This was posted 11 years 11 months 11 days ago, and might be an out-dated deal.

Related
  • expired

Adobe Programs Free Downloads PC/ Mac (CS2, Photoshop CS2, Acrobat 7/8/Pro, Premier, and More)

4550
Adobe Programs Free Downloads PC/ Mac (CS2, Photoshop CS2, Acrobat 7/8/Pro, Premier, and More)
Go to Deal
Cashback
easternculture on 07/01/2013 - 22:03 adobe.com (31728 clicks)
Last edited 08/01/2013 - 13:57 by 1 other user

MOD: See the discussion in this thread on Adobe Community Forum. Adobe might not be giving away free, and downloading & installing CS2 might not be legal if you are not already a valid licensee.

Update: Adobe released a statement via their blog:

Effective December 13, Adobe disabled the activation server for CS2 products and Acrobat 7 because of a technical glitch. These products were released over 7 years ago and do not run on many modern operating systems. But to ensure that any customers activating those old versions can continue to use their software, we issued a serial number directly to those customers. While this might be interpreted as Adobe giving away software for free, we did it to help our customers.

Adobe is giving away free programs with full access
Not sure how long it will last
Must register for FREE to access page
After you sign in, the page will show the download links with the serial number for each product

Products to be given away are:

Creative Suite 2
Acrobat 3D 1.0
Acrobat Standard 7.0
Acrobat Pro 8.0
Audition 3.0
GoLive CS2
Illustrator CS2
InCopy CS2
InDesign CS2
Photoshop CS2
Photoshop Elements 4.0/5.0
Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0

Computing Adobe Software

Related Stores

Adobe
Adobe

closed Comments

  • Hardstuck Silver 2 on 07/01/2013 - 23:44

    :o

    fingers crossed on after effects and lightroom… though the latter probably won't ever come.

    • Mitchh on 08/01/2013 - 00:13
      +1

      You can often get Lightroom Beta's for free, they're pretty good, but have a time limit (maybe 1 month or something, can't remember).

      • gmatht on 08/01/2013 - 00:58

        You can get a one months trial at the moment. I have about 14 days left.

    • Benicio on 08/01/2013 - 08:07
      +1

      You can pick up Lightroom for $79. That's already a bargain for what it does.

  • mansunz on 07/01/2013 - 23:49
    +1

    excellent find, thanks op

  • easternculture on 07/01/2013 - 23:58
    +7

    shiiiiiiiiit … 5000 clicks in under 2 hours
    Adobe must be spewing as paid users are affected too LOLz … thats right adobe, we are professionals and there is nothing you can do about it mwahahaha

  • scrimshaw on 07/01/2013 - 23:58

    I take it none of these are actually compatible with Win8? Has anyone tried?

    • backslashio on 08/01/2013 - 00:53

      Some are. I can confirm that CS2 works perfectly fine aside from the installation where you need to authorise it

  • renza on 08/01/2013 - 00:01

    Currently running Photoshop 7.0, InDesign 2.0 and Illustrator 10 at work on the windows PC (we only have Mac licences, and this was the last before we moved to macs for design work), so this will be a welcome upgrade!

  • sev snape on 08/01/2013 - 00:05
    +2

    As someone who hasn't used any of these before (I've been interested but put off by the price), what would be the most 'essential' programs to have on my pc?

    • tdw on 08/01/2013 - 00:09
      +1

      i'd consider Acrobat Pro and Photoshop "essential"

      maybe Premiere if you do video editing and GoLive for creating/editing websites

      • [Deactivated] on 08/01/2013 - 09:08
        +1

        I will happily download ALL of them even though I don't have any use for many of them ATM, a true OZBARGAINER never says NO to a free deal!

    • Mitchh on 08/01/2013 - 00:10
      +3

      Probably none are essential, if you haven't needed them so far. Personally I'd get Photoshop first (although Paint.net is good, photoshop is better), then Premier Pro (for video editing), then Acrobat Pro, and maybe Illustrator. Haven't used the others. Personally I wouldn't get Photoshop elements, since Photoshop is better.

    • Make it so on 08/01/2013 - 00:21
      +2

      Illustrator is essential if you want to manipulate vector-based graphics (including logo design), and work with PS or EPS files.

    • decker on 09/01/2013 - 00:01
      +1

      InDesign is great if you want to do desktop publishing. Multi page brochures, books, flyers, magazines etc. Typically you'd do your photos with Photoshop, illustrations and logos with Illustrator, and then put them all together in InDesign while doing the text, page layout and basic shapes in InDesign.

