Rethinking Adobe Pricing Model

[Sergio Perez]

Call me old-fashioned, but I believe in owning my assets - not renting them. Especially the assets I need to use on regular basis (in this case daily). As Steve said - it is not about the price. Indeed - I have spent much more per year when I consider I have always purchased the Master Collection outright with every new release (OK, I admit on skipping the 5.5). But I own it. And I know I can keep using it whenever and wherever I need / want. I am still on CS6 for that very reason...

:sifone: Peter

Same here. The only current adobe product I own is Lightroom. I stayed in CS6 and am now fully on FCPX and , er, Motion, which doesn't work as well as after effects...

 

[Mathieu Ghekiere]

Is there a way to outright buy the Adobe programs?

No, Adobe with all-subscription after CS6. I think the only exception was Lightroom, that you could still buy. I'm not sure if that is still the case.

Next to the fact that I edit on FCPX, I hate subscription. I think it's great as an *option* but not as the only way to get the software. I bought CS 5.5, but since the subscription I went completely Adobe-free. The price is okay for what they offer, but I like owning my stuff, not renting it. And issues like Adobe being able to jack up the price, you potentially loosing the ability to get to your own projects (yes you can export xml or self contained files as a work-around), people having issues with payment-servers and then not being able to open their projects while customers are next to them, ... I just don't like it. When Adobe told about CC, I thought it was a handy option. Then they promised you would still be able to buy the new version. Then 2 months later they changed their minds. And they have a very arrogant CEO, who kind of seems to flat-out say that he's doing this all for the shareholders even if customers complain. That being said, I like the pace of development of Adobe (although I hear there are a lot of bugs) and the communication of the developers with the community. I wish Apple had a bit more of that with their Pro Apps.

But I'm like that. I like Netflix and think it's a great service for the price, but if I like a movie, I want it on Blu-Ray in the best edition with lots of making off's and stuff, and me being able to see it whenever I want. I make my playlists in iTunes and I don't want half of my music not being available suddenly because a record label cancelled their contract with a streaming service. It's all a great option, but I hope there is still a big enough market for people that want to *own* the things they like and want to pay for it.

 

[Peter Majtan]

...I hate subscription. I think it's great as an *option* but not as the only way to get the software...

Agreed. Just as said in the OP - it's great as an option. You can't make everyone happy. All you can do is to offer options - not reduce them. Especially not to the point where you don't offer any other options...

I am perfectly happy with CS6. I am yet to find anything I can't do with it that I need. We use Adobe SW for our own internal needs - we don't offer it as a service to our clients. As such we don't need the latest and (arguably) greatest...

When Adobe re-introduces buy-to-own model as one of the options - I will be happy to update. Till then CS6 rocks!

:sifone: Peter

 

[Hugh Scully]

No, Adobe with all-subscription after CS6. I think the only exception was Lightroom, that you could still buy. I'm not sure if that is still the case.

Next to the fact that I edit on FCPX, I hate subscription. I think it's great as an *option* but not as the only way to get the software. I bought CS 5.5, but since the subscription I went completely Adobe-free. The price is okay for what they offer, but I like owning my stuff, not renting it. And issues like Adobe being able to jack up the price, you potentially loosing the ability to get to your own projects (yes you can export xml or self contained files as a work-around), people having issues with payment-servers and then not being able to open their projects while customers are next to them, ... I just don't like it. When Adobe told about CC, I thought it was a handy option. Then they promised you would still be able to buy the new version. Then 2 months later they changed their minds. And they have a very arrogant CEO, who kind of seems to flat-out say that he's doing this all for the shareholders even if customers complain. That being said, I like the pace of development of Adobe (although I hear there are a lot of bugs) and the communication of the developers with the community. I wish Apple had a bit more of that with their Pro Apps.

But I'm like that. I like Netflix and think it's a great service for the price, but if I like a movie, I want it on Blu-Ray in the best edition with lots of making off's and stuff, and me being able to see it whenever I want. I make my playlists in iTunes and I don't want half of my music not being available suddenly because a record label cancelled their contract with a streaming service. It's all a great option, but I hope there is still a big enough market for people that want to *own* the things they like and want to pay for it.

This is pretty much how I feel. I don't lease cars. I like the freedom of owning my car. I just finished paying off one in October. Ah, freedom! When I bought my license with CS5 and bought upgrades for 5.5 and 6 I made an investment in Adobe which they dishonored and abandoned. I just find that deplorable and now I have a chip on my shoulder about it. I'm on CC because I need to be but won't be perpetually... pun intended.

Regarding corporate arrogance, I've also seen the argument around the roll out of CC when Avid was having financial trouble that it is somehow better to attach your professional fate to a company that is financially robust, willing to make the "tough" decisions. I think this apologizing for Adobe's arrogance, and bowing to the "inevitability" of software subscriptions a sort of software Stockholm syndrome.