Mary Kate Loc: NYC

If you don't trust them regarding any given advice, why use the product? Like most things there are different avenues that get you to where you want to be. Many of which you will find here.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

I store my catalog on an external HD which is different from where my photos are stored and my catalog b/u is on a separate HD from both of those BTW I would have only one catalog for all my photos

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

I use Light Room CC and started with Light Room 5.1 from disc. Nothing has changed with the cloud except that when online it downloads updates (automaticly if you choose or you can tell it when you want to accept the updates). Everything concerning the actual software resides on your local computer. The images catalogs can reside on external drives (my wife's actually reside on a 4TB drive on my computer because she only has a 500gb drive on hers). I have a laptop with a 500 gb drive and carry it on trips with Lightroom CC installed and it catalogs everything to an external or multiple external usb drives (which I can then plug into my wife's computer and my computer when we return and add them to out full (non-traveling) catalogs. Lightroom (with some learning curve ) can do about anything you want it too and do it easily. I have found that my biggest problem with it was when I installed an extra 4tb drive and (at first) attempted to move images to the drive without doing it in Light Room (in windows using Windows Explorer). This is a no-no. Always use Lightroom to move your catalogs. A: it is much easier and B: Lightroom knows where they are. Having said that, even when you mess up, Light Room can repair the damage with a little help from you. It is very forgiving. As for the Cloud, many people think that because the word Cloud is involved, the software is somewhere else. Adobe Lightroom CC (cloud version) is completely installed on your computer and you have access to it even if you don't have access to the internet. Lightroom only uses the cloud to verify your serial number and to provide updates. Adobe allows the program to go sometime over 30 days (they won't say exactly how long) without verifying the SN but it gives photographers on trips outside the range of internet the ability to continue to use Light Room to catalogue and process their images.

Dano Loc: North Carolina

That's always been my view as well, but since I'm starting from scratch with lightroom, I thought it would be a good time to evaluate both strategies. Funny thing is that I gravitate toward purchased software while both my boys (16 & 19) can't imagine anything but a subscription. Sign of our times I suppose.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

The thing I don't like about a subscription is that it's forever! With a magazine subscription, I could keep the back issues, if I wanted. With the CC, there is nothing to keep.

There are millions of hours of online and printed instruction for PS6 and LR6, and I've barely scratched the surface.

Dano Loc: North Carolina

Does cc licensing allow you to install the program on multiple machines? I end up using 2 desktops (home/work) and 1 laptop.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Dano: I believe that with CC you can install and run on 2 at the same time, if you install on a 3rd then you will need to sign out of Adobe CC on one to make use of the third.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Yes, they allow 2. They don't even have to be same platform. However you can install on 3 but have to log out of CC on one, not having all 3 active at the same time. I have CC active on laptop and desktop simultaneously most of the time.

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

According to the official license no but I have it installed on 3 machine and can use any two at the same time on one license. When the 3rd signs on, you have to sign out of one of the other 2.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

This should show you the steps involved:

http://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1930499

Dano Loc: North Carolina

Thanks for clarifying the licensing.

Regarding catalogs, if based on volume of images I create a new catalog for every year, is it possible to copy the keyword list to the new catalog?

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

USB 3.0 is fast, so you may not see any benefit moving it to your internal, depending on how fast your internal disk is of course.

I did some speed tests on mine to determine the read/write speed of my internal vs my thunderbolt external disk vs my Thunderbolt external SSD, of course the SSD won out being maybe 5 times faster than my internal and twice as fast as my external disk.

I would think that unless you have a really fast internal, the USB 3.0 may be a little faster - assuming the USB external is a standard SATA type drive in the box that is fairly fast to start with.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

There is no need to create new catalogs every year. Why would you want to?

Dano Loc: North Carolina

I read an article that reported that speed became an issue at 10-15K images. Is that not the case? I'd much prefer a single catalog.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

I am at 85,000+ now and no issues, single catalog.