What should I be careful of when purchasing Adobe CS6 remotely?

[zoran]

With both of the OS's Adobe CS runs on updating frequently it's not worth it.

Can you please rephrase, i don't understand what you are saying!

I know many people don't update OSs often but with more and more software companies abandoning support for older OSs people are going to have to update more frequently than they have in the past.

If one doesn't upgrade and stays using the same OS and Apps why would he need updates for?

 

[zoran]

Also please tell me your thoughts for used software that look like new (as the sellers claim). For example, there are some sellers that sell opened boxes of AdobeCS. They claim that they have them deactivated -and that the buyer can reactivate it back- plus that the seller will give a form to fill and send to Adobe for transferring the licence to the new owner!
Is all this happening? What should i be aware of?

 

[MechaSpanky]

You do realize the subscription is far cheaper than buying it outright correct? It would take over 4 years in order for CC to equal the price of buying CS6 outright.

Sorry chrono1081 you obviously have what I like to refer to as Adobe "price blinders" on. When comparing the subscription model to the perpetual model there are more factors to take into consideration other than just price. If that was the case then renting an apartment or a house is always cheaper than buying, right? I mean the monthly payment for renting is lower and so it must be true. Of course this isn't true because in reality there are more things to factor in than simply price. If you only use one program (like Photoshop) then the subscription model would be around the same price as the upgrade price. This is of course reasoning that you already have purchased Photoshop and you would buy the upgrade (not the full price). Compared to the full price, sure it is cheaper but when you compare the monthly rate over the course of someone's career then it gets more complicated. For me it is more expensive. I only need 3 programs, Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign but they don't offer different packages for different kinds of users. So the price of the subscription model is more for me than it was before.

As well the subscription model takes some freedom away from users. Before if you grew tired of the way Adobe was doing things, you could simply stick with your current version but now, if you don't like it and you unsubscribe, how are you going to open your files? What if Adobe decides to increase the price and you aren't happy with it? Well now, with the subscription model, you have no other choice. Before you could continue using the software you had until you found another alternative. As well, Adobe's pricing structure is way off. They have made the software look cheap because now you have access to all Adobe's apps. The problem with that is, most people don't need all of Adobe's apps but you are still paying for them whether you want to or not. Before they had different suites that allowed you to better pick and choose groups of software that suited your needs. So to blindly say that the subscription model is cheaper is not correct for every case.

 

[chrono1081]

Sorry chrono1081 you obviously have what I like to refer to as Adobe "price blinders" on. When comparing the subscription model to the perpetual model there are more factors to take into consideration other than just price. If that was the case then renting an apartment or a house is always cheaper than buying, right? I mean the monthly payment for renting is lower and so it must be true. Of course this isn't true because in reality there are more things to factor in than simply price. If you only use one program (like Photoshop) then the subscription model would be around the same price as the upgrade price. This is of course reasoning that you already have purchased Photoshop and you would buy the upgrade (not the full price). Compared to the full price, sure it is cheaper but when you compare the monthly rate over the course of someone's career then it gets more complicated. For me it is more expensive. I only need 3 programs, Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign but they don't offer different packages for different kinds of users. So the price of the subscription model is more for me than it was before.

As well the subscription model takes some freedom away from users. Before if you grew tired of the way Adobe was doing things, you could simply stick with your current version but now, if you don't like it and you unsubscribe, how are you going to open your files? What if Adobe decides to increase the price and you aren't happy with it? Well now, with the subscription model, you have no other choice. Before you could continue using the software you had until you found another alternative. As well, Adobe's pricing structure is way off. They have made the software look cheap because now you have access to all Adobe's apps. The problem with that is, most people don't need all of Adobe's apps but you are still paying for them whether you want to or not. Before they had different suites that allowed you to better pick and choose groups of software that suited your needs. So to blindly say that the subscription model is cheaper is not correct for every case.

I have no blinders on, but I do use a calculator and already calculated it.

You're forgetting, unlike a house or an apartment you have to upgrade software. With both Microsoft and Apple pumping out new OS's with great frequency and Adobe (and others) dropping support for older OS's upgrading is necessary for almost everyone.

