Luminous Landscape Forum
Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Digital Image Processing => Topic started by: Jason Cory on January 13, 2006, 11:12:27 am
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Does anyone know definately Adobe's policy on this matter?
I am a pc owner and have been always. Now I want to switch over to Mac, but, as I'm a poor boy, the change will have to be gradual. My question is this. At least temporarily, I'll be using a Windows pc and Powerbook until I can afford to upgrade my home pc. Buying two different versions of Photoshop just because I use two different computer platforms seems to me a rip-off. Does Adobe make any concessions about this or am I pretty much screwed?
I really do not want to add the additional cost of PS to an already expensive Powerbook as I already own it for windows.
Thanks.
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Jason,
To the best of my knowledge, Adobe software licenses are for single platform only - Windows OR Mac, not both. I'm in a similar situation to you: desktop PC and Powerbook and wish that Adobe would see the light. However, you CAN transfer your Windows license to Mac when you complete that transition (your Windows license is then nulled).
My work-around was to buy PS Elements 3 for the Powerbook. My Phase One Capture One Pro licence IS dual platform and PSE3 is good enough for the light PS work I do on the road.
Best,
Paul
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PS is a single platform license.
When you switch platforms, they have you sign a "Software Destruction Agreement" stating that you agree to destroy the Windows version of PS before they send you the Mac version. Once the receive the agreement, you'll get the Mac copy in the mail.
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Most software companies (Adobe included) will allow you to by a sidegrade for a nominal fee. I don’t know for sure if they require you to destroy the original version or not.
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Thanks all for the replies. While it's frustrating that Adobe limits PS license usage in this way, I suppose it's good to know that my PC license is at least transferrable to Mac. Thanks again.
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Not to be a thread-hijacker, but in a similar vein, it will be interesting to see how Adobe, ImagePrint, CaptureOne, iView Multimedia, and other software vendors treat Mac customers transitioning between today's PowerPC Macs and tomorrow's Intel Macs. My Dual 1.42 GHz PowerMac G4 is really showing its age with >1 GB photoshop files; the RAM is maxed out and I'm getting a lot of spinning beach balls, so a wife-approved new PowerMac is in my future this year, I hope.
Will there be some sort of "side-grade" or will one have to run my old programs in emulation mode on the new Intel Mac until the universal-binary version comes out (likely with the next version upgrade)?
Seems like a one-time license transfer for a nominal fee would be a fair way to encourage the transition. Anyone here heard any discussion about how the major vendors might handle the situation?
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Not to be a thread-hijacker, but in a similar vein, it will be interesting to see how Adobe, ImagePrint, CaptureOne, iView Multimedia, and other software vendors treat Mac customers transitioning between today's PowerPC Macs and tomorrow's Intel Macs. My Dual 1.42 GHz PowerMac G4 is really showing its age with >1 GB photoshop files; the RAM is maxed out and I'm getting a lot of spinning beach balls, so a wife-approved new PowerMac is in my future this year, I hope.
Will there be some sort of "side-grade" or will one have to run my old programs in emulation mode on the new Intel Mac until the universal-binary version comes out (likely with the next version upgrade)?
Seems like a one-time license transfer for a nominal fee would be a fair way to encourage the transition. Anyone here heard any discussion about how the major vendors might handle the situation?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=55948\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
I don't think it's fair in any regard to charge a customer unless there is an improvement or addition to a program. Period. Charging a customer an extra fee to use the software on a Intel Mac when nothing else has changed is the equivalent of charging the customer a fee for the privilege of continued use of the software when upgrading their computer.
That being said, I read that Adobe is considering charging a fee for the universal binary (UB) version of the current Photoshop CS2. The article that stated so was way back when the intel chips were first announced (perhaps Adobe's attitude about this has changed since) so I've lost the link. I think that's a load of crap personally.
I've recently purchased my PowerMac and have a good 12-months left in life on it so I'm not terribly concerned about any rip-off charges. By the time I upgrade, Revision B Intel PowerMacs (MacMacs?) will be certainly be available and I'm sure CS3 will be out by then too. But for those who are in the need of an upgrade, you'd better start voicing concerns about unjustified upgrade fees to Adobe unless you want to pay an additional $50-100 (I'm guessing) for what you already have.
For me, emulation mode will be the way to go if I do end up with a MacMac before CS3 is released. Hopefully any loss in performance through emulation will be negated by the added umph of the upcoming Intel chips (which are by far going to be more powerful than what's in the current MacBook/iMac; the next Intel desktop chips are true dual-cores unlike the hacked-together junk Intel currently sells).
