Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Photoshop - can't afford it, but how can I have it

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

Mildredop

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Oct 14, 2013
2,478
1,510
My friend's Mac is incredibly slow. Painfully slow. It needs completely re-loading and starting again (in my opinion).

But she has a fake version of Photoshop CS6. Doing a clean install would mean this would be gone, but she NEEDS it for work - a job she's new at and currently doesn't get well paid for.

So, how can she get Photoshop without paying a fortune for it? Thanks for any advice.

EDIT: I didn't mean just Photoshop, as it's Photoshop, Illustrator etc etc that she uses.
 
So...you're asking how to obtain an illegal copy of Creative Suite 6, right? Contact the Department of Justice - they can help.

Otherwise...tell your friend to stick a crowbar in their wallet and PAY for a Creative Cloud subscription. If she's using it for work, and her work doesn't reimburse her for it, the cost of the subscription becomes a tax deduction.
 
Bending Pixels said:
So...you're asking how to obtain an illegal copy of Creative Suite 6, right?
Click to expand...

No, that's the opposite of what I'm asking.

She doesn't want an illegal version any more as having one has ultimately crippled the overall use of her Mac, but can't afford to buy it new.

So, how can someone legally get Photoshop without paying thousands? Second hand? If so where? Is that even legal? How does one know the seller hasn't simply kept it on their own computer?
 
Well theoretically she could just reinstall OS X every 30 days and install the trial again and again every time... Photoshop is still going to be a legal copy that way... I'm not sure how the department of justice thinks about that, but I don't think they have that covered...

But is it really worth it? I mean Photoshop CC is $20/month, that isn't that much for something your friend really needs.
 
Last edited:
She needs to find an alternative to Photoshop, unless the company requires Photoshop. In which case, they need to provide it to her, in order for her to do her job.
That said, you can always try some half priced book store or something, and see if someone traded in an older edition (if that's even possible anymore).
 
Frankly I don't understand why the moderators don't take this down, as the question is how to preserve an ongoing theft.

Maybe she'd get paid better if she were honest.
 
Mildredop said:
No, that's the opposite of what I'm asking.

She doesn't want an illegal version any more as having one has ultimately crippled the overall use of her Mac, but can't afford to buy it new.

So, how can someone legally get Photoshop without paying thousands? Second hand? If so where? Is that even legal? How does one know the seller hasn't simply kept it on their own computer?
Click to expand...

You originally stated she had a "fake" copy. Kinda sounds like it was pirated to me.

Sites like B&H do have the student/teacher edition of Creative Suite CS6 available, but...proof of eligibility is required (i.e. you have to have a school ID to qualify). There are less reputable sites that claim to have the standard version available.

That said, the only other way would be to opt into one of Adobe's Creative Cloud programs, and pay on a monthly basis.
 
A possible option is to look for a single license copy being sold on Ebay. But then you have to be careful. It will be cheaper as it will only be one license instead of two. There are deals around, just be careful to read all the fine print and check out the sellers feedback. Make sure the seller has a lot of feedback.
 
Wow! I'm being flamed!

Sven11 said:
Photoshop CC is $20/month, that isn't that much for something your friend really needs.
Click to expand...

Could you offer a link to this? We've had a look but can't see any way of getting it this cheap.

----------
mercuryjones said:
She needs to find an alternative to Photoshop, unless the company requires Photoshop. In which case, they need to provide it to her, in order for her to do her job.
That said, you can always try some half priced book store or something, and see if someone traded in an older edition (if that's even possible anymore).
Click to expand...

She learnt Photoshop using this illegal copy that a friend (at Uni I think) loaded onto her Mac. So it's more the fact that she now knows how to do it all on there so wants to carry on doing it. But can't afford to actually buy it.

----------
weckart said:
Get an older version for less. Does she really need everything in CS6?
Click to expand...

Definitely an option - not sure how to get an older copy. Looked on eBay but doesn't offer anything. (other than upgrades)
 
Get a free trail? thats what i did but it goes away in a month i think
 
Bending Pixels said:
You originally stated she had a "fake" copy. Kinda sounds like it was pirated to me.

Sites like B&H do have the student/teacher edition of Creative Suite CS6 available, but...proof of eligibility is required (i.e. you have to have a school ID to qualify). There are less reputable sites that claim to have the standard version available.

That said, the only other way would be to opt into one of Adobe's Creative Cloud programs, and pay on a monthly basis.
Click to expand...

The copy she has is fake/illegal.

She's not a student, so that's not an option unfortunately.

Thanks for the cloud advice. We've looked at that but it still works out too expensive (she earns around £7,000 per year as a freelancer at the moment, so it's that chicken and egg thing. She needs the tools to get the work, but needs the work to afford the tools)

----------
Natzoo said:
Get a free trail? thats what i did but it goes away in a month i think
Click to expand...

Thanks. Yeah, we've looked at this but you're right, it only lasts a month. I've also looked at just buying it for her, but it's bloody expensive!!

----------
Sven11 said:
Well theoretically she could just reinstall OS X every 30 days and install the trial again and again every time... Photoshop is still going to be a legal copy that way... I'm not sure how the department of justice thinks about that, but I don't think they have that covered...

But is it really worth it? I mean Photoshop CC is $20/month, that isn't that much for something your friend really needs.
Click to expand...

Just looking again, it's £45 ($69) per month for the creative suite, which is what she needs.
 
The only way to do this legally would be to buy an older version second hand off someone. If she is using the program for work then just get the CC subscription and claim it back on tax.
 
torana355 said:
The only way to do this legally would be to buy an older version second hand off someone. If she is using the program for work then just get the CC subscription and claim it back on tax.
Click to expand...

She doesn't earn enough to claim back the tax, though (yet). And £48 per month is a massive amount for a program she uses sporadically for a few weeks here and there.
 
Mildredop said:
She doesn't earn enough to claim back the tax, though (yet). And £48 per month is a massive amount for a program she uses sporadically for a few weeks here and there.
Click to expand...

Tried Pixelmator?

Might be another option.

Or if her wage is so low, why don't you pick up the tab for her for 12 months?
 
For many things Photoshop Elements is enough, and it's under $100. $65 at Amazon now.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 13 [Mac Download] by Adobe http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NNZNTAC
 
balamw said:
For many things Photoshop Elements is enough, and it's under $100. $65 at Amazon now.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 13 [Mac Download] by Adobe http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NNZNTAC
Click to expand...

Elements is no good unfortunately.
 
Hahaha

Mildredop said:
She doesn't earn enough to claim back the tax, though (yet). And £48 per month is a massive amount for a program she uses sporadically for a few weeks here and there.
Click to expand...

Hold up...first you said she can't afford it, but now you're saying it's too much because she only uses it sporadically?

If you're not going to pay people for the stuff they make, you need to figure out how to steal it yourself.
 
Adobe Photoshop CS2 is free, but the Mac version is only for PowerPC.

They can try and download the Windows version and run it on Mac using something like Wineskin.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back