Adobe Creative Cloud for the Digital Scrapbooker
If you have just joined us, I am here with Digital Scrapper’s Jen White discussing the subject of Adobe’s Creative Cloud.
This post assumes that you already have a basic knowledge of what’s going on in the big wide world of Adobe. If you’d like to brush up on your Cloud knowledge, click here.
Q: Welcome, Jen White. Tell us your overall assessment of Adobe’s new Creative Cloud.
Jen: I subscribe to the Complete Creative Cloud. I love it! It pumps me up! For me, it’s like buying a top of the line DSLR Camera with three lenses. It is something I will never outgrow.
Q: Seriously? With all the controversy surrounding the Cloud, I’m surprised to hear you say that. Do tell.
Jen: Adobe is a business. I understand businesses need to make money, and I respect their decision to move to the Cloud. It’s not about me. No one is making me choose Adobe products. I choose Adobe because I trust them to continue growing and blowing my socks off. They have never let me down.
Q: But, Jen, Adobe’s Creative Cloud is stinking expensive.
Jen: Yes and no. If you are into having the latest and greatest and you tend to upgrade your software every year, CC is not going to be a challenge for you. I fall into this category. I am a software junky. It’s one of the places I choose to invest.
If you are only an occasional upgrader, however, the Cloud will likely impact your budget. We can discuss options for the hobbyist in a minute.
That said, you need to understand that the Cloud is not just about subscribing to a single application (like Photoshop CC) or the complete Creative Cloud of applications. It is highly weighted by the services it provides to all of its subscribers. See Adobe Tools and Services.
Note: If you are a current CS customer with a registered product, you are eligible for promotional pricing. But hurry, the offer doesn’t last much longer. All plans require a yearly contract. See Adobe’s CC Buying Guide. If you miss the promotional pricing, you can still subscribe at the regular price.
Q: Doesn’t it bother you that you are only “subscribing” and you will never “own” the products?
Jen: No, not at all. I also pay to subscribe to Carbonite (auto backups), SmugMug (photo storage & sharing), Internet Security (virus protection), Evernote Premium (information storage & sharing), Amazon Prime (secret love affair), NAPP (Photoshop club), specialized iPhone/iPad apps, a weight-loss program (haha, didn’t work!), etc. Once I stop subscribing to those services, I will have nothing to show for it. It’s the way things are going. I’m okay with it. I wouldn’t give up any of those subscriptions . . . well, maybe the weight loss thing!
Q: But, Jen, you make your living teaching with and using Adobe applications. What about the hobbyist that only uses Photoshop for creative purposes like scrapbooking?
Jen: I understand. Here’s my opinion on that:
If I were a happy hobbyist and/or simply didn’t have resources for subscribing, I would not subscribe to the Cloud. I wouldn’t need or use all the Creative Cloud has to offer. It’s like going to a $15 all-you-can-eat buffet when you just want a bowl of soup. It wouldn’t be money well spent. But hey, sometimes a girl just has to splurge on something she loves!
Q: So then, what is your recommendation for hobbyists?
Jen: Photoshop Elements Techniques magazine published an interesting solution for Photoshop hobbyists not wanting to upgrade to CC. I agree with them. Here’s the recommendation in a nutshell:
Alternative Solution to Photoshop CC: Purchase Lightroom 5 and Photoshop Elements 11.
These two applications together do not equal Photoshop in its entirety, but they come pretty dang close!
Lightroom 5 is a robust photo editing program that uses the same tools as Photoshop’s Camera Raw. It is priced reasonably and will continue on as an owned and upgraded application. By the way, it is also available in a Cloud subscription!
Photoshop Elements 11 is perfect for the scrapbooking hobbyist. If you’ve been around Digital Scrapper for any amount of time, you know that we use Photoshop Elements as the primary platform for teaching digital scrapbooking. It’s got everything a scrapbooker needs. See Learn Digital Scrapbooking.
Q: Yikes! Can I expect Photoshop Elements to move to the Cloud also?
Honestly, I do not know. Photoshop Elements is considered Adobe’s consumer version of its professional counterpart, Photoshop. Since Adobe is offering Lightroom (another consumer version) to both subscribers and purchasers, I’d assume Photoshop Elements will fall that way also.
I hope Adobe adds Photoshop Elements to the Cloud! Then I won’t have to subscribe AND buy their software. But, I’d be very surprised if they’d ever take Photoshop Elements off the retail shelf.
Q: What happens if a Photoshop CS user chooses to do nothing and just sticks with what they have?
Jen: It is my understanding that you will be okay . . . for a while. Adobe will continue to fix bugs in their Photoshop CS products, but they will not be upgrading them to work with up and coming operating systems. Eventually, new computers will not work with old CS products.
Q: Okay. So, now the big question . . . Is Digital Scrapper moving ahead with the Cloud?
Jen: Yes. Our goal has always been to provide you with tutorials based on current technology and software. As always, we will continue to provide tutorials and support for current and previous versions of both Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. The invention of Adobe’s Creative Cloud will not directly effect any of our Membership Plans. We have no plans to support or teach Lightroom 5 at this time.
Q: Jen, is Adobe paying you to support their product?
Jen: HAHAHA. NO! I get no reimbursement from Adobe. The opinions stated in this post are solely from my own experience and based on my own bossy opinions. Any of the things I’ve mentioned in this post can be verified by clicking the links above or searching the web for CC facts.
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Author: Jen White | jen@digitalscrapper.com
Yes, that’s right, I interviewed myself. Kinda funny, huh?
