The New Adobe CC

Question

I'd just like to make a remark (and possibly open the floor to discussion) that I've been reading a lot of grief about Adobe's move to CC. I've recently experienced a spat of CC syncing outages as well as missing files as Adobe attempts to collect themselves for the upcoming release and yet, even through all of this trouble, I still feel that Adobe is making the right move. I often found futurists, such a Kurzweil, to be inspiring people who push the envelope of modern technology and ideas even if they are wrong.
It's interesting that the most common complain that I hear is that Adobe hasn't listened to their client base. I don't agree. I've taken at least five surveys offered by Adobe over the past year asking about my opinions on CC and the CS product line. I believe Adobe has listened to the majority of people who cared to make their voice heard BEFORE announcing the switch.
The second-most common complaint is that Adobe CC is too expensive. I don't agree. It's cheap. Rdio is 10 bucks a month to listen to music, for 10 bucks more I can get a piece of software that will allow me to create amazing artwork, and for 30 over that I can get a complete creative suite of tools retailing at close to $3000. And all of this doesn't even speak to the cloud services that are included such as storage space, DPS, TypeKit, and Muse.
The other aspect of the cost argument is that "over time" it will be more expensive ... that's true, but it also overlooks a completely obvious point ... namely that by the time it does become more expensive, years will have passed and the persistently licensed software I'm using will be far far out of date.
I have a friend who's a freelancer like me and he's got a Netflix account, a Rhapsody account, Hulu Plus, and numerous other consumer accounts. He's complaining about the $29 a month special upgrade price for the whole suite ... really? Stop consuming and make something. I can do one website in Dreamweaver CC and BAM my whole year of CC is paid off.
As for the negative ... are the recent service outages annoying? Absolutely. I was enraged when some of my files disappeared, but Adobe did eventually restore them. And I think the design community isn't giving Adobe enough credit for having the foresight (and balls) to try to lean ahead of the curve and move to the cloud model, which I (and many futurists) have been predicting will be the major computer paradigm of the new century. There ARE going to be kinks. There ARE going to be problems. This is a MAJOR move. The only people I can't see benefitting in both the short and long run are people pirating the software or designers who aren't serious enough to earn the $1.75 per day needed to maintain an annual subscription.
As for me, a freelancer, Adobe's new pricing model means I have more tools and more power which means I get things done faster, better, and cheaper ... oh, and I make more money.

Answer 1

First of all, I apreciate all the details about why you like the Cloud subscription model. Instead of just saying "You people just don't like change". So Thanks for that. It's easy to rant, I know I have. (And will probably continue to do so.)
Here are some of my counter arguments.
mkramerl wrote:
I still feel that Adobe is making the right move. I often found futurists, such a Kurzweil, to be inspiring people who push the envelope of modern technology and ideas even if they are wrong.
I would not call Adobe 'futurist'. I have read The Singularity is Near and it is a fascinating read. But this move to the Cloud is pure and simple corporate greed to increase profits just for the sake of increasing profits. Locking us into their service for life. That is not 'futurist' at all. It does not benefit the end user to have Adobe make all the decisions for us. And when you are in the Cloud and are dependent on it. You will have no choice but to go along with Adobe.
mkramerl wrote:
It's interesting that the most common complain that I hear is that Adobe hasn't listened to their client base. I don't agree. I've taken at least five surveys offered by Adobe over the past year asking about my opinions on CC and the CS product line. I believe Adobe has listened to the majority of people who cared to make their voice heard BEFORE announcing the switch.
Sure, Adobe has asked what we would like to see in future updates to the software. But can you point to any link in which Adobe asked us if we would be OK with just getting rid of perpetual licenses all together?
mkramerl wrote:
The other aspect of the cost argument is that "over time" it will be more expensive ... that's true, but it also overlooks a completely obvious point ... namely that by the time it does become more expensive, years will have passed and the persistently licensed software I'm using will be far far out of date.
But you can still use your 'old software' 5 years from now. And unlike with the Cloud you could skip versions if you don't need the latest version.
mkramerl wrote:
The only people I can't see benefitting in both the short and long run are people pirating the software or designers who aren't serious enough to earn the $1.75 per day needed to maintain an annual subscription.
Pirates will continue to use pirated versions. This will change nothing for the pirates. What are they going to miss out on? Fonts downloaded from a server directly into Photoshop? Cloud services? They are gimmicks and easily replaced with DropBox and the like.
There is something you did not mention. And it's a major oversight in your original post:
You will never ever own the software! Keep paying or you lose the ability to open up your files in the future. That is not OK.
mkramerl wrote:
I can do one website in Dreamweaver CC and BAM my whole year of CC is paid off.
And do you really know for sure you will continue to be a Cloud user 4 or 5 years from now? What if you needed to open up that 'one Dreamweaver file'. Because an old client would like an update to the website? Are you just going to say sorry, I'm not allowed from Adobe?
Hatteras Photo wrote:
All they have to do is allow after a certian amount of time on the CC a buy out or a way to freeze and still be able to use the program you have payed for. If they were to do this 90% of the complaining would go away and most would sign up. As it stands you are locked in for life and if for any reason you drop out all your work will be useless. Hope you are OK with that because that is the reality. My clients and myself own my work Not Adobe !!
Exactly. Locked in for life? Never. I don't care what fancy features you add to the Cloud, that is just crossing the line big time.
But there is a simple reason Adobe will not add that as an option. They will lose revenue because we wouldn't be forced to upgrade like they want us to. Keep paying for ever and ever or you lose the ability to open up your files. Customer satisfaction? Adobe doesn't care. Customer loyalty? Adobe doesn't care.
And lets not forget all the lying Adobe has been doing over the last couple of years.