fotobyferg

So, my perfectly fine 2009 MacBook Pro can no longer be updated. It’s running on El Capitan.

This makes it no longer upgradeable with Adobe’s $9/month photo editing service. I’m an amateur photographer hobbyist with a working knowledge of LR and seldom use PS full version (too complicated for my needs, and I’m running out of available gray matter to bother learning it). I do use the mobile version on occasion. I also have Luminar 2018 but don’t use it much due to the absence of a DAM feature. Word has it that this feature will be added soon...possibly this month (I haven’t been following Skylum’s Facebook page of late).

Should I be concerned about no longer being able to upgrade Adobe? Or just keep plugging along paying $9/month for a program I can no longer receive updates for.

Needless to say, I really don’t care to pay $2K+ for a new MacBook Pro just to have Adobe’s newest software....

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

This happens to all of us when our computers start to get old. You have a choice to make, but my choice has always been to upgrade to a newer better computer. But the other choice you have is to go with some different software. You better start trying them out till you find something you can live with. Otherwise, the only thing you can do is upgrade. I'm not sure exactly what happens to LR once you quit paying, but I'm pretty sure it will not be a good thing. I'm sure that any pictures that you've exported will be fine and you can still open, print, share etc, but any new raw files you import will some how not work, or will have a watermark on them or something like that.

fotobyferg

I’m not worried about the images currently on LR, as they are all backed up in other areas and I never go back and re-edit. Luminar is my backup software, especially when they get the DAM addition.

CaptainBobBrown

This problem of upgradability is even worse than that. Even if you aren't a subscription purchaser of LR/PS but only use LR Classic (or whatever they call the installed local only version of Lightroom) Apple has decided that future versions of the Mac OS won't run 32 bit code. For example, I'm running LR 6.12 and the latest release of Mac OS (Mojave 10.14.1) but Apple says the next full release of the OS won't run ANY 32 bit code. Starting LR now requires use of a startup component that is 32 bit so if I want to upgrade my OS when it comes out and continue to use LR I'll have to cave in to Adobe's strategy of subscription only, online connected, versions of LR.

I understand Apple's reasons (at least the technical advantages of 64 bit code reasons) but I really hate Adobe's subscription only purchase strategy to force people to pay and pay. However, software maintenance costs the developer money so one time purchase of ongoing evolving software has to be paid for.Therefore, one time purchase software is probably going to disappear anyway.

I guess it comes down to a question of trust that a software company like Adobe won't just use rental income as a cash cow and not really continue to maintain the software.

It's kind of like buying a car. You can opt to buy a maintenance policy over time or just pay money when repairs/maintenance has to be done. Most prefer that because it gives the illusion of control but a car you don't maintain is more likely to breakdown. Same for complex software like Lightroom.

artBob Loc: Near Chicago

You might try gazelle.com, to both buy, inexpensively, a MacBook that can run Mojave, and sell your to them. I have dealt with them several times, and found prices to be fair and customer service excellent.

fotobyferg

Thanks Bob....I will look into it. I have a friend who owns a Mac repair shop and plan on getting his advice also.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

"I'm not sure exactly what happens to LR once you quit paying,...."

You can no longer use the Develop module, the Book module or the Map module. All your work stays intact and the Library module continues to keep track of everything, includng keywords, ratings, etc. Even the Import and Export routines continue to work.

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

Or you can do what I did. I am right now working on a ElCap/Mohave/Win10 multi boot MacPro.
My wife's (my old) MacPro 2,1 only runs Win10. She last used OSX Tiger, on her blue Imac.
She doesn't miss it. Dual quad core Xeons and 16gb ram ran Yosemite fine (when I had it) and runs Win10 most excellent. Adobe products work basically the same, as do most browsers, both OSs.
If you have the need to run Mojave, then buy yet another Apple product and do so. Since your "old" system is an obsolete POS orphan, try Win10 on it and give it a new life for a few more years.

traderjohn Loc: New York City

OK, I'm going to bite. What is DAM???

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

Remember....."if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Long time Apple happy customer here, so happy that I have a desk top and a note book computer. The second is the one I use every week to teach with. Long story short, by today's standard they are both very old. Yet, they continue to work perfectly.

For me, I continue to use my Photoshop CS5 that I bought several years ago, and it serves my purposes very well. However, if for some reason I would not be able to continue to use it, I'd be using my Affinity, all purchased for about $60, and works very well.

scubadoc Loc: Sarasota, FL

Digital Asset Manager. It is the cataloging function of LR. It keeps track of where your images are and simplifies the entire process of importing, sorting, and exporting your images.

traderjohn Loc: New York City

Thank you.

anotherview Loc: California

Yep: "This happens to all of us when our computers start to get old. You have a choice to make, but my choice has always been to upgrade to a newer better computer."

Upgrading the computer keeps up with the advance in software. I found I have to replace my laptop computer with a new one every 4 years or so to maintain functionality of hardware and software together.

Nobody ever said doing photography was inexpensive.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

That's how they get you to upgrade not just the software, but also the hardware. I have three Macs from 2011, and none of them can use the new Apple OS. So far, so good, though.