It is absolutely cheaper to use CC than it is to purchase CS6 outright. This isn't even debatable, do the math.

You're clinging to extreme fringe cases for your argument.

 

[Jessica Lares]

Zoran, you should post in the marketplace here and see if anyone's trying to offload their CS6.

You can never be so sure about random sellers on eBay, Amazon, and whatever. A lot of people don't think of what could happen a month later because the information is valid then and there, and if something happens, that doesn't get reflected because you can't go and change the feedback later on. There are lots of guys in various countries posing as US sellers too.

Would definitely feel safer parting with huge amounts of money here than at those other places.

 

[MechaSpanky]

I have no blinders on, but I do use a calculator and already calculated it.

You're forgetting, unlike a house or an apartment you have to upgrade software. With both Microsoft and Apple pumping out new OS's with great frequency and Adobe (and others) dropping support for older OS's upgrading is necessary for almost everyone.

It is absolutely cheaper to use CC than it is to purchase CS6 outright. This isn't even debatable, do the math.

You're clinging to extreme fringe cases for your argument.

Sorry chrono1081, while you may have a calculator you obviously don't have a dictionary as your continued posting about the price further proves that you do indeed have "price-blinders" on. Here is the definition of blinders in case you aren't aware of what they are "something that prevents someone from gaining a full understanding of a situation" I never said that it was cheaper to buy a full version of CS than it is to use CC. I said that it was more expensive to use CC than it was to buy the upgrades to CS. Most of the people out there who are unhappy with the subscription model are people who used to buy upgrades. People who are new to the software probably see it as cheaper (but with less choices and they put more power in the hands of Adobe). There are some cases where using CC makes sense but the fact is that Adobe has taken away our choices and has forced its customers to use the subscription method, which isn't good for everyone. It might be good for businesses but it is not friendly to home users. Sure if you are a professional freelancer or the like you can justify the cost but if you aren't then you are screwed.

Another issue that I rarely see mentioned is, many people don't want another monthly bill to have to think about. Plus what do you do when you retire? Are you going to continue to pay Adobe until you die so that you can access your files? That is just silly. Your argument about upgrading the OS is silly too. Upgrading is a choice, no one forces you to do it. Plus in the past, Adobe software worked with many versions of the OS (for example, CS 1 worked with 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 and 10.5 and it might have worked with 10.1 too). If you own the software then you can choose to upgrade when you want. As well, Adobe can raise the price whenever they like and what are you going to do about it? Nothing but say "Thank you great Adobe, may I have some more".

I'm not trying to convince you because you are obviously comfortable paying Adobe until you die. Just realise that there are many out there that don't want to continue to pay Adobe forever.

 

[chrono1081]

Sorry chrono1081, while you may have a calculator you obviously don't have a dictionary as your continued posting about the price further proves that you do indeed have "price-blinders" on. Here is the definition of blinders in case you aren't aware of what they are "something that prevents someone from gaining a full understanding of a situation" I never said that it was cheaper to buy a full version of CS than it is to use CC. I said that it was more expensive to use CC than it was to buy the upgrades to CS. Most of the people out there who are unhappy with the subscription model are people who used to buy upgrades. People who are new to the software probably see it as cheaper (but with less choices and they put more power in the hands of Adobe). There are some cases where using CC makes sense but the fact is that Adobe has taken away our choices and has forced its customers to use the subscription method, which isn't good for everyone. It might be good for businesses but it is not friendly to home users. Sure if you are a professional freelancer or the like you can justify the cost but if you aren't then you are screwed.

Another issue that I rarely see mentioned is, many people don't want another monthly bill to have to think about. Plus what do you do when you retire? Are you going to continue to pay Adobe until you die so that you can access your files? That is just silly. Your argument about upgrading the OS is silly too. Upgrading is a choice, no one forces you to do it. Plus in the past, Adobe software worked with many versions of the OS (for example, CS 1 worked with 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 and 10.5 and it might have worked with 10.1 too). If you own the software then you can choose to upgrade when you want. As well, Adobe can raise the price whenever they like and what are you going to do about it? Nothing but say "Thank you great Adobe, may I have some more".

