# Adobe.....You changed my mind. Too Bad.



## JPAZ (Dec 2, 2013)

I was all set to go for the $9.99 / month deal. I am using LR 4.4 and since the upgrade is $79, I'd spend the $10 a month and was going for it. But, I now will not do it and here is why.

First, the background. I am in the midst of moving my "old" stuff to my new PC. Not the best way to spend a holiday weekend, but it is worth it in the end. In the process, I noted I have purchased and legally installed:
-PS CS2, 4, and 6
-LR 3 and 4
-Acrobat 9
-Indesign CS3
So, it is fair to say, I've spent some $ over the years with Adobe. I actually use CS 4 once in a while because there are a couple of things it does that I find easier to achieve than with CS 6.

So, in the process of moving software, the Indesign (I have original discs) tells me I cannot activate it because it is already installed on another machine (note that there is no physical way to de-activate it despite the multiple online and forum details on how to do that) and I'd need to go through customer support. Then. I remembered what a hassle it was the last time I moved my paid for and only used on one machine Indesign install by spending hours with customer support.

Next, I installed CS 4. I'd like to note that this is not readily available for download online and therefore does not seem to be well supported anymore. It installed without a hitch but then told me that it, too is installed on too many machines and I have 30 days to fix this. While I hope that de-activating on my old machine (if there is that option available - remember that it never was for Indesign), will fix that little issue.

So, I decided it was time to go to Adobe support (for which they've threatened to charge me in the past) since at least CS 6 seems to be OK so far and I figured I could get Indesign and CS4 fixed. Well, I was #21 in the customer que online. 30 minutes later I was #17. I went to dinner and was down to #14. And, the warning about the breech of security was open prominently behind the chat window the whole time.

You know what Adobe, I really owe you a great deal of thanks. I can appreciate that software piracy is a big issue and you are trying to protect yourselves. But the entire customer experience for me has never been pleasant or easy, not now or even in prior years. And, you did not seem to protect me very well in terms of my personal information. You will still get some of my business, because I will likely buy the upgrade to LR 5, but that's as far as I am willing to go with you. Instead of a reasonable relationship, I perceive an attitude of arrogance, and customer-be-damned-because-we-control-you. I really like your products but not your company and its policies.

Too Bad.........


----------



## alexanderferdinand (Dec 2, 2013)

What a nice experience......

I fear the day when I change my system and have to migrate my stuff (CS6 only by now).
So what: so I keep my hardware longer!!!

I hope you got everything going again!


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Dec 2, 2013)

I've moved between systems many times since I first bought Photoshop in 1996. Only once did I have to call customer support to move it due to a hard drive loss, and they were efficient and reset it for me in a couple of minutes. They had real customer support in Vancouver, Washington at the time. I've used customer support for installation issues as well, maybe 2-3 times, and in each case, they were efficient and knew the issue exactly.

I'd give it a try.


----------



## WPJ (Dec 2, 2013)

The online que was a joke it too 3 hours, I decided to call in and talked to someone in less than 5 minutes

Unfortunately he was also a joke but in the end he got me to the download area.


----------



## Swphoto (Dec 2, 2013)

I just went through similar hassles with them when transferring a license that I purchased in order to qualify for the LR/PS CC deal. I spent hours and got different answers from several different chat/phone agents about the process, which was ultimately successful (just in time for them to offer the same $9.99/mo deal without the previous PS requirement).

Specific to your concern about activating/deactivating - CC will allow you to deactivate "remotely" when you open an app on a machine and you've already hit the activation limit. You get a prompt that allows you to deactivate existing installations - so that's improved from the older versions that are creating hassles for you now.


----------



## RGF (Dec 2, 2013)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I've moved between systems many times since I first bought Photoshop in 1996. Only once did I have to call customer support to move it due to a hard drive loss, and they were efficient and reset it for me in a couple of minutes. They had real customer support in Vancouver, Washington at the time. I've used customer support for installation issues as well, maybe 2-3 times, and in each case, they were efficient and knew the issue exactly.
> 
> I'd give it a try.



+1. Same here. Good experience w abode costumer support


----------



## Ripley (Dec 2, 2013)

I just made the move to the cloud and my expectations have been exceeded. I couldn't be happier.

You're accustomed to an old way of doing things. Do yourself a favor and grab the $10 photoshop deal today before it expires and throw all your licenses in a drawer, where they will sit until you use them for a cloud discount... or they become completely worthless.


----------



## awinphoto (Dec 2, 2013)

I've been using photoshop since 1997 and the rest of the adobe suite since 2005... Here is my understanding... you can have ANY version of any adobe product on up to 2 machines without question.... So the indesign thing seems odd unless you had it on a PRIOR machine before your other machine you are upgrading from. Be it as it may, usually they will give you an activation code and bob's your uncle it's good to go. their online help is usually pretty shotty at times, but sometimes it does pay to actually call and talk to someone face to face... online people are willing to leave chat windows open and will wait it out, especially if they got other tasks to do.... people on the phone are far less patient, especially if this call is coming out of the minute plan on their cell phones, so in the end, it may be a better bet just calling them and putting them on speakerphone. So far i opted for the 9.99 plan and couldn't be happier... (although i have yet to really delve much into lightroom yet).


----------



## sagittariansrock (Dec 3, 2013)

Have been using Adobe products (Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat) for years. Migrated several times, all very good experience.


----------



## fragilesi (Dec 4, 2013)

Ripley said:


> I just made the move to the cloud and my expectations have been exceeded. I couldn't be happier.
> 
> You're accustomed to an old way of doing things. Do yourself a favor and grab the $10 photoshop deal today before it expires and throw all your licenses in a drawer, where they will sit until you use them for a cloud discount... or they become completely worthless.



Isn't the reason many people don't want to the fact that they could then at any point have $10 become $15 then $20 . . . I suppose you can always go back to your old licensed versions but I think that's putting people off.


----------

