[Macworld]

Post your comments for Adobe unveils CS4 suite here

[ZeroGravX]

I can't wait! I'm tuning in tomorrow and will likely buy a version when it comes out.

[lwdesign]

I've been a Creative Suite 2 holdout for some time, not wanting to buy CS3 because I just DON'T LIKE Dreamweaver and greatly prefer GoLive, which I've been using for web design for over 12 years, even before Adobe bought the program and it was known as CyberStudio. CS2 was such a great suite of apps that I just never felt the need to upgrade (a unique occurrence for a guy who always used to have the latest and greatest of everything).

Now that CS4 is coming out I'll probably take the plunge. My brand new Mac Pro will be arriving in 2 days so it seems fitting that CS4, optimized for Intel, should be my apps of choice on the new machine.

I switched from QuarkXPress to InDesign for print design in 2001, thus making an all-Adobe workflow in our design studio. The only thing that concerns me lies in Dreamweaver's GUI.

I've never liked Macromedia's interfaces for any of their programs. They always felt very confused, random, hard and unfriendly. Unfortunately, the powers that be at Adobe seemed to figure that Dreamweaver could do no wrong due to its market share, and have changed little of the abysmal interface. I've also noticed that since the merger, the Adobe web site has started to look more and more like Macromedia's did--and I'm hoping that the long-familiar interfaces of Adobe products won't be going away in favor of a more Macromedia-like interface. The beta of Dreamweaver CS4 still has the clunky Macromedia-looking interface---and I'm protesting madly, even as I research training programs to learn how to use the darn program.

Hopefully I'll be extolling the virtues of CS4 when it ships in October. Adobe has been a great company to work with (as a software user and beta tester) but I'm leery of the Macromedia influence. My fingers are crossed that I'll be pleasantly surprised.

[chrissyboy]

"Adobe Creative Suite 4 Master Collection costs $2499" - it does if you live in the US. If you live in the UK, it costs $4287. Those boxes must be real expensive to ship.

[wbravenboer]

In holland the Master Collection is 5200 dollar... Quark is almost getting cheap! I never thought I would say that!
CS4 has nothing new to offer that compels me to invest 800 euro for an upgrade (in US it is 330 euro).... I will be sending my complaint to Neelie Kroes and hope that the EU will take care of Adobe...

[srookard]

Take care of them in what way? and why?

Because you don't like the pricing?

Maybe Neelie can get them to stop twisting your arm....oh wait....

[wbravenboer]

well... I am not the only one who complains about the pricing of Adobe lately. Adobe is almost the only competitor in the graphic design area. It would not be very unreasonable to investigate their pricing for overseas markets. I do not think that the European Commission can do something about it, but who knows. We are longtime users of their software, and with several workstations it is not very economic to upgrade, and for now the new features don't seem that impressive. CS3 is still very good, and will be availabe for a while for purchase.
How would Americans react if their Adobe software would cost 5000 dollars? Or a gallon of gas for 9 dollar (that is what it costs in Holland). I certainly understand the differences, but is twice the domestic price reasonable?

[bigh]

that's what you Euro-boys get for beating up on our dollar! :)
After buying CS3 Master mainly for the Intel goodness, I'll be back to upgrading only occassionally. CS3 only added a few niceties for me personally. I think Adobe may be dropping prices more rapidly this time around... I don't see much incentive for most folks here.
On another note, as Adobe keeps trying to find ways to re-invent their apps, I am getting increasingly turned off. Now it seems like I own one humongous app instead of several separates. Updates are more numerous and take longer... It just seems to get in the way. And I wish they would increase the machine limit to more than two machines per license.

[lwdesign]

"In holland the Master Collection is 5200 dollar... Quark is almost getting cheap!"

Comparing QuarkXPress--a page layout program--to the entire Creative Suite Master Collection is like comparing apples to rhinoceroses. The Master Collection contains 13 major programs: InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, Flash, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Contribute, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Soundbooth, On-Location and Encore (plus Bridge, Device Central and Version Cue interactivity programs).

Compare the prices of QuarkXpress to InDesign for a fair comparison on price. You can pre-order a new copy of InDesign for $699 or upgrade for $199 in the U.S. QuarkXPress costs $799 for a new copy and $299 to upgrade.

Quark 8.0 now bills itself as able to do Flash and Web design, as well as print layout work--but unfortunately Quark lost their way after version 4.0 and have never found their way back, in my opinion. I used Quark exclusively for all my print design work for over 14 years until 2001 when I switched to InDesign version 2.0. Quark used to rule the print market but they got cocky and didn't release version 5 for over 4 years, and when they did it was very buggy. I upgraded all the way to version 6.5 but PDF and long document handling was abysmal, and they were still playing catch up to InDesign's version 2.0.

[wbravenboer]

Quark had always a reputation for high prices, that is what I meant. Indesign in Holland is 1000 dollars and the upgrade is 440 dollars. Creative Suite is always the better product, Quark is totally out the window, version 8 is not really so bad, but not a competitor to Indesign anymore. I wished there was some more competition, you can not work without Adobe products anymore, they are great, but Adobe sets the standard and the prices these days.
CS4 certainly has some great features, but personally they could have perfected CS3 a little longer, there are still some issues, and using in 10.5 is not always flawless. Lots of people are still using CS2 and I think there will be many companies who will stick with CS2 and CS3 for a time, but I could be wrong of course! ;)

[peytwan]

Has anyone ever had experience upgrading from an academic version to a "real" version. In school, I bought the Design Standard CS3, but I am out now. I have read Adobe's site and I'm not clear if I can use the same upgrade path as someone who has a non-academic version. Does anyone have experience with this?

[millionblade]

Agreed! To upgrade my CS3 to CS4 will cost over #600 including VAT and I paid that much to go from CS 2 to CS3 and then had to buy extras as well. This time Adobe have priced themselves out of the upgrade market and I will let this one slip by without a purchase. It may cost a lot to keep a company like Adobe going but small businesses cannot afford to keep up to date at those prices.

[Heinlein]

I am still learning CS3. There is no way my company will allow another upgrade only after a year.

I am afraid Adobe might be in a big surprise when customers hold off on this one.

[tallscot]

I haven't been this excited about an update in years. The Flash improvements alone will save me hours per week. And I'm finally going to be able to switch from GoLive to Dreamweaver.
I'm going to get this ASAP. Apple better have some ground-breaking improvements with Final Cut Studio 3, and it better not have as many bugs, or I will become an Adobe-only creator.