Adobe Subscription rates!!!

Raw photographer · Jun 4, 2019

Hi

Does anyone else here think Adobe might be loosing out of customers/businesses because there rates are high and they only offer a subscription plan, you can't even buy the thing outright. If i want to use Lightroom for the next 10 years lets say, thats like $1200.00 for the basic plan of Lightroom, thats insane in my opinion when i can go use Darktable or any other free editing software right now for free for probably how ever long i want. I think it's turning the beginners of, only the professionals can afford to use it in my opinion.

Anyway just want to hear your thoughts on that.

Original katomi · Jun 4, 2019

Short term they will make money. In the long term and it’s already happening, other companies will target the small non pro user who has got fed up with adobe. With luck they will see that no everyone wants to pay a subscription and go back to the old way where if you wanted the latest you could pay for the upgrade
Perhaps companies like adobe should come to places like this site and ask those who use their products what they think/want
I don’t know just how many,maybe we could do a count here, non pros there to pros there are but I suspect that more people do photography as a hobby than as a main/part time income

Soocom1 · Jun 4, 2019

Cloud based subscription is the modern version of the software designed for revenue and piracy prevention.
Pirated software cost them billions over the years and if you don't have an actual physical copy, pirating it becomes nearly impossible.
At least viable.

The revinue however also means they have total control over the product. Third party extensions have to go through them rather than an open or hacked source code.
This is true with all CAD programs, ESRI, Microsoft products and nearly every commercial/gov. software platforms now.

In fact, most enterprise systems are now cloud based. There are also practical reasons for this, but just like anything else, when total control of a product exists, the control of the pricing is at the mercy of those who produce it.
In all honesty, if you don't like it, then look elsewhere. The big guys right now hold the market, but disruptions are the normal right now and I suspect that eventually they will loose share.

Jeff15 · Jun 4, 2019

Save lots of money and buy Adobe Photoshop Elements 18 or 19.....

Original katomi · Jun 4, 2019

Now someone has explained why it kind of makes sense, I have PSE 9 andcanonsown raw editing software.
Unless I make major changes to my equipment then this will do me at my current level of skill and kit.

texxter · Jun 4, 2019

I am still on older versions of Photoshop and Lightroom that are not subscription based, and I am glad for that. Unfortunately they will not support raw files from new cameras, but they support my D800, x100t fine. At some point I will have to transition to their subscription model or to an alternative like Capture One, which doesn't force a subscription model on customers.

smoke665 · Jun 4, 2019

This is a horse that's been flogged to death. The subscription model is being adopted by just about everyone now. I had two financial software apps switch this year. Office 360 went to it a tear or so ago.

Fujidave · Jun 4, 2019

I use to have the Adobe Photography Plan, then I got the LR6 Standalone as jumped from Canon to Fuji so stopped the plan. Then I upgraded my Fuji kit and thought new cameras so new editing software and I now use Capture one Pro 12 and Affinity Photo and don`t have to worry about paying out.

Derrel · Jun 4, 2019

Adobe has made its bed. They can lie in it. Still using a standalone version of Lightroom, with the Adobe DNG converter for my raw files.

RVT1K · Jun 4, 2019

Being a rank amateur, I only have a fairly old version (7?) of Elements that I bought years ago. It works fine for what I do.

Derrel · Jun 4, 2019

Anxious to see how the future plays out. My hunch is that years ago, Adobe took its first step toward killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

Raw photographer · Jun 4, 2019

Derrel said:
Anxious to see how the future plays out. My hunch is that years ago, Adobe took its first step toward killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

Yes i agree 100% with that.

smoke665 · Jun 4, 2019

IRS guidelines define the useful life of internally used software as 2 years. I've found over the years I could stretch it to 3 in some cases. The problem is not just the software itself, but compatibility with the current operating system. Case in point I had a license remaining on a corporate version of a security software that included lifetime library updates. When the Windows Creator edition came out it was no longer compatible. No choice but to update.

@Derrel if Adobe kills the goose, then they won't be alone. The vast number of business software out there (other then proprietary corporate software) is now on the subscription model, as are most of the more popular consumer software.

For a long time people viewed computers and the software that makes them work as assets with residual value. Over the last several years it's shifted to a disposable asset, to be used over a period of time. I mean seriously how many still use a computer in excess of 5 years, can you expect software to be diferent?

@Raw photographer is $1200 over 10 years excessive? If you play golf once a week at a public course over 10 years you're looking at close to $30k depending on the course. How about a Starbucks Grande 5 times a week, you'll drop over $5k in 10 years. If you eat a Big Mac, Fries and drink twice a month you'll spend over $2k in 10 years. So the question is excessive compared to what?

Soocom1 · Jun 4, 2019

The sad thing is that Adobe along with Microhard, Gloogle, Fakebook, Twister and others all sold everyone on this kumbiya, ride the white horse, cant we all get along, one world horse tookie.
The platforms were all about lets all live as one BS.

Well, $$$$ took over and the original powerbrokers of the mega silicon minds are all retired and living in the Hamptons, Bahamas or wherever eating lobster and steak on a beach, while we all get to dance around net blackouts and Fakebook censoring.

The reality is once again. FOLLOW THE DOLLAR!

So whatever is being done is being done in the same vein as making money for the smallest amount. Remember, IPO's means that the people who started the companies no longer own them. The investors do and they want their return, regardless if it screws you up.