Adobe Launches Creative Cloud and Muse, Augments iOS App Offerings

[314631]

Subscription pricing is very reasonable atm. I'm sure once they've forced the bulk of their customer base off owned licenses though, the leased subscription prices will rise astronomically. 😀

 

[Trakya]

As predicted: Logging in with the Adobe ID in the trial versions registers the products. 🙂

All you naysayers are nuts. This is a phenomenal deal, especially since Adobe has switched to a yearly upgrade cycle. I've already taken the leap. Goodbye FCP, Hello PP.

Agree. And good move from FCP > PP.

Fireworks is so crowded with menus and stuff right out of the box with just one little tiny square in the middle for your workspace. I personally cannot work in a program like that.

My theory: This is one of the reasons why Touch-Apps are created and will be improved over time. Fact is that some people don't really need the desktop applications for doing their work. For those the Touch-Apps are just enough.

We'll see what Adobe will do... I am really excited and this upgrade is by far the best.

 

[Jessica Lares]

You use Photoshop for website mockups? Wow, I feel sorry for you. You should try out Adobe Fireworks for that since that's what it is specifically made for. Fireworks CS6 is really nice.

Been there, done that. It's not for me. I like how Photoshop works, it's just easier to navigate compared to Fireworks. Fireworks is so crowded with menus and stuff right out of the box with just one little tiny square in the middle for your workspace. I personally cannot work in a program like that.

 

[Trakya]

Edit

 

[crazycanucks]

Very overpriced — 75 smackeroos a month to rent their software?

And why is it that Adobe makes you buy every damned thing on their shelf every time, rather than letting you just pick the one you want? What are they, a freaking cable company? I would consider buying InDesign if there were a way to get it without having to also buy Photoshop, which I don't want, and having to also buy Illustrator, which I don't want, and having to also buy Acrobat, which I don't want...

It's like going to a car dealership, and having the guy in the loud plaid jacket saying, "Yes, I'll sell you this car, but you'll have to buy these other three cars along with it. What a great deal I'm giving you on the price of the other three cars you don't actually want to buy!"

What are you talking about? I bought one of my users Photoshop 6 the other day and Illustrator 5.5 a few weeks ago. both stand alone products...

 

[swagi]

Well - Adobe currently lists a yearly price of 61.49 €/month on their German webpage.

So as long as they rip their European customers off, I'll pass.

 

[miroman]

To each his own...

Master Collection costs $2599, I only need Production Premium for $1899... That is 4yrs or 3yrs worth of Creative Cloud at $600/yr. By that time there would've been countless updates and other software to be included like Lightroom and Muse.

$600/yr is a good deal. These software make you money! Adobe products are industry standards... STANDARDS! You expect pricing thats less than $600/yr on an industry that is worth millions? (probably billions since there's the movie industry) People who complain are either stupid or cheap or on a good note, just content with previous versions.

If you're not a professional and use Photoshop for whatever crap you do, then don't buy it. Its as simple as that! If you only make home movies, don't bother with After Effects or Premiere. Adobe's target market are people who would want to commit to the design industry, not the people who just like to "try" and do personal projects on.

 

[Dudical]

You use Photoshop for website mockups? Wow, I feel sorry for you. You should try out Adobe Fireworks for that since that's what it is specifically made for. Fireworks CS6 is really nice.

Do what this random person on the internet wants to you do! They even feel sorry for you! Would they spend their valuable time feeling sorry for you if they weren't correct?

 

[Comeagain?]

Do what this random person on the internet wants to you do! They even feel sorry for you! Would they spend their valuable time feeling sorry for you if they weren't correct?

Aren't almost all of us random people on the Internet, giving people advice, and occasionally feeling sorry for each other?

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

Sort of expensive.

For people who genuinely need Adobe CS it usually pays for itself after the first project. Smart freelancers usually margin there work to include to cost of software.

