Adobe Licensing

[NickG]

Hi! I would like to hear some opinions about the following, as a little reality check.

 

We have the Adobe Video / Production (PS/IL/PR/AE/AU/Encore) studio and the Creative Suite (PS/IL/ID).

 

I use all applications on my desktop and laptop (not at the same time) and we have for a couple of versions now Photoshop on a different computer (it was part of both suites). Now Illustrator is in both, we added that to the second computer.

 

I only had the updates on my laptop installed, since I expected a new desktop. Today, activation did not go thru and I spent half an hour on the phone with Adobe, to figure out, what is going on.

 

The latest suites have one serial number and can only be installed complete.

 

Now, may be I should just follow the supervisor suggestion, to buy another standalone Photoshop license. But somehow, that does not make much sense to me.

 

Am I the only one that has this problem ?

 

Granted, we are small - we are not going to change Adobes licening schemes. We can either kiss goodbye to the second photoshop/illustrator licenses (and we did pay for them, but so what - I can run two photoshops on my computer now, that is kind of fun (I know, it will not work despite the two serials...)) - or say goodbye to years of payments and learning and look for something else. Oh, there is only GIMP and Photopaint left...

 

I just lost an hour of my life - I would really appreciate some opinions, to see how other people see this.

 

Thanks,

 

NG

[Brian Cassil]

It is strange. I really don't like the way adobe does thier bundles. It actually is one thing I like about Autodesk and that is that with them it is the user that is licensed, not the computer. Adobe seems to take the stance that if you want to install thier software at home so you can work from there as well as from the office, even if is is for the same entity that purchased the software, you need to buy 2 licenses. A little off topic from your point but it bothers me none the less.

[Crazy Homeless Guy]

what you shouold notice about Adobe's pricing scheme... lets say you have Creative Suite 2, you can then pick up the video suite at a discounted rate. i can't remember, but i think production studio is around $1700, unless you have CS2, then it is either $1000 or $1200, something like that. ..and vice versa if you have the video suite.

 

basically, the amount they are knocking off is due to the fact that you already had Photoshop and Illustrator, therefore they are not going to make you pay as much.

[NickG]

Well, you are allowed to install on two computers - even two desktops, but you have to be the only user. That seems fair.

 

And yes, the suites are pretty sweet, price wise. BUT - we do have two licenses of photoshop for a while now and updated both twice, but can't use them.

 

I can not install the pieces anymore and end up having two photoshop and two illustrator licenses on one computer - and do not have the software on my desktop AND laptop.

 

I found more complaints, even on Adobe's support forum. So that supervisor having not heard any complaints is even more suprising...

 

NG