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While change may be difficult to get used to…I am headed to the cloud. There are a few things in life that would be very difficult for me to give up…my Digital Scrapper Premier membership and Photoshop! (And my French Vanilla coffee. :-))I too am a software junkie. I like to “play” with some of Adobe’s other products (but not nearly to the extent of PS) and normally purchased the Design & Web Premium bundle. So for me, CC will actually be easier on my wallet. If nothing else, I get the spread the payments out rather than shelling it all out at once. And of course, I will always have my CS6 to fall back on.
Jen, you always crack me up! Thanks for making me smile this morning and for the information on CC. I understand it SO much better now!
I won’t be moving to the Cloud. I will continue to use CS5 as long as it works with my computer, then I will go back to Elements.
Thank you, Shar, for weighing in. I think that’s a very sensible move. Make sure and get in on our free PSE11 giveaways this month. You’ll be amazed at how much PSE can really do. 😀
This is the very question I am trying to answer for myself. I’m a hobbyist but since 2011 I’ve used CS5 and then moved to CS6. I think I’d miss some of the things that I have learned to use in Photoshop if I return to Elements, for example the warp tool, content aware move tool and the way the CS6 handles actions and styles. So I think I’m going to subscribe just to Photoshop. Thanks, Linda
Jen, I am a hobbyist, a serious one, but only a hobbyist. I am not a photographer, a designer, an illustrator, a graphic illustrator. Companies have to grow I understand, but I need to see that I, as a lowly hobbyist, am benefitted as well as the company that is trying to force me into renting software. The wave of the future is all well and good, but the flip side of that coin is the consumer base that is abandoned after a company uses it to build up its basic business. Tell me there is not arrogance here as well as business necessity. I will be staying with PSE 11 and probably buying Lightroom, but will not be purchasing any Adobe Cloud product unless they make some reasonable bundling options down the road. I will be paying very close attention to other options, and other companies who may turn up to fill what could become a big consumer void, as I hope you will too – it is nice to know someone is out there for the little guy– because I think the handwriting is on the wall.
Thank you for your input, Elizabeth. I understand your frustration. I would encourage you to write directly to Adobe and voice your concerns. The Cloud is still relatively new in the US, so I am in agreement that we all need to be patient and keep an eye on further options that might arise. What we see now will surely not be the Adobe of forever. 😀
I will not be using the cloud as I am happy with PSE 11. It seems to do all I need for my digital scrapbooking. I am not a professional but I do have CS 5. I feel the CC is too expensive for the nonprofessional.
I admit I don’t know all the details about Adobe in the cloud, but when I read about it generally, I decided I had everything I needed for scrapbooking in Photoshop CS6 and Lightroom 5 for organizing my materials. Backing up things to a cloud is one thing but having my big program on a cloud is another. It looks to me like if I was quit paying the subscription then I would not have access to anything. I may be wrong in my outlook on it and be sorry. Thanks Jen for the information from the scrapbooker’s point of view. And yes, I will send a letter to Adobe, but I doubt it will make a difference as they seem to have made up their minds to cater to the professional photographer and leave the hobbyist with the lesser Photoshop Elements program.
I am very disappointed that Adobe has gone this route. I may be wrong but it feels like the hobbyist is being abandoned by the Adobe company. I do not want to be forced to go back to Elements. I like CS and may have continued to upgrade every other version (and maybe that’s part of why they’re going this route – I really do understand that a company needs to make money – that’s why they’re in business but it feels like just possibly they’re getting greedy – just sayin’). Anyway, at present I’ll continue to use my own CS5 but really hate that someday I might either have to abandon scrapbooking or go back to Elements…so frustrating. Don’t even want to have think that way. I guess the alternative is to work for a company who will pay the cloud fee…argh!!
My frustration is the monthly payment option. To me, that feels like a debt. They commit you to paying monthly for a year. (I don’t even do that for cell phone service – I do pay-as-you-go.) I would rather be able to pay for a whole year at once. That way I know I can afford it for that whole time. And, I only need Photoshop.
Second, I don’t see software as a service. It is a product, even if it is an electronic product. If I were to go to the cloud, and then not be able to afford to keep paying, then I might not be able to even open files that *I* created. Better save everything in TIFF or some other standard format if you go to the cloud. If they ever bump up the prices beyond what you can afford, you are hosed.
And, I’ve already contacted Adobe about these issues.
Thanks for interviewing yourself, Jen 🙂 Very informative. As my grandma used to say, “nothing is permanent but our faith.” I’ve been a loyal CS and Lightroom user for years, can’t imagine life without them–although if it comes to that some day, it comes. Looking back over the years I’ve often felt a bit like I was dragged kicking and screaming into new versions of this that and the other: operating systems, accounting software, word processors, cameras… This “rental concept” is a first though and admittedly does feel weird. BUT the first year for $10/month for PS seems like a good way to get acquainted with the Cloud. I’ll leave CS6 on my computer, of course, and if I have to bail and go back some day, so be it. I know that PSE is absolutely wonderful for scrappers, and that I don’t need all of the features of PS. But this is my retirement gift to myself!! And now that I have time to make our morning lattes at home I’m saving twice the price of CC by not paying the local baristas “a few” times a week, lol. I’ll give it a whirl for a year anyway–thanks to you, Jen. I should tell Adobe how effective you are!
YAY for you, Char! I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
Oh, this was a wonderful interview, Jen!! 🙂 You always make me laugh… I am considering the cloud because I am addicted to upgrading software, equipment, etc. and I’m curious. But, would it make sense if a person just stuck with their purchased copy of CS6 (or whatever), and then moved to the cloud if they absolutely had to? Why jump in so fast?
