Adobe CC. The non hysterical response

[David Lawrence]

[Andy Field] “Walter Biscardi with a reasoned clear headed assessment “

Well reasoned, but I respectfully disagree with this one line:

[Walter Biscardi] “If you’re not happy, then please please, find something else and move on.”

I disagree. There are important digital rights issues at play here. Now more than ever, Adobe needs to hear from customers like myself who value the security of perpetual licensing.

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David Lawrence
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[Jeremy Garchow]

It’s weird when someone finds a piece of software that works for their business and fits their needs, the discussion then becomes “well reasoned” even if the situation might not work for everybody.

[Sandeep Sajeev]

It isn’t a monthly subscription globally. It has always been annual here in India and other parts of the world and I doubt that will change.

What that post doesn’t mention at all is that updates usually tend to break something. If this is an automatic process then how many editors are comfortable upgrading in the middle of a job?

And Tech Support according to a poster in the Premiere Pro is an 800 number in India. I live and work here now, and have actual experience with this…Good luck with that. Not everyone can call Adobe/Blackmagic/Autodesk and speak to someone they have a personal relationship with.

I like the potential offered by Mission Control – but the site is short on specifics at the moment. If it has Basecamp like functionality then that is proper innovation.

[Walter] I guess all of us running businesses should just stop being so greedy, invoicing our clients every month after we complete jobs.

In my market, we bill 50% upfront and the balance is due 30 days after delivery. This is the norm for all agency driven work. I’d be laughed out of the room if I walked in and said hey put me on a retainer so I can count on a steady cash flow.

It’ll also be interesting to see just how innovative a company with a massive subscriber base locked into it’s ecosystem continues to be. There are plenty of examples of this going bad. What makes Adobe different? The fact that a couple of guys who work there pop on forums and social media telling us that they’re listening to Pro-users? Is that all it takes?

For the longest time I was stuck with my cell phone service provider, as changing providers meant a change in numbers. Once the law dropped that you could change providers and keep your existing number, there was a dramatic improvement on the part of the provider. So there are benefits to not being locked into something.

Or CC could be great, and this is all just noise. We’ll know once the first problems arise.

Also a quick note Re: Autodesk switching over to this model – they have enough problems trying to provide consistent performance as it is. It would be foolish of them to even consider this type of a model until they sort out all the issues that those who’ve purchased Smoke 2013 are having with basic things like export.

Apple doesn’t need a monthly check from us – they’ve been giving away updates for free, and guess what, the software has improved significantly. Why? Because people were pissed and had a choice.

[Chris Harlan]

[Sandeep Sajeev] ” If this is an automatic process then how many editors are comfortable upgrading in the middle of a job?”

You have complete control over this. And, it is program by program. So, if you have a deadline next week, you can wait.

[Sandeep Sajeev] “What makes Adobe different? The fact that a couple of guys who work there pop on forums and social media telling us that they’re listening to Pro-users? Is that all it takes?”

I understand the anger and anxiety, but as far as I’m concerned, having watched Premiere develop from 5. to Cloud, I feel very comfortable saying that they have been extremely diligent in listening to both complaints and ideas and have worked quite hard to deliver what I consider to be a very professional set of tools. Just because you don’t like the direction they’ve taken with Cloud–which I understand–is it really fair to accuse them of this kind of hypocrisy?

[Sandeep Sajeev] “Apple doesn’t need a monthly check from us – they’ve been giving away updates for free, and guess what, the software has improved significantly. Why? Because people were pissed and had a choice.
“

Quite true.

[Sandeep Sajeev]

[Chris Harlan] “You have complete control over this. And, it is program by program. So, if you have a deadline next week, you can wait.”

This is good and sensible.

[Chris Harlan] “I understand the anger and anxiety, but as far as I’m concerned, having watched Premiere develop from 5. to Cloud, I feel very comfortable saying that they have been extremely diligent in listening to both complaints and ideas and have worked quite hard to deliver what I consider to be a very professional set of tools. Just because you don’t like the direction they’ve taken with Cloud–which I understand–is it really fair to accuse them of this kind of hypocrisy?”

I’m not angry or anxious. It is one thing to listen to user feedback on features, most companies do this. There is no doubting the quality of the tool-set. What I don’t buy for a second is the spin that Adobe is any different from the other corporations that provide software for my business. We complain about Apple and how they seem to do whatever they want, drop into the Autodesk Smoke forum on The Area and you’ll find pissed off Smoke Ops accusing Autodesk of throwing them overboard for new money while crippling the old feature-set. There will always be someone who’s disappointed by something. I’m not, in this case anyway, because I was expecting this to happen.

That is why it’s important we keep our options open, and stay fluid, in my opinion, of course.

And when you’ve got Adobe reps disliking posts that are critical, well that just seems bush league to me.

[Derek Andonian]

[Chris Harlan] I understand the anger and anxiety, but as far as I’m concerned, having watched Premiere develop from 5. to Cloud, I feel very comfortable saying that they have been extremely diligent in listening to both complaints and ideas and have worked quite hard to deliver what I consider to be a very professional set of tools. Just because you don’t like the direction they’ve taken with Cloud–which I understand–is it really fair to accuse them of this kind of hypocrisy?

With recent history in mind, I totally agree. But looking ahead to the future, I think he does have a point. Someone in another thread pointed out that Adobe won’t have as much incentive to make significant improvements to their software when they do an upgrade, since everyone will be paying them whether they download the newest version or not. The days of Adobe having to convince people to upgrade every time instead of skipping some versions will be over.

I wish Macromedia was still around to keep Adobe on their toes…

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“Up until here, we still have enough track to stop the locomotive before it plunges into the ravine… But after this windmill it’s the future or bust.”

[Chris Harlan]

[Sandeep Sajeev] “‘m not angry or anxious.”

My apologies. I didn’t mean this to sound personal. I meant the general tenor of today’s discussion.

[Sandeep Sajeev] “There will always be someone who’s disappointed by something. I’m not, in this case anyway, because I was expecting this to happen.”

I was hoping it wasn’t going to, but feared that it was. And, I am a little disappointed, though, I’ve made my peace with it. I’m already on CC, so it doesn’t really affect me personally, but I don’t like what it might do to wider adoption of Premiere CC, which I like.

[Sandeep Sajeev] “And when you’ve got Adobe reps disliking posts that are critical, well that just seems bush league to me.
“

That’s a little crude, at least not without a pointed rebuttal or explanation.

[Sandeep Sajeev]

[Chris Harlan] “My apologies. I didn’t mean this to sound personal. I meant the general tenor of today’s discussion.”

Oh I didn’t take it as such. Just wanted to clarify that I wasn’t coming at this emotionally.

[Chris Harlan]

[Greg Andonian] “But looking ahead to the future, I think he does have a point. Someone in another thread pointed out that Adobe won’t have as much incentive to make significant improvements to their software when they do an upgrade, since everyone will be paying them whether they download the newest version or not. The days of Adobe having to convince people to upgrade every time instead of skipping some versions will be over. “

For sure. They might even become as anemic as Avid’s last upgrade. I DO recognize all that, but its not like we get a vote, other than with our feet. I’m generally happy about my decision, after Legacy booted me, to stay a NLE polygamist.

[Andrew Kimery]

I think Adobe will still have plenty of reason to improve their software, at least on the NLE side because if they don’t people will move to Avid, FCPX or possibly even Lightworks (optimistic, I know). It’s not like we are talking about back in the day when Avids were $60k/seat. *That* was an investment. Changing your workflow and getting up to speed on a new NLE are bigger hurdles than the $50/mo commitment for CC, IMO.