I'm not trying to convince you because you are obviously comfortable paying Adobe until you die. Just realise that there are many out there that don't want to continue to pay Adobe forever.

And again, I don't have price blinders on. Do the math. As for "Monthly Bill" pay yearly if you want, it is (or at least was when I signed up) an option. That's what I do with my 3D software. I have a yearly maintenance bill I pay. I'd have to pay that bill for 7 years to equal the cost of buying the software outright. Same goes for CC.

Your OS argument is incredibly weak. Most people have to upgrade their OS, there's no choice. Are you not aware that support drops off after so many OSs? You forget many people use this software as part of a pipeline, and if the rest of the software needs upgraded and needs the OS to be updated to guess what, CS needs updated as well.

I get it, you're set in your ways and would rather pay more in the short and long run by keeping an outdated version of the software but don't pretend its a smart business decision.

 

[mw360]

Also please tell me your thoughts for used software that look like new (as the sellers claim). For example, there are some sellers that sell opened boxes of AdobeCS. They claim that they have them deactivated -and that the buyer can reactivate it back- plus that the seller will give a form to fill and send to Adobe for transferring the licence to the new owner!
Is all this happening? What should i be aware of?

I'm joining your thread a little bit late, but if you're still thinking of buying from overseas, there are two things to consider:

1. Whether you'll get stung for import duty at customs. It could wipe out your savings.

2. Whether an imported copy is legally licensed. A lot of these big software packages come with license restrictions that disallow importing and exporting between territories. Although you're unlikely to get sued, the real catch is that you won't be able to register your copy or get any support if it doesn't work.

And regarding used copies, there are many legitimate ways to sell used copies, however it's very easy for a fraudulent seller to just copy&paste whatever a legitimate seller posts on their site. Photos text, everything. How con you tell the difference? Your only defence against this is to know who the seller is so you have some legal options.

 

[MechaSpanky]

And again, I don't have price blinders on. Do the math. As for "Monthly Bill" pay yearly if you want, it is (or at least was when I signed up) an option. That's what I do with my 3D software. I have a yearly maintenance bill I pay. I'd have to pay that bill for 7 years to equal the cost of buying the software outright. Same goes for CC.

Your OS argument is incredibly weak. Most people have to upgrade their OS, there's no choice. Are you not aware that support drops off after so many OSs? You forget many people use this software as part of a pipeline, and if the rest of the software needs upgraded and needs the OS to be updated to guess what, CS needs updated as well.

I get it, you're set in your ways and would rather pay more in the short and long run by keeping an outdated version of the software but don't pretend its a smart business decision.

I think that you might have misread my posts or maybe you didn't read them? It is also possible that in addition to be afflicted with "price-blinders" you also suffer from "selective reading comprehension" as you failed to notice many of the points that I made. I don't disagree with you on the point that it is cheaper to use the subscription model if you are a first time user and you wouldn't have been illegible for the upgrade price. If you were buying the upgrade price and then the subscription model isn't cheaper for people who used to use the Design Standard Suite. I'll make this bold for you because I have posted it several times and you just aren't getting it?

"Most people have to upgrade their OS, there's no choice."

Really? So in the first week of a new release everyone, and by your statement, everyone in the world who uses a certain OS immediately upgrades their OS. That is ridiculous. Does Apple and Microsoft go to people's houses and force them at gun point to upgrade? No, they don't. Sure in a perfect world everyone would upgrade to the newest version but let's be real, that doesn't happen. There are many people who don't upgrade their OS every version. I'm not sure what field you work in but many people who work in the printing industry don't upgrade for quite some time. Many designers don't upgrade as well. Either because of a lack of money or the fact that many of them run special software that won't work on the new OS (it hasn't been updated yet).

I guess we are going to have to agree to disagree. I understand that you like the subscription model, really I do. For some people it works well, for others it doesn't. This is the key point that I'm trying to make. Adobe has limited customers options and that, for me, is never a good thing. Because of this, Adobe has indirectly given me another option. They have opened the door many other software companies to offer competing products. I continue to use my older versions of CS (which won't work according to you because some of them are no longer supported by Adobe) but mostly I use other products and I think that they are a much better deal. I'm not the only one who feels this way. Search around the net and you will hear many people, just like me, unhappy with how Adobe has treated it's customers or keep telling yourself that everyone loves Adobe and their great subscription model.

