Topic: Lightroom 6 - Dead end ? (Read 33518 times)

indusphoto · « **on:** April 21, 2015, 06:34:24 pm »

A couple of years ago when Adobe moved from CS6 to CC, they promised that Lightroom will always remain a stand-alone product. There were many debates about that on this forum with many voicing doubt and some defending Adobe.

With the release of LR6 (nay LR CC) it is becoming clear that it is only a matter of time before standalone Lightroom is put to sleep for good. Today I was browsing the Adobe website and there is no place that I could find where I could download a trial of Lightroom 6. All indications are that I have to sign for a CC trial to try out new Lightroom. This means that I need to sign up for adobe account, give them my credit card, and then remember to cancel the subscription before 30 days end. Moreover, there are reports that when CC is installed and uninstalled, it causes issues with existing installation of Lightroom 5.

So I am thinking why spend any more time on Lightroom. If it is a dead-end product, it might be worth spending money on another company's product which at least has a commitment to on-going support of their product.

AlterEgo · « **Reply #1 on:** April 21, 2015, 07:22:12 pm »

Quote from: sunnycal on April 21, 2015, 06:34:24 pm

If it is a dead-end product, it might be worth spending money on another company's product which at least has a commitment to on-going support of their product.

C1 will be there too, eventually... so what is the competition ? Corel's AfterShot Pro ?

pdm · « **Reply #2 on:** April 21, 2015, 07:39:45 pm »

I can't see how to buy new version at all outright. I'm still using Photoshop CS5 for the same reason. I have no interest in a subscription model Adobe is begging me to stop giving them money with this new model.

pdm · « **Reply #3 on:** April 21, 2015, 07:46:31 pm »

Their live support gave me link to it. I could not seem to find it on my own
https://www.adobe.com/products/catalog/software._sl_id-contentfilter_sl_catalog_sl_software_sl_mostpopular.html

f8lee · « **Reply #4 on:** April 21, 2015, 07:48:30 pm »

I also see that B&H has it for $149 on their website now - it is still available as stand-alone product, at least for now.

By the bye - Capture 1 also offers the subscription model - $10/month (special discount from $15/month) for the next year.

FredT · « **Reply #5 on:** April 21, 2015, 08:06:15 pm »

Quote from: sunnycal on April 21, 2015, 06:34:24 pm

This means that I need to sign up for adobe account, give them my credit card, and then remember to cancel the subscription before 30 days end.

Not so. Adobe does not ask for a credit card when signing up for the CC trial. Simply sign up, download Lightroom, and once downloaded you have a standalone version of Lightroom and never have to start up CC again.

digitaldog · « **Reply #6 on:** April 21, 2015, 08:25:09 pm »

Quote from: sunnycal on April 21, 2015, 06:34:24 pm

With the release of LR6 (nay LR CC) it is becoming clear that it is only a matter of time before standalone Lightroom is put to sleep for good.

Based on what data points, the name?

indusphoto · « **Reply #7 on:** April 21, 2015, 08:42:17 pm »

Quote from: digitaldog on April 21, 2015, 08:25:09 pm

Based on what data points, the name?

Based on the fact that it is next to impossible for anyone to figure out how to download Lightroom 6 trial, or buy an upgrade. People are also having difficulty finding out how to purchase full license. However if you want to subscribe to CC, it is all there in big bold letters on Adobe website, and every press release link.

If this is not Adobe telling customers to forget LR6, then it is a really bad message that they have crafted. There is also a mention from Scott Kelby that this is the last perpetual version, which adds to the perception.

digitaldog · « **Reply #8 on:** April 21, 2015, 08:46:30 pm »

Quote from: sunnycal on April 21, 2015, 08:42:17 pm

Based on the fact that it is next to impossible for anyone to figure out how to download Lightroom 6 trial, or buy an upgrade.
There is also a mention from Scott Kelby that this is the last perpetual version, which adds to the perception.

Neither are facts, mostly FUD and nonsense from Kelby.

Mousecop · « **Reply #9 on:** April 21, 2015, 08:50:14 pm »

Quote from: sunnycal on April 21, 2015, 06:34:24 pm

With the release of LR6 (nay LR CC) it is becoming clear that it is only a matter of time before standalone Lightroom is put to sleep for good.

Maybe, maybe not. I don't see why it matters.

Aperture was standalone licensing, and it didn't stop Apple from shutting down development. Standalone licensing is clearly an insufficient hedge against future abandonment.

The chances that Adobe will shut down its activation servers, out of the blue, with no notice, and crippling tens of thousands of working professionals, is very slim. Even if they were going out of business, users will have more than enough time to migrate data to a competing product.

Quote

So I am thinking why spend any more time on Lightroom.

That's your choice.

That said... Your reaction doesn't sound particularly rational. If you can migrate your catalogs to another program with minimal loss of data and minimal downtime, why do you need to change because you're merely worried that you'll have to migrate your catalogs at some later date? Will it take less time to do it now, than at some future date which may never arrive?

Any piece of software that your workflow or entire business relies on could be abandoned by its developer at any time. Are you going to change your process every 6 months, to ward off that mere possibility?

Quote

If it is a dead-end product, it might be worth spending money on another company's product which at least has a commitment to on-going support of their product.

Lightroom isn't a "dead-end product." It's got just as long a future as any other catalog/RAW developer app.

Rather than panicking about things that might never happen, I'd suggest you figure out what tools work for you, and don't worry about the future.

digitaldog · « **Reply #10 on:** April 21, 2015, 08:53:33 pm »

Well stated Mousecop! Some just have to live in fear and FUD. The damn product hasn't been out 24 hours. Let's all take a deep breath and get the facts from Adobe, not some shill who so far today, has caused more incorrect information about LR than much else.