Adobe's Creative Cloud costs $50/month ($30/month for first year) for $2640 worth of software ($2600 desktop and $40 mobile) and web services with 20GB storage.

Apple's entire portfolio of software costs $1022 ($975 for desktop and $47 for mobile) and 15GB iCloud costs $20/year (25 GB is $40). If Apple were to offer subscription-based model at same ratio to Adobe's, it would be $20/month.

And none of Apples software is able to do what CS does. That comparison doesn't even make sense. Thats like saying a Ferrari is more expensive than a Law Mower. Of course they don't even do the same thing!

 

[nutmac]

Adobe's Creative Cloud costs $50/month ($30/month for first year) for $2640 worth of software ($2600 desktop and $40 mobile) and web services with 20GB storage.

Apple's entire portfolio of software costs $1022 ($975 for desktop and $47 for mobile) and 15GB iCloud costs $20/year (25 GB is $40). If Apple were to offer subscription-based model at same ratio to Adobe's, it would be $20/month.

And none of Apples software is able to do what CS does. That comparison doesn't even make sense. Thats like saying a Ferrari is more expensive than a Law Mower. Of course they don't even do the same thing!

You are preaching to the choir. I have Creative Cloud membership.

I was merely pointing out how much Apple would charge if it were to offer something similar using Adobe math.

 

[jasone6]

I use Photoshop and Illustrator (CS5.5) almost every day. I just upgraded to CS6 (retail version—not the Creative Cloud). A couple thoughts on Adobe:

• Adobe's historical contribution to world-wide creativity is immense and unquestionable. Faults aside, Adobe has been—and still is—a pioneering and revolutionary force in the world of creative software.
• Kudos aside, Adobe is far from perfect—and in some cases, far from adequate. "Brand Adobe," if you will, is a fascinating mixture of category-defining authority, prestige and glamor, coupled with atrocious customer relations, brand-damaging sales policies, and an ever-growing reputation as an oppressive and disreputable outfit.
• My decision to upgrade to CS6 involved some serious soul-searching with regard to whether or not I wanted to give Adobe more of my money. In the end, I did—and the reason is simple: their product is the best, and even though upgrading (from CS5.5 to CS6) is largely a luxury, I want access to the best tools I can have more than I want to withhold money from Adobe.

I identify with both sides of the argument being articulated here and elsewhere: On the one hand: the price may seem high, but tools cost money—and good tools cost good money. On the other hand: every last drop of bitching, whining and complaining about Adobe's neglectful attitude towards addressing bugs and flaws and Adobe's tendency to milk every last penny out of its user-base is completely justified. With respect to the Creative Cloud development, I was moments away from pulling the trigger on upgrading to the CC (instead of the full retail version), and then I paused and thought about it some more. Here are the two questions that I formulated as a result. I offer them here in case a) they might help others make the decision, and b) in case anyone can answer either question.

———————————————
———————————————
Question 1:
Does a customer’s investment in a Creative Cloud subscription retain any equity towards a permanent license, or is his investment simply gone? As best I can tell, a user in my position has two options:

Option 1: Upgrade my license for the CS5.5 Master Collection to CS6 for $525. Purchasing that upgraded license grants me the right to use the software forever—with the added option of selling my license at some point in the future, thereby recouping a significant portion of my investment.

Option 2: For the same investment ($525), I could purchase less than 18 months of a Creative Cloud subscription ($30 / month)—at which point I would have nothing to show for my investment—i.e., neither the ability to use the software, nor an asset which I could claim or sell.


Question 2:
What is Adobe’s policy on upgrading to CS7 as it pertains to CS6 Creative Cloud subscribers? Specifically, what options—if any—does a licensed user of CS5.5 who upgrades to CS6 via the special-offer ($30 / month) for a Creative Cloud subscription have to change back to a permanent license when upgrading to CS7? Will that customer have the same pricing options as a customer who upgraded to the permanent license for CS6?