Jen,
Thank you for the most concise, informative, fair, and entertaining discussion of the new Adobe Cloud that I’ve read since this whole thing appeared on the horizon.
I’m still somewhat on the fence about whether I’m going to subscribe or not and I don’t have many more days to make that decision if I’m going to get in on the introductory pricing of a single app for $10.00 for the first year. So, I’m thinking hard 😉 I am a hobbyist, and as someone said here earlier, a serious hobbyist and I like professional tools. And I have no problem with the whole subscription thing. It’s just that I still think of my CS6 as being new and I love it!
So, for me, it’s not if I’ll upgrade to the Cloud, but when. This year or next?
I’m just getting started with PSE 11, though I’ve had one form of PSE since 6, so I don’t think I’m eager to change to CC. What has piqued my interest here is: Why Lightroom? Why would you need it if you have PSE 11 with the Organizer? What would be the advantage?
LaurieS
Hi Laurie. Sounds like you are on the right track. 😀
Lightroom 5 was built upon the same Camera RAW processing technology that Photoshop contains. It’s a much sought after feature for editing photos non-destructively. Here’s some info on that.
LR is great for doing batch changes instead of doing the same correction over and over again, whether correcting light balance or straightening a horizon. And it’s quite fast at sorting photos, eliminating bad ones (like for weddings or portraits), choosing between two similar photos, etc. Also good for quick cropping choices and saving different versions. I love it.
The huge problem I have with both Apple (and I’ve been a Mac user since the 1980s!) and Adobe (I think I still have PS 1) going to the Cloud is that we live in a rural area and are limited to getting our internet via satellite (that is, if we don’t want dial-up—hahahahaha). Even on sunny days our connection rate is so slow, not even help files will load. Period. That gives me no confidence at all in either company’s ability to consistently give me access to the programs or storage in the Cloud. I will definitely NOT be paying a subscription fee.
We have the same problem with cell phone coverage. Upon upgrading my phone last year we were required to pay a monthly fee for a data package, but our service is so spotty that we use about .02% of our monthly 2GB allowance. Yes, less than 1% because we can’t get a connection. And it might take 2 weeks to receive a voice mail. I see Apple and Adobe being the same big fail.
I feel your pain, living in a rural area myself, I know what it’s like to have turtle internet. Wonder if Adobe even took into account, that not everyone using their products have unlimited high speed internet.
Just seems to me they are cutting their own noses off.
I don’t think any private companies or government agencies take into account that not everyone has high-speed internet access. They all want people to go paperless because “you can access your account online.” Only we can’t. Pages time out and won’t load. We have a 250MB limit on downloads per day but it takes forever! I have to drive into town to download DS kits and class material and we don’t go to town every day. I love living in the country but am getting increasingly insulted by those who assume everyone lives in a big city and that they can all afford high-speed internet. I so appreciate DS providing smaller download packages for slow connections, so I can download parts of it at home! But not all businesses (for example Apple, Adobe and Verizon) are so thoughtful.
I agree with all those who’ve said that once you’re in the Cloud Adobe can continue to raise their rates any time they choose, and then you’re stuck. I won’t go to the Cloud and I’ll be just fine without the new features they offer there.
Oh no! As a designer of scrap kits, I am very disappointed by this move. I own PSE5, 6, 8 and CS3 and CS4. Why would I pay for production software on a subscription basis? What if something happens and I can’t afford it? Then I’m just S.O.L. and all my work has become nullified? unusable? IMHO Adobe is getting a little too big for it’s britches. My instituting this “cloud” and making so that future operating systems will no longer be able to utilize the CS versions, Adobe is basically holding users hostage [if you don’t pay, all the money you have invested thus far is for naught.] I also am disappointed with their re-install policy. I am not a thief and hate being treated as such by their support personnel. I had CS3 installed on my desktop and 2 laptops – all my personal property and all paid for by me and used only by me. My desktop crashed and when repaired I had to do a re-install. I PAID for the program. They insisted that I uninstall it before they would restart for me. After much argument – how do you get someone to get it through their head that if the computer crashed and was repaired by a hard drive wipe that you CAN’T uninstall it as it was no longer there? – I finally got reached a manager who did allow the reinstall. Excuse me, I PAID for this. All my Adobe software is registered. As much as I love Photoshop and Elements [PSE5 is my personal favorite], I feel Adobe thinks way too much of itself. If it does go this route and make all CS version obsolete, I will gladly switch to Paint Shop Pro. To treat individuals in such a manner when they have laid out hundreds and even thousands of $$$ is beyond belief to me. No. I will not use “the Cloud”. I understand business, and this is NOT the way to go. Adobe will lose a lot of customers [individuals more so that business customers] if they really go this route.
What is not being mentionned is that as a CC member, the day you cancel your enrollment is the day you no longer have any Adobe products such as Photoshop CC…for me, it seems like Adobe is not being fair to their long time supporters. It feels like Adobe is pushing me into a corner with no way out but to conform…not very democratic way of doing things, in my opinion.
I’m a photography enthusiast and scrapbooker who is disappointed in Adobe’s way of proceeding.
I will continue using CS6 and look at my options when it’s time runs out.
I recently upgraded to CS6 from CS5. I looked into the Cloud, but for a hobbyist, it is just too expensive. I decided to upgrade this last time and will use CS6 as long as possible. Who knows, Adobe may change all this around in the future. If I am ‘forced’ to join the Cloud in the future, I will have to seriously rethink my software choice.
Just my 2 cents worth!
