We made the front page!
But... it's time for a confession. We've fallen out of love with Adobe. It's horrible to have to admit it. There are people here who were using Photoshop since version 1, when it came on a single floppy. We grew up with Adobe, but the last few years have taken their toll. Each new version gets costlier, buggier, more bloated and more insecure.
It's like seeing a former bodybuilder who has let themselves go. More accurately it's like Microsoft circa 2002. The problem is that Adobe have a monopoly on 'creative industry' software and it shows. We pay more for 2 seats of Adobe software than we do for about 20 seats of Microsoft Windows, Office, Visual Studio, Windows Server, Windows SQL server, Project, Visio, Sharepoint, Expression etc. etc.
Adobe are a monopoly and they are behaving like one. We have literally no choice in whether or not to buy the Adobe product suite, the entire creative industry uses it and there's no alternative: not since Adobe and Macromedia merged a few years ago. We pay the Adobe tax because we have to, not because we are enthused about the great new stuff they are doing.
The comparison with Microsoft is apt since the beast of Redmond isn't exactly known for its touchy-feely communist tendencies. Instead, the rise of alternative desktop and server operating systems in the form of Linux and a resurgent Apple, added to the savaging that Microsoft received over Vista has given it the kick up the bum it needed to start getting its house in order. Even so, they may have left it too late.
How much effect will this minor rant have on Adobe? Probably none at all, but then they have bigger enemies right now. We're not saying 'I agree with Steve': Apple have a terrible record with mucking iPhone developers around. Arbitrary behaviour and hubris are not unique to Adobe, but mr. Jobs does sort have a point.
So, here we are, trapped in an exploitative and loveless marriage. Sort it out Adobe.
