What Photoshop CC and Lightroom CC are really all about is a subscription model.

In the end, are you a renter or a buyer? and what's the long term cost?

Subscription isn't always more expensive, but in this case it adds up. $10 a month is around $120 a year and $350 over three years.

Now let's look at a really good alternative to Photoshop. I'll use Corel PaintShop Pro as an example, but there are other really good ones as well.

The current copy of PaintShop Pro X9 will cost you around $50 (just checked and that's around what you can get it for on Amazon).

I usually upgrade software around every three years, so for me that $50 cost is the three year cost. So compare $50 versus ~$360 (over a three year period).

And it's not really about the money, PaintShop Pro is a fantastic program and almost goes toe to toe with Photoshop CC. It's actually really hard to find anything meaningful that Photoshop CC can do that PaintShop Pro can't. I love this alternative.

I personally dislike the subscription business model (because over time it can add up -- depending on the monthly fee).

In general, given the choice I prefer to be a "buyer" not a "renter", and my choice on a great alternative is very clear: "Corel Paint Shop Pro", and there are other great alternatives out there as well.

What Photoshop CC and Lightroom CC are really all about is a subscription model.

In the end, are you a renter or a buyer? and what's the long term cost?

Subscription isn't always more expensive, but in this case it adds up. $10 a month is around $120 a year and $350 over three years.

Now let's look at a really good alternative to Photoshop. I'll use Corel PaintShop Pro as an example, but there are other really good ones as well.

The current copy of PaintShop Pro X9 will cost you around $50 (just checked and that's around what you can get it for on Amazon).

I usually upgrade software around every three years, so for me that $50 cost is the three year cost. So compare $50 versus ~$360 (over a three year period).

And it's not really about the money, PaintShop Pro is a fantastic program and almost goes toe to toe with Photoshop CC. It's actually really hard to find anything meaningful that Photoshop CC can do that PaintShop Pro can't. I love this alternative.

I personally dislike the subscription business model (because over time it can add up -- depending on the monthly fee).

In general, given the choice I prefer to be a "buyer" not a "renter", and my choice on a great alternative is very clear: "Corel Paint Shop Pro", and there are other great alternatives out there as well.

The CLOUD eh? If I am not mistake, the CLOUD became a "public" asset when Eric Schmidt of Google fame announced it. Imagine your entire email history, all your documents, maybe you entire bookkeeping records, your porn, etc all on Googles servers. Google makes its money selling targeted advertising. And they probably do it fairly. I know, I had my own web sites where I paid Google to send me leads. Perhaps Google does not need to invade your privacy. But what methods does Google use to keep hackers and the Russians out of their servers? If Snowden et al, can get into top top top top secret contents, they can peruse Google too. Of course, THEY have no interest in your photography. Or do they?

Actually, you are not a buyer either. You have paid a License Fee. Your fee does NOT entitle you to any upgrades beyond the ooops we messed up here's a fix. Lightroom for $10.00 per month not only gives you Lightroom but also Photoshop, Adobe Camera Raw, Adobe Bridge, 2 gb of online (cloud) storage that can also be used to send images being worked on to another computer or other member of your staff to also work on. You are not comparing Apples To Apples when you compare Adobe to Corel. Yes, Corel is good but it isn't as good as Adobe Lightroom/Photoshop. You can use what you want and DEFINATELY offer alternatives but if you want to (be able) to produce the best results from your photography efforts (and are interested in learning) then $9.99 per month (or $119.88 per year prepaid) is a good deal to have the best and be able to work it. NOW understand that just because you have Adobe (or any other product) doesn't make you great at it. And, there is a learning curve, AND Adobe requires a computer that will handle it, but it is the recognized Gold standard for digital photo processing. If you can become competent and learn Adobe they you can't blame your photo results on the processor. Also, Lightroom / Photoshop interface seamlessly with all of the other Adobe Products (which you can get the entire lineup for about $49.99 per month or $599.88 per year.
Now, my images may not be as good as anyone else's on here but I can't and won't blame the software I'm using and it's not my cameras (well I could blame my lenses as I've got mid-tier lenses) but it's definitely not the software. It's probably the shooter's (current) ability with the camera, the location, the conditions and my knowledge...and maybe my current developed skill with the software but it definitely isn't an issue with the capabilities of the software.

Actually, you are not a buyer either. You have paid a License Fee. Your fee does NOT entitle you to any upgrades beyond the ooops we messed up here's a fix. Lightroom for $10.00 per month not only gives you Lightroom but also Photoshop, Adobe Camera Raw, Adobe Bridge, 2 gb of online (cloud) storage that can also be used to send images being worked on to another computer or other member of your staff to also work on. You are not comparing Apples To Apples when you compare Adobe to Corel. Yes, Corel is good but it isn't as good as Adobe Lightroom/Photoshop. You can use what you want and DEFINATELY offer alternatives but if you want to (be able) to produce the best results from your photography efforts (and are interested in learning) then $9.99 per month (or $119.88 per year prepaid) is a good deal to have the best and be able to work it. NOW understand that just because you have Adobe (or any other product) doesn't make you great at it. And, there is a learning curve, AND Adobe requires a computer that will handle it, but it is the recognized Gold standard for digital photo processing. If you can become competent and learn Adobe they you can't blame your photo results on the processor. Also, Lightroom / Photoshop interface seamlessly with all of the other Adobe Products (which you can get the entire lineup for about $49.99 per month or $599.88 per year.
Now, my images may not be as good as anyone else's on here but I can't and won't blame the software I'm using and it's not my cameras (well I could blame my lenses as I've got mid-tier lenses) but it's definitely not the software. It's probably the shooter's (current) ability with the camera, the location, the conditions and my knowledge...and maybe my current developed skill with the software but it definitely isn't an issue with the capabilities of the software.

I have looked for, but cannot find any "announcement" that Lightroom will become "CC only" any time soon (Photoshop has been CC only for several years now.)

I've used Photoshop for over 20 years and Lightroom since the first version. I do not want and will not subscribe to rental software.

Functionally, Lightroom is largely the same either way. The CC version gets upgraded faster, but that's likely just done as a marketing ploy and doesn't need to be the case.

As long as I can buy a perpetually licensed copy of Lightroom, I'm good. I use it to organize and manage my images, and for the initial work on them. For more complete finish work, I then pass images off to PS CS6. No problem... so long as Adobe keeps updating LR and offering it with perpetual licenses.

Price-wise, CC works out to cost about the same as what it has cost me to do periodic upgrades to PS and LR.

In the end, the only significant difference is that if you purchase the software it will work forever, as long as it meets your needs and is compatible with your computer and camera gear. The subscription version, on the other hand, will stop working if you don't keep up the monthly payments (last time I looked, you had to prepay a year of use for $120, to get the $10 a month rate).

What irks me is that Adobe doesn't give us a choice. Since most software is being marketed via downloads today, regardless whether it's a licensed or leased version, there's no difference as far as marketing and distribution costs are concerned.

So the only possible reason for wanting to force everything into a subscription model is to have more monopolistic control over the price and profits.

I don't see anything indicating that we need to say "bye bye" to Lightroom after the current version. In fact, in the past Adobe has stated that there will be a Lightroom 7 at some point, that they will continue to offer it for purchase in a perpetually licensed version. If you have a link to an announcement that Ligthroom will be CC-only anytime soon, I'd be interested to see it. However I really hope that's not the case. If it is, I'll have to start shopping for alternatives because I won't become a CC subscriber. That would be a shame, after 20 years as an Adobe customer! Not that one user makes any difference in Adobe's marketing decisions.