I’m disappointed with Adobe. I’m not fond of their way or no way offer with the cloud. As mentioned by several above I’m an obsessive hobbyist who has many Adobe versions. I enjoy teaching newbies, creating tutorials and testing for others who write and create products to be used in adobe programs.
All my versions are paid for too.
Now what happens after the $9.99 for a year? My guess is whatever Adobe wants.
I have a carbonite back up too, and if I choose to leave carbonite there are similar options.
I’ve zero plan of subscribing to the cloud. I like having the disk for my programs.
I plan to continue with cs5, and versions of PSE as long as I can. If/when they go….I guess I will buckle down and learn my Corel PSP better.
I’m not a designer , but totally agree with all your points here.
m
Thank you for your comments, m. 😀
After the 12mo Promotional period, the subscription price for a single application is $19.99/mo.
I’m not surprised… Then (IMO) it will gradually increase….why…cuz by then one is hooked,.and they can!
Thanks, Jen, for the run-down!
For me right now, it’s a no-brain decision: My life is too full right now, my husband’s employment is always “iffy”, and with very little or no time to scrap, I’m sticking with PSE 11. There is simply no way I can justify another monthly bill, for a service I may or may not even find time to use. Pass me some crackers for my little cup of soup, please!
Very sensible, Jenn! Photoshop Elements will serve you well.(punn intended – wink) 😀
Thank you for bringing this offer to our attention. It is timely for me, as I am awaiting delivery of my new laptop. I will subscribe to the Cloud for this machine. PS has some great new features, too.
My old computers are 32-bit and PS on the Cloud is 64-bit, so I’m not sure if I could use it on them.
Yay! I’m excited for you, Marilyn! Yes, I too am excited about the new features of PSCC. One of the best is that you can now apply Camera RAW as a filter.
I have been a consistent PSE user since I started with PSE4 on my Mac. I also have LR5 for my digi supplies and photo editing. Not a lot of editing since I only use my iPhone4S for photos.
I am NOT going to the cloud since it serves no purpose for me but I am considering buying a hard copy of CS6 just to have it. (The student price for me makes it reasonable.) I really would be upset if I were a CS user to suddenly be tied to the cloud for any and all updates. No more options to upgrade every other year as so many of my fellow scrappers have done. My big fear if I were a non-cloud user of CS6 is that future computer upgrades would not work with the program. Then jumping into the Cloud (or up to it!) would be one’s only option OR as you say going to PSE whatever should that still be sold year by year on a hard version.
Saying you don’t have to buy Adobe is not exactly so if you are a scrapper. Adobe is the industry standard and most digi supplies are designed to work with Adobe products. Sorry but I see arrogance here because really, they are the only game in town.
I’m just getting to where I really like PSE 11 but I suppose they will come out with a new version soon. I don’t plan on using the cloud. It’s never even dawned on me to look for anything else. I’m somewhat familiar with a couple scrapbooking software programs but why would you bother with those when your used to all that PSE can do.
When I heard about Adobe moving to the cloud it was like a death in the family. I cried for days. There’s no way those of us living on Social Security can afford that price every month. If there isn’t a program I can buy and use for many years then I will stick with my old one forever because that’s all that is available to me and tens of millions of others that are in the same boat. I understand why Adobe did it. I don’t hate them for it, and I blame those who abused them, but it doesn’t stop me from being just devastated over having to either fork over money I cannot afford or go without my only form of personal expression. It means more to me than any other thing I do, and I will have to look at another company’s product because that’s the one thing I will not give up. It is how I define myself.
Sounds like Photohsop Elements would be a great solution for you, Barbara. 😀
Make sure and get in on our opportunities to win PSE11 this month.
I sincerely hope that my SG membership with video tutorials that I can download and save to my external drive does NOT change.
The cloud is all well and good, but I do not always have access to the Net and sometimes I just want to sit back and learn something new without having to be connected online…
I recently went to a cabin where the internet connection was iffy at best and I got up in the morning and took my coffee out on the deck with the sounds of birds chirping around me I watched SG videos and learned about my favourite craft…if it had depended on the internet it would have been a very different experience with disconnections, buffering and very little learning pleasure.
I also love having all the video resources in one easy to find folder that I can backup and keep as long as I need to.
As for software – this is sadly/understandably just another way for companies to get consumers to pay continuously. In most instances I would rather own a product than rent it. And; nice as it is to have the latest and greatest, I have found that it is very easy to do well with one version and wait 3-4 years before investing in the next…often, companies are in such a hurry to spit out the next year’s money maker that they forget to fix issues that are glaring or forget to incorporate essentials and make their products less efficient in the process.
I’ll stick to my computer and the software I can purchase.
Rosy 🙂
Hi Rosy. Thanks for all your comments. I’m so glad you enjoying your Premier Membership! 😀
As stated in the article, your Digital Scrapper Membership will not be directly effected by Adobe’s Creative Cloud. 😀
Also, I just wanted to clarify. . . . The applications in the Cloud are not “used” in the Cloud. They are downloaded on your computer and used like any other application you have.
Yes, Jen, but the moment you stop subscribing or when there is a glitch in the Adobe system that thinks you are no longer subscribing (and this has happened) you no longer have access to your program. It is not like buying the software license and then downloading as opposed to buying the boxed version of the software. Those you have no matter what.
