Exitlog | Leaving Impressions

Adobe wants more Europe…

A couple of weeks ago we featured the long awaited, new update from Adobe, Creative Suite 3. And while it is still very good value in comparison to previous versions, the cost is really too high on this side of the Atlantic. Look at Adobe is ripping off European customers for a great overview on how.

Our follow-up to the initial post, “Adobe wants more Britain”;, detailed the pricing differences between the US and UK version. The story didn’t end there. Since then (and following the dollar nose-dive), there has been a good deal more debate on the issue. As The Register has reported Danielle Libine has launched an online petition to send a clear message to Adobe. She has even gone to the European Union.

For those in involved in creative, marketing, publishing and web development Adobe is essential to our work. But like a member of the family we like to dislike, Adobe may need a good slap to remind them who contributes to their bottom line.

As a business they need full-paying professionals using their software to ensure continued success. Current pricing suggests a “not in North America tax” (a little mean and monopolistic really). It is better Adobe remember their market outside of that declining US economy. Pounds and Euros are still worth something. And besides, Adobe didn’t win the war in 1945, so gratitude for the inflated pricing is certainly not welcome.

Adobe unveils Creative Suite 3, finally a reason to upgrade…

Adobe have announced the availability of Creative Suite 3 for latter this month. This release also sees the integration of the Adobe and Macromedia brands and products into a tightly integrated suite. Adobe have simplified the applications and how they work together creating not just a juggernaut of well known applications, but a collection which really addresses the creative communities needs.

Creative Suite 3 comes in six configurations. For publishing and design there is Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium and Design Standard editions. Web-development and digtal marketing there is Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Premium and Web Standard editions. In competition with Apple’s Final Cut Studio there is Adobe Creative Suite 3 Production Premium. And, if you need it all, there is the Adobe Creative Suite Master Collection which combines all 12 of Adobe’s new applications in a single box.

Seemingly unnoticed in much of the media’s coverage is the value users are likely to get. With an upgrade price of £699 for the Design Premium edition or £539 for the Web Premium edition smaller businesses, studios and individuals are more likely to “go legit”; (piracy in the workplace is very unreported). The combined cost of Adobe’s previous Creative Suite and Macromedia’s Studio (or just Flash and Dreamweaver on their own) was prohibitive to those on tighter budgets. For £1,820 users can upgrade to the whole Master Collection – a real bargain. The release of CS3 is going to benefit everyone (sort of, see end note).

Before their merger, Adobe and Macromedia moved to an all-in model with applications bundled together in a single suite, seemingly for better value. But while sales remained steady it was piracy that saw real gains. For smaller businesses the new features and minor improvements were hardly compelling enough for justify the expenditure. Upgrades were seen as nice, but not a necessary exercise. Incremental change doesn’t often equal big profits (see Microsoft’s pre-Vista OS road map). Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file sharing and torrent sites filled the gap between releases.

Now piracy is set to suffer a blow (minor as it seems). With Apple’s transition to Intel processors and the merger of the industry’;s biggest players, CS3 is likely to be the biggest in Adobe’;s history. Every application from the renown Photoshop to the ever-present Flash is undergoing an amazing change. This release, more than just interface tweaks, workflow improvements and enhanced speed, is likely to mean to customers real value for money.

Updated exit: Adobe wants more Britain…

The aformentioned Adobe CS3 upgrade is roughly $470 in the US. The same upgrade here in the UK costs £539, equivalent to $1080 at the current rate of exchange. The inflated penalty this side of the Altantic has to bear comes in at nearly 130%. Incentive for piracy? There is something yet to consider. While the upgrade is a great value, Adobe is still punishing us for our strong pound and more resilient economy.