Adobe Unveils Creative Suite CS4, GPU Accelerated Photoshop

[chameleon]

WHY DOES PHOTOSHOP COST $699??? I can get tons of software for free and use them to do some of the same things photoshop does. How can adobe justify this RIDICULOUS price??

Photoshop cost $700 because people are dumb enough to pay it.

Adobe has a virtual monopoly on the high-end graphics market, so they can jack the price as high as they want and you have no alternative except to buy it or pirate it.

They've also jacked up their copy protection, further forcing people into paying $700 a pop.

A large percentage of copies are sold to businesses, so the costs isn't a factor.

If Apple (or some other reputable company) were to come out with a legitimate competitor at a more reasonable price, photoshop's price would drop like a lead balloon. Until then, you're screwed.

 

[netnothing]

so, how does the upgrading stuff work? i have macromedia studio 8. i bought the upgrade to the design premium cs3. i see that for a limited time i can upgrade to cs4 with the studio 8 software, but does the upgrade i bought to cs3 count too?

or am i limited by the original software i bought?

Well first off it looks like until February 2009 the upgrade from CS3 or Studio 8 is the same price:
http://www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/web/upgrade/

Regardless, when you upgraded, you are now a CS3 owner. No need to worry about your Studio 8 package. Your CS3 will give you the ability to upgrade from that to CS4.

Basically, it's expensive to get into a product line for the first time, after that, if you stay current, you'll always get the upgrade pricing.

-Kevin

 

[Panu]

Whacko User Interface

I had a copy of the Dreamweaver CS4 beta. The only notable new feature is even less compliance with the OS X user interface. It comes across as sloppy low quality.

It's already hard to type without getting your fingers tangled up in Dreamweaver; they did nothing to make it better. They didn't even make a standard keyboard layout an option. It's as bad as trying to type English on a Lithuanian keyboard--for those of us who aren't long-term users who are accustomed to the quirks. I take it to mean they don't want new customers. I'm happy to oblige.

I really don't see the point in purchasing software from a company that is so arrogant that it holds the OS in contempt. Because that inconveniences the users, they are effectively holding their customers in contempt. I think it is time to look for alternatives.

 

[opeter]

That's the same as CS3, right?

If Igary's question was for CS4 on an Apple, then I don't know why there'd be much question about 32-bit CS4 vs 32-bit CS3.

For 64-bit Windows CS4, though, it's an interesting question. Most likely the current 8 TiB OS limit wouldn't work - but with system support for 128 GiB of RAM, it could get interesting.

(Note that Intel was showing Nehalem workstations with 192 GiB of RAM at IDF (64 GiB in each of three channels). Also note that Windows Server 2008 supports 2048 GiB of RAM on basically the same codebase as Vista.)

And why do you put the blame on Adobe when clearly the problem is that Leopard is not compatible with Tiger?

Looks like Apple's screwup, not Adobe's.

Ups, it was meant for CS3... dunno for CS4, will have to wait for that info. But i think the barrier for CS4 will be somehow the same as for CS3 under 32-bit OS.

 

[koobcamuk]

UK Pricing still sucks.

Example: Adobe CS4 Design Premium, The US price is US$1800 plus taxes.

In the UK, it's £1582 plus VAT in the UK, which equals US$2993 plus VAT.

So in the UK we're paying a 66% markup - and that's before you add the VAT.

I'm sticking with my own "creative suite" until further notice: Pixelmator, RapidWeaver, Inkscape, iLife.

SL

Bring on the recession!

 

[brad.c]

For what I've gleaned of the new Design Premium suite, CS4 looks worth the money. InDesign-Flash conversion alone will make it worth my while, although I'm hoping to see some better table style management.

All I'm gonna do is wait for my printers to say it's okay before I upgrade.

Plus, I find the earlier upgrade bonuses to be worthy of note, as I have licenses for CS3 retail (upgraded from CS3 EDU), and Macromedia Studio 8. Now (at least until Feb 28/2009) I can get two CS4 licenses for $1198.

 

[Mudcrutch]

Wonder if Adobe got smart and brought back ImageReady ... Firework is an awful replacement for creating slices.

ImageReady was combined into Photoshop. You can do your slicing right in PS.

 

[AidenShaw]

You might be right... because Office '08 has the same problems.