A vast majority of developers across the board (not just in photography) so far seem to agree with my opinion and are offering free updates to UB.
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Mike you definatly have a good point, I've been waiting on upgrade also ever since the Intel switch became a rumor (still running a PowerBook G4).
To take it a step further, what about the transition to Intel 64bit (same as AMD64) for Intel Mac. Are they going to have a binary setup for 3 CPU types -- PPC (pre-intel mac), X86 (Intel), and 64bit X86? Somehow I think this is only the beginning of the problem. And for Windows users, I wonder if Adobe is going to provide a seperate 64bit version of Photoshop or provide a full install for both 32bit and 64bit Windows in the same package?
- Timothy Farrar : farrarfocus.com (http://farrarfocus.com)
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Mike you definatly have a good point, I've been waiting on upgrade also ever since the Intel switch became a rumor (still running a PowerBook G4).
To take it a step further, what about the transition to Intel 64bit (same as AMD64) for Intel Mac. Are they going to have a binary setup for 3 CPU types -- PPC (pre-intel mac), X86 (Intel), and 64bit X86? Somehow I think this is only the beginning of the problem. And for Windows users, I wonder if Adobe is going to provide a seperate 64bit version of Photoshop or provide a full install for both 32bit and 64bit Windows in the same package?
- Timothy Farrar : farrarfocus.com (http://farrarfocus.com)
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=55966\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
The 64-bit issue will be handled the same way it is today on current macs with the 32-bit G4 and 64-bit G5 so there is no additional problem there.
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I'm in the process of switching to Mac.
I now have photoshop cs for Mac running and wanted to get my plugins from my PC: noise ninja from picture code and photokit sharpener from pixel genius.
I sent both companies a mail to ask if I had to repurchase the plugins.
Picture code replied promptly with a note that I could use my old keycode again when installing Noise Ninja on a mac.
Pixel Genius on the other hand didn't reply at all - and their site states photokit sharpener is single platform. I guess that means I have to spend another 100$! It just doesn't feel right and I'm looking at other possibilities...
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Pixel Genius on the other hand didn't reply at all - and their site states photokit sharpener is single platform. [a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=56136\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
There is a discount on sidegrades for all PG products.
Be sure you sent an email with a return address that isn’t affected by a spam filter to Suport@pixelgenius.com to get a discount code should you decide to side-grade.
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Thanks Andrew,
you were right. I filled in their email form (it says tech support and last time I didn'tuse that cause I was thinking I had a non-tech question...). they replied within 20 minutes! With a discount code of 33%. Still is an expensive thing. These guys make easy money!
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Thanks Andrew,
you were right. I filled in their email form (it says tech support and last time I didn'tuse that cause I was thinking I had a non-tech question...). they replied within 20 minutes! With a discount code of 33%. Still is an expensive thing. These guys make easy money!
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=56143\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Just curious, what’s Adobe charging for a side grade?
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I don't know either. I have CS2 on my PC, and did a step backwards because my brother had cs for mac. I'm interested though in upgrading form cs to cs2 on my mac in the future (or cs3..) but I'm a bit uncertain because my brother purchased it and not me. Will they accept that?
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I don't know either. I have CS2 on my PC, and did a step backwards because my brother had cs for mac. I'm interested though in upgrading form cs to cs2 on my mac in the future (or cs3..) but I'm a bit uncertain because my brother purchased it and not me. Will they accept that?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=56148\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
I’ll bet you dollars to doughnuts they will charge you something.
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I don't know either. I have CS2 on my PC, and did a step backwards because my brother had cs for mac. I'm interested though in upgrading form cs to cs2 on my mac in the future (or cs3..) but I'm a bit uncertain because my brother purchased it and not me. Will they accept that?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=56148\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
I’ll bet you dollars to doughnuts they will charge you something.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=56149\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Adobe won't charge you anything.
When I switched to Macs they had me sign a "Software destruction Agreement" and mail that to them. Once they received that contract, they sent me a full copy of CS2 for the mac.
Call their customer support and they'll give you a case number and tell you the url to download the agreement (pdf).
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Adobe won't charge you anything.
When I switched to Macs they had me sign a "Software destruction Agreement" and mail that to them. Once they received that contract, they sent me a full copy of CS2 for the mac.
Call their customer support and they'll give you a case number and tell you the url to download the agreement (pdf).
This is kind of nice, but it's not really nice.