 

[chrono1081]

I think that you might have misread my posts or maybe you didn't read them? It is also possible that in addition to be afflicted with "price-blinders" you also suffer from "selective reading comprehension" as you failed to notice many of the points that I made. I don't disagree with you on the point that it is cheaper to use the subscription model if you are a first time user and you wouldn't have been illegible for the upgrade price. If you were buying the upgrade price and then the subscription model isn't cheaper for people who used to use the Design Standard Suite. I'll make this bold for you because I have posted it several times and you just aren't getting it?

Really? So in the first week of a new release everyone, and by your statement, everyone in the world who uses a certain OS immediately upgrades their OS. That is ridiculous. Does Apple and Microsoft go to people's houses and force them at gun point to upgrade? No, they don't. Sure in a perfect world everyone would upgrade to the newest version but let's be real, that doesn't happen. There are many people who don't upgrade their OS every version. I'm not sure what field you work in but many people who work in the printing industry don't upgrade for quite some time. Many designers don't upgrade as well. Either because of a lack of money or the fact that many of them run special software that won't work on the new OS (it hasn't been updated yet).

I guess we are going to have to agree to disagree. I understand that you like the subscription model, really I do. For some people it works well, for others it doesn't. This is the key point that I'm trying to make. Adobe has limited customers options and that, for me, is never a good thing. Because of this, Adobe has indirectly given me another option. They have opened the door many other software companies to offer competing products. I continue to use my older versions of CS (which won't work according to you because some of them are no longer supported by Adobe) but mostly I use other products and I think that they are a much better deal. I'm not the only one who feels this way. Search around the net and you will hear many people, just like me, unhappy with how Adobe has treated it's customers or keep telling yourself that everyone loves Adobe and their great subscription model.

You keep writing these walls of text, you keep freaking out because you refuse to acknowledge Creative Cloud is a better option. You pretend people aren't forced to upgrade their OS (when was the last time you got to choose what OS came with a new computer? If you're on Windows the disk that comes with your computer is not a true OS disk, its a custom OEM version for that set of hardware.)

Anyway you won't change my mind and I won't change yours. Enjoy paying a ton of money for CS6 and then later Creative Cloud when you have to upgrade computers.

 

[smirking]

It is absolutely cheaper to use CC than it is to purchase CS6 outright. This isn't even debatable, do the math.

You need to qualify this statement with the words "cheaper for me."

For me it's roughly on par with buying the software every two years if I can keep my $30/month pricing. That's my normal upgrade cycle and so long as I can keep to similar pricing, I'll keep re-upping.

If I used their whole suite, then it would definitely be worth it even at full price, but I'm a code developer first and a UI/UX/Graphics hack second.

I could use their packaged tools for developers if I had no other choices, but I already have other preferred options that I also pay money regularly for updates to and it seems ridiculous that I'd end up paying much more for the tools that I use 20% of the time than the ones I use 80% of the time. Facing that, I'd either move to a la carte monthly pricing as needed or I'll find an alternative that will be good enough even if it's not close to Photoshop and Illustrator.

BTW, I have two MBP laptops. The older one is five years old, is loaded with Mavericks, and runs Photoshop CS3 more or less ok, but InDesign CS3 is another story. It was glitchy even on Snow Leopard. My newer machine has a current Adobe CC subscription going on its second year.

You really just don't know how well the old versions will weather the upgrades so I don't think there's a clear answer as to whether it's foolish or not to try and hang onto old versions. If you make good money with the tools, don't take the chance. If your path is less certain, this isn't just debatable, it very much should be part of your decision making.

 

[zoran]

I got it, but was very surprised to see that this little tiny box came.

I was expecting to see something bigger! As advertised.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51N+R45-8vL._SY450_.jpg
Afraid to open it!
What on earth is inside this little box anyway, its almost the size of a cd!