But the bigger point is these problems still exist after several updates from both companies. And there has been none, zip, ZERO press coverage of this problem, or acknowledgement (obviously, i guess) from the companies.

The two biggest productivity suites for mac DONT work w/ Leopard's marquee feature: Spaces!

Unbelievable.

What is unbelievable is that Apple expects other companies to constantly repair and rewrite working applications to keep up with incompatible changes in the OS, and that Apple users expect the same.

Look at what Adobe's had to do since about the year 2000:

• Port their application from OS9 to OSX
• Port their application from OSX PPC to OSX x86
• Port their application from 32-bit to 64-bit (oops, Windows only)
• Port the Apple port from Carbon to Cocoa, due to a sudden change in Apple's committed plans

Only one of those four (the 64-bit port) has any added value for the end users.

And you're complaining that they didn't put out a special release to cope with problems in Apple's multi-desktop feature in 10.5?

Imagine where Photoshop would be if Adobe could concentrate on enhancing the product - rather than constantly rewriting things to deal with Apple's lack of compatibility?

 

[opeter]

Imagine where Photoshop would be if Adobe could concentrate on enhancing the product - rather than constantly rewriting things to deal with Apple's lack of compatibility?

Huh, dont want to. It's too Science-Fiction.

 

[Ed State]

And you're complaining that they didn't put out a special release to cope with problems in Apple's multi-desktop feature in 10.5?

Dude, I'm simply complaining that it DOESNT WORK. I don't care who's "fault" it is, and I actually agreed w/ you that it *probably* is Apple's, seeing that other programs (including some of Apple's own, actually) don't work.

Do you work for Adobe? You're taking this all kindof personally

 

[koala]

I'm sure Adobe will never release another update to Camera Raw for CS3, so unless I want to stick with the same DSLR for the next 2 years, I'll basically be forced to upgrade, in order to get RAW support for a new camera.

Or use Adobe's DNG converter and open the DNG files under CS3, which is a much more affordable approach. Hopefully, DNG files will continue to be readable long after 20 megapixel cameras are museum pieces.

 

[Bubba Satori]

+1

nothing to see here for me, move along

 

[madrag]

I'm curious to see DW CS4...

I tried the beta and it was unusable (switching from codeview to design view gave me a blank canvas!).

Photoshop CS4 seems nice, but does it justify an upgrade?

 

[Bubba Satori]

Photoshop cost $700 because people are dumb enough to pay it.

Any other insults this morning, or are you finished for the day ?

 

[Panu]

... on Windows, you mean - right?

Vista's limits are 128 GiB physical RAM, and 8 TiB virtual per process.

That might be Server 2008. Vista client can only allocate 4GB of virtual memory to a program. Memory-mapped I/O, such as the memory on the video card, has to come out of that 4GB. So only about 3.3 GB is available to the software.

The geeks here at my employer say that there is a simple patch for Vista, which they have used, to increase the available memory to 4GB, probably by mapping the I/O outside the 4GB.

Macs suffer from the same limitation through 2007. Macs with the newer chipsets can put the memory-mapped I/O outside the 4GB.

My guess that this is really a limitation of the chipset, not the OS, and apparently Vista can't take advantage of of the new chipsets without a little patch. Leopard doesn't need a patch, probably because Microsoft and Apple made different decisions about future chipsets.

 

[alphaod]

I'm trying to determine if education copies of CS3 can be upgraded to education copies of CS4. So far the answer seems to be no, in which case education users will have to stick with CS3 Education, pay the full education price for a new CS4 Education, or contact Adobe about an upgrade to the non-education version.

Well I've been looking to actually pay for this stuff for the time, so this looks like a great time. And the student price looks really nice. I wish price was a bit cheaper for individual copies, because all I need is Photoshop, Acrobat, and Dreamweaver. But it ends up cheaper to just get the Design Suite.

 

[AidenShaw]

Dude, I'm simply complaining that it DOESNT WORK. I don't care who's "fault" it is, and I actually agreed w/ you that it *probably* is Apple's, seeing that other programs (including some of Apple's own, actually) don't work.

Do you work for Adobe? You're taking this all kindof personally

Adobe tech support: So, don't use Spaces. Problem solved.

Not personal - as someone in the software industry, though, I don't like the attitude that an OS vendor can keep changing the rules, and the application vendor has to devote a *lot* of expensive engineering time that has no value for the customer.