Yep. That’s right, Maureen. Welcome to the world of electronics. Glitches happen. 😀
I love playing in PS5 and I teach PSE11, I have NO intention of moving to the cloud. As many others have stated, it’s unfair to ask me to continually pay for a product (not a service like Carbonite). My fear is that once they have you in the cloud and there is nothing stopping them from continuing to raise the monthly fee and then you will NOT be able to use any of the projects that YOU made with YOUR images. I agree with the arrogance and hostage statements. I can’t afford to take a chance on using the cloud. Both financially nor productively. I’m angry and disappointed at being dumped by Adobe and I’ve told them so.
OK – here’s my take on Cloud. i use CS3 and like it plenty fine. It does everything i need/want it to do. i was a professional photographer for a number of years, and i am competent at both photography and “fixing” photos. i am now 70 years old and live only on my social security – medical bills have eaten ALL my savings. So, you say that my CS3 will not work with newer computer’s OS, is that opinion, or has Adobe decided that everyone will have to move to the Cloud and pay an ever-increasing monthly fee or find another product? Well, that is NOT suitable for me and for many of us old ducks either. Your economy may support another $20 a month, but if i move to the cloud, it will certainly reduce by that amount, what i can purchase from designers. You see, my budget is tight. YOU may be able to subscribe to all sorts of gadgets, but i have been single since 1973 (and raised my children as a single parent), so with mounting medical bills for a terminal disease, i’m not moving to the cloud. So, if that means i will no longer have access to YOUR site, well, so be it. i think Adobe is making a mistake in making it mandatory rather than optional is a mistake. It’s nice – it’s grand – it’s too expensive for the average Adobe PS user.
Ok – this is my second response (after reading others’ comments). i am still NOT going to join the Adobe Cloud, but i have decided that if i buy a new ‘puter with a different OS that won’t work with Adobe, i will keep this old LT and use simply as my playground for digital scrapping, and use a new one with a newer OS for i-net. But, my SS monthly amount will never allow me to use Adobe Cloud, and anyway, i love my CS3 – BTW, i use the old Adobe Pagemaker for most of my journaling. i was also a journalist for two small town newspapers and we used Pagemaker to create our newspaper pages, and PS7 (see, i AM old!) for photo fixin’. i LOVE Pagemaker because i can write long family history stories and also add my personal columns from my newspaper days to my scrapbook pages for my children and my grandchildren. Open Office or Word are idiot word processing systems, and the old Pagemaker was PERFECT! i LOVE it for its versatility and yet it lets ME design the page the way i want it; it doesn’t pre-suppose what i am trying to do and then give me grief because those two minimalist programs won’t allow me to do it! i can set the type size the way i want it. Of course, Adobe stopped making THAT truly easy program and switched to a more complicated program, Indesign, that is cumbersome and took eons to learn, so i stuck with my old copy of Pagemaker – which may not install on newer OS’s either, but, my solution is to keep this old dinosauer simply for my hobby, and then i won’t need it to be in the i-net at all. With my three EHD’s, i have plenty of storage room. So, when i need a new ‘puter for any reason, i’ll use this one simply for my hobby!
NO!!! I will NOT go to the cloud. I’ve read the majority of the comments and agree with those who are angry about Adobe changing things around and for all the reasons stated
I’m a PSE user and for the time being I’m safe. I, too, am on social security and don’t want to incur another monthly debt. If Adobe puts PSE on the cloud I will keep the newest version I have at the time until I can no longer use it. At that point…I will say good-bye to Adobe.
I hope those who are enthusiastic about the cloud will remain happy with it. If you can afford it and that’s what you want…then go for it and enjoy.
Jen, after reading your great explanations and digging through many layers of info on the Adobe website, I think I understand how this cloud business will work. If I sign up I will start using CS 6 ( I now have CS5) and each time something is updated, upgraded enhanced, etc, it will be outomatically available to me. The ‘program’ will reside on my computer for use at any time offline but if I ever cancel the subscription the program will cease to work. My CS 5 can stay installed on my computer while I am paying for the Cloud and can be used simultaneously or if I cancel my subscription. My photo files can be saved both on my computer and in the cloud and I can also save my scrapbook ing files in the cloud. Anything in the cloud will be available to me through Photoshop Touch on my iPad or on any remote computer. Do I have this correct so far? Can I access the files in the cloud through other programs, Word, FB, etc? Or are those files only accessible through Photoshop or other Adobe programs?
Thanks for helping to explain all this. You did a nice interview with yourself!
Excellent, Judy! I appreciate the fact that you took the time to study the resources and get the facts. Now you are equip to make an informed decision. 😀
— I find it curious that you would use CS6 (which is also available for download on the Cloud) if you sign up for Creative Cloud. If you sign up for Creative Cloud, wouldn’t you want to use Photoshop CC?
— Hmmm. You might need to keep researching that question about the Cloud’s storage and access to the files. I have read that you can share files with people who are non-Cloud subscribers. I have not taken time to work with CC’s storage yet. I keep forgetting it’s available to me!! 😀
Well, I just assumed that what was in the CC was CS6 or equivalent . I didn’t mean I would purchase that, too. Is it already an upgrade from that or completely different?
Makes sense. Yes, Photoshop CC is the next version after CS6. So you wouldn’t want to bother with CS6. 🙂
Thank you for such a clear and delightful write-up explaining Adobe and the Cloud! Hee, loved the soup and weight loss references. I too am on Social Security so won’t be a Cloud subscriber, but will continue to revel in the PSE fun. And I so appreciate the value Digital Scrapper provides for what surely has to be the lowest possible cost. Love you all!!!
Revel away, junire. We will be here to revel with you. 😀
The job I do requires that I have the latest and greatest version of PS. I have upgraded since version 6.
I can’t say I was happy with the change to subscription but the addition of the shake reduction and ACR now able to be applied like a filter were items I wanted to have as well as the faster updates.
