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Adobe has recently announced that it will be abandoning the Creative Suite structure and moving towards a subscription only service called CC (Creative Cloud). What does this mean exactly?

Previously Adobe sold their programs individually. You bought Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. separately. As Adobe moved forward and created newer applications that applied to the diversifying field of Creative arts they began to sell their programs in suites. Suites were package sets that combined the most useful programs based on the specific job or discipline of that user.  For example a web developer would generally use a different set of programs than a photographer might. The suites were set up and specialized for the needs of their individual fields. These suites could cost in the thousands of dollars depending on the number of programs included.

The programs were released in versions; 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, etc. Every couple of years the programs would update or change. These updates weren't mandatory but if you did choose to update and had a previous version (within two generations) you could update at a discounted amount rather than having to completely rebuy the set of programs.  The upgrade cost was generally around $200-300. With the addition of the Creative Cloud, Adobe dropped the upgrade cheaper option in favor of customers being required to buy the suites at full price regardless of whether they had the previous version or not. Now even that model has been dropped in favor of a subscription only model.

With Adobe abandoning this system and going to a cloud format, you will essentially be renting the programs from now until perpetuity rather than being able to buy it outright.  The average cost being $30-$75 dollars per month. The advantage at this point will be that with this subscription you will have access to any and all programs that Adobe has to offer. (Depending on the model you choose.) You'll also automatically get the latest versions of the programs immediately upon release. You also get 20 GB of storage space online for your files.  

Please follow link to see payment formats and original article.

So why is Adobe doing this? They have stated that it's to stay on the cusp of new technology and it's evolving formats. They've also cited that it's a way to help them counteract the high levels of piracy that occur with their products.  With the programs being required to check in monthly and confirm that the owner has a subscription, piracy would become a thing of the past.

This announcement has created a lot of controversy. Many artists don't want to be forced into a system that forces them to rent the integral software they need to run their businesses from day to day. Especially without the option to buy the programs they need outright and only upgrade or change their software when it becomes necessary and affordable for them.  They also balk at paying for a large assortment of programs that they don't need and would never use and being forced to pay for software updates that may not be relevant or impact-ful on their specific industry.

Others think the new format will be great. They feel that the cost of the package offered is comparable to what they would have paid had they purchased the full programs themselves. This tends to be the kind of professional though that updates with every new release and uses the majority if not all of the programs that Adobe offers.

So where do you stand? What concerns do you have if any?

Many are starting to look hard at alternative programs that can substitute for Adobe products. Many expect this move from Adobe to actually fuel their competition to come up with cheaper and more affordable alternatives for consumers. Others plan on buying the latest version of the Adobe programs that they use. (Adobe CS 6 is the latest version and it is still available to be bought outright. But future versions will not be.) And use it as long as they can until they have to buy into the system with the hope that better alternatives will surface in the meantime.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Some other articles on this subject;

Adobe is killing Creative Suites and here's why

Some Photoshop CC Mathematics.

Frequently Asked Questions Adobe Page for more details regarding Creative Cloud.