      GoLive has long since been superseded by Dreamweaver, and was dropped from the CS suites after this version (I think a later version was made, but was not part of the CS suite), with the Macromedia programs Dreamweaver, Flash and Fireworks being added to the CS3 suite. With advancements in webpage creation, I imagine this would seem much more dated in comparison to the other CS2 programs.

      Photoshop Elements is a lite version of Photoshop pretty much, and probably more user friendly for beginners? Not sure, I've never used it. May be worth trying it if Photoshop overwhelms you to begin with. But definitely get Photoshop for all the features/options and more control. You wont need Elements if you are comfortable using Photoshop.

      • tdw on 09/01/2013 - 00:10

        Photoshop Elements is a lite version of Photoshop pretty much, and probably more user friendly for beginners? Not sure, I've never used it. May be worth trying it if Photoshop overwhelms you to begin with.

        our office got Elements for creating flyers and it baffled everyone. i've been using photoshop since v5.0 and it took me a while to figure it out

  • sydneywest on 08/01/2013 - 00:10
    +1

    now we need a deal for old Mac / Windows PC in order to run these programs…

    • Hardstuck Silver 2 on 08/01/2013 - 00:31

      windows 8 works fine :D

    • dragon69 on 08/01/2013 - 00:57

      No, you don't: I'm running Acrobat Pro v8 on Win7 32- and 64-bit machines without difficulty (I still use PS v7 (again on W7) when I'm in a hurry for a quick image edit and now mostly use Corel PSP X downloading it when it was similarly on limited free offer from Lexar in the UK).

      Good find by and many thanks to the OP for highly usable software, even if it's not the latest versions.

  • dr_ rusko on 08/01/2013 - 00:42

    wow their site is slow - musty be getting ozbargained….

    • gmatht on 08/01/2013 - 01:04

      Yep, when I click on Go to Deal I now get an error. Still downloading at 1.5MBps though, so it is clearly just the webpage suffering not the download servers. If you can sign in, but can't download try going directly to e.g.: http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_…

      • jztilly on 08/01/2013 - 06:34

        thanks for the link.. i can't get onto their site to get anything else. Any chance of please posting the Creative Suite CS2 Windows link?? :)

  • mrdevil on 08/01/2013 - 01:05

    Is there a page with any information on why they are "free", rather than just the download links?

    I know its old, and if it was for personal use I'd jump at it, but I'm tempted to use this at work, and would like to cover my ass if possible.

    Edit - http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/policy-pricing/creative-s…

    As kupkes said, they've released these versions for people that have 'previously purchased' these titles.

    Download the product from the links below (select the language you've bought the product in).

    I'd turn a blind eye for personal use, but might give it a miss for work, not that Adobe would ever know ;)

  • tdw on 08/01/2013 - 01:19
    +2

    save all the links to a text file, import text file into download manager, watch all those bytes streaming inward…it's great having unlimited bandwidth :D

  • congo on 08/01/2013 - 01:43
    +77

    The PC links:

    Creative Suite 2 Mac - 1130-0412-8377-1896-9751-5759
    Creative Suite 2 Win - 1130-1414-7569-4457-6613-5551

    http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_…

    http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_…

    http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_…

    http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_…

    http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_…

    Acrobat 3D 1.0 for Windows - 1159-1414-7569-3493-5006-5653

    http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_…

    Acrobat Standard 7.0 Mac - 1016-0414-2428-7157-5404-6669
    Acrobat Standard 7.0 Win - 1016-1415-6379-6184-1333-2468

    http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_…

    Acrobat Pro 8.0 Mac - 1118-0416-1130-3724-2927-7040
    Acrobat Pro 8.0 Win - 1118-1414-1955-8737-8172-0350

    http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_…

    Audition 3.0 Win - 1137-1004-8571-6848-7845-8029

    http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_…

    http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_…

    http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_…

    GoLive CS2 Mac - 1033-0415-6162-2671-3431-0993
    GoLive CS2 Win - 1033-1418-1610-5696-5209-0095

    http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_…

    Illustrator CS2 Mac - 1034-0416-0740-0527-2887-2375
    Illustrator CS2 Win - 1034-1415-6230-2341-2884-9398

    http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_…

    InCopy CS2 Mac - 1036-0414-4367-5110-5897-2432
    InCopy CS2 Win - 1036-1419-3531-6378-2148-9313