You also should be aware that larger professional shops don't immediately upgrade to the latest OS release - they wait for things like this to settle down. Often, they don't upgrade at all. Apple's problem with multi-desktop might be a non-issue for the majority of Photoshop users.

In a way, it's like the old Groucho Marx joke:

Patient: "Doctor, it hurts when I do this."
Doctor: "Don't do that"​

If Apple messed up Spaces, don't use it.

 

[alphaod]

Photoshop cost $700 because people are dumb enough to pay it.

Adobe has a virtual monopoly on the high-end graphics market, so they can jack the price as high as they want and you have no alternative except to buy it or pirate it.

They've also jacked up their copy protection, further forcing people into paying $700 a pop.

A large percentage of copies are sold to businesses, so the costs isn't a factor.

If Apple (or some other reputable company) were to come out with a legitimate competitor at a more reasonable price, photoshop's price would drop like a lead balloon. Until then, you're screwed.

Let me see; Light room is $200; wow Aperture is $200!
Premiere is $800, Final Cut is $1300!

Yeah the price will drop like a rock when Apple puts out there own version out.

If you're too cheap to pay use Gimp.

When you write something like Photoshop and sell it for $50, I'll buy it!

 

[AidenShaw]

That might be Server 2008. Vista client can only allocate 4GB of virtual memory to a program. Memory-mapped I/O, such as the memory on the video card, has to come out of that 4GB. So only about 3.3 GB is available to the software.

Please read Memory Limits for Windows Releases at Microsoft.com.

Your description is close for Vista x86. For Vista x64, my 8 TiB claim is correct. (Note that Vista is "Longhorn", 2008 is "Longhorn Server" - very similar codebase.)

Obviously, hardware limits also apply. For example the pre-Santa Rosa systems have 32-bit chipsets, so the 3.3 GiB usable RAM limit applies even to x64 systems with x64 operating systems.

Of course, an x64 system can give more than 3.3 GiB of virtual space to a process, even on a 32-bit chipset.

 

[drastik]

Of course, now I have too decide between the software, or the (hopefully) new machine I'd have to buy to properly run it.

 

[mBox]

This sounds like a nice little upgrade, still wish it was 64bit on the Mac version though.

I work with most of these apps almost 24/7 and I tell yaa it has to come out on 64bit Its such a waste budgeting for a MacPro with 16GB of RAM when AE craps out at RAM preview (HD roughly 5sec.)

 

[dalen7]

I have been using photoshop since 2.5.
The biggest change was 3 where they introduced layers...like night and day.
(though I did not use a newer version from 2.5 until version 4.)

This update to photoshop is by far the cleanest, most user friendly interface to date. I totally like it.

Could they have done something different or added more? Always.
But it really is a nice program i wouldnt mind getting and settling down with for awhile. Though i have to admit, I am disappointed its not 64bit, and would hate to buy this just to upgrade later.

Peace

dAlen

 

[dalen7]

I work with most of these apps almost 24/7 and I tell yaa it has to come out on 64bit Its such a waste budgeting for a MacPro with 16GB of RAM when AE craps out at RAM preview (HD roughly 5sec.)

I think Adobe owes 64bit to the mac crowd.
EVeryone who buys this version should get a free 64bit update.

Is that unrealistic? No, Adobe should have jumped on the new system laid out and cleaned out the guts for speed. Its a bit unfortunate as this is a nice update but its missing the 64 bit.

Come to think of it...what is Mayas excuse (autodesk) for not bringing Maya out in 64bit for mac.

At times I think of getting Windows...but I am so used to OSX that it would just feel odd.

Lets hope Adobe does something thats not normal to corporations and gives everyone an update to 64 bit when the time comes. (and let us know in advance so we can go ahead and plan to buy this product.)

Peace

dAlen

 

[sra. Aguirre]

Illustrator seems to have some cool features!

I am seriously thinking about buying the upgrade!
I was watching some cool new features in my favorite application Illustrator:
Looks good!
http://www.gomediazine.com/design-tip/product-tip-review/adobe-illustrator-cs4-preview/

 

[morespce54]

...I prefer 114 CD's instead (give or take 50).

Well, it seems that you can send back your 17 DVDs and ask them to mail you the 114 CD's edition (or cargo-mail, for that matter)