Bare Faced Marketing!

[John 2]

I think that I have just been subjected to the most bare faced piece of marketing I've ever experienced. I returned home from a break in Portugal, fired up the computer to find a pop-up from Adobe offering an update for v. 9.1 of Bridge - described as adding further camera models. I downloaded it. This afternoon I decided to flick through my (many) holiday images only to find that when I tried to open CS6 I was told that I had to register before I could use the "trial" version. Now I have been using CS6 - legally I hasten to add - for some years and so I was put out. After some time trying, I registered to see where that took me. CS6 opened up in what was described as its "Extended" version. It was different in that there were options like 3D that hadn't been there before but it was overwritten with an introductory offer of (from memory) $34 a month. Beginning to be quite incensed by now, I decided that I would delete PS and reload from the original DVD only to find that Photoshop in all of its forms had been removed from the Control Panel listing. All of the short cuts in the Start screen and elsewhere, automatically took me to the offer. I finally went through the registration process again and persevered until I was asked if I wanted to Licence the software. When I said yes, assuming that it was the extended version that was being referred to, I was invited to enter a serial number. I entered the original CS6 s/n and after refusing the upgrade, my PS screen reverted to the basic CS6 version i.e. without the 3D option. The Control Panel listing is still without any reference to PS and so I assume that I now have a later version of the software on my machine which will be inhibited until and if I decide to migrate. At no time was it indicated that I could return to the status quo let alone how I could achieve it. Cheeky? I think so.

[Shadowman]

I dunno, I think we ask for it when we allow ourselves to be enticed by upgrades. If it's something (the upgrade) that I think I really need I'll go for it, but most of the improvements I see these days were never really an issue with me. The worst bit of marketing trickery I despise these days are the freeware downloads (through supposedly legitimate websites such as cnet) that have virus protection silliness attached.

[xpatUSA]

Cheeky? I think so.

In your position, I would have used stronger terminology perhaps involving the subject of parental legitimacy, especially if you are a Pro or a seriously serious photographer.

Fortunately, rank amateurs such as myself have plenty of alternatives to Adobe available.

Have I mentioned my completely Adobe-free computer yet? Sorry, Manfred!

[MrTee]

I was in a similar position. I had CS6 on my computer and I have been subscribed to Photoshop CC for a while now. I downloaded the upgrade to PS CC 2015 this week and CS6 disappeared from my computer. I suppose if I decide not to continue with CC 2015 in the future I will have to re-install CS6?

[xpatUSA]

The worst bit of marketing trickery I despise these days are the freeware downloads (through supposedly legitimate websites such as cnet) that have virus protection silliness attached.

Ah yes the ones which, on the download page for something you want, have a huge button in the middle saying DOWNLOAD NOW whereas the button you should really hit is much smaller and off to one side.

[Shadowman]

Ah yes the ones which, on the download page for something you want, have a huge button in the middle saying DOWNLOAD NOW whereas the button you should really hit is much smaller and off to one side.

Yes indeed!

[DanK]

In this case, there was an option to remove or not remove old versions. However:

--you had to know to select "advanced" to see it, and

--it didn't say that it was removing CS6 as well as the old version of CC (2014).

I didn't realize that it had removed my CS6 until I saw this thread. They should have made this clearer. It would be easy enough to reinstall, but the fact is that since I started my CC subscription, I had never used CS6 anyway, so I am not going to bother.

[Manfred M]

Sorry, Manfred!

No need to apologize. I use Adobe because they have a decent product that matches my needs. If all I did was photography, I might be tempted to look elsewhere, but I use around 8 Adobe products (Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Audition, InDesign, InCopy and Media Encoder), so having a common integrated platform works well for me.

[IzzieK]

Now that would incensed me too, John (2)...the last time I did an install was for Camera Raw 9.1 as Manfred once mentioned in another post. I have not had any problem ... yet.

[rpcrowe]

Here's another example of IMO bare faced marketing.

Since the horrible shooting at the Charleston, South Carolina, African Methodist Episcopal (AME) last week, there has been a lot of hue and cry about the Confederate Battle Flag flying on the grounds of the South Carolina Capitol.

The Democratic Party send me an email asking my opinion on whether the flag should remain flying or not.

I submitted my opinion (which will remain private) and was immediately transferred to a solicitation to donate money to the Democratic Party... Pretty cheesy if you ask me...

[Mike Buckley]

Richard,

Politicians regularly infuse planned sound bytes that are the "red meat" of their base into their speeches. Part of the plan is that their operatives have emails ready in advance of the speech that are sent to ask for money in response to the speech. They use that system because it works so well as a fundraising method.

"Cheesy" doesn't even begin to describe the disingenuous nature of it in my mind.

[tclune]

I submitted my opinion (which will remain private) and was immediately transferred to a solicitation to donate money to the Democratic Party... Pretty cheesy if you ask me...

Not at all. Both political parties in this country expect you to pay them to bother listening to your views. Haven't you heard -- Freedom isn't free...

[Black Pearl]

I have used the stand alone Photoshop (CS6 and earlier) for as long as I can remember but when I went CC last year I still had CS6 on my computer. I installed the CC 2015 variants of PS and LR last week (which are fantastic by the way) and I still have CS6.

Not sure what you did but I'm guessing it was a user inexperience problem or even a glitch and not some nefarious plot by Adobe to force you to give them money.

[pnodrog]

Go to a court and file a charge of theft.. That is basically what it is.

[davidedric]

Not really. You never actually owned it in the first place

[John 2]

Not sure what you did but I'm guessing it was a user inexperience problem ...........................

A bit presumptuous Robin given that all the work is done Automatically by the Adobe Installer. I'm not an IT expert but I have been building and using computers for a fair number of years.

............... or even a glitch ......................

Possible but you would have to admit that it is a pretty structured glitch.

................ and not some nefarious plot by Adobe to force you to give them money.

Isn't that what all marketing is about?

[John 2]

I don't believe what has happened in this case is in any way illegal but given that we open up our computers to the likes of ADOBE in good faith, I believe there is a moral responsibility to be up front with your customers. There is a definition of an aggressive salesman that has him selling a milking machine to a farmer that owns just the one cow - and taking the cow in part exchange. Given that the option to reinstate the basic CS 6 was still there although initially, not obviously so, Dave is right and I don't disagree with Manfred. The product is good and I wouldn't be without it but I would be more comfortable if ADOBE were less aggressive in their approach.