If not—the obvious question is: “Why is there no precautionary language on the Adobe website warning users of the consequences (i.e., permanent sacrifice of long-term equity)?”
If so—the obvious question becomes: “What is Adobe’s timeframe on development and release of CS7?” Every month beyond the 18th month (in this example) would equate to a (mostly) wasteful investment by a subscriber who plans to upgrade—and a total loss to the subscriber who does not upgrade.
———————————————
———————————————

The answers to these questions—and indeed, awareness of the questions themselves—are critical to helping customers make important decisions about investments in their tools and in Adobe's products. Based on the information (or lack of clear warnings) on the Adobe site, it seems to me that Adobe is enticing its customers into a highly disadvantageous bargain by encouraging the Creative Cloud route. If unintentional—this strikes me as gross negligence. If intentional—it equates to luring customers into a deceptive trap. Even after dutifully reading all the information on the Adobe site about the Creative Cloud—and after reviewing the product comparison table—I was still unaware of these issues. As mentioned, I almost entered into a costly year-long subscription, after which I would have been up a well-known creek without a paddle.

A cynic might observe that the sprinkling of additional features offered to Creative Cloud subscribers—many of which are explicitly vague, undefined and currently nonexistent—are intended to entice unsuspecting customers into relinquishing their option to upgrade to a permanent license and, perhaps, just enough differentiation to avoid future legal liability once customers revolt. Perhaps this is only my own misperception. Either way, it is inarguably appropriate to include a row on the comparison table which denotes the advantage(s) of the permanent license products compared to the Creative Cloud subscription service—namely the retention of the equity associated with a permanent license.

Thoughts?

-J

 

[fretdevil]

As a "professional" that uses Adobe software for a living....personally I think the $600/year is a decent price. Would I like to pay less.....sure....who wouldn't....but $600 over an entire year to have access to EVERY Adobe app (with Lightroom coming this summer)....that's nice.

Most pros can book a few jobs that will pay for the entire year.

No more worries about updates is nice as well.

Let's remember....none of these apps are for my Mom. She doesn't need Photoshop or Illustrator. There are viable alternatives for the consumer market.

My only hope is they give new tiers to pricing. Let's say I don't even need any of the video apps.....I'd like to be able to get a discount to not have access to them.

I got in on the sweet $29.99 deal for the first year. I own CS5....so I figure this gives me a year to try it out....if I start to see where things aren't looking good....at least I can still buy in to a full license based on upgrade pricing from CS5.

-Kevin

Ditto!
I, as all current customers are able to do, got in on the special $29.99 per month. Currently, I have to work for about 15 minutes to pay for the entire month. 13 months from now, it will go up another $20. Still a great deal for professionals who use these tools to make money.

 

[fretdevil]

Very overpriced — 75 smackeroos a month to rent their software?

And why is it that Adobe makes you buy every damned thing on their shelf every time, rather than letting you just pick the one you want? What are they, a freaking cable company? I would consider buying InDesign if there were a way to get it without having to also buy Photoshop, which I don't want, and having to also buy Illustrator, which I don't want, and having to also buy Acrobat, which I don't want...

It's like going to a car dealership, and having the guy in the loud plaid jacket saying, "Yes, I'll sell you this car, but you'll have to buy these other three cars along with it. What a great deal I'm giving you on the price of the other three cars you don't actually want to buy!"

You CAN buy all of their products individually.
InDesign is $699.99 (Full) or $125 (Upgrade)

Give up the Cool Aid!

 

[MIDI_EVIL]

It seems the people complaining about the subscription model are maybe enthusiasts or hobbyists...?

In one day as a freelancer I can pay for an entire year subscription, TO EVERY ADOBE APP...!

If you use them to make a living, then this quickly becomes a good deal.

 

[jlnr]

In the short term, this is a steal for almost everyone, BUT...

Adobe's incentive to improve CS was not to ward off competitors (lol, who?), but to add enough value to make their customers upgrade again and again and again. This sadly also explains their arrogant behavior towards anyone who doesn't buy the latest and greatest upgrade.

