files.
Of course, now that I’ve said that, they will undoubtedly change PS, and not for the better… 🙂
Eric J says
They said in the live stream that with CC you will always be able to install any version from cs6 onwards! And that you will not be forced to update to the latest version. I would guess that whenever Apple or Microsoft make a major architectural change (64bit only perhaps?) that some of the older apps might no longer work however.
They also stated that if they discontinue a product (please be flash!) they will still let you download the last released version.
side note: I know i look like an adobe apologist in this thread but i can assure you that i am not i just watched the whole keynote yesterday where they went over some of this stuff.
Phil Schneider says
Eric J, you are all over this. Way to go!
Eric Dye says
Pixelmator is your Photoshop replacement. Seriously.
Phil Schneider says
Have you used Acorn? I wasn’t sure if they compare.
Eric Dye says
Give them a try with their free 14-days or whatever and see which you like best–I love the Pixelmator price point.
Phil Schneider says
Not a bad idea, boss. Thanks.
Because of the App Store, I forget that some apps still offer trials.
Gangai Victor says
The way I see it:
1. So I use PS and create something. Then someday if I stop the subscription, I will not be able to access my own files. There goes my user freedom.
2. By holding us hostage, there’s no motivation for Adobe to develop new features.
3. I cannot own it even after paying for it. Adobe has killed choice.
4. This move fueled by greed has arrogance written all over it.
5. Someone like me in India has no chance (none at all) of affording this.
Hopefully, a competitor will fill the void create by Adobe. It’s time to start looking at alternatives.
Eric Dye says
I agree. I’ve been impressed with some cheaper alternatives to Adobe, but there are still a few products I can’t find a replacement for. :-/
Gangai Victor says
What’s your recommendation for PS? Apart from GIMP that is.
Gangai Victor says
Oh strike that, u already recommended Pixelmator!
Eric Dye says
😀
Phil Schneider says
In response to #1, I think that many apps are capable of importing PSD file, if imperfectly. I’m sure that #2 won’t be a problem simply because #3 already makes alternative apps more appealing. And you’re probably right about #’s 4 and 5.
Thanks for the comments.
Mark Robinson says
You won’t be forced to work in the cloud.
If you do work in the cloud and don’t backup locally then you’d need to think about your workflow.
Phil Schneider says
I don’t think either of us were discussing the cloud at this point. Unless I misunderstood Victor’s first point.
I took it to mean that if he had created PS files and then cancelled his subscription he would have a bunch of file that he could no longer open.
Though, I see now how he may have meant that they were locked away in the cloud.
Hmm. Victor, what did you mean?
Gangai Victor says
U r right Phil, I was talking about the inability to access PS files after cancelling the subscription.
Yahnawa says
I’m still on CS4 Design Premium. When I try to **open** a file which was created in a newer version of Photoshop or Illustrator, I get a warning stating this, and the offer to **import** the file instead. Which I confirm. And so far I haven’t encountered anything missing from such files.
Maybe I was just lucky and the files didn’t contain anything CS5/CS6 specific.
Anyway, I’m not going to elaborate on running a trial of an Adobe Suite in a Virtual Machine to access your files if you can’t access them anymore. Because this is a decent website, and we are all decent people.
Mark Robinson says
I’ve been working with the the Adobe cloud subscription for the past year and it’s been amazing.
As a freelancer it was always going to be a massive cost outlay to purchase the CS6 products I need to work efficiently up front. Photoshop alone in the UK is £700 so being able to spread the cost out over the months was a much welcomed solution. With the full Master collection being around £2k that was never going to be possible, at least not for the first couple of years. At £47pm it would take me 3.5 years to purchase it outright.
WORKING IN THE CLOUD – Let me clarify the thinking of working in the cloud. You have the option of working in the cloud and sharing your workflow which is great for agencies and collaboration. However you do not HAVE to work in this way. I still use Dropbox with my collaborative projects. Most of the time I’m working locally.
I do a lot of video work and it would be impossible for me to run After Effects projects from the cloud. – Your files and work are your own to work form and use where and how you see fit.
YOU DON’T NEED A T1 LINE – Most broadband connections will handle it. I’ve not encountered issues with Download Speeds but I’m sure some may have issues with that. A friend who is also on the subscription had to sit in a coffee shop downloading all the software on his first installation because he’d been having slow speeds at his office that day. For me it took a few hours to install everything.
There may be issues around large file syncing – but you can work locally sync to the cloud.
So remember –
Software is updated and downloaded via the cloud.
There is file space offered in the cloud if you choose to use it.
Eric J says
Mark, sorry if you already know this but a T1 line is pretty much the worst broadband you can get 🙁
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Signal_1
We have one at work for our IP phones since it is rock solid as compared to a cable modem (which we use for the internet) but a T1 is all you can get in some rural communities.
Mark Robinson says
OOPS!
I realise my massive typo!
Had meant to type YOU DON’T NEED A FIBRE BROADBAND LINE …
Was a rushed comment but thanks for the reference.
Phil Schneider says
You’re very right. That’s we updated the post with the video suggested by Eric J.
And I completely agree that monthly payouts are much preferred to a massive chunk spent at once.
Eric Dye says
Great feedback, Mark.
Gangai Victor says
“…so being able to spread the cost out over the months was a much welcomed solution.”
