Adobe Creative Cloud

[jon_jon]

What do you guys think of this new strategy by Adobe to stop offering the Creative Suite. They're making you pay monthly subscriptions to update or use the next Adobe Creative upgrades. Is it worth it?

http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-adobe-creative-cloud-20130507,0,3520547.story

By Salvador Rodriguez
May 7, 2013, 11:44 a.m.
Adobe is altering the way it does business, announcing this week that it will no longer make and sell a boxed version of its Creative Suite software and will instead charge users a monthly subscription to use its cloud-based version.

Although it will continue to sell boxed Creative Suite 6 products, Adobe said that going forward, it will focus on its Creative Cloud service. That means new versions of its software will be available only to users who pay for the monthly subscription service.

"Focusing development on Creative Cloud will not only accelerate the rate at which Adobe can innovate but also broaden the type of innovation the company can offer the creative community," the company said in a statement issued Monday.

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The Creative Cloud service has been available since last year and includes most versions of the company's software, including Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Dreamweaver and Premiere Pro. It comes with 20 gigabytes of cloud storage include.

“By focusing our energy -- and our talented engineers -- on Creative Cloud, we’re able to put innovation in our members’ hands at a much faster pace," David Wadhwani, senior vice president and general manager of Adobe Digital Media, said in a statement.

Users who purchase Creative Cloud will be able to download it onto up to two computers, regardless of whether they are PCs or Macs. The programs, however, cannot run at the same time. Previously, the boxed versions of the software let users install the program on two computers with the same operating system and have them run at the same time.

For users accustomed to buying their software at a store and installing it using a CD, the switch will take some getting used to, but it could save some customers money.

Previously, paying for a boxed version of an Adobe application typically cost hundreds of dollars. Adobe Photoshop CS6, for example, costs $699, according to Adobe's website. With Creative Cloud, users can get access to the program for $19.99 a month, or about $240 a year.

Collections, or bundles that include multiple programs, also cost more than $1,000 in a box, but Creative Cloud customers can access all of Adobe's program for $49.99 a month, or about $600 a year, if they commit to a year of service.

In order to ease the switch, Adobe said it would offer existing customers who own Creative Suite 6 a year of the cloud subscription service for $19.99 a month. Users who own any of Adobe's versions ranging from Creative Suite 3 to Creative Suite 5.5 can get their first year of the cloud subscription for $29.99 a month. That's also the price Adobe will charge students and teachers.

The company said it was also offering groups and companies special pricing to use the cloud-based software.

[violet]

Sheesh.

People just gonna keep downloading it for free anyway.

[jon_jon]

Sheesh.

People just gonna keep downloading it for free anyway.

The only way is if someone creates it from scratch or leaks it out of the server. You won't be able to download and/or install their apps onto your computer anymore. They want you to subscribe with a monthly fee. 

Uh... no you can't. That's why they're making you subscribe from them. It's all on their server aka "cloud."

The latest one you can have upgradable is Creative Suite 6. Anything else afterwards will have to be subscribed from the ACC.

[jon_jon]

I wonder how they're going to manage that one?

Will you be the only person who can use the product with a username or password at one time. In other words, while I'm using the apps, no one else with my password or username can not log in and use them?

[violet]

The only way is if someone creates it from scratch or leaks it out of the server. You won't be able to download and/or install their apps onto your computer anymore. They want you to subscribe with a monthly fee. 

Uh... no you can't. That's why they're making you subscribe from them. It's all on their server aka "cloud."

The latest one you can have upgradable is Creative Suite 6. Anything else afterwards will have to be subscribed from the ACC.

Trust me.

Someone will find a way.

[jon_jon]

Trust me.

Someone will find a way.

I really think now is the time to create new designer/page layout apps!...

Adobe is just closing their doors really fast by doing this. Who the heck wants to subscribe to use some page layout apps? Not like you'll be using them everyday unless you actually work? It's like paying someone to borrow their tools to plow a field and never owning the tools. You'll be paying for life?

[jon_jon]

I see this as a new Tech trend....just not Adobe.

As we go further into the future I can bet that a lot of software will become a service rather than a product.

Where you have to purchase it online, it doesn't get fully installed on your computer however, you get automated updates and service to use it.

Of course, you'll be paying a hefty fee of 29.99 a month to use it.

[jon_jon]

Note from the CEO...

http://mashable.com/2013/05/06/adobe-ceo-interview-creative-cloud/

I think it's just greed anytime you talk about investors and Wall Street!

...Among the new performance metrics Wall Street will look for in Adobe is "number of subscribers" and "annualized recurring revenue...."

[jon_jon]

Behance was founded in 2006 and currently has about 1 million members. Adobe's Creative Cloud launched in May and now has over 300,000 paid members, with another million that have signed up for the fermium version.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonykosner/2013/05/06/adobes-creative-cloud-and-the-expansive-future-of-the-digital-workplace/

http://briderubiz.blogspot.com/2012/12/adobe-acquires-behance-adds-community.html

According to this article over 300,000 paid members are already on Adobe Creative Cloud. They've acquired Typekit and Behance (social media for designers) in the last two years.

Take that times 20.00 a month which was the basic package I believe.

That comes out to 6 million a month! Roughly 72 million a year.....

Maybe I should invest in this?

[darkhelmet]

What if you don't have a fast connection?  How is speed of processing?  Not sure how this works, is it web-based?  I only use it once or twice a week, not worth it to pay subscription. 

You could still use the old software, if all you do is just the basic, crop, resize, re-color, etc.

[zena]

I may consider subscribing if I ever have to get to that point.  I'm wondering if this is an Apple trend.  I dl my operating system via their website.  I believe a couple of years ago (maybe even 3) Apple changed it to where there'd be no CD's to purchase.  You're only choice is to dl.

[businessgurl000]

Note from the CEO...

http://mashable.com/2013/05/06/adobe-ceo-interview-creative-cloud/

I think it's just greed anytime you talk about investors and Wall Street!

...Among the new performance metrics Wall Street will look for in Adobe is "number of subscribers" and "annualized recurring revenue...."

Basically, I agree. It's greed, and getting more money out of their customers. It's mainly trying to shut users from copying and downloading their apps for free.

What's the point of having the app on two computers if you can't even open it at the same time? That's just plain frustrating, considering some scenarios of why you would need both open! 

I also do see it as a trend moving forward.