What's their incentive to improve the Creative Cloud once it generates most of Adobe's profits? They could fire the whole Photoshop team, only letting their pet monkey fix security holes (as before), and keep raking the cash in. Bye bye progress 🙁

 

[Takeo]

You use Photoshop for website mockups? Wow, I feel sorry for you. You should try out Adobe Fireworks for that since that's what it is specifically made for. Fireworks CS6 is really nice.

I'm not the person you were replying to, but I've been designing websites since 1995 with Photoshop. I've tried Fireworks many times as I keep hearing how much better it is for web design. I've really tried to make it work for me but I can't. I hate it and can't design in it. To each their own right? Whatever works. Some people design websites in Illustrator. I've even seem people design sites in InDesign!?!

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Adobe's update schedule is now 12 months - I was told officially by a senior Adobe rep at one of their special launch events.

Despite the affordability for some it still comes down to an enforced upgrade EVERY 12 months rather than allowing us some flexibility if a particular upgrade doesn't have new features that make an upgrade worth it to the individual.

Agreed. No argument there. If you prefer the option of saving money by only updating every-other-release... then stick with the retail version. Right? No problem. But you have to admit that the subscription model has some enticing benefits too. Pro and cons either way.

 

[Frobozz]

I purchased Proto yesterday. In my line of work– User Interface and User Experience design– a tool like this could be invaluable for rapid prototyping and Agile / Responsive design.

I was impressed with the touch interface. I was able to get things done a lot faster than I was expecting. I actually think I'll use this in one of my new projects. Being able to save to the cloud is also super helpful.

I have renewed faith in Adobe with products like Proto, Muse, and Edge.

 

[AidenShaw]

Adobe's incentive to improve CS was not to ward off competitors (lol, who?), but to add enough value to make their customers upgrade again and again and again. This sadly also explains their arrogant behavior towards anyone who doesn't buy the latest and greatest upgrade.

I can think of another company that starts with "A" with the same strategy. 😉

 

[Snowy_River]

It seems the people complaining about the subscription model are maybe enthusiasts or hobbyists...?

In one day as a freelancer I can pay for an entire year subscription, TO EVERY ADOBE APP...!

If you use them to make a living, then this quickly becomes a good deal.

You might consider me an "enthusiast", I guess. I consider myself a professional, as I do use CS to make money, just not full time. I'll agree that if I was working full time, the cost would be a drop in the bucket, so to speak. But as someone who works rather less than full time, the cost must be amortized over a longer period to make sense. The subscription model makes that impossible.

I'm not one to complain that much about the price of a professional tool. I do understand the value. But I still abhor the subscription model. It is a mandate for upgrades that provide no real motivation in and of themselves...

 

[jasone6]

Ditto!
I, as all current customers are able to do, got in on the special $29.99 per month. Currently, I have to work for about 15 minutes to pay for the entire month. 13 months from now, it will go up another $20. Still a great deal for professionals who use these tools to make money.

…and how do you feel about the fact that you are now locked in to an agreement wherein your software will continue to function only so long as you're making a monthly payment to Adobe? What happens 2 years from now if you decide you'd rather not upgrade to CS7? You'll have already spent $720 by that point (which is ~$200 more than the one-time price of a retail-upgrade), and yet you'll own nothing.

If you'd upgraded to the retail version instead, you'd own a license for the whole Creative Suite, which would enable you to use the applications for all eternity, or to sell your license to a third-party and recoup some of your investment. (At least that's my understanding of this new system.)

 

[netnothing]

…and how do you feel about the fact that you are now locked in to an agreement wherein your software will continue to function only so long as you're making a monthly payment to Adobe? What happens 2 years from now if you decide you'd rather not upgrade to CS7? You'll have already spent $720 by that point (which is ~$200 more than the one-time price of a retail-upgrade), and yet you'll own nothing.

