burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Adobe will upgrade, and mostly has upgraded, all of their CURRENTLY SUPPORTED applications to 64 bits. This includes Lightroom CC, Lightroom Classic CC, Photoshop CC, Bridge... anything else that is part of a subscription pricing and support model. Such applications are kept up to date, free of additional charge beyond the monthly or annual fee.

They do not, and will not, support older, stand-alone versions of what are now Creative Cloud apps. They've been clear about this for years.

Apple did not "wipe out" either Aperture or your folders and photos. They gave users clear instructions on what to do to migrate their photos to Lightroom or to Apple Photos.

If you kept an external startup drive with an older system that supports Aperture, you could still use it. Heck, I have external startup drives for systems 10.6.8, 10.10.x, 10.12.x, and 10.13.x. I even have an old Mac that runs the last version of the Classic Mac OS (9.2.2) and the last PowerPC versions of OS X, 10.4.11 and 10.5.x.

I have a current Time Machine backup of my current system, 10.14.6 Mojave, too.

A fundamental rule of using ANY computer is to make a complete, bootable backup of your entire system, data, and applications before upgrading to a new operating system. That way, you can return to the previous environment if anything "burps". Before I upgrade to Catalina (10.15.x), I will make a bootable backup of my current startup drive.

Lightroom Classic CC (the subscription app) is the evolution of Lightroom 6.14, the now unsupported stand-alone app. It is connectable to the Adobe Cloud, but most users keep all their files on local drives. Lightroom Classic CC 8.4.1 is the current Mac version, as of 10/26/2019.

The NEW Lightroom CC is an extension of Lightroom Mobile. It now runs on Macs, PCs, tablets, and smartphones, and you can share everything through the cloud. Demographically, it's used mostly by Millennials. I don't use it.

Photoshop CC 2019 version 20.0.7 is the current Mac version as of 10/26/2019.

Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) 11.4.1 is current as of 10/26/2019.

Adobe Bridge 9.1.0.338 is current as of 10/26/2019.

These are all subscription versions. There are no more supported stand-alone versions of Lightroom or Photoshop, although a rare vendor may have outdated stock. (Don't buy it if you run a current OS!)

Adobe and Apple are not enemies. They have a symbiotic relationship, similar to Apple and Microsoft. Adobe and Microsoft both make significant amounts of subscription money off of Mac users.

sloscheider Loc: Minnesota

I remember when MS stopped supporting 16 bit applications and many manufacturers said they wouldn't update their hardware drivers for old printers, modems, etc so not only did we have to buy newer software we had to get new printers (some of them anyway). Way before that the 8 bit applications got orphaned... All the OS companies have had to go through this.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

If they kept the same architecture forever, they'd soon go out of business.

Rearranging the deck chairs is a common marketing ploy for survival. Microsoft Office is a good example of that. It really doesn't change much over time. The core features have been there for 25 years or more. They just put a different face on it every so often, bloat it with spaghetti code, and make it incompatible with older systems. It's always been a decent package, and always gets a wee bit better, but 98% of users are okay with what they had in the last version.

Apple users, can you remember:

Appletalk (before Ethernet and WiFi)
Apple Desktop Bus (before USB)
3.5" single-sided 400K floppies
3.5" double-sided 800K floppies
4.7 MHz Motorola 68000 processors
1 MB maximum RAM memory
72dpi monochrome (black and white with NO shades of gray) monitors
SCSI drives, scanners, etc.
Serial printer ports
Optical disk drives (CD, DVD, etc.)
Bernoulli disk drives
iOmega Zip disks and Jaz drives
PowerBooks with trackballs
Land line-based 19.2 kilobaud modems
Netscape Navigator
Bulletin boards (precursors to blogs like UHH)

(I could go on for pages)

The sands of time wash over the detritus of computer history, just like everything else. The only constant is change. The computer industry isn't like the old heavy machinery industry, where a textile mill used to buy a spinning machine and use it for 75 years with the expectation that Saco Lowell (my, and my late father's employer in the 1970s) would make replacement parts for them, and even update them with modern retrofit add-ons.

sloscheider Loc: Minnesota

My first computer experience was with mechanical teletypes and acoustic coupler modems that ran at 16 baud - I could whistle into the coupler and get the teletype of print garbage! That was one of the old ones with a paper tape recorder on the side and a print drum that spun around and moved up/down to print, we also had a 32 baud dot matrix teletype. We'd play The Oregon Trail where it printed on the paper, "you're facing west, you see a deer" that was a blast!

rleonetti Loc: Portland, Oregon

The question is which Lightroom/Photoshop are you running?
The concern is from those running Lightroom 6.14 (not subscription) and a Photoshop Elements not subscription?
Can you tell us please?

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

Who are you asking?. If you use "Quote Reply" we all will know.

TanBrae

That's for sure. I miss the Jobs days.

I am running High Sierra, reluctantly. I was completely happy with Mavericks. I don't like being forced into an upgrade I don't need, or want. Saying that because...

A year ago, my computer needed a new hard drive. Not that big a deal, but when at the Apple store, I asked about help with partitioning. I wanted to keep Mavericks because it was still compatible with several of my "legacy" software. I was/am using Adobe Photoshop CS5, bought in the suite I needed for college classes. Of course, Adobe won't update that to run with Apple's new software, and I'm not buying (literally!) into the stupid subscription-based software Adobe now sells. (I use mainly Affinity Photo for photo editing, now.)

I was asked why I wanted to partition to be able to run a legacy OS, and when I explained why (as above), I was pretty much just poo-pooed, and giggled at. Yeahhhh,,,

I don't want a blasted iPhone, and I really don't appreciate my laptop, tablet, and desktops being made to run as such. Blech! I want and need a REAL computer, not a glorified smartphone.

Off my rant, and on to reading the posts. Sorry!

Herb1145

Thank you all for your ideas and suggestions. I especially found the publication Tidbits to be very helpful.

Since I wasn't smart enough to make a cloned copy of my OS, I think I have to update my software. I'm thinking of purchasing a new version of Photoshop Elements. Here is where I need your communal advice. Should I buy Photoshop Elements 2019 from Apple, (it's available in the App Store for $99.99) or should I purchase Photoshop Elements 2020 from Adobe at the same price?

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

Why would you buy an older version when the latest one is available for the same price??

Herb1145

I was considering buying the older version from apple because they would provide support if needed. If I have a problem, they won't be able to tell me to go back to Adobe.

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

I've bought items from Apple that they only re-sell because it was a better price or just simply more convenient. I would not expect Apple to support another manufacturers product even if they sold it because their tech would be at a disadvantage. Adobe is pretty good at support, at least with the subscription versions, and I would strongly suggest buying the most current product in your case as the price is exactly the same. Best of luck.

artBob Loc: Near Chicago

Unfortunately, mostly, but not totally true. The Creative Cloud Desktop app, that which controls updates, fonts, stock from your menu bar, cannot be updated.

When I tried to update from the Creative Cloud Desktop app itself in my menu bar, it froze at 90%, every time, after restarts and other standard actions. Then, when I tried to update from my Adobe account, a"P1" error came up as after about 20% installed. Still have not heard back from Adobe Support.

artBob Loc: Near Chicago

After nearly 4 hours of Adobe Support help, trying many different approaches, Ashimi (the tech support) finally got the Creative Cloud Desktop app to install, requiring reinstalling all my 2020 CC apps. Had to transfer preferences from 2019 versions, easy in Photoshop, done automatically in LR, fairly easy in InDesign, a bit of a problem in Illustrator, some frustrating problems in Dreamweaver.