Why Not to Buy Adobe Software on eBay, Craigslist or Amazon Mkt
[UPDATE – Adobe stopped selling CS6 entirely – here’s why… This means the CS products are no longer being made by the company, nor legitimately for sale through any channel in any country, from any vendor or reseller.]
Some folks think it might be a good idea to try to save a few bucks and buy Adobe software off of eBay, Craigslist, Amazon Marketplace, or from any vendor or seller who is unfamiliar. It could be Creative Cloud, CS6, Photoshop, Lightroom, Acrobat, Elements, or any other title – in a retail, student, full or upgrade version… or sometimes it’s the “OEM” scam, or the plausible-sounding “extra” volume/enterprise license swindle.
But it’s actually not a very good idea at all. Why?
The first problem is that Adobe does not recognize these venues as valid or authorized resellers, they are fully disregarded and invalid. So as a result, Adobe will not officially recognize any of those buyers as actually owning their software. Yes, you read that right.
Meaning, you think you own the genuine article but effectively you don’t. You cannot provide an accepted proof of purchase – so you can’t formally prove you own the products. You may not be able to transfer the software to someone else, nor be able to get product support or upgrade to the next version, etc… You also aren’t able to return the software to get your money back from Adobe like you normally can.
Are Adobe Creative Cloud (CC) Files Backwards Compatible w/ CS6?
Now that the Adobe CC release has become ubiquitous with over 12 million paid customers, more folks are asking us whether the new versions of the tools in the Creative Cloud can read or save older data/document/project file formats like CS6, CS5.5, CS5, CS4 & CS3…
In fact, since Adobe’s flagship creative toolset CC 2018 is now six major releases past CS6 from 2012 (which they no longer sell), file version compatibility can sometimes be an important decision point in moving forward.
In the past, new Adobe product versions have often brought different or expanded file formats to support significant new features – and customers want to know if their existing projects will easily carry forward with them when they upgrade, or if they will be able to save back to older formats for coworkers or clients who may still be running an earlier revision of the programs…
OK then, here’s how it works. Generally, your new CC tools will be able to open and use any and all earlier CS project and data files – including CS3, CS4, CS5, CS5.5, and CS6 files – with no problem or loss of information. In other words, all Adobe software is able to read or import file formats from previous versions of the same program – and it should happen seamlessly and automatically. The only exception to this is Premiere Pro, where it’s best to open/edit projects in the same versions that created them.
How to Move Adobe CC or CS6 Between Computers, or PC to Mac
OK, so your old computer is running out of gas, you’re upgrading or changing systems, adding a new machine, or switching from a PC to a Mac, or vice versa — and you want to move over your copy of CC/Creative Cloud or CS6 (or CS5 or CS4 or CS3) Adobe software — what do you do, and how do you do it? Just follow our complete guide below, which also works for other Adobe desktop products such as Acrobat, Elements, Lightroom, Captivate, and more.
As we’ve covered previously here, you are generally allowed to install and activate most Adobe software on up to two computers, with the restriction that the software can not used on both systems at the same time. So right off the bat, you might be good to go with installing the software on a second computer, although you may wish to double-check the licensing agreement for your product to be sure.
How to Access, Restore or Update to Any Version of Adobe CC Apps
One of the biggest strengths of the Adobe CC 2018 release is receiving a complete set of creative tools with an ongoing stream of updates included at no extra cost… We no longer have to wait years for our products to innovate and keep pace with evolving technologies; instead we receive the latest and greatest features and improvements as soon as they are ready.
Since the initial launch of CC in 2013, Adobe has regularly issued new upgrades for each individual app about once every 3-4 months, bringing new power and capabilities to all subscribers.
Normally the Creative Cloud works seamlessly with these ongoing product updates… The CC Desktop App runs quietly in the System Tray and gracefully notifies the customer that a new upgrade is available for any of the included applications like Photoshop CC, and (optionally whenever desired) the user clicks one button to automatically download and install the update smoothly in the background.
Sometimes, however, subscribers need more control for various reasons… Read more…
Don’t Need Full Cloud? Get Any Single CC Tool for $10-20 a Month
With the fast-growing adoption of Adobe’s Creative Cloud and the recent release of the all-new CC 2018 versions of creative applications, some readers are telling us they’re not sure if they need all the tools that are included in the complete Creative Cloud offering, or aren’t ready or able to join for US$50 a month…
The complete (or All Apps) Creative Cloud membership gives you the latest-and-greatest versions of Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat, Dreamweaver, Muse, Animate (Flash Pro), XD, Dimension, Premiere, After Effects, Audition, and others – together in a well-integrated suite with ongoing product upgrades included as soon as they’re available.
What’s the Difference Between Adobe CC 2018 vs. Older Versions?
One of the most common upgrade questions we see out there is asking what’s new, what’s different, what’s better, what’s changed between Adobe’s just-launched CC 2018 release and the previous CC 2017, CC 2015.5, CC 2015, CC 2014, CC 2013, or 2012’s Creative Suite 6? Or more fundamentally, what are the key new features and advancements in CC 2018 versus prior versions?
