Boycott Adobe
December 2nd, 2011
I’ve ranted here about Adobe before. I was upset when I found that they were not supporting the last version of PhotoShop, CS4, just one version back from the current CS5. That meant that I could not process the RAW files from my Nikon D7000 with CS4. I don’t upgrade every time Adobe comes out with a new version, usually skipping one version. I find that works much better for me and my budget. So I had to find another way to work with my RAW files, since I planned to wait for CS6 to do an upgrade. I did that by buying Elements 9 which includes the exact same RAW processing engine as CS5. That’s been working ok, although Adobe would only let me install Elements on two of my three computers, so I had pick one that would not have the ability to do RAW processing.
And I wrote a nasty letter to Adobe expressing my displeasure. Well, they must have heard me because they have now made an announcement that they are no longer going to allow upgrades from earlier versions of PhotoShop. So, when CS6 comes out, if I don’t already have CS5 I won’t be able to get the upgrade price, but will have to pay the full price for a new copy.
Well, that’s not going to happen.
I don’t do business with companies that abuse me like that. I won’t buy anything from Adobe unless and until they change that upgrade policy. That’s the last straw.
I urge you to do likewise. And to publicly express your dismay with this kind of abuse of the customers who have made PhotoShop the dominant product that it is. If we don’t rebel, we will continue to just be treated like ATMs that Adobe can use to withdraw money whenever the whim strikes them.
Meanwhile I’m looking for options to do my photo processing work. Right now I’m testing DxO Optics Pro. It looks promising, but I’m just getting started using it. I’ll be posting photos processed with it and writing about my experience using it over the next month while I can use the trial version. I’ll let you know what I think of it and if I decide to buy it.
DxO will not be a complete solution, though, even if I decide I like it. It doesn’t seem to have any print function, but is simply dedicated to processing images to produce an optimum file. So I’m looking at Qimage as a possible way to do my printing. I’ve had Qimage for many years and appreciated their promise of free upgrades forever. I have seldom used the program, though. I mainly used it to “up-rez” files to make large prints for a project several years ago. Overall I found it a bit complicated and hard to use for the simple job of printing, when I could just click print in another program.
But I pulled up my access code and went to their site to install the latest version on my current computer. Well, so much for free upgrades forever. The code wouldn’t work and it appears they have gotten around their promise by abandoning the program I have and introducing another “new” program that now has to be purchased. They do offer the option of getting a new key and downloading the last version of the old program…for a small fee. I’ve written to them to explain my situation, but haven’t gotten a response yet. I may just go ahead and pay the fee to reinstall the program I already bought and see how it works before deciding if I want to buy the new version. I’ll report here on how that goes too.
Calendar Discounts:
On a happier note, there are a couple discounts still available if you would like to buy one of my calendars:
Good through December 6: Free ground shipping by entering code SLEIGHRIDES
Good through December 31: 50% off with the code: HOLIDAYSUPERSAVINGS345 This one is limited to a total savings of $15.
Both of those discount codes can only be used once by each customer.
Now, I’m off to do some image processing with DxO and I’ll soon be posting the results here. Stand by.
6 Responses to “Boycott Adobe”
1Robert
December 2nd, 2011 @ 2:42 pm
I’ve used DXO before and currently have version 5 that I’ll use occasionally instead of Lightroom or Photoshop to process my images. I use it when I’ve had to shoot at a higher ISO as I think it does a cleaner job of noise reduction.
Another program I tried the demo was Capture One Pro. I actually like it’s raw file processing better than Adobe’s and will probably add it to my collection when I can afford to put $400 into software. They also have an Express version that looks like it compares to Photoshop Elements for $129.
2Robert
December 2nd, 2011 @ 2:44 pm
And their upgrade plans cover three previous versions plus upgrading to higher level programs.
3Brad
December 2nd, 2011 @ 8:55 pm
I have never used Photoshop, elements or otherwise. Lightroom once early on, but never bought it because it crashed too much (version1).
I have used Corel Paint Shop Pro since the early 90s and will continue to do so. You can do most of the same things, but it is priced cheaper than Elements. Granted, it’s Windows only, but it is a valid alternative.
4dave
December 2nd, 2011 @ 11:38 pm
I really need to take a look at Corel Paint Shop Pro. I’ll definitely want to consider it as an option. Thanks for reminding me. I’m liking DxO a lot, though.
5Dave Swanson
December 3rd, 2011 @ 8:51 am
Take a hard look at Paintshop Pro. i have been using it lately and find it does most stuff we did in PS just with a slight twist. Once you get use to where things are it is nice.
Wouldn’t buy another version of Photoshop if they stood on their head, naked. I get mad they won’t support CS3. It is not that old.
6Mike
May 6th, 2013 @ 8:13 pm
Just read that now they’re forcing everyone into a subscription only model for anything that will come after CS6. Well, they just lost me as a customer! I will not go down their greedy little road any longer. I barely ended up buying CS6 when they were forcing that upgrade issue for older versions (I was on CS3). They said, “Buy now, or pay full price next time!” I reluctantly upgraded even though there was little new I needed or wanted. This time I will not be bullied by Adobe. I will find something else. I will not get on their endless pay-as-you-go scheme.
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