Box Brownie · « **Reply #11 on:** April 21, 2015, 08:57:41 pm »

Hi

LR6 definitely available to buy as download here https://www.adobe.com/uk/cart.html?marketSegment=COM&# note this in geog specific as I am in the UK but I started at the USA site and changed location

HTH

Incidently, I am waiting to see whether they will offer the physical package as they did when I upgraded to LR5 for LR4. In regard to a trial I think there was such a download with LR5?

Rick Popham · « **Reply #12 on:** April 21, 2015, 09:13:49 pm »

Quote from: Box Brownie on April 21, 2015, 08:57:41 pm

Incidently, I am waiting to see whether they will offer the physical package as they did when I upgraded to LR5 for LR4. In regard to a trial I think there was such a download with LR5?

I think the full versions will be available in a physical package. But the upgrades are available only as downloads directly from Adobe.

ButchM · « **Reply #13 on:** April 21, 2015, 09:20:38 pm »

Quote from: Box Brownie on April 21, 2015, 08:57:41 pm

LR6 definitely available to buy as download ...

Yes ... but we all have to admit it is a pure scavenger hunt on the Adobe site for a visitor to find Lr 6 perpetual license version on their own. Not to mention you have to interpret the purchase settings to seek out an upgrade purchase vs full version. The whole procedure as offered is not very user friendly. It is quite reasonable to think that by such placement and situation, Adobe is trying to make such purchases as difficult as possible and would prefer to see a quick end to the perpetual license offering.

Thinking that a subscription only situation for Lr will arrive sooner, rather than later is not an outlandish conclusion based upon this evidence ... even though Adobe has not publicly stated as much.

As we can recall ... there was no indication that CS perpetual licensing would end prior to the announcement of CC only in 2013. To be confident that Lr will be offered in a perpetual license indefinitely may just be wishful thinking.

CatOne · « **Reply #14 on:** April 21, 2015, 11:42:31 pm »

Is it possible to download a version of Lightroom 6 which does not require the installation of AAM and all the associated cruft?

It's egregious the way this thing is packaged. AAM and associated tools install NEW FEWER than 4 separate binaries, most of them redundant. It is all over the place, and there are many persistent running processes.

LR 5 bundled with CS could run without Adobe Creative Cloud installed. It doesn't appear LR CC can do this. Adobe told me that LR 6 could, however, but the download seems to install AAM and require it. Anyone figured out a way to get LR 6 STANDALONE (i.e. without AAM filling your /Applications/Utilitity folder with 3 folders and 1000 subfolders full of binaries)? I can't overstate how bad this is.

hjulenissen · « **Reply #15 on:** April 22, 2015, 01:54:57 am »

Quote from: digitaldog on April 21, 2015, 08:53:33 pm

Some just have to live in fear and FUD.

While others are naive.

I spent 30 minutes on Adobe.com trying to give them my $79. Then I spent 10 minutes with on support chat, trying to explain that not every customer lives in the US. He hung up on me.

It seems that Adobe goes out of their way to make me _not_ purchase lightroom 6, but rather lightroom cc. You may interpret it any way you like but for rational beings, this says a lot about how they see the future.

For the software industry, this is great (they are ignoring part of the market). For me personally this is sad.

fdisilvestro · « **Reply #16 on:** April 22, 2015, 02:27:09 am »

It might be a local issue. Here in Australia it took me less than 1 minute to find how to buy/upgrade the LR6 standalone . Not that I'm interested because I'm a happy CC customer.

Rhossydd · « **Reply #17 on:** April 22, 2015, 02:46:09 am »

Quote from: ButchM on April 21, 2015, 09:20:38 pm

Yes ... but we all have to admit it is a pure scavenger hunt on the Adobe site for a visitor to find Lr 6 perpetual license version on their own.

Not at all. I just went to the Adobe store, scrolled to Lightroom and clicked 'buy'. Just as easy as it's ever been.

To get a trial version you'll need to work through the CC registration process, but why bother ? The upgrade is cheaper than a tank of fuel for your car and you'll probably buy it anyway.

keithrsmith · « **Reply #18 on:** April 22, 2015, 02:59:12 am »

This is a really useful site for adobe downloads

http://prodesigntools.com/

All installation file and updates.

Keith

Bart_van_der_Wolf · « **Reply #19 on:** April 22, 2015, 04:45:48 am »

Quote from: ButchM on April 21, 2015, 09:20:38 pm

Yes ... but we all have to admit it is a pure scavenger hunt on the Adobe site for a visitor to find Lr 6 perpetual license version on their own. Not to mention you have to interpret the purchase settings to seek out an upgrade purchase vs full version. The whole procedure as offered is not very user friendly. It is quite reasonable to think that by such placement and situation, Adobe is trying to make such purchases as difficult as possible and would prefer to see a quick end to the perpetual license offering.

Thinking that a subscription only situation for Lr will arrive sooner, rather than later is not an outlandish conclusion based upon this evidence ... even though Adobe has not publicly stated as much.

I agree. The process is deliberately needlessly complicated for those who do not want a subscription version.

In fact, I tried downloading the "desktop only version" and got confusing dialogs, asking me to select a program on my harddisk, instead of downloading an installer for the program (LR6) I already selected. I'm not going to risk ruining my current LR5 setup if/when I decide to remove LR6 or not purchase a licence, so I declined to play along on their terms (and my risk/cost).

It was fun while it lasted, but I'm happy that I switched to Capture One Pro as my main Rawconverter quite some time ago. For the time being, they (Phase One) are much less aggressive, and the conversion quality and editing options do rock (and -as hard as that is- are getting better all the time). Their support, should it be needed, is usually pretty good and quick. I'm an overall happy user on that front.

Cheers,
Bart

Author Topic: Lightroom 6 - Dead end ? (Read 33518 times)