BTW, to change topic somewhat… I see a lot of non-subscription customers in this thread are angry that the current permanent version of Photoshop doesn’t include the conditionals. I just discovered that it works both ways… there are features (or at least one feature) that are in the permanent version and *not* in the subscription version: namely, View at “Print Size.”

I’m stunned at this omission, since Print Size is such a basic feature and was always available in earlier days. Makes me wonder if the issue isn’t so much Adobe being evil and trying to force everyone into the subscription model… maybe it’s more just Adobe being somewhat discombobulated with a forked development model. I don’t see why you’d need to fork development (generally a bad idea anyway) just to have two payment models.

Have you looked at our Javascript SDK? Everything you want to do is possible using pure Javascript. Conditional actions in Photoshop are designed to solve basic conditionals for non-code-monkey types.

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/photoshop/scripting.html

My other complaint is that the resultant actions I’m allowed to play can apparently only come from the same set the conditional action is in. In previous actions I’ve defined (not conditionals), I was allowed to play actions from other action sets as long as they were loaded. Actually, this would be less important if I were allowed to nest sets. The issue is that I don’t want my actions list cluttered up with sub-actions whose only purpose is to be called by other actions. Another option would be to allow some sub-actions to exist in the set but not show up in the list, at least not when in Buttons mode.

I’d like to add that Adobe’s preferred method of making their software available (the Cloud) forces people to commit their future dollars before they know if/where those dollars will come from. It’s this very type of thing (being done by individuals, business, and the government) that has caused the horrible economic conditions that we now have in this country.

On principle, if there is any way to avoid doing so, I will NOT promise or commit to perpetual future spending. It puts me at too much risk.

J… I know that Adobe wants folks to subscribe instead of buying outright. However, have you thought about what your customers want? There should be a solution that is good for both the Company and the Customers.

You do not need to be connected to the internet constantly in order to run Photoshop. It runs on your desktop as it always has. Once you install and activate, you only need to be online to renew your subscription.

~Fred

I’ve spent several grand on licenses, and in a financial pinch I can keep using the apps without upgrading. But if I invest another few thousand in a Cloud sub, for, say, 4 years, I’ll have another few thousand invested, but no “equity.” If the rent goes up a little, and my income drops, I’m left without ANY tools if I can’t afford the rent. This just doesn’t seem like the best way to handle long-term subscribers (let alone long-term prior licensees). With a license, if I can’t afford to upgrade, at least I still have the (aging) set of apps.

If Adobe could come up with some contingency plan for a person who has been a subscriber for years and then can’t afford to continue, I’d be happy to join the cloud. But if I know I’m going to be dead in the water if I ever can’t afford the subscription, I can’t see how I would ever justify dropping the 18-month license-upgrade model.

If Adobe really wants me (as opposed to new customers) to change my customer relationship, I really think they have to take this issue into account.

Some kind of gradual “investiture” process would seem to make sense — you get fully invested after, say, 3 years of subscribing, and then if you can’t keep up the rent you get a frozen version-specific license of some kind. Perhaps the investiture license itself has a lifespan — I’m sure there’s a scheme that would work for users and for Accounting.

Sadly (for me), I’ve never been able to get any acknowledgement of this issue, while the pressure to quit my license is never-ending. An incentive in this area (beyond a 1-year discount) would help a lot. As a freelancer, my cashflow is very tricky at times, and jobs move me from one technology to another unpredictably. It would be a lot easier if I felt that Adobe wants to keep me going, and not just cut me off during the lean months (or months when I simply can’t use the suite for current projects).

Allen

It is in the install window when you install CSX. one of the options gives explicit instructions on how to install on a non connected machine by getting a ‘code’ from a connected machine. Sorry, forget the details.

If that is what you need or want, no problem.

But why whine? you are certainly free to buy what you seem to lust for.

condemnation from customers who bought the ‘wrong thing’ making a difference? who knows what Adobe will do, but they are not stupid. as for a difference with me, it brings a smile :)

FIrst, in the UK I (along with many other Adobe Customers, RedGate software is a company I know thinks similarly) feel that I am getting ripped of if I purchase Adobe software. The pricing if the products is much higher in the UK than it would be if I purchased in the US. How can this be the case for a downloadable product? The priced should be the same no matter what country you live in and should only vary by taxation rates applied where the product is sold, the base price should be the same.

Second, if I purchase the Creative Cloud not only will my subscription cost more but after the first year 40% discount expires I will be charged a seemingly astronomical monthly sum. What happens then if I stop my subscription? It’s my current understanding that I would not then be able to access any of the software that I will feel that I have paid for but am now no longer entitled to use.

If I make an outright purchase of the software then I will be able to use the software even if I can’t afford to upgrade to the latest major version but I won’t be able to use incremental minor release updates that will be available to Creative Cloud subscribers.

I feel hosed in either case. I’d love to keep up with the latest Adobe software and engage with an awesome community. Please try to finds plan that can keep me current without making me feel like I am being ripped off or hosed!

Good luck

Austin