I currently use Photoshop CS2.  I know way old, right?

I see you can subscribe to Adobe and get (use) the lastest version of Photoshop for 10 Bucks a month.

I was wondering if any used this latest version and how do they like it?  Can it integrate some of the plug-ins or actions they sell here?

Thanks for your time.

-Robin

I have had an account with Adobe Cloud pretty much since it began and I like it as I always have the latest version of the software with no major cash outlay. Things like actions, brushes, custom shapes etc will work with any version of PS it is only some of the older plugins that may have issues and that is usually just a 32bit v 64bit thing although most plugin creators have updated their products to work in both.

Also the Creative Cloud version of PS has features that the CS version doesn't have.

Thanks!  I was thinking that the 10 dollars a month option sounded good but I wanted to make sure it wasn't simply geared to photographers.  As an illustrator I need brushes, custom shapes et al to help with my work.  But even the something like CS6 Master suite starts at $2600.  While I'd like to upgrade to learn and use Illustrator as well, I already know Photoshop, brushes, actions and patterns.  Heaven help them if they ever have a half sale.  

Thanks for your help!!

Be sure to use the preset manager in your current version to save all of your brushes, shapes, patterns etc as you will need to take them to the new version manually. Also, if you are the holder of a license for one of the CS versions then you can get a CreativeCloud account for $29 per month which gives you access to all their software including Illustrator , this is the plan I have as I like to try to teach myself to use the programs that I am not so familiar with.

That $29/month for CC Complete is for the first year only, after that it goes up to the normal $49/month.

50 Bucks a month is pricey.  600 bucks a year would pay for a kickass video card next year.  I really only use photoshop CS2 which is at least 10 years old.  Most of Photoshop Tuts want you to be at least CS3.  I'm using the CC trial right now.  The trial last for 30 days but the sale ends May 29th.  So far that is still the best option.  Still after I finish these Hexagon courses and can start selling content...you never know!

I went from CS2 to CS4 and that is where I'll stay. I really hate the idea of renting software. Being forced to constantly pay so your software will work? Not for me.

Adobe CS6 Costs is currently $2500.  Standalone Photoshop CS6 is $700.  Photoshop CS6 Extended which allows you to manipulate 3d Objects is $999.

List Price of CS4 on Ebay goes from $150 (photoshop only) to $500 dollars for the entire suite.  Currently I'm using Photoshop CS2 from 2005.  (Current price Free. Adobe gave it away sometime last year.

Ideally Sales are offered at the same time of year so signing up now, My cost per year is $108.00.  Annually.  9 dollars a month for the latest copy of Photoshop.  That is two quarter pounders with cheese per cheese a month or two Frappacino's if you are a coffeeholic like me. My point is that just isn't that much.  

A while ago, I was arriving at the ATM of my bank, it was the exact same time as an octogenarian.  I, of course deferred and invited him to go first.  He gave me this big smile and extended a slightly shaking hand and gently held my arm to pull me close.  He told me to go first.  I, of course refused and invited him to go first again.  He pulled me close again and with this big smile gave me some sage advice.

 "No No," He told me.  "The longer my money is in the bank.  The more money I make."

I liked that old guy.  I keep that bit of wisdom with another.  "You get what you pay for."

In cars, computers and software, I think it's true.  Consider CS4, of course your cost is nothing right now.  Amortize your payments since CS4 came out in 2008.  If the cost was the same as now for Photoshop only at 9 dollars a month since 2008 when CS4 came out your total cost would be $756.  The initial cost of CS4 was probably more than that by say 1000 dollars.

That's a lot of bread that could be going to hardware or a month's rent if you live in Southern California.

Now you do get all the apps that in CS4. That 29 dollars a month is substantial for apps I don't use.  When it skyrockets to almost double that after a year, then the pain would truly begin.  Still, right now?

I can do without a couple of Frappacino's.  It's nice to be out of 2005.

