Adobe giving away free copies of Photoshop/Illustrator/Indesign CS2

#1

Get it while it is hot:

http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/entitlement/index.cfm?e=cs2_downloads&pid=4485850

Site is getting hammered right now but all you do is register and you get the download links and serials.

#2

The site’s down for me, but why would they be giving away free copies of outdated versions of their programs?

#3

They want to kill open source / other program. When people learn a software, it is an investment. And time equal money. I don’t know why, but maybe due to the availability of other cheap software (good enough for casual user) and open source software such as GIMP, people might invested into learning that software, and then just stick with it.

AFAIK, you need to purchase educational version, unlike Autodesk Software. And educational version (at least ASDK) have rules on how to use it.

Anyway, since the web can’t be accessed right now, I think Adobe want to destroy this tiny market that they know they wont make any money from, so decided to release their old software. While these software is old, it probably good enough to be better than cheap or open source software.

Good news for them is that once we are used to their software, we just stick to their software via upgrade.

That is my conspiracy theory :wink:

#4

Its apparently because they’ve closed the CS2 activation servers and want to provide a hassle free way for CS2 owners to keep using their software.

Regarding conspiracy theories, according to those that have it, the Mac version is PowerPC only, so it won’t work in Mountain Lion and therefore won’t be killing off the new kids on the block.

#5

Thanks. I’m yet to download it. I’m not sure if it will work on Win 7 64 bit, but I do have an old desktop. But, we’ll see about the upgrade path. There are companies that release their old software to rake up on the upgrade path. Some of them have been releasing it (free old commercial version) on 3D World cover back then. It was one of the reason why I hooked up on 3D World magazine. There are always tutorials on the net, but free commercial software (although a version or two old) is good bonus!

Carrara comes to mind. DXStudio too.

#6

Secondary DL site. Woohoo, free PS for the home laptop.

http://noelchenier.blogspot.ca/2013/01/download-adobe-cs2-for-free.html

#7

DELETED IT - just in case. Will just get a used copy or something.

#8

That’s actually very very cool, because CS2 is totally capable and rocking.
I wonder where’s the catch?

#9

awesome stuff, downloading now :thumbsup:

#10

EDIT:

Turns out its too good to be true. Will stick with GIMP for now. :slight_smile:

-AJ

#11

As of right now, Adobe is silent on this, which is odd. This just… appeared? I can’t see this being legit for commercial use (unless you were previously licensed). I’m thinking this wasn’t what was intended, hence the page being taken down. It just seems too good to be true. It’s already out for the world to download/install… it’ll be interesting to see how adobe handles this.

#12

Adobe is being anything but silent about this atm: http://forums.adobe.com/message/4974775

TLDR? Adobe goofed, at least according to Adobe’s Dov Isaacs. Apparently, it would seem, this was never meant to go public. It was only meant as a replacement for those who already purchased CS2, but could no longer activate due to the now defunct CS2 activation servers. Unfortunately, this sucker’s gone viral and Adobe accidentally/unintentionally released CS2 for free. No way to stop it either since it doesn’t dial home for activation. It’s out there and, I would guess, somebody’s gonna get fired.

#13

Aww, bummer that’s its not legit. :sad:

#14

I don’t think you have to worry about Adobe coming after you for this, union_bug.

As soon as our execs have approved an official statement on this issue, I or another Adobe staffer will post it here.[/quote]

FTR, Terri Stone is listed as an Adobe Staffer, Online Community Manager specifically. I think that the gist of her post is: “Oops!”

Anybody who downloaded it probably won’t have to worry. Pandora’s box is already open. Everybody from Gizmodo to Forbes to CNet reported on this “generous” (and uncharacteristic) move. Adobe will either have to eat their mistake and play nice for the PR or look like total corporate tools by not owning up to their mistake. Right now, the execs seem to be scrambling. I’d like to think that Adobe will opt for the nicer PR move, especially since too many people already downloaded it.

#15

I got CS2 serial and downloads, but I am not even sure I can sell it, since I think the serial is the same for everyone. It takes only one guy to post the serial and it could go viral.

#16

The serial IS the same for everyone. Even if it weren’t, it’d be a bit unethical to sell something that would have otherwise been freely available, supposedly.