Actually, u have to spread the cost over a lifetime.
Phil Schneider says
That’s true, but it could be argued that you’d be doing the same if you upgraded CS every few years.
Mark Robinson says
That’s my point exactly.
There are companies that have allowed you to purchase Adobe products on an instalment model but in my experience most people have bought the products outright.
The subscription model empowers people to be able to spread the cost in a much more manageable way.
Eric Dye says
Plus, I think if you look at the hard numbers, you can figure on saving money?
Gangai Victor says
If I don’t upgrade I can still use my files. With this new all-or-nothing model, my choice is killed.
Eric Dye says
True story. :-/
Yanawa says
Are there any Photoshop and Illustrator alternatives for Windows 7?
That Pixelmator app of you Mac boys is pretty pretty and has an excellent toolbox.
Eric J says
You could try http://www.getpaint.net/ i suggest you install it from filehippo or ninite as their website is FILLED with ads.
Eric Dye says
As Joanna said, GIMP is a good free alternative and probably your best bet for Windows. As for Illustrator, I would look at Inkscape.
Yahnawa says
Thanks for the suggestions guys.
I’m going to try them out by recreating one or two of my projects in each. See which one comes out top.
Offline, I also received a suggestion to try out Ubuntu Studio 13.04 ( ubuntustudio.org ) with Live-USB or multi-boot. Has GIMP and Inkscape included. And I could add Pinta (a Paint.NET clone apparently).
But moving to another OS is kind of increasing the burden. Not sure about wanting that.
Yahnawa says
Oops! I was actually responding to Eric J and Eric Dye who responded to my previous comment.
Eric Dye says
GIMP and Inkscape should also be available on both Mac and Windows.
Yahnawa says
Yep! I have GIMP, Inkscape, and Paint.NET installed on Windows 7 now.
Inkscape is pretty slick. So slick that I haven’t checked out the other 2 yet.
Phil Schneider says
Do we have a winner????
Yahnawa says
No, not yet. It takes a bit more than that.
Also, Inkscape is vectors, the other 2 are raster. So I must also check them out. And with the help of a plugin, Inkscape only reads vectors from psd files (if any), and ignores the raster portion. Maybe I just stick to all 3 off them.
But now the weekend is over. So I can only test drive 1 or 2 evenings during the week, until it’s weekend again.
Eric Dye says
You’re a winner.
Yahnawa says
I chickened out, and ordered CC.
Reason :
Last Friday, I thought I accept a quick project (rush job) and finish it in one day in the weekend (one long day of 12-14 hours of work in the weekend, and 4 days pay.)
The other freelancer had messed things up and stopped responding to emails and phone calls.
So I download the psd files from the client’s site on Friday noon.
And had a quick look, to get an impression of “the mess”.
Because everything went so quick, I had forgotten to ask about the Adobe software version, the files were created with.
Ps CS4 whinged about all psd files. Because they were created with CS6, as it turned out later. No offer from CS4 to import, instead of opening, the file this time.
See the screenshots below of the error messages. Each downloaded psd file that I opened returned these 2 messages in succession and then had certain areas blurry white. (I cannot show the artwork because I’m under NDA.)
CS4 message #1 : oi43.tinypic.com/5n6au0.jpg
CS4 message #2 : oi43.tinypic.com/1hvvbr.jpg
I had to buy CC (The Special Offer : “CC Complete for CS3 and later w/ yearly commitment” EUR36.89+VAT/month) to finish the project. Which I just finished. And I’ll still be left with a “pretty penny” after deducting 12 x reduced price, and 12 x regular price. Roughly the old CS upgrade cycle.
I also didn’t realize that “CC Complete” is comprised of even more than the old “Master Suite” which would have cost me even more (upgrade + sidegrade).
If I had known before accepting the project which version, I probably would not have accepted it. And lost the project. Which right now feels silly.
Phil Schneider says
Sounds like it all worked out for you, then?
Eric Dye says
That’s awesome!
Yahnawa says
(I’m responding to Phil and Eric.)
Yes and Yes.
But I’ll also hang on to InkScape. I really like it.
Actually, what happened was also an eye-opener **for me** : Accept smaller projects outside regular work hours to finance stuff like this. Especially where a client is pretty desperate (for whatever reason), so that **you** can set the price.
I just make them wait until Thursday afternoon. I already “touched” the files with coming Thursday’s date (AttributeMagic Free). 😉
Phil Schneider says
Crafty!
Eric Dye says
🙂
Phil Schneider says
Just saw this post today, thought it might help those looking for a Photoshop replacement. It’s all about the main contenders mentioned here: Pixelmator and Acorn.
http://www.tuaw.com/2013/05/14/pixelmator-and-acorn-economic-practical-image-editors/
Eric Dye says
This is why we pay you the big bucks, Phil, it’s the extra mile you go with links like this. #Awesome
Phil Schneider says
🙂
April says
What about an alternative for us PC users? Yes, there are still some of us who use PC out here! 🙂 LOL
Eric Dye says
WHAT!?!?
Just kidding.
Look through the comments on this post here. Maybe we’ll need to post a Windows version of this list…
April says
The video is showing as private when I try to watch it.
Eric J says
I wonder why they would do that.
Eric Dye says
$