    http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_…

    InDesign CS2 Mac - 1037-0413-9961-4063-8457-1098
    InDesign CS2 Win - 1037-1412-5094-8316-6812-7982

    http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_…

    Photoshop CS2 Mac - 1045-0410-5403-3188-5429-0639
    Photoshop CS2 Win - 1045-1412-5685-1654-6343-1431

    http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_…

    Photoshop Elements 4.0/5.0 Mac - 1057-0410-8218-6295-1699-9560
    Photoshop Elements 4.0/5.0 Win - 1057-1414-3729-7573-7352-1206

    http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_…

    Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0 Win - 1132-1280-4900-7476-5108-8019

    http://download.adobe.com/pub/adobe/magic/creativesuite/CS2_…

    • Jdrizzle on 08/01/2013 - 07:06

      Thanks for the links etc - when I followed the link all I got was a page unavailable message.

    • yasui on 08/01/2013 - 08:05
      +3

      Anyone got link to Mac downloads?

    • delfredo on 08/01/2013 - 08:12

      Thanks

    • ShortyX on 08/01/2013 - 10:34

      Thanks…I'd like to copy and paste this to a note. Anyone know how to remove the truncation of the links?

      These should be added to the original post.

  • ny770 on 08/01/2013 - 08:33

    site down :(

  • [Deactivated] on 08/01/2013 - 08:39
    +1

    Time to crank up my Optus Dollar Days download mobile …

  • Ramrunner on 08/01/2013 - 08:50

    Getting a "site area temporarily unavailable" this morning guys.

  • zzyss on 08/01/2013 - 08:57

    I think they're onto us :-)

  • jazoom on 08/01/2013 - 08:58

    Yeah very glad for the direct links. I've got CS6 but not Audition. Thanks for the post!

  • [Deactivated] on 08/01/2013 - 09:04

    this is great

  • astrotrain on 08/01/2013 - 09:08

    Awesome post for those who would like to get their hands on photoshop and start learning.

  • phunkyfeelone on 08/01/2013 - 09:21

    I grabbed GoLive last night, but site seems to be Temporarily Unavailable now…maybe Adobe have had a change of heart once they realised how popular this is…

    • the discombobulated… on 08/01/2013 - 09:22
      +1

      I have this strange idea that Adobe knows precisely how popular their products are. :)

      • dragon69 on 08/01/2013 - 09:33
        +1

        I just now tried the direct CS2 Disc 1 and Acrobat v8 links above and download started at 1.2MB/sec (I got everything last night at speeds of 0.5 - 1.0MB/sec). (ADSL2 in Melbourne on Optus reseller). So the direct DL links seem to be working well.

        The login portal is down.

        Probably good thinking by Adobe, let the people who've started downloading complete before allowing new users to log in. I suspect that the login page will be turned on/off like a tap to try to limit the number of users hitting the download website.

  • zzyss on 08/01/2013 - 09:26
    +1

    Oh, here's a write-up about it:
    http://osxdaily.com/2013/01/07/free-downloads-photoshop-cs2-…

    • the discombobulated… on 08/01/2013 - 09:32

      That has all the links so I wont bother spamming the thread with mine. :)

  • myian on 08/01/2013 - 09:38

    Site Area Temporarily Unavailable

  • mnypwrwmn on 08/01/2013 - 09:50
    -7

    essentially given everyone permission to pirate their software. what an awesome marketing idea for their upcoming software releases.

    I got a feeling a few people at adobe may be looking for new jobs soon

    • [Deactivated] on 08/01/2013 - 09:52
      +5

      What are you on about?

      • mnypwrwmn on 08/01/2013 - 11:00
        -3

        adobe has made an error and now hundreds of thousands of people are taking advantage of it.

  • smitchy on 08/01/2013 - 09:57

    Im getting a site temporarily unavailable message, is the site down or offer expired ?

  • sledger on 08/01/2013 - 09:58

    This was an Adobe mistake:

    Dov Isaacs, Jan 7, 2013 1:49 PM
    On behalf of Adobe Systems Incorporated …

    You have heard wrong! Adobe is absolutely not providing free copies of CS2!

    What is true is that Adobe is terminating the activation servers for CS2 and that for existing licensed users of CS2 who need to reinstall their software, copies of CS2 that don't require activation but do require valid serial numbers are available. (Special serial numbers are provided on the page for each product download.) See http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1114930.

    You are only legally entitled to download and install with that serial number if you have a valid license to the product!

