Photoshop Users!

If you are a user of CS4 you might want to
consider an upgrade to CS5 in the near future.
When version 6 comes out version 4 will NOT be
eligible for upgrade. You will at that point have
to purchase the full $699 version. I do understand
there will be a 20% discount on the 4 to 5 upgrade
if that's any consolation.

Unfortunately Adobe is getting quite whorish in
their business practices these days. An owner of 4
that skipped 5 and was waiting for 6 now will have
to purchase 2 upgrades. I branded them as sleazy
when they stopped supporting CS4 18 months after
the release date.

the alternative is to vote against this rapacious practice by not purchasing photoshop at all. I am finding that Aperture meets 98% of my needs for $79.

CZR
--
Life is uncertain, eat dessert first.

Ditto
--
Cheers, BB
FlickR site
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon_birder/

Adobe made a decision some time ago to position and market Photoshop to large media and other big shops at the expense of consumers. Large shops expect to make large annual outlays for support and upgrades for server software and business solutions, so this just gets added to their lists.

Adobe knows that many users want that extra 2% (or 5% o whatever) performance and also will not be willing (or won't be able) to port the workflow over to a new system, so they've jacked up the price (I think, but would be curious to hear from someone who knows) a lot faster than inflation.

It is possible to purchase PS Elements, DxO Optics, and Photomatix for less than CS5. This combo gives a lot of power and flexibility. May be I don't know what I'm missing with CS5, but I'm not a pro and don't want to shell out the cash.

Joseph Heaney said:

It is possible to purchase PS Elements, DxO Optics, and Photomatix for less than CS5. This combo gives a lot of power and flexibility. May be I don't know what I'm missing with CS5, but I'm not a pro and don't want to shell out the cash.

Click to expand...

I am also (decidedly) not a pro -- my information comes from a brother who worked for Adobe for many years.

Do you have experience with Capture NX 2 to be able to compare it to DxO Optics?

Mattz,

No, I haven't used capture NX so I can't compare. DxO is sometimes amazing, but it depends on the shot - made me rethink what I could accomplish shooting ISO 1600. I use it in combo with filmpack.

JAH

I had the opportunity to get CS5 now, which I decided to take the plunge. I'm not keen on the direction adobe is heading with photoshop so I wanted to get a copy that will last me a few years.