It was nice going from CS2 to CS4 but was there massive changes? No.

Yes, CS4 did cost more than $1000. It was Adobe CS4 Design Standard which included Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Bridge, and Acrobat 9 Pro at a cost of $1,800. At the same time I got CorelDraw X4 at a cost of $430 for the whole suite. So with tax for both it was a whopping $2500 Canadian. Since then I've upgraded my CorelDraw X4 to CorelDraw X6. At least Corel lets you skip versions.

if you have the money then go for it. I'm just old school and I prefer to own rather than rent my software. 

I do get you where you are coming from.  Of course there is nothing like owning the software.  My 8 year old cheapo computer doesn't have enough video memory for the 3d Manipulation but at least I can follow Sveva's tutorials without shame (Her tuts start at CS3).  It might be the wave of the future.  When you consider the improvements that come at a quicker rate and several times a year you might want to consider change.

You might have an advantage.  You do get the extra apps.  Plus that $108 a year would come in handy every December 25th.

Hi Rob, hope you're doing well. People often try to dissuade folks from signing on to CC because they don't want Adobe to set a precedent for subscription software. I tend to feel the same. I'm seeing Adobe's single app pricing at $29 per month. Once you're done with the discount you either pay full price or trash whatever work you've done, the time you've spent learning the software, and the money you've spent. I think the subscription can make sense for certain situations: you earn money off your work and can write it off on your taxes, you're a software instructor and need to have the latest version for instance. I think the impetus for Adobe's subscription was to capture the "deadbeats" who were happy with older versions of the softwares and refused to upgrade on Adobe's schedule.

Latest features are great but I've yet to bother learning many of the new features in CS6 (upgraded from 5.5). After 20 years in the design business I'm of the opinion that the software between my ears is more important than what's on the computer. Now if Adobe had upgrades for that I'd be all in, lol. Also from an old guys perspective, it's hard to know what curves life might throw at you. I never imagined finances could be tighter in my later years (house, kids, aging parents, etc) than when I was a young buck. $10 a month may not sound like much, $30 a month may seem doable but that's in addition to cable, and Spotify, and Office, and Audible and Daz Platinum, and whatever 3d program you need to replace Hexagon once it finally crashes and burns, and the stuff you never considered that will go subscription as well. Get with Adobe's program and you will be paying them throughout your working life, on their timetable, forever. Even if some wise guy creates an awesome open source graphic app (not Gimp apparently), you keep paying Adobe or lose access to you files.

I think Adobe still offers standalone CS6 educationally. Do you know anyone in college? Can you get by with an older version off ebay or elsewhere? Your choice, but I feel like I'm saving money everyday that I continue to use my owned copy of CS6.

You may be right in dissuading people.  Success is the best encouragement for the Subscription model to continue.  Unfortunately a quick google search found that the number that has signed up for the creative cloud is 3.5 million users.  At 30 bucks (american) per subscription that nets Adobe approximately (assuming the number is a round up or round down) 105 million dollars.  A month.  Or 1.2 Billion a year.  If the number holds over the course of the year that's That's not even for the most expensive package.  if it were only People like me who would only pay 9 dollars a month (Which is cheaper than spotify, cable, cellphone) for access to the latest version of adobe at that same rate would get adobe a paltry 31.5 million or over 300 million a year. three hundred seventy two million to be exact.  That is sick money.

I don't know about expectations.  Most corporations are pretty greedy.  Still, it sounds like a resounding success.

Now if I needed the entire suite for work, even as an independent contractor, I could see paying the full price and then writing it off my taxes as a business expense.  I'm betting you and I are probably closer to the same age so I know where you are coming from regarding all those bills.  I do hate the idea of paying throughout all of my working life yet when you consider bang for the buck for the creative Suite apps it would take take about years to pay for just photoshop itself and of course that doesn't count the upgrades which they make you pay for.  Not the service releases which may include a minor feature but are mostly targeted at fixes which should've been found in the first place.