I think what I’m most unhappy with is the price. The first year Adobe gives a discount and I think it is most reasonable if you use other programs in the Cloud. I also use Dreamweaver, Illustrator, Lightroom and Acrobat. So the first years monthly fee is a real bargain rather then buying the programs individually.
After the first year the price all most doubles and that will be a real issue for me.
The improvements just in the operation of PS in the Cloud are outstanding in my opinion. It loads much faster and I have not had one crash.
So far the only down issue is that it does not allow for an additional file for plugins.
Since I also use Elements I made a file folder on my hard drive that has all my third party plugins and I have tons of them. I set this folder in both programs to go to look for them there and so I only have to load them once. The Cloud, Photoshop CC does not allow for this additional folder which means that I have to reinstall all my plugins. A BIG inconvenience for me and a time consuming project. To me this is a real downside of the new PS CC.
When I joined the Cloud in the spring I already owned CS6 and not only did I have to uninstall it but I also had to run an additional program off of Adobe’s site to get rid of all of it so the Cloud would load. When they changed from CS6 to PSCC in June with all the new additional goodies in it, it necessitated a called to Adobe to get all working properly.
Now after all those cleared up problems. PS CC runs like a champ and I love it. I also get to work with other programs Like InDesign and Flash both of which I have always wanted to learn and play with.
I first learned PS and then I went to Elements and have always preferred Photoshop. But if you aren’t use to making your own custom shapes and styles and don’t use paths or 3D and I could go on and on, then go with Elements.
I want to stay with Photoshop and the Cloud so I hope that Adobe will keep the cost down so I can if not, I own a copy of CS6 and will use that but will be so disappointed with not using the extra things Adobe puts into the Cloud.
Thank you for taking time to write all this, Beth. Great stuff! I’m with you. The Shake Reduction is amazing!
Just wanted to clarify that your trouble installing is not typical, although it is good to know that it does happen. I had no problems at all with all my 5 versions of PS playing nice together. 😀
re the additional file for plug-ins. I read somewhere…I can’t think where, but it worked for me……..you can put a short-cut in to that additional folder and the plug-ins in that folder will show in PS.
I’m not happy. My husband and I try our hardest NOT to have any monthly payments on an on going basis. Obviously, we have some such as power, phone, etc. I would be considered a hobbyist and an unhappy (about the cloud) one at that!
I totally agree with Elizabeth eams41. This is absolutely crazy and Adobe will lose many customers over this. I will stay with the software I have and if Adobe starts charging for elements, there are other products out there. When I buy software I don’t intend to pay rent to use it! This stinks, nice job of smoozing though!
HA! Obviously you don’t know me. I do not schmooze. If I don’t like something, I have no problem saying so. I am 100% an independent contractor and what you see here is 100% my personal belief. 😀
No Cloud for me (at least at this point) I have CS6 Extended and will keep it as long as possible. Am hoping for some changes from Adobe when they figure out they are losing lots of people they have made angry. I can understand why this moves helps businesses, designers, and people that use numerous products, but for the photographers and scrapbookers, it is a huge expense. I would probably opt for PSE 11 or whatever product is out at the time, but would also miss several of the CS features. Maybe they will incorporate them into PSE which would help. Right now, I will wait and see what the fallout will be.
You have a great outlook on all this, Karen. CS6 should serve you well for a long time. 😀
At the moment I’m not going to subscribe to the Cloud. I’ve only been a digi scrapper for a little over a year and am still using PSE 9. The thoughts of even upgrading to 11 freak me out right now as I just have so much to learn about scrapbooking!! But like you said, eventually our new computers will not be compatible with old programs, so we’ll have to go in that direction eventually. That will be fine THEN!!
Well I’ve been away from this site and Digital Scrapping for a while, and I’m just now getting back into it. I use different Adobe products for the work I do, and whilst I’m not very happy with some of the things Adobe has been doing, I’ve decided to stay with CC.
My reason for doing so is that I tend to always be on the cutting edge of software and like to upgrade to the latest version when it’s released. My wife and I did the maths and decided that it was just as cost effective for us to subscribe as it was to purchase the standalone Creative Suite. This article helped us, https://tutsplus.com/2013/05/what-creative-cloud-means-to-you/ and post it here in the hope that others will find it helpful as well as Jan’s informative piece.
Regards,
Steve (aka Raventiger)
I will not go on the cloud. I am retired and cannot afford to pay a monthly fee. I will have to make do with what I have. I am disappointed to say the least and a bit scared about what the future brings in the electronic world. It seems that only those who are working (or well off) will have the means to keep up with the changes. This presents a challenge to the large number of retired people in our country. We are retired, not dead yet!!!! I want to enjoy the years the Lord gives me creating in any way I can.
I have used Photoshop since the beginning, but am just now getting to really understand what I am doing with it…steep learning curve, huh? I was dismayed at first to find that my beloved Photoshop was going to be cloudy–but went for the special deal, as the only way to get upgrades. I got a whole slew of benefits from this, including Behance (which I intend to join soon), and am switching my newsletter publications to inDesign. I do a lot of digital art, including ATC’s and fatbooks, as well as just pictures. You can see what fun I have with Photoshop at Deviant Art (deviantart.com) where I am Nanner2; almost everything you see there in my portfolio is made with Photoshop.
Thanks for all the info Jen.
As others have said, I am sorely disappointed in Adobe’s decision. I feel it is leaving casual users/scrapbookers like me behind. Even at $19.99/mo. I can’t afford to pay the fee. I will continue to use CS6 as long as I can. If I upgrade my computer and CS6 no longer works, I’ll decide then whether to keep two computers of go back to Paint Shop Pro. I imagine Corel is happy.
