Adobe

There are days I wonder what the folks at Adobe are doing. They moved their business model from selling applications through Creative Suite 6 (CS6) to subscriptions with Creative Cloud (CC) while continuing updates to CS6 applications.

Ok, I bought into it because I was using Adobe Muse which was a good Web design application last year and wanted to get away from Dreamweaver (DW) CS6 with sucks compared to DW CS5/5.5,  because it can't remember the user's window setting and preferences.

Anyway, since they converted to the subscription model, and especially after the introduction of OS-X 10.9 and the subsequent updates, they haven't updated either Muse or Dreamweaver even after knowing both have issues and problems with OS-X 10.9 versions.

They have updated some of the CC applications, even Photoshop CC, Camera Raw and DNG Converter, in part because they have to keep up with all the new camera brands and models. They've updated other applications, including the updater application more than any application.

So why not Dreamweaver and Muse? I have a response from them about DW stating they're aware of the problems and are on the list of fixes. Ok, like when can we expect an update because for now it's effectively unusable since it fills the console logs with endless messsages.

Even DW CS6 has problems with the endless message they admit they know and plan to fix. As for Muse, it won't open where you left when you closed it. You can't hide it because the window won't hide but the menu bar options do.

Anyway, my point is that my introduction subscription converting last year for the Muse subscription (it was only available by subscription) to the full CC package for a reduced rate ends July 1st. Right now I only really use, or did use, DW CC and Muse. All the other apps are only slight upgrades from CS6 versions.

And this is the point, or more the question, what good is the subcription with the promise of on-going updates and upgrades if they don't offer them? No one can argue the subcription isn't better than buying the apps, at least financially, but Adobe was better updating them when they sold them than they do with the subscription.

And maybe that was their goal, to get the regular revenue from the subscription, especially people just getting into their application than longtime users like me who has all the version from CS2. Really. I would prefer keeping CS6 with real updates and then buy CS7 after it's introduced and updated a time or two than what Adobe is doing now.

But that's not the choice users have anymore. You either subscribe to use applications which will eventually not work as users found with OS-X 10.9 which broke all of the apps up through CS5, and only CS5.5 and a few CS5 apps which weren't upgraded to CS5.5 along with CS6 applications.

Yeah, Adobe used to design their apps to be backward compatible with Apple OS-X until Apple introduced OS-X 10.8 which broke some old CS package apps and more so with OS-X 10.9. Who do you blame if you have and want to continue those old apps, Adobe for not doing what they used to do or Apple for initially making changes forcing Adobe to decide?

And that's likely one reason why Adobe switched to the subcription, to be able to upgrade apps for users as Apple updated and upgraded OS-X, but Adobe doesn't seem to be doing even that while getting our money every month.

Makes you wonder if it's worth it, at least until OS-X 10.10 breaks all CS apps forcing you to Adobe CC apps and the subscription. After all isn't it really about money than products?