I’m on the Cloud!

[Martti Ekstrand]

[Dennis Radeke] “I understand I can get a Mercedes-Benz a lot cheaper in Germany than in the US – go figure. ;-)”

Well, that’s because that M-B is a huge hunk of steel, leather and plastic that needs to be shipped over the pond. For a downloaded product it doesn’t make sense at all.

Most application makers I’m buying from have a very similar pricing across the globe for downloads with Adobe being a beacon of darkness in this regard. Don’t try to put the blame on various VAT rates as here in Sweden the production bundle is roughly 60% more expensive before the VAT is added. When the 50% FCP switcher rebate was going on it made the cost of purchase here about the same as the US normal price. I know of several friends who buys pre-paid US credit cards to get around this.

So Adobe’s international pricing for downloads is ass-inine, plain and simple.

[Alex Hawkins]

[Jules bowman] “FFS. Fine. It is an assumption that FC11 will be charged for. but hey, i’ve learnt from the best because you assume left right and centre mate, not least of all that FC10 will be great at some undetermined point in the future because you know, Apple rock dude.

Still, it’s an assumption that hold far more weight than Apple never charging for any future versions of FC. You’re the Apple watcher mate, they do that often do they? Stick out software and just upgrade it for free ad infinitum?

You’d pick a hole in a dying nun’s faith you would.

Whatever, my point is still valid that I believe Adobes current subscription service with all that it offers for the relatively small outlay in terms of a professional business makes Apple’s offer pale into insignificance. And again, it was in reply to Bill’s doom-mongering.”

Jules that was very funny. I was in tears. Thank you.

BTW it’s $63 a month downunder…ex 10% GST (inc if you pre order)

The current exchange rate: $1 Australian = $1.03 US.

Go figure?

Alex Hawkins
Canberra, Australia

[Jules Bowman]

Is that price including the current owner discount we’ve all been taking into consideration? If so that’s horrific for you and you win the ‘country most screwed’ award. Though I’ve a feeling that may not include that.

There are currently three different price ranges I believe.

£29 pm if you pay a year upfront and have CS3+
£45 pm if you pay a year upfront
£75 pm if you pay monthly

Here’s hoping you just picked a different price plan. I would find it hard to believe you’d be paying double.

And ta.

[Jules Bowman]

I may be wrong but I believe the Cloud part comes from the fact that subscribers get 20gb of ‘cloud’ space to utilise with their software. So you can upload files and, at least from the snippets I have seen in videos, with Photoshop for example if you make changes on the go they will automatically upload to the cloud and be there for you when you get back to a desktop, for example.

Obviously the software wouldn’t be used form the cloud, that would be just stupid (especially given Virgin Media’s proclivity to not fixing our local broadband cabinet very well) but obviously we are all excited about the software side of it because, well, that’s what we use and the software is downloadable rather than buying a physical copy, when you get the Creative Cloud service.

I don’t know for sure but I would hazard a guess that if you bought the physical version you still get to use the cloud service and there are other versions of the cloud service (again I believe) that you can use/sub without buying all the software too.

Basically Creative Cloud is a ‘cloud’ service but you can download your software too. Then it all integrates across the board.

[Chris Conlee]

[Jules bowman] “(lucky Americans… 20% stings)”

I hope people in the U.S. listen to that; there’s a growing group of folks who’d like to give the government more control over our lives and fund it with a VAT here, too. But THAT is also for another thread (and site, I imagine…)

[Jules Bowman]

Damn, I’m all for Government intervention in countries (their own that is, not other people’s). The Neo-Liberal hands-off-the-markets/masters-of-the-universe approach got us into a bit of a global pickle… and one which really can’t be denied… well, not reasonably and in a manner which won’t derive guffaws from the sane if attempted.

Please all know that my intention wasn’t to justify a cry for smaller Government at all when talking about VAT.

Personally, more regulation and nationalise everything Thatcher and Reagan privatised would be a blinding start.

And more tax at the top… in fact just getting them to pay their due tax amounts would be a start.

And no tax havens. Earn a dollar, pay tax on a dollar (change dollar for Pound/Euro/etc. as relevant)

And Less wars. And less spending on arms. In fact just ban war, it doesn’t make that many people smile. Apparently it’s good for absolutely nothing, so why we still at it? Surely between 6 billion + people there’s enough smart cookies to realise it is utter folly (and rather mean).

And people who need a hand or help aren’t all scroungers to be cast into the pits of urban ghettoism. Remember all, there but for the grace of Gaia go you… so, allow it!

Ta.

ps: Adobe, would still like my £40 though. Many thanks in advance.

[Tim Wilson]

[Chris Conlee] “But THAT is also for another thread (and site, I imagine…)”

Yes to another site. 🙂

I came to this a little late, but for everyone on the thread….and the COW…please veer away from explicitly political stuff, regardless of its place on the spectrum. Between all of us at the COW, we cover it all, from one extreme to the other. I assure you that we are equal-opportunity take it elsewhere-ers.

Tim Wilson
Associate Publisher, Editor-in-Chief
Creative COW Magazine
Twitter: timdoubleyou

[Craig Seeman]

Uh oh, I think I agree with you on something.

[Jules Bowman]

haha, statistically we had to agree on something at some point. Glad it was something of real substance leaving us more than enough scope to bicker about far less important things, like my toy box being better than yours, etc.

[Chris Conlee]

[Jules bowman] “Even our own government think we’re an endless source of disposable income 🙂 “

And that, Jules, is the point of my earlier little diatribe: I’m never against contributing to social welfare on some level, simply prove to me you’re spending my money wisely before asking for more. And now back to our regularly scheduled programming… 😉