Now that the new CC 2018 milestone release is shipping worldwide, everyone is entitled to either a free upgrade or a new free trial for 7 days. Ongoing access to these tools requires a Creative Cloud membership (either for one app or for all of them), with discounts available for education customers. Adobe says that if you look at all of the changes since CS6 to the current CC 2018 release, there have been thousands of significant updates – meaning new and enhanced features, added capabilities, and performance boosts – to the key creative applications.
The New Adobe CC 2018 Release Is Here – What You Need to Know
Last week, Adobe announced the immediate availability of the all-new CC 2018 release, the next generation of Creative Cloud with hundreds of new features and advancements across their product line focusing on innovative new tools, improved performance, smoother workflow & connectivity, and some of that Adobe magic… CC 2018 is the next major release following the CC 2017, CC 2015, CC 2014, and CC 2013 versions, which in turn replaced CS6 from 2012.
The 15 upgraded CC desktop applications are Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, InCopy, Animate (formerly Flash Pro), Muse, Dreamweaver, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, Prelude, Media Encoder, Bridge, Camera Raw, and the rebranded Lightroom Classic. In addition, there are four brand new 1.0 products: Adobe XD for user eXperience Design, Adobe Dimension (previously Project Felix) for 2D to 3D compositing, Character Animator for 2D animation, and an all-new cloud-centric photography service by the name of… Lightroom CC.
Update: You Can No Longer Buy CS6 from Adobe – Here’s Why
Almost five years ago, in the spring of 2012, Adobe launched two major products at one time: Creative Suite 6 and the Creative Cloud. The Creative Suite 6 suites were well received and cost from US$1,300 to $2,600 – while Creative Cloud, a subscription to their full range of creative applications, had a much lower cost of entry and gave customers access to the CS6 tools and services, as well as ongoing upgrades. A year later, Adobe announced that CS6 would be their last perpetual software release, and there would be no CS7.
Since then, the Creative Cloud has evolved to include the newer milestone releases CC 2013, CC 2014, CC 2015, CC 2015.5, and now CC 2017. Over this time, thousands of new features and improvements have been delivered exclusively to Creative Cloud members, while the original CS6 release has remained largely static. By law, with the purchasing model that CS6 had, Adobe could not legally add significant new features to the traditional release.
By June of 2014, after the first two major CC versions, Adobe described new CS6 sales as “de minimis,” with the vast majority of customers choosing Creative Cloud instead.
Adobe did continue providing maintenance (bug/security) fixes to CS6 and refreshing Camera Raw through July 2015, over 3 years after CS6 came out – but then finally discontinued support in order to evolve the platform and pursue further innovations in image processing and workflow technology.
The New Adobe CC 2017 Release Is Here – What You Need to Know
[UPDATE (Oct. 2017) – The all-new Adobe CC 2018 release has launched and is now available! See what’s new in features and all the differences compared to older versions and CS6.]
Adobe just announced the immediate availability of the all-new CC 2017 release, with hundreds of new features and enhancements across their creative product line focusing on innovative new tools, improved performance, smoother workflow & connectivity, and some of that Adobe magic… Creative Cloud 2017 is the next major release following the CC 2015, CC 2014, and CC 2013 versions, which in turn replaced CS6 from 2012.
The 15 upgraded desktop applications are Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, InCopy, Animate (formerly Flash Pro), Muse, Dreamweaver, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Character Animator, Audition, Prelude, Media Encoder, Bridge, and Experience Design (XD). All current Creative Cloud members receive an automatic upgrade to the 2017 Release, and all of the new free trial downloads are also now live online. As before, the new tools and services are available via budget-friendly annual or monthly memberships. Creative Cloud membership continues to expand at an accelerating pace around the world, with now over 12 million paid customers having signed up.
What’s the Difference Between New Adobe CC 2017 vs. CS6, 5, 4, 3?
[UPDATE (Oct. 2017) – The all-new Adobe CC 2018 release has launched and is now available! See what’s new in features and all the differences compared to older versions and CS6.]
One of the most common upgrade questions we see out there is asking what’s new, what’s different, what’s better, what’s changed between Adobe’s just-launched CC 2017 release and the previous CC 2015.5, CC 2015, CC 2014, CC 2013, or 2012’s Creative Suite 6 – or even the older CS5, CS4, CS3? Or more fundamentally, what are the key new features and advancements in CC 2017 versus prior versions?
Now that the new CC 2017 milestone release is shipping worldwide, everyone is entitled to either a free upgrade or a new free trial for 7 days. Ongoing access to these tools requires a Creative Cloud membership (either for one app or for all of them), with discounts available for education customers. Adobe says that if you look at all of the changes since CS6 to the current CC 2017 release, there have been thousands of significant updates – meaning new and enhanced features, added capabilities, and performance boosts – to the key creative applications.
