If you're thinking, like I was, that digital downloads are the way to go when it comes to software purchases or upgrades, you might want to think twice if you're about to try Adobe's offerings.
I'm currently on hold as I write this - on hold for the third time while someone tries to help me, but here's the problem. I own Photoshop 5.0 (disk, in storage in the UK, a.k.a. "lost"). I also own a digital upgrade to Creative Suite 2.0, which I bought in Feb '06 for a few hundred dollars more.
Now that I have a fresh install of windoze here, I need to reinstall Photoshop/CS2: but no disk, and no installer. None available on Adobe.com either: Creative Suite 3.0 is out, so they have removed any and all references to Creative Suite 2.0 or any earlier versions of Photoshop from the site.
I'm calling them with my two serial numbers, wanting a link to a download for CS2. They won't give me one. The options Adobe are offering me? I can either upgrade to CS3 for a few hundred dollars more, or I have to go to an Authorised Reseller to see if they have old copies of CS2 as replacement media.
*gawp*
I'm completely amazed by this. They may as well turn up on my doorstep and jeer, while they're at it.
On top of this, Adobe are telling me that my account is in the UK, even though I bought the digital upgrade from adobe.com, and "maybe the UK helpdesk can help", but they don't know. The only way for me to find out is for me to call Adobe in the UK, and probably at a fifty dollar international call cost, at the rate that they put you on hold. I can't even be bothered to think about this.
I'm beginning to think the only way to get my legal copy of Photoshop/Creative Suite 2.0 installed is to go find a torrent of the installer. Heh. Is this piracy? I'm a pirate because I'm a fully paid up customer? Brilliant.
Moral of this story: if you're about to buy Photoshop or Creative Suite from Adobe, just be aware that they currently link your account to the country you're in (travelling digital creatives, this means trouble for you), and once they bring out a new version, all older versions are killed off, making it easier to pressure you into upgrading.
If you get a digital download from Adobe, I suggest you burn it to disk, thereby returning to the tedious olde worlde of having to track disks. But, at least this way you get to 'own' it. Talk about one step forwards, two steps back...
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