CLPEX Chat Board

We're currently still using Photoshop CS6. There's nothing wrong with this version, however eventually it won't be supported with the newer Windows operating systems. So a solution needs to be found. In talking with one of our IT people, about CC, he was under the impression that they wouldn't be able to transfer licenses from one person to another within the workgroup/office. So when someone leaves the unit and is replaced, they wouldn't be able to simply use that license on the newly hired person.

This seems somewhat illogical to me, since Adobe allows for the sale and transfer of licenses between non-enterprise users (personal users). And I would assume that there is turnover within larger agencies that rely on Adobe software as an integral part of their businesses. I can't imagine buying a block of licenses, having multiple retirements, advancements, etc... and then the money spent on those licenses is just gone and more would have to be purchased.

I've posted to Adobe's forums this question, but have not received a reply. Is anyone familiar with this and can give some insight? The IT person I talked to thought that maybe the person he talked to at Adobe either didn't understand the scenario or didn't have all of the correct information.

Edit: Clarity

I agree that makes no sense and I can't imagine that is how it works. We use CC for teams and when I login to the Adobe site it reads "contact your team administrator to make changes to your team membership". This would lead me to believe that the admin can add an subtract users to the team as long as they dont go over the number of licenses. I can check with our admin, but it might be a while since he is on vacation.

If for some crazy reason you can't switch users, you could always just have your IT create generic work emails that the users can register under (e.g. AdobeUser1@Police.gov). That way, when someone leaves you can keep the account, since it is not registered personal work emails. But, again that does not make sense, so I am sure it is not the case.
PG

Thanks "Pete, in Quahog, RI"

I'm guessing we have at least 25 licenses currently. So we'd need at least that many with a move to CC. We've been using Photoshop since the mid 90's, and have been able to move the licenses around. But up until CC, they were stand-alone versions. Now with the perpetual upgrades, they may have changed things for government/enterprise licensing. It could have something to do with the subscription model for personal users vs volume licenses for enterprise use. Or, the person he talked to may just be wrong.

Usually the forums on Adobe's site receive quick answers, but I'm guessing if there isn't a response within 24 hours, there may not be a quick answer through their site. It's also on a "Licensing" sub-forum, which may not see as much action as the main app forums see.

Peter Griffin wrote: ↑Fri Apr 07, 2017 6:54 am We use CC for teams and when I login to the Adobe site it reads "contact your team administrator to make changes to your team membership". This would lead me to believe that the admin can add an subtract users to the team as long as they dont go over the number of licenses.

Do you pay via monthly subscription?

I just learned this today-so good timing. Our lab is looking to get around 20-25 people on CC and a co-worker in firearms contacted Adobe. Basic rundown is:

If you do it as an individual it is $10 a month and the license is for that specific person.
As a business it is $30 a month and the license can transfer.

As an individual, there would be separate invoices, etc. (more paperwork) and with a business there might be a discount for the number of licenses needed.

LEC wrote: ↑Fri Apr 07, 2017 11:39 am I just learned this today-so good timing. Our lab is looking to get around 20-25 people on CC and a co-worker in firearms contacted Adobe. Basic rundown is:

If you do it as an individual it is $10 a month and the license is for that specific person.
As a business it is $30 a month and the license can transfer.

As an individual, there would be separate invoices, etc. (more paperwork) and with a business there might be a discount for the number of licenses needed.

Thanks for the information,

So there isn't an option to buy one time licenses (at several hundred dollars/ea), or did that come up?

Not in the "traditional" sense of buying and having it forever. Instead of paying monthly, you can pay for a year. Either way the total yearly cost ends up being the same (no discount for the yearly payment).

@Steve,

I am using CS3 at home and can do essentially everything that I would need to do to clarify prints. Are there additional things in CC that would be necessary to upgrade? I have CS5 at work and find very minor differences between the two versions (and mostly they are cosmetic or things are in different menus).

josher89 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2017 1:25 pm @Steve,

I am using CS3 at home and can do essentially everything that I would need to do to clarify prints. Are there additional things in CC that would be necessary to upgrade? I have CS5 at work and find very minor differences between the two versions (and mostly they are cosmetic or things are in different menus).

The problem, per our IT, is that the newer upgrades of Windows 10 are no longer officially supporting CS6 (and likely earlier versions). So at some point, although it's currently working with the version we have, it may stop.

I'm also using CS6 at home on my mac without any problems. And I don't know of anything that's come since that would specifically revolutionize anything that we'd be doing with it as LPE's.

I have CS-5 on one laptop and CS-3 on an older laptop (both personal computers at home). Like Josh, those old versions do everything I need from Photoshop. I guess the solution to Windows OS in the future shutting out these older versions is to keep one of my old machines working. I just resent the heck out of a monthly subscription fee for Photoshop. I own my car -- I don't lease it. I sure don't want to lease software.

Dr. Borracho wrote: ↑Wed Apr 12, 2017 5:46 am I have CS-5 on one laptop and CS-3 on an older laptop (both personal computers at home). Like Josh, those old versions do everything I need from Photoshop. I guess the solution to Windows OS in the future shutting out these older versions is to keep one of my old machines working. I just resent the heck out of a monthly subscription fee for Photoshop. I own my car -- I don't lease it. I sure don't want to lease software.

There's the rub. Adobe doesn't see it that you own CS5 and CS3. Just that you posses the software and purchased a one-time licensing fee, allowing you to use it. That included all updates as long as it was supported and continued use after it was no longer supported. It also allowed you to upgrade to newer versions with a reduced fee to license them. But you couldn't jump from Photoshop 5 to CS5. That required purchasing the license all over again, at the full price.

We're not Adobe's bread and butter though. The subscription model may be welcomed by graphics design firms, etc... where they licensed every new version when it was released. But those of us who work in such a small portion of what Photoshop is capable of don't see it as a benefit. We don't need have the newest version all of the time.

So your CS3 and CS5 are cars that are far out of warranty, no mechanics will work on them, and soon they won't be able to be used on the roads you'd been driving them on for years.

Adobe has enterprise licenses available that address this issue. Your vendor should be able to assist you with it - but if not, I can give you a contact at Adobe who can provide you with the information you need.

Unfortunately there is a lot of confusion about the CC version of Adobe products. The government licensing doesn't even require that one ping the internet to verify the licensing. There are multiple options available.

George

George Reis wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2017 11:44 am Adobe has enterprise licenses available that address this issue. Your vendor should be able to assist you with it - but if not, I can give you a contact at Adobe who can provide you with the information you need.

Unfortunately there is a lot of confusion about the CC version of Adobe products. The government licensing doesn't even require that one ping the internet to verify the licensing. There are multiple options available.

George

Thanks George,

This may be helpful to our IT people. It seems like there's even confusion at Adobe themselves, based on what our IT people communicated to me. Since we're going to need upwards of 30 licenses, the monthly program is really expensive when you start doing the math.

Steve Everist wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2017 4:13 pm

Since we're going to need upwards of 30 licenses, the monthly program is really expensive when you start doing the math.

But, still a lot less then the old purchase price. If you went with the extended version of CS6, it was $1,000 at the time. 30 copies of that would be $30,000 if I am doing the math correctly . If you could do the $10 per month, per user, that would be $300 per month for 30 users. Or, you would get 100 months (a bit over 8 years) for the same total with all updates along the way. That said - I still like the idea of "buying" a license over renting it, although I guess we never really have owned most software applications.