Adobe is playing a little spin game right now. We KNOW that CS2 runs fine on modern OSes. My father is happily using Photoshop CS2 on his Win8 machine. Runs beautifully. The only CS2 app with any real problems on Win 7/8 machines is Premiere. However, Adobe is now suggesting that all of these apps don’t run on modern OSes to probably to deter from (more) people downloading something that they accidentally let slip.

Adobe simply won’t (apparently) admit fault here or even try to put a positive spin on it. This could’ve been a major PR gain for Adobe, but it’s looking more like an issue of plausible deniability. It’s a Jedi mind trick. “This the not the app you’re looking for. It won’t run on your system. Move along.” Anything, IMO, to keep from pushing Photoshop or their other apps into more competitive territory.

ATM, their products are looking more like EA games, mostly cosmetic when it comes to updates. They could be pushing Photoshop into bold, new territory and get it to do what apps like Mari do so well, but they’re happier with incremental updates that add one or two big features each release. By being the de facto standard, they’ve got people where they want them. I mean, really, what are your alternatives? Photoshop has become synonymous with image editing and they know it. That’s why they can keep it moving along at a casual pace.

Anyway, that’s my $0.02. Wish their response to the incident was a little less corporate. This could’ve been an exciting move for Adobe.

#17

I saw this go Viral this morning, and was very skeptical of this as I have never seen anything like it. All I know is that Adobe will have a PR clean up, and hopefully give CS2 for free as a response :slight_smile: Just about most tech site and such were posting about this in the morning.

This was Adobe’s response by the way “On behalf of Adobe Systems Incorporated…Adobe is absolutely not providing free copies of CS2!”

#18

There is no UNDO button on life.

Adobe hasn’t taken the page down yet. It’s still online - serials and all. If Adobe were intent on rectifying the situation, it would’ve all been yanked 12+ hours ago. Adobe can’t scream “piracy” here. They themselves released it. No secured pages. No checking user verification. Not even the slightest blurb about how it was meant for registered users only. Not even attempt to DMCA the sites linking to it. Just “take me”.

I can’t believe that this is a legitimate error on their part. Something smells wrong about this.

#19

there are tons of graphical glitches on Vista and up with the apps, the activation doesn’t work without work arounds, and some apps like Acrobat Pro do not run. But more importantly, none of the apps work on modern Macs at all, because they are the PowerPC only. it’s a tech support guy that posted that comment, not marketing spin.

#20

there are tons of graphical glitches on Vista and up with the apps,

Vista? I believe that. And up? Not so sure. Photoshop CS2 works just fine on Win8 and Win7. My father bought CS2 years ago. He still has it. It runs great. No glitches or anything. Perfect. He doesn’t even have to resort to compatibility mode. My even older copy Photoshop v7 still works great too. OSes haven’t evolved that much yet. The suggestion that CS2 so old that it’s unusable on modern OSes seems a little silly.

I can understand Win16 apps not working. That standard is long dead. However, CS2 is a Win32 app and stands as good a chance of running as anything else from that era.

the activation doesn’t work without work arounds,

Activation? Adobe released these versions to specifically combat the disabling of the CS2 activation servers. At least in Photoshop, activation will still appear on the Help menu, but the option has been grayed out. It’s an obsolete option for CS2. That’s the whole point of the new installers and serials.

some apps like Acrobat Pro do not run.

Wow! I totally do not believe that. My mother bought the CS3 Design Suite some years ago. It came with both Acrobat Pro 8 and the v9 upgrade. Her copy of v8 works just fine. It never had any problems on either Win7 or Win8. I should know. I installed and tested it myself. Maybe you’ve had some bad luck, but it’s been nothing but smooth sailing for me.

But more importantly, none of the apps work on modern Macs at all, because they are the PowerPC only.

More importantly if you’re an Apple follower. Not everybody is.

it’s a tech support guy that posted that comment, not marketing spin.

I didn’t say marketing spin. I just said spin. It’s double talk and damage control. Do you honestly expect them to say, “Sorry. We f***ed up.”? No. When all is said and done, I’m sure that their intentions were as they claim - attempting to better serve their customers. Their execution sucked. Forum post or not, the stuff is still up for grabs in the same exact manner as it was before the viral explosion. They’ve all but given up without actually conceding defeat. This is Adobe we’re talking about here. It’d already be gone or restricted if they really wanted it to be.