Sigh…
I am so thankful for your blog post. I was considering upgrading from CS5 but when I went to Adobe CS6 was no longer available and I wasn’t sure what Photoshop CC was all about. I joined the cloud and downloaded this week. Some people worry about being online too much. But you download Photoshop and Bridge and get the regular upgrades to download. Usually an upgrade is around $200 so I’m paying $9.99 a month by credit card so in twelve months it totals $119.88. The second year may be a different story but I figure I’ll still have the latest version of Photoshop if I don’t renew.
I may be wrong, but I believe that if you don’t renew your cloud subscription, your software will no longer work. 🙁
CS 6 is still available. I called Adobe and purchased it. They tried to talk me into the Cloud but I too am retired and only use Photoshop. I don’t need the other products. At least I have the latest version which should hold me for a long time.
I’m also disappointed the direction Adobe has decided to take. I use Photoshop in my job as an advertiser for a real estate firm, and after weighing all the pros and cons have come to the conclusion that I will not recommend upgrading to the Cloud if at all possible. As a scrapbooker I use PSE and will not go to the cloud if Adobe decides to go in that direction with elements. Like others have said, there are other programs out there that I can use to scapbook and if in the future my PSE won’t work on the computer I purchase, I’ll go with another program and Adobe will have lost another customer.
I will not upgrade to the cloud. My husband and I will be retiring soon, and do not want any more monthly bills than we already have. 🙂 I have used Photoshop since version 5.5 and am saddened by the direction Adobe has taken. However, I have Photoshop CS6, Elements 10 (came with my computer) and the latest version of Paint Shop Pro. I will be sad if CS6 ever stops working with whatever OS or computer I have at the time, but I will adjust. 🙂
Oh GREAT … I did NOT need to read this this morning. We have been in the process of moving … by ourselves OH DEAR … & now dealing with our sweety face Cocker having cancer. I have used Photoshop for a VERY long time & to hear Adobe is going to abandon us?!?!?! I may not be totally into scrapbooking but I AM into photos & Bridge is indespensible & if we are abandoned by Adobe to the Cloud which would not work well with our computers when we tried … I will never have a good thing to say about Adobe again.
I will NOT go to cloud. I truly hope that Adobe will lose so many hobbyists that they will change their thinking. It reminds me of the movie, the Terminator. We will be totally dependent on Adobe in a few years when the copies of CS are obsolete because of upgraded operating systems. You do it their way if you want to play or you will be cut off. Right now they are not playing well with others…the machines are taking over. I shudder when I think of our future as this is just the first step of the MACHINES.t
I haven’t made a decision about the cloud yet. When I mentioned some of the issues being discussed in the forum to my husband he commented that it reminded him of cable television. When cable first came out many people thought it was ridiculous to pay a monthly subscription just to watch TV. Now I doubt there are very many people who don’t have some sort of monthly subscription to watch TV, whether it is cable, netflix, huluplus, etc. Of course this is dealing with Photoshop which for most of us is a hobby. Sometimes it is hard to justify additional expenses for a hobby. I certainly understand the financial issues of people on fixed incomes. But it sounds like Elements is a solution for those who don’t want to join the cloud. The new version of Elements seems to have everything we need for digital scrapbooking. So I think that is certainly an option. When I upgraded to Windows 7 I was very upset that some of my programs that I paid good money for didn’t work in the new windows. I ranted and raved, but in the end I upgraded what I needed to and really haven’t missed any of the old programs. Change is always hard. Bank in the day when I was upgrading my DOS computer, my husband recommended that I get a 40mb hard drive instead of a 20mb. I am talking megabytes not gigabytes. My response was “why would I ever need a hard drive that big?” So it is hard to for see the future and where we may end up. But changes are always on the horizon and how we deal with it will depend on our own unique circumstances. My logical side tells me that Elements 11 is a viable and less expensive option. My wild side tells me that I spend more time on this hobby than anything else and since I am still working I can afford to upgrade my CS5 and join the cloud. Today is my birthday so maybe my wild side will win out!
The cloud will probably be great for professionals or serious hobbyists, but for the little tinkering around that I do, I’ll stick with Elements. I’m not into scrapbooking, but enjoy making greeting cards and “fixing up” my photos. Tried a trial version of Lightroom once, wasn’t particularly impressed with it, but probably didn’t spend enough time on it.
I won’t be subscribing to the cloud. PSE11 is plenty for me.
I love Adobe products, but will be leaving Adobe. I have been an Adobe CS user since it came out and love the suite, but I live in a rural, isolated area with intermittent internet. It is impossible to almost impossible to download programs. The size of the Adobe products makes it impossible. When I contacted Adobe I was told that their techs would help me download. I know how to download. I can’t download large programs!!!! We are lucky we have phones and power. Tough luck rural America.
I needed several Adobe programs, including PS, for my volunteer work, so I’ve already subscribed to the Cloud. I’ve been retired and on Soc. Sec. for a long time, but luckily I can take a couple of free continuing education classes each year at a local college. Sending my student ID to Adobe has allowed me to qualify for student/teacher pricing. That helps and might be a solution for other retirees.
I have always been a Photoshop Elements user. I could never afford Photoshop/CSX. I have never liked the idea of ‘cloud’ computing for anything. I don’t trust banking online, why would I trust backing up and storing files online in the cloud? It’s just a gimmick and, I hope, a fad, because, in my mind, it just isn’t safe.
