Adobe offering Creative Suite 2 for free, but they didn't mean to

Interestingly, an expression invented at a time when words like "open source" and "software" didn't exist yet. When it comes to software, there's lots of free lunches, dinners and sometimes brunch.

In this case, the lunch is free. However, the "Camera RAW" update plug in files for PSCS-2 end at "3.7". That allows you to import RAW files from a Nikon D-80 DSLR, but not from the slightly newer D-90. PSE-5 has a later RAW plug in update, which will import D-90 RAW files. Adobe has no intention of any further updates to PSCS-2, and hasn't for years. So, if you have older cameras, these programs will work for you, if not, you gotta pay, big time. It's planned obsolescence.

As far as your concept of "free breakfast, lunch, & dinner. You're at least partly right, until you see all those "donate" buttons. No calories maybe, but "guilt free", not hardly.

Besides, Adobe still says, "you still need a license to use PSCS-2 (and the others)". So again, not "guilt free", and they're trying to step you up to a subscription software model in the process.

Well, that's really only consequential if your a photographer, and as you know, Photoshop is the standard for far more industries than photography. Hey, even a free porterhouse dinner isn't going to get the vegans excited. Whereas I'll be in line with my own custom steak knife set.

Actually, if you feel up to it, you can get the entire "Creative Suite 2" for free! Which includes the programs more commonly used in other parts of the imaging industry, no just still photography. The only thing Adobe isn't coughing up is "CS-2 Extended", only the standard version.

In any event, another consideration is that CS-2, in its entirety is 32 bit only. Granted, not a big deal for the average person, only an issue for photographers working on huge panoramas, or digital files from medium format studio digital cameras.

As I said before, "Photoshop Elements 5.0" is all 90+% of us need. Having Photoshop itself is partly ego trip.

I have PSCS-4, which is 64 bit. Adobe allows two concurrent installs. So, I'm thinking of pulling it from a 32 bit XP machine, and putting it in another 64 bit box, for which I have the parts ready to assemble. PSCS-2 will go back into the 32 bit box. Once you convert camera RAW files to .tiff or .psd, you can edit them in the earlier program, losslessly.

PSE 5.0 never required activation, just input a serial number, whereas PSCS-2 did.

Adobe seem to have changed the listing a bit since the download frenzy,

Photoshop Elements is gone, Acrobat Pro 8 has been replaced with Pro 7 (I didn't imagine that because I downloaded it along with it's serial, which is now different) and After Effects has been added

Seems as though there are now certain things they want you to have but not others.

Well, that makes a bunch of sense, since it never did require the activation server anyway. PSE does not require activation until Ver. 8.0. So, if a friend has a copy of PSE-5, let your conscience be your guide.

Did you try installing Acrobat Pro 8 with the serial number they supplied? It would be handy to know if they put that back on another activation server.

PSE-5 won't run that well under Win 7. PSE-7 will, but it's a bit quirky. (It won't initialize the file system on a HDD without changing the get file parameters to, "all files", instead of the default, "media files". It won't read past the letter "G"....).

Well, I downloaded Acrobat Pro 8 for someone else with an XP laptop and they haven't said anything to me, so I'm guessing it worked.

The ones I downloaded for myself were Premiere and Illustrator for my Win7 machine and they work fine. The only issue there seems to be is with a dialogue box that appears when Illustrator boots up asking me to register with Adobe for updates, but that's always easily clicked past.

I could download Photoshop as well, but I still use PS7 which I'm very comfortable with, which does make me laugh at the warning they have at the top of the download page saying that CS2 may not work on a later OS. PS7 works absolutely fine on Win7 64bit, but then, I always did think that PS7 was one of the best versions of Photoshop they ever produced

Unless Photoshop is already present on this computer, you could alternatively download the entire CS-2, and you'd have Premier, as well as all the others.

OK, the registration warnings may time out after 30 days. We'll have to wait and see.

Assuming you have the install disc for your PS-7, and are fairly fearless, you could uninstall PS-7, and replace it with CS-2 as a test.

Drivers are more responsible for compatibility problems than are programs.

Oddly, "DVD Shrink 3.2", runs impeccably under Win 7 64 bit, in spite of the fact it hasn't been updated since maybe July 2004.

Instructions for dismissing the never-disappearing register box once and for all. It worked for me and I have been seeing that irritating thing for as long as I've had CS2 on my Win7 machine.

Smart move........its putting a CS product on every computer on the planet if they want it. Then you like it but want modern features........so you purchase to latest version sat some point possibly.
Ask yourself an old CS2 or 3.9 Picassa.........well there you go!

So will this work at all on a 64 bit? Because that's what I have. Windows 7, 64 bit. Is it that it will work, but just not correctly or it won't work at all??

It's sort of a crap shoot. If you have Win 7 Pro (or better), you can download "XP Mode" and a virtual machine program directly from M$, free of charge. A majority of 32/64 bit issues are caused by drivers, not by program incompatibility. (Mind you, I'm not saying it doesn't exist). Windows does install 32 bit programs to an "x86" folder, then runs "Windows (32 bit) on Windows (64)bit.

You should probably just opt for only the Premier and/ or Photoshop offerings, and not try the entire creative suite.

The problem with an early version of PS is not so much the problem with the program running under a later OS, but rather the"Camera RAW" plug in. The latest camera RAW plug in for PSCS-2 will handle files from my Nikon D-80, but not my D-90.

If you shoot JPEG, this isn't an issue. But, if you're using a late model DSLR, or any late digicam, you won't be able to import RAW files, which does limit the quality you can get from your work.

Adobe knows this well, and it's one of the prime reasons they don't update camera RAW plug ins, thereby forcing you to newer and newer versions of ANY of their products which involve direct importing of image files.

I run Photoshop Elements 7.0 (*) under Win 7 Pro, and the only glitch I run into is the program won't initialize the file system on any hard drive, unless you change the import file type to "all files". IMO, a small price to pay, you just need to be aware of it.

Most people don't need PS anyway, and can live in bliss with PSE, or possibly the newer "LIghtroom". < That's definitely not a freebie though.

(*) I also have a copy of PSE-3.0 installed on a Vista laptop. Windows lectured me about "how much the OS had advanced since that program was created", and somewhat reluctantly installed it anyway. And yeah, it runs pretty OK under 32 bit Vista.

The title needs to be renamed, it is misleading to readers.

Adobe made a statement the downloads were for those who have previously purchased the software. They needed to release a free of activation version, because they were taking down their activation servers and no longer monitoring who activates. The software is still under license agreement to the original owners. The download is not offered for free.

Po-tay-toe...., poh-tah-toe.

With that said, I do think your sense of decency is commendable....

I would say, if it isn't worth their time and effort to maintain their activation servers, they are probably acutely aware of the repercussions from that decision.

Did you sign up for your 50 dollar a month subscription to Adobe CS yet?

Did you ever read the disclaimer attached to music "tabs" on the web? It goes something like, "this is a interpretation of an original work, and may only be used for for private study, and in no way be utilized commercially". While that isn't a direct analog of this situation, it seems to have a similar, , innuendo.

Besides, the article title and content say exactly this. And any information or suggestions I may offer, have been obtained through my personal experiences with duly purchased, licensed, and registered copies of Adobe software, of which I have many.