If I wanted ALL of the creative suite products, buying the full monty MIGHT be the way to go.  That IS cost effective.  However, I just wanted photoshop.

Now there are questions like will Adobe get everyone subscribed and then jack up the price.  They might.  I wish there was someone cynical with facts that I could trust when making a big decision.  Like is it true that their prices have only fallen?  Right now, everyone has their own axe to grind (American Slang) so I'll have to trust that Adobe won't want tick off over 4 million people at once.  If they do, then I'll go back to using CS2.  It's 10 years old but it works.

Just so you know, if Smith-Micro does the subscription thing for PoserPro2016 I'm changing to DAZ.

$250 ?! For Adobe CS 6?! Really????! 

$250 ?! For Adobe CS 6?! Really????! 

Yearly subscription. Not one-time.

I wrote $2500 That's Two Thousand Five hundred dollars for the entire suite.  It's $699 for Photoshop 6 alone.  Here is the link to all the prices..

http://www.adobe.com/products/catalog/cs6._sl_id-contentfilter_sl_catalog_sl_software_sl_creativesuite6.html

I would love to own the entire suite but I really only use Photoshop.  The price for a subscription to just Photoshop is $9.99 a month  Here is a link to all their plans.

https://creative.adobe.com/plans 

IF It's improper to provide links please remove the information with my apologies.

I am not a fan of subscription based pricing or cloud availability. So far CS6 works like charm for me. CS2 would be too old for me, now that I am used to CS6.

I am not a fan of subscription based pricing or cloud availability. So far CS6 works like charm for me. CS2 would be too old for me, now that I am used to CS6.

While Hard Drive storage is very precious to me, the idea of storing my documents online in a cloud is scary.  If it's not a free service such as yahoo than I'll keep my apps local as well.  Photoshop is downloaded to your hard drive and validated every three months.  I'll be keeping my files local thank you very much.  In the meantime, McQeen, how much did CS6 cost you?

FYI Adobe just pushed out CC2015.

You aren't obligated to store documents or setting in the cloud with CC, it just provides you with a dropbox/mediafire/iCloud type folder you can optionally use to do so. The only major difference is that your application relies on having an active license which is checked periodically.

I don't know but I've always been a fan of CS3. Haven't tried the latest versions though.

I am not a fan of subscription based pricing or cloud availability. So far CS6 works like charm for me. CS2 would be too old for me, now that I am used to CS6.

You and me both. As you get older you realise that subscription-based service is a means for a supplier to fleece you and continually amend the rulels of the game. As for so-called cloud storage, it is madness on more than one count. 1. it works well enough if you have good access to broadband services. six miles from a population centre of 12000 or more I am licky to get 2.4mbs download and 0.4mbs upload, which is not conducive to using the cloud.

1. Free online services (and even non-free ones) are prone to suddenly changing thins. It is possible to without warning find (as I have family who did) that literally thousands of images have suddenly disappeared because the company closes, or changes its rules.

2. Online services are hacked. This is not to say that offline, private, ones aren't, but if data theft is the aim, it is probably more productive to hit the big organisations than the 750gb hard drive of Agatha Shuttlebotham in Lesser Wapping in the Wold.

3. I have found that I can often find myself in situations where there is simply no access to the Internet, and I don't have to be miles off the beaten track. Much of the UK has no mobile phone signals, and even more does not have even 3G, let alone 4G. Yet the industry and government are constantly putting more access and more power and more usability into the hands of the same conurbations where other forms of access to data and communications are rife.

I have not found a good reason to move forward from those Photoshop programs I have been able to buy outright, and frankly, if it becomes necessary to do so, I shall move to much cheaper ones that are not generally less endowed (and do some things far better), such as Photo Plus. It is a pity, because for whatever reason PS(E) is my go-to program, but I don't know for how much longer.