4 ms·

Well, I certainly don't like where this is going. Mind you, I suspect I'll not be alone and by the time Adobe transition to a fully web-based subscription lock

Well, I certainly don't like where this is going. Mind you, I suspect I'll not be alone and by the time Adobe transition to a fully web-based subscription lock-in, Affinity et al will be better positioned to entirely fill the void. Sod Adobe.

jjoonathan 5y ago
Maybe, but AI tooling is becoming relevant and if Adobe plays their cards right that will let them maintain a premium edge for another decade or two. For sure, though, sod Adobe.
pier25 5y ago
The lock-in has existed for years, regardless of where the app is running.
- runako 5y ago
  Reminder that many people still routinely pirate software and can generally use downloadable software without paying for it. Going to a Web-only version would eliminate the ability of people to pirate it and use it free.
- orangepurple 5y ago
  The lock-in definitely does not exist. You just aren't aware of the jail breaks.
  - detritus 5y ago
    I professionally use a vector editing program all day long, in this case Illustrator, and absolutely will not consider mis-affording pirated software.
andai 5y ago
What do you not like?
- detritus 5y ago
  The present subscription model and the prospect of where an entirely web-based equivalent will lead. Also, most of the people I know who use Creative Suite have absolutely zero need for any of the recent multi-user / social/web-based functionality. I've never in my twenty-plus years in design needed it and see a decreasing likelihood I would in future either. I appreciate that ages me and marks me as an old fogey, but.. well, all for the best if competition gets to the point where I can go back to buying single releases every n years, at my leisure, again. Sod Adobe.
  - toyg 5y ago
    > The present subscription model and the prospect of where an entirely web-based equivalent will lead. Aka the fact that, regardless of payment model, the latter is basically un-crackable. Photoshop has maintained some popularity, in spite of the SaaS move, because quite a few people can still get it by "sailing the high seas" (some of them pay for a while and then crack, others just get good ol' "releases"). I'm not so sure that turning off that tap for good will be a net positive for Adobe, but I guess we'll see.
    - detritus 5y ago
      Exactly.
  - open-source-ux 5y ago
    I'm still fond of offline desktop apps (non-expiring ones) and much prefer them over browser-based equalivents. The debate about the browser replacing desktop applications stretches back to the early 2000s. I was sceptical the browser could complete with desktop apps back then. Fast forward today and how wrong I was. I used to believe design and graphics apps would never work in the browser unless extremely limited in features. But even design and graphics apps have found success in the browser (e.g. Figma, WebFlow, Canva). Figma in particular is enjoying huge success and poses a challenge to desktop apps Sketch (Mac-only) and Adobe XD (Mac and Windows).

jjoonathan 5y ago

Maybe, but AI tooling is becoming relevant and if Adobe plays their cards right that will let them maintain a premium edge for another decade or two. For sure, though, sod Adobe.

pier25 5y ago

The lock-in has existed for years, regardless of where the app is running.

runako 5y ago
Reminder that many people still routinely pirate software and can generally use downloadable software without paying for it. Going to a Web-only version would eliminate the ability of people to pirate it and use it free.
orangepurple 5y ago
The lock-in definitely does not exist. You just aren't aware of the jail breaks.
- detritus 5y ago
  I professionally use a vector editing program all day long, in this case Illustrator, and absolutely will not consider mis-affording pirated software.

andai 5y ago

What do you not like?

detritus 5y ago
The present subscription model and the prospect of where an entirely web-based equivalent will lead. Also, most of the people I know who use Creative Suite have absolutely zero need for any of the recent multi-user / social/web-based functionality. I've never in my twenty-plus years in design needed it and see a decreasing likelihood I would in future either. I appreciate that ages me and marks me as an old fogey, but.. well, all for the best if competition gets to the point where I can go back to buying single releases every n years, at my leisure, again. Sod Adobe.
- toyg 5y ago
  > The present subscription model and the prospect of where an entirely web-based equivalent will lead. Aka the fact that, regardless of payment model, the latter is basically un-crackable. Photoshop has maintained some popularity, in spite of the SaaS move, because quite a few people can still get it by "sailing the high seas" (some of them pay for a while and then crack, others just get good ol' "releases"). I'm not so sure that turning off that tap for good will be a net positive for Adobe, but I guess we'll see.
  - detritus 5y ago
    Exactly.
- open-source-ux 5y ago
  I'm still fond of offline desktop apps (non-expiring ones) and much prefer them over browser-based equalivents. The debate about the browser replacing desktop applications stretches back to the early 2000s. I was sceptical the browser could complete with desktop apps back then. Fast forward today and how wrong I was. I used to believe design and graphics apps would never work in the browser unless extremely limited in features. But even design and graphics apps have found success in the browser (e.g. Figma, WebFlow, Canva). Figma in particular is enjoying huge success and poses a challenge to desktop apps Sketch (Mac-only) and Adobe XD (Mac and Windows).