Photoshop Elements 8 won't launch after installation

Question

I get an error message that the application has been moved from it's original location, and needs some repairs, with an option to repair now or cancel, and when I click through to accept terms and use as a trial, it just disappears as if I never tried to open it.  Same with CS4 trial download.  I called Adobe, spent 2.5 hours on hold, then 2 hours doing various things which had no effect.  I called back today, and was on the phone for 2 hours, when I was disconnected, and wasn't called back, even though she REQUESTED my number for precisely that reason.  I'm trying to purchase an Adobe product, but if the trial won't work, then I'm not risking the money. 
Mac, snow leopard 10.6.2

Answer 1

I'm also on a Mac running 10.6.3 and Elements 8.
I think the installation process malfunctioned.  I'd COMPLETELY DELETE the Photoshop Elements 8 folder in the Applications folder and start the installation process again.
It's very easy to give a copy of an expensive application to a friend.  The application developers - like Adobe - don't like that because they don't make any money on the transaction.  They spent millions of dollars creating the application, so you really can't blame them.  So they all take creative steps to let an application determine if it is a genuine copy - or a bootleg copy. 
One way to let the application determine if it is a genuine or bootleg copy is to create a hidden file in the application's folder.  The file is there, but you can't see it.  If you make a copy of everything in that application folder, you won't copy this hidden file because you can't see it. 
The Mac's operating system file catalog knows this hidden file is there, because otherwise it might overwrite that unused hard disk space.  But it has been instructed not to tell you about the file's existence - and not to copy it with normal copy procedures.  Apple built this feature into the file catalog for its own use.  An important part of the operating system's files are kept invisible in the same way.  That prevents idiots from deleting important files - and engaging in do-it-yourself brain surgery.  So application developers use this feature for their own purposes.
Each time the application starts running, it checks to see if that hidden file still is there.  If the file isn't there, then the application refuses to run.  I'd suspect that in your case, the hidden file isn't there.  I think that is what the "application has been moved" warning is telling you.  They don't want the warning to be too specific because they don't want to tell the hackers of the world one of their security features.
There's no way you can re-create this hidden file - except to go through the installation process a second time.
Remember that all this is my supposition.  I know that some application developers use this technique.  I don't know that Adobe is using it.  But what you are seeing is consistent with the application realizing that something important is missing - and refusing to run.