Adobe Releases Creative Suite 3
Upon discovery that Adobe Systems would be releasing the latest version of their software, Creative Suite 3, I threw up in my mouth a little.
My first thought was, “oh great, another Bangalore-designed and implemented piece of software that barely does what its supposed to do”. They couldn’t get Illustrator CS2 to work properly, so what makes me think that they’ll get it right this time? There is a whole host of issues that this new release is going to have.
You heard it here folks:
- Very clunky user interface; an Adobe trademark. Nothing will activate, even when you click right on it.
- File formats that are not backwards compatible and require “Legacy” mode to be used even when opening up the prior version’s files.
- Very poor software performance, even on a maxed out Mac Pro workstation.
- Workarounds galore. Remember, you don’t actually use Adobe software, you work around it.
- Text that copies and pastes into outside applications in reverse
- Sluggish type rendering performance, even on capable hardware.
- Ever-increasing prices for the ever-reducing quality of product.
- Ever-increasing prices to talk to someone in India who will give you a convoluted work-around for a convoluted piece of software that should work in the first place.
- DRM and activation systems that make you feel like a criminal for using a legitimately purchased product.
I am not expecting nuclear power plant reliability out of Adobe’s products. What I am expecting however is that the product be more reliable considering it’s $1,000+ price tag. When you take into consideration the reliability of some open-source projects, most notably the Linux and BSD kernels, which are available for $0, the price that they are charging is completely outrageous.
With news that Microsoft is getting ready to release their own line of publishing software, I cannot wait. Hopefully, Microsoft will be able to arm-wrestle some market share from Adobe and actually compete against them. With this and the open-source “threat” ramping up, hopefully Adobe will be put in their place in the years to come.
I’ve just installed it - I’ve been using Illustrator and Photoshop since the 90’s and I’ve never felt the way you seem to feel about their products. What do you use it for? You sound more like a developer than a designer.
As for Microsoft - they contacted me for feedback on their “Publishing” suite. I think that was the moment I threw up in my mouth - as I find them to be the most insensitive applications developer around with the way the completely abuse their market share by forcing them to use inferior products. We all know Wordperfect was far superior to MS Word - but look what we’re all stuck with…
Every now and then I am tasked with some graphic design work for various mediums such as print and web. I’ll admit that I am more of a technical person than a designer. But in my particular setup, I have to assist my officemate who is the other way around. Because of that, I’ve been on the front lines of their “best effort” software development.
As for Microsoft, I really don’t fancy them too much either and I can only imagine that their licensing practices for their professional design product line will be just as onerous, if not more so, than Adobe. My rationale for “rallying” behind them on this is that they’re going to try to stick it to Adobe here.
Personally, my vote is towards the open-source community because of the fact that anyone who knows what they’re doing can help out in that medium. I wish I was better at development because I’d contribute in a heartbeat to try to help the fight.