I want Lightroom and plan to buy it for photography.
In my opinion, Adobe is moving to the Cloud for professionals in the many fields of digital art and photography. PS Elements and Lightroom are consumer grade programs and Adobe is smart to leave those programs as is. I just hope they continue to improve them and leave them separate from the professional programs and the cloud.
Elements and Lightroom have very adequate editing features for the average hobbyists and home computer users.
Adobe claimed that they went to the cloud to protect their product from piracy (yet the cloud was hacked on day 2 of its existence). But it’s pretty obvious that Adobe made the decision to go to the cloud to get more money from its customers. Some of those customers (mainly corporations & schools) will pay the higher cost because they can recoup it from their own customers. It’s individuals that will find themselves left out – scrapbookers, moms, freelance artists, photographers, etc. For scrapbookers, Elements will probably remain as it is – maybe. And for some photographers, Lightroom looks to be a partial substitute for Photoshop, but it’s only a matter of time before Lightroom goes into the cloud too.
I will find a way to do what I do without going to the cloud.
As a side note – the word is out that Microsoft plans to put Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc into a cloud over the net 10 years.
I will not be going to the cloud. All of my photos are stored in Aperture, so I use that to edit. I do not want to use Lightroom. I only use PSE11, but will find something else, if I need to.
I won’t be subscribing to the cloud. I use PSE11 and like it just the way it is – I can use it without using up bandwidth.
NO I will not be subscribing to the Cloud. I use PSElements and it seems I have to pay for a new update to that every six months or so because the least little change and they are after money, money, money. But that makes the world go around so I will just stick with it. I might, but that’s just a very strong maybe, get Lightroom; but that will take some very serious consideration before I do as I am thrify and wise with my money, money, money.
I’ve enlisted. Now to get ‘my’ keyboard shortcuts loaded.
No, I will not be moving to Cloud. I will continue to use Photo Shop CS6 as long as it works. At this time if Adobe does not sell a boxed version of their software I will not purchase any more software from Adobe. I will to back to Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo.
I have subscribed to the PS/Lightroom for the $9.99 a month. So far so good. I like not having to worry about upgrades as they are continuely upgrading in the cloud.
I’m curious to know where everyone has “landed” on the subject of Photoshop CC. I had not planned to move that direction because I didn’t like the idea of “renting” rather than owning. But this week I watched my second tutorial that was done on PSCC, and there were options I don’t have on PSCS-5, and Reality came crashing down on me.
1. As new tutorials are offered, the PS versions will be done on CC. Since CC updates features automatically, it will be continually moving forward.
2. Certain digital supplies will eventually not be compatible with older versions of PSCC, such as styles and dynamic brushes.
I thought about holding out for awhile, but thought about how much harder the learning curve would be the longer I waited. So yesterday I downloaded the newest version (PSCC-2017), and by the end of the week, will buy it. Still not sure if I will go the monthly payment route, or the annual payment route.
I’ve spent most of these two days scouring the internet for tutorials on CC. The hardest part is getting familiar with the works spaces, and the new options such as Libraries (like, what are they for and how do I use them). I am confident that I can do the SAME things I did with CS-5 with little or no adjustments, but I know there are depths I haven’t dreamed of yet that I’m anxious to explore.
Has anyone else gone this direction? I can’t believe it has been over three years since this CC Bombshell was dropped on us!
Hi Sharron,
Most of CC is just like Photoshop has always been, so I’ve had to do very little to adjust. I don’t like the “artboard” option when I make a new file and found artboards jumping in where I didn’t want them, so I made presets of the kinds of files I DID want in the New dialog box, and that has taken care of that problem.
The Library panel is something you could use if you like having certain files at your fingertips. I tend not to use it and got tired of CC automatically giving me that option every time I created something or downloaded an image from their stock images, so I checked some sort of “Don’t Show Automatically” box. Can’t remember exactly where it is offhand, but it was probably on the pop up suggestion itself and if not there, in Preferences.
There is A LOT that I love in CC. The Photography option for $10 a month is great and includes PS, Bridge, and Lightroom. You can get discounts on it. For example, Skillshare.com (if you’re a member there) has a 20% discount for the first year. I’m sure there are other places you can find similar deals. I use the Camera Raw option on a single layer frequently—love it! I use Camera Shake Reduction a lot, too. And other new features. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. Just don’t get rid of your current latest version. When you download CC and they ask if you want to get rid of prior versions, don’t allow it! I think they may have changed it so it’s not such an easy trap to fall into, but it really messed me up the first time around because I started with the full CC version and then went down to just the Photographer’s version, so I still wanted my CS6 Indesign, Acrobat, Illustrator, etc., and they had wiped it out when installing CC. Took be awhile to get that all back.
BUT, all in all, it’s a really great program and you always have the latest and greatest.
I realize this is an old post, but will try to get some information anyway. I have been aPSE user for many years and currently have PSE19. I hear a lot about Adobe CC and am wondering if I should switch. I use PSE for digital scrapbooking. One question is about the learning curve is going to CC. And my other question is about be PSE19 catalog. Can that be converted over to CC? Thanks.
Hi Sandy. Great question. I’m happy to help.
The learning curve that will happen going from PSE2019 to PSCC is only learning where to find things…and that curve is very slight. Most PSE users do not have trouble converting at all.
Regarding your catalog, I’m assuming you’re referring to the setup you have in Organizer? You can continue to use Organizer if you use PSCC, but I personally would recommend moving over to Adobe Bridge CC instead — which is now a free download supported by Adobe.
Hope that helps! Feel free to contact us if you’d like additional information.