Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

Does anyone know a reliable source for obtaining an old copy of Photoshop? I wouldn't mind paying the monthly fee if I could use it but for the last 10 years or so I've used Paintshop Pro by Corel. While it is a powerful program on its own, there is much less support for it in the market place. There are few if any books on this program, plug-ins are often specific to Photoshop, etc. When I've tried to use it in the past, I have fallen back on Paintshop Pro because I understand it so well. I would like to have an old copy of Photoshop resident in my computer so I could learn the program well enough to justify subscribing to the on-line copy again. While I know the latest versions have been upgraded substantially, if I could learn the basics -- primarily masks, overlays, etc. I would try the subscription again.

DaveyDitzer Loc: Western PA

I bought my older (disc supported) version on e-bay.

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

Did your version need a code to open? Back a few years ago when they still sold copies, I answered an ad for Photoshop 6. I met the person selling it at a mall and the package they had was factory sealed with the proper hologram sticker. They explained it was a copy from an office where they had purchased multiply copies and this was an extra copy they didn't use. I set it up, used the enclosed security code and all was hunky dory -- until I switched computers. When I uploaded it on the new computer, the code would not work. I called Adobe and was told the code I had was bogus. When I explained how I had come to own that copy and enquired about what I could do, the person on the phone explained (I think she took pity on me and told me something she probably shouldn't have), that I could purchase a one time key on the black market on line. She said it would probably cost me about 75.00. Well, I lost interest in owning it once I thought about it and decided I didn't want to use a "stolen or bogus" product and just ended up throwing it away -- and learning my lesson for buying from doing business in a parking lot somewhere! I would like a copy that would not require an on-line key to open the program -- this would most likely have to be an older version before keys were required for operation.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I've transferred both LR5 and LR6 across multiple computers, following both planned and unplanned upgrades. I knew the veracity of the license keys as I'd carefully saved the license keys and the installation files along with all my backups. None of us can go back and watch the video tape of your past, but your problem may have been something other than a 'black market' license key.

Your money and time might be better spent simply starting a subscription and an online training program.

Or consider PSE, cheaper software that is very similar although not as powerful if you shoot RAW.

DaveyDitzer Loc: Western PA

My older version (12) has worked on two computers. I transferred it to another while having problems with RAW - later resolved via software update. The other I bought in the meantime (18) is still working well on my tower unit which does most PP work.

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

According to the person at Adobe, the whole version 6 I had purchased was black market. I did have the key from the original install, it just wouldn't work a second time. Since the packaging was factory sealed and had the correct hologram sticker I believe #1 it might have been a theft of a number of these from a distribution center and the license keys were disabled for that group of units, or #2 it was from China where they can clone anything including the hologram sticker -- in that case they probably came up with a one-time code like the one the Adobe person told me about and included it in the package.

User ID

I use PSE 3.0 ... about 15 versions behind
the current ... using the camera maker's
RAW processor to output a tiff for editing
in PSE. Works great, altho the rest of UHH
stands ready to write endlessly about how
this is not ideal. Ignore them. I'll tell you
right now in three short words that it's not
ideal: "It's not ideal". OK, now you don't
hafta read 10 more pages about THAT :-)

Keen

Try Affinity Photo instead.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

There's probably as many theories as people want to imagine, some that are probably more realistic than these two ... Without a time machine, we'll never know for sure.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I happily use PSE9 on one laptop and PSE10 on another, both most everyday, and both repeatedly installed on multiple machines over the last 8+ years. I use them mostly for graphics work rather than photography.

Sam9987

It was probably not a bogus or stolen copy. Many companies buy a substantial number of copies with user rights so that they can install and use them on multiple units and also so that they have a legal license to use when installed upon a new or additional computer. The issue becomes that they buy a new blanket license each year and when you installed it on a new computer (most likely not in the same year) the company that you got it from did not renew the old license (the one with the code you had) and they then had a new license with a new code. Sometimes there is a way around this and sometimes not. Sorry it did not work for you on the new computer.

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

I just looked this program up and while I'm impressed with the concept and ready to buy, I need to know why they are working in 32 bit files when I've been using 64 bit for two years now.

smussler Loc: Land O Lakes, FL - Formerly Miller Place, NY

I'd look on eBay for an older copy. I bought an older version of LR on eBay. Seller said it was updateable in his description and later denied that he said that. It wasn't updateable, as the older version no longer had Adobe support. Seller said he didn't take returns, but that statement in a listing doesn't mean anything to eBay. Paypal issued a full refund to me. I've made over a thousand purchases on eBay, and I've never lost $$$ because of a bad or defective item. Ebay & Paypal protect both the Buyer and Seller. I have PS V6 - Educational Copy. It still installs fine with the original key.

Sam9987

Right on!

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

The problem was, that code was already listed as owned by someone else.
If Corps ABC bought 20 copies, they'd be stores on a shelf somewhere as "proof of purchase".
Then there'd either be a network installer, that you'd apply your supplied key to, or
there'd be a network pool, with a counter: 1st 20 logins work, #21 has to wait for an opening.
You bought a real, valid copy that was already registered to someone else.
Once IT had it all configured, registered with Adobe, then your valid, real copy was bogud.

There's examples of sorta like that now online.
Corps ABC bought 100 copies of Windows 10. Or Pshop. A year later 20 PCs are replaced.
Those go to a vendor, who checks and finds that those serial numbers are still valid.
Maybe ABC has a site license and auto gets new numbers at will.
Maybe everybody thought somebody else was supposed to do the "de-register" procedures.
Whatever. He de-registers all the software (Windows, PShop, Office, etc).
That vendor now has valid serial numbers. He might use them- or sell them.

Another example- you built a new computer to replace the old one.
You call Microsoft and Adobe, and "de-install" (or "de-register") the applications, then
re-install and reuse your applications and serial numbers on the new PC.
OR you could have installed Linux and Gimp and sold your now valid registration numbers.
Both options are legal.