If you'd upgraded to the retail version instead, you'd own a license for the whole Creative Suite, which would enable you to use the applications for all eternity, or to sell your license to a third-party and recoup some of your investment. (At least that's my understanding of this new system.)

Yup, that's called a subscription.

Plus I'm pretty sure you can't sell your old license if you used it to get an upgrade price can you?

Some people aren't realizing that for some of us......we can pay for this. I don't have to not eat to afford creative cloud.

If Adobe is going to stick with a yearly upgrade cycle.....which
I think they have to to stay current with the latest and greatest.....then this becomes a very good deal. Not to mention I have access to everything they make.

-Kevin

 

[jasone6]

...I'm pretty sure you can't sell your old license if you used it to get an upgrade price can you?

The method by which you purchase a license has no bearing on the terms of the license. Adobe offers prior licensees a discounted rate, but the license is no different from that which a new user can purchase (for full price). You can do whatever you want with it once you own it (within the terms of the license, of course)—including selling it to a third party. (see here)

Some people aren't realizing that for some of us......we can pay for this. I don't have to not eat to afford creative cloud. ... If Adobe is going to stick with a yearly upgrade cycle.....which I think they have to to stay current with the latest and greatest.....then this becomes a very good deal. Not to mention I have access to everything they make.

I agree with your sentiment with regard to eating vs. software, but respectfully, your logic about the Creative Cloud being a "very good deal," is severely flawed. Again—as a monthly subscriber, you will end up paying the cost of a retail-upgrade by the 18th month of your subscription. Stop the clock at that moment and look at what you have: NOTHING.

You will have no rights to continue to use the software for which you will have already paid Adobe ~$540. In contrast, a retail-upgrade path would leave you with a full license, with which you could either a) continue to use the software for all eternity, or b) sell the license to a third party whenever you feel like it—recouping a significant portion of the $525 you would have paid for a retail-license.

Instead, your situation will get even WORSE from that point forward. Not only will you have no asset to show for the same financial investment as a retail-upgrader, but you now have to keep paying money to avoid deactivation. Adobe will have a big straw stuck right into your back pocket, and the only way to get 'em to stop sucking your money out is to stop using the software.

Let's be honest—most of the "extra" features of the CC subscription are little more than vapor trails at this point. It's the same essential product whether you purchase a license or subscribe to the CC. So… What that all boils down to is this:

You're out a LARGE sum of money (in the form of an unrealized asset) to finance your ability to use CS6. I completely understand the appeal of small, manageable payments. (As I mentioned, I was a fraction of a second away from subscribing, myself.) But once you do the math, it's easy to see that you could get a better deal at the corner Currency Exchange, my friend. Heck, sign up for a frequent flyer credit card or something. You'd get a much better rate, a valuable permanent asset and a handful of miles to boot!

Cheers… J

 

[wonderspark]

My upgrade from CS5 to CS6 for the Production Premium suite was only $399. That's $16-something a month spread over the two years I've been using CS5. I've been using it for the last fifteen months as my sole means of income, and it seems like a great deal to me... cheaper than the Creative Cloud offer. On the other hand, if I find that one month I need one of the apps that isn't in Production Premium, like Dreamweaver or InDesign, I can subscribe for one month for $79 or whatever it is, get the work done and move on. I think this is the way to go. Buy what you use on a regular basis, subscribe to what you need on rare occasion. I can't think of a job that wouldn't pay for one month of a subscription.

 

[netnothing]

The method by which you purchase a license has no bearing on the terms of the license. Adobe offers prior licensees a discounted rate, but the license is no different from that which a new user can purchase (for full price). You can do whatever you want with it once you own it (within the terms of the license, of course)—including selling it to a third party. (see here)

According to this page, you can NOT sell your licenses if used to upgrade.

http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/...ansfer_the_previous_versions_of_the_software_

-Kevin

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An interesting article with price breakdowns related to the Master Collection

http://joemaller.com/3275/cost-of-adobes-new-creative-cloud-vs-creative-suite/

-Kevin