[elliekelly]

I have such a love/hate relationship with Adobe. Their software is so useful. I want to love it. But they basically infiltrate my entire computer in order to install/run it and I’ve been burned by their shady billing practices so many times I now have a prepaid Visa from CVS that’s exclusively for my Adobe subscription. I fundamentally do not understand how a company can simultaneously be so awesome and so awful.

[esperent]

When I was younger, I used to pirate expensive software that I couldn't afford. It's what got me into 3D graphics and graphic design at a young age. Now I'm older and using some of this software professionally, and usually, I'm more than happy to pay for it. But I'll never buy into Adobe's shady subscription model, or any other company that does this. When I pay for a software license, that version of the software should become mine, the same as when I buy any other product. If a company refuses me that option, I steal the software with zero remorse. The idea of renting software is ridiculous, especially when I have zero need for support services.

[mcguire]

The problem with this: updates. You buy a version. They fix the bugs you report and release a new version. Do you pay full price for it? No, it's just an update. You'll pay a reduced upgrade price, but you want it for free. Your price probably doesn't pay for ongoing upgrades and might not pay for the updates. So no one is paying for updates. Every new version has to be sufficiently improved to get everyone to buy a new copy. Or the company could release a version and coast on it until revenue stops coming in.

Renting software is ridiculous, but at least the incentives are kind of pointed in the right direction.

[dredmorbius]

Progressive taxation is rents scaled to means.

[esperent]

Photoshop is extremely stable software. Other than a couple of new features and UI changes, there's not much difference between Photoshop now and ten years ago.

[tonyedgecombe]

That wasn't the case before Adobe switched to subscriptions. Just look at all the shit they poured into Acrobat to keep selling upgrades.

[patmorgan23]

Easy solution you either get A) all minor updates untill the next major version or B) free minor updates for X years.