For me, for instance, who want to use Photoshop CS2 on my Windows based laptop and CS2 on my PowerMac, there doesn't seem to be any non-expensive alternatives.
Of course, I can buy a used version of Photoshop 7 or something from someone and upgrade it to CS2, but it's still about 225 dollars for the downloadable version or 280 for the one with the media (yeah, it's more expensive for us Norwegians) plus whatever I pay for the used PS 7 (probably another 200 or so dollars).
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I don't beleve you can buy a used version of PS7 from someone else and use it yourself to get the up-grade price to CS2. Adobe will give you the up-grade price for CS2 if you are building on an eligible program that you bought new and Adobe originally licensed to you.
I also inquired from Adobe about the policy for converting CS2 from PC to Mac (which I decided not to do anyhow) and they told me the conversion of CS2 from Windows to Mac is free, but they de-license you from the Windows version. It is worth asking them directly what the policy is if you were to run a Mac and a Windows version at the same time on two computers you own; I suspect they will tell you to buy two copies, but I'm not sure.
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Giedo's comment on Pixelgenius - "these guys make easy money" - What do you know about how easy the money is? Do you live in their books of accounts? Did it occur to you how much valuable personnel time gets devoted to developing these products, how much more time goes into testing and refining them, how much more time and expense goes into production and marketing arrangements, how much time and expense goes into customer support - at which they are very good, dedicated professionals? Do you have any idea how many copies they must sell and actually sell to recover their costs and make a profit - to which they are entitled - for their efforts? And if they weren't entitled to a decent profit the chances are these products would not be developed and we would all be the worse off for it. I don't find this kind of finger-pointing at a highly professional group like Pixelgenius particularly constructive.
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I don't beleve you can buy a used version of PS7 from someone else and use it yourself to get the up-grade price to CS2. Adobe will give you the up-grade price for CS2 if you are building on an eligible program that you bought new and Adobe originally licensed to you.
No, that's not right (and it would also probably be illegal in many countries).
Adobe does try to impose some restriction here, but as long as the older version isn't registered, or the registration is transferred or something, you're okay.
If the older version isn't registered, how on earth is Adobe going to know that you bought it used?
I also inquired from Adobe about the policy for converting CS2 from PC to Mac (which I decided not to do anyhow) and they told me the conversion of CS2 from Windows to Mac is free, but they de-license you from the Windows version. It is worth asking them directly what the policy is if you were to run a Mac and a Windows version at the same time on two computers you own; I suspect they will tell you to buy two copies, but I'm not sure.
That's the response they've given in the past, at least.
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Adobe won't charge you anything.
When I switched to Macs they had me sign a "Software destruction Agreement" and mail that to them. Once they received that contract, they sent me a full copy of CS2 for the mac.
Call their customer support and they'll give you a case number and tell you the url to download the agreement (pdf).
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=56156\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
That’s if you agree to destroy the original version but if you want to use both, you’re going to pay. Thats fair. They don’t have to give you a discount on a side grade (I suspect some companies don’t).
I will check to see if Pixel Genius has a similar agreement as Adobe whereby you can pledge to destroy the original version and get a free side grade. I know they offer a discount on the 2nd OS but the assumption is, you’ll use both.
The major difference with Adobe is the activation. I suspect if you agree to toss the original OS (in writing), they can still ensure you can’t activate it after that. Not sure if it’s already activated they can undo that however.
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That’s if you agree to destroy the original version but if you want to use both, you’re going to pay. Thats fair. They don’t have to give you a discount on a side grade (I suspect some companies don’t).
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=56181\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Very true.
I will check to see if Pixel Genius has a similar agreement as Adobe whereby you can pledge to destroy the original version and get a free side grade. I know they offer a discount on the 2nd OS but the assumption is, you’ll use both.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=56181\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
They don't. When I switched, the only option was the discount.
The major difference with Adobe is the activation. I suspect if you agree to toss the original OS (in writing), they can still ensure you can’t activate it after that. Not sure if it’s already activated they can undo that however.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=56181\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
They can't undo it if it is already activated and they don't require you to un-activate. So.. theoretically, you can keep the old copy of PS on the WinPC indefinitely or until the system craps out one way or another. Of course, that would be illegal and in violation of the agreement you just signed.
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I don't find this kind of finger-pointing at a highly professional group like Pixelgenius particularly constructive.
Fingerpointing? Unconstructive? Who is blaming who here?
Come on! Of course this is easy business and they make a lot of money with it too.
And I admire them for doing so! I wish I was that smart.