donrosshill Loc: Delaware & Florida

I am asking for the opinions and thoughts on the use of the Creative Cloud.
First, is it secure or all my files open for anyone to pilfer.
Second, although it appears to be free at this time, what does the future hold for us in getting back our images without paying later.
Third, The programs being offered as CC locks me into using that program. Do I get full updates on a regular basis or do I then have to pay again for those.

Any help will be appreciated.
Don

TheDman Loc: USA

I'm confused. What makes you think it's free? Or that your images are somewhere besides your own computer?

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

creative cloud bytes

tramsey Loc: Texas

I don't know anything about Creative Cloud and would look twice or maybe three time if it's free and then how secure is it really. I use Carbonite. It costs $60.00 a year for unlimited storage and yes my photos are virtually right at my side. I've used it now for five years or longer and never had a problem.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

First, it is as secure as anything else on the internet. Adobe, like Target to the IRS, has had issues. Even using this forum has risk. So far, federal credit card laws have kept my money with me.

Second, the CC at Adobe has a variety of price plans. The one most photographers like is $10 per month. Your images stay on you computer and only leave it if you send them somewhere or delete them.

Third, the point of the Adobe CC plan is to deliver to you a stream of updates and upgrades as the software grows with enhancements. It does not lock you into anything. Actual photo files are in formats that you choose and can be used in other software.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

An article in a busness journal reporting on Adobe says that about 4 million people disagree with you! I'm one if them.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

I agree with all of the above, and would at that, Fourth, Adobe has indicated that if you stop paying for CC, the editing functionality of Lightroom would stop, but you would still have access to your photos, and could output them to some other format, including JPG, TIF, DNG, etc.

steveg48

In addition to your images being on your own computer, so are Photoshop CC and Lightroom CC. The internet conection is only used for updates and for Adobe to be able to stop the updates and use of the software if you stop paying. You download and install Adobe CC Manager so that you can install the updates when they become available. They don't install automatically.

Capture48 Loc: Arizona

WOW, you have a lot of misconceptions about the cloud.
1, It's not free, the photographers package will cost 9.99 per month.
2. It's installed on your computer, not in some mythical cloud
3. Backing up and maintaining your photos is up to you, not Adobe. So you never have to get them back from anyone unless you are not smart enough to perform regular off-site backups. Adobe is NOT a backup program.
4.You can stop paying at the end of any term, still have your photos & edits. You can then switch to any PP program you want.
5.You get all upgrades as they come out, you pay no more than your 9.99 per month.
6. You photos stay on your computer not in some Adobe cloud.

So what is the cloud really, all it means is the program has to phone home once a month or so to verify your subscription is up to date. It means you rent the program, not not buy it. BTW, software licensing has been this way since Microsoft was started. They license you to use their software, you never own it and never have. Adobe CC is the same way. You DO NOT have to be connected to the internet to use any programs. After a few weeks of use offline, the program will pop up a warning that it needs to talk to the mother ship soon, but it will continue to work. Just connect to the internet and open the program, and your set once again. Anyone should be able to connect once a month for 5 seconds.

donrosshill Loc: Delaware & Florida

Thank you Capture 48. You are the first to properly explain how the CC works. Their Adobe site does not. After spending a couple hours on their site the only thing that becomes crystal clear is that you pay $ 10 every month. It gives you the impression that your files are stored off site but still available to you. It is not clear as to the security of your Images.
As far as Windows is concerned, I purchased my laptop with Windows installed, I get Free updates from then and do not have to pay a monthly fee.
Thank you for your clarification.
Don H

Bogin Bob Loc: Tampa Bay, Florida

You could not have summarized it better !! :thumbup:

Capture48 Loc: Arizona

FYI, you DO NOT own Windows, you DO NOT own Microsoft Office, nor any other software you installed on your computer. have you ever read a licensing agreement? They only license you to use that program. It has nothing to do with getting updates or not. They own the software YOU are licensed to use it (in other words you rent it) albeit for a one time fee.

steve_stoneblossom Loc: Rhode Island, USA

I think you are confusing Adobe Creative Cloud with cloud storage services.

donrosshill Loc: Delaware & Florida

"I purchased my laptop with Windows installed, I get Free updates from then and do not have to pay a monthly fee."
My previous quote.

If they ever decided to do away with Windows they will be loosing the very best marketing tool for all their other programs that you do have to pay for. Windows is the portal into all of them. I understand this and I respect that. What I did not respect was the lack of clarification within Adobe site to be more specific in what they are offering. At best it is confusing.
As usual, thank you for your opinion.
Don

Capture48 Loc: Arizona

It still sounds like you are missing the point. The point is it does not matter if Windows was installed when you bought the computer you still had to configure it and sign or accept the license agreement. And if you bought it used you still don't own software. This is just how software always has worked, you never own it.

AS for Adobe, personally it is completely understandable to me especially when you have a basic understanding of licensing. I agree there are many that seem confused by their method, and many companies are moving in the same direction including Microsoft and more. The point is you need to get use to this model, it is the way they are going no matter if we like it or not. Finically for the company it makes sense. It stabilizes their monthly income. In effect forces us into upgrades on a more regular schedule. What I mean by that is if you purchased Photoshop as a stand alone program it would cost almost $900 dollars. I would only upgrade every other cycle unless there was something in the release I just could not resist. When I sat down and worked out my monthly costs of the Cloud subscription model, I was getting about 3 months less before my upgrade. IN other words the monthly cost works out to my upgrading about every 21 months instead of my manual every 2 years. Once again this stabilizes their income and makes it more regular.

Given the cost of PS pre-cloud, it was copied and bootlegged so much Adobe lost a ton of money. This cloud allows them to more tightly control bootlegging and other methods of theft. In hindsight this was predictable.