    - Dov

    See http://forums.adobe.com/message/4974775#4974775

    • Moderatorscotty on 08/01/2013 - 10:07

      This "deal" has been reported in numerous sources and many are huge sites. From the discussion thread we are still waiting for the official response from Adobe (see this comment). We'll update the post when it comes.

      • phunkyfeelone on 08/01/2013 - 10:34

        If this is a genuine error (although it's great publicity for Adobe!), someone (and thier Manager, and thier Manager's Manager) is going to get a well polished leather business shoe inserted in an unnatural place.

        However, what it has done is gotten tens of thousands of people to try the Adobe interfaces (let's face it, while the features have improved, it's not too different from current versions). Long term, I think this might get more than a few mainstream people to purchase Adobe products, providing they get the product mix and price right (ie. a 'lite' version for home users, and a pro version for industry).

        Or, they might just force patch and void those serials…

        • [Deactivated] on 08/01/2013 - 10:46
          +3

          Or, they might just force patch and void those serials…

          Which is why when you install you isolate your PC from the net, and ensure that it never connects to any Adobe server later on.

          However my punt is they'll go with it - zee horse she has bolted.

        • tdw on 08/01/2013 - 11:37

          Which is why when you install you isolate your PC from the net, and ensure that it never connects to any Adobe server later on.

          yep. turn software updates off

  • ABA on 08/01/2013 - 10:15

    This is what I am getting. What does it mean?

    We're sorry, the site area you've requested is unavailable. Please try again later.

    システムメインテナンスのため本サービスを一時停止しております。ご利用の皆様にはご不便をおかけして大変申し訳ございません。メインテナンス作業が終り次第、サービスを開始できるよう準備を進めておりますので、今しばらくお待ち下さいますようお願いいたします。
    In the interim, many areas of our website are still available. You may want to try one of the following links:

    • [Deactivated] on 08/01/2013 - 10:25
      +11

      The first picture is of a golf club being swung. After that i'm not sure.

      • phunkyfeelone on 08/01/2013 - 10:47
        +3

        I can verify that the second is a skinny man with long hair running very fast.
        Not sure what that has to do with Adobe software, but they started it…

        • [Deactivated] on 08/01/2013 - 11:03
          +2

          …the second is a skinny man with long hair running very fast.

          Sorry to correct you there, but it's a well-hung guy about to do a belly-whacker in a pool.

          … that was inappropriate.

        • phunkyfeelone on 08/01/2013 - 11:40
          +1

          No, you're right, my head was tilted.

          The third looks like a flat umbrella, then they handed the pen to a left handed, uncoordinated 3yo and it goes well off the rails.

    • phantom on 08/01/2013 - 22:25

      it's some years since I studied Japanese, but I believe it says "System maintenance"

  • ABA on 08/01/2013 - 10:21
    -3

    So do I need any keys to activate them?

    • [Deactivated] on 08/01/2013 - 10:30
      +5

      This has already been made quite clear in this thread.

      They are here and here and here.

  • hoangnguyen on 08/01/2013 - 10:31

    I am getting the same message: "We're sorry, the site area you've requested is unavailable. Please try again later."

    • [Deactivated] on 08/01/2013 - 10:36
      +1

      Well yes, they've nobbled the formal website access while a bunch of Adobe execs huddle in a room to workshop how to deal with this calamity - but you don't need it as the direct links & activation keys are already available

      • Infoshaun on 08/01/2013 - 11:38

        Most of those already listed direct links are .exe files- no fun for mac users- anyone have the mac version direct links?

        • [Deactivated] on 08/01/2013 - 11:41
          +2

          Check out the last 'here' here.
          Jeesh.

        • Infoshaun on 08/01/2013 - 11:47

          Hear, hear! Thanks

  • felipe1982 on 08/01/2013 - 11:47

    site temporarily unavailable…

  • bonky on 08/01/2013 - 11:50
    -5

    Im guessin by the posts this isnt free after all!! oppps on Adobe!

    • bonky on 08/01/2013 - 15:49

      Why was I negged ?? im only explaining what the blogs & Posts where saying!!

      • the discombobulated… on 08/01/2013 - 16:03
        +1

        There's the reality people have to live in and the reality people want to live in.

        You're pointing out that they have their heads stuck in the sand.

        People don't like that.

        I bet people don't like it being pointed out that they don't like it, either. :)

        • bonky on 08/01/2013 - 16:26
          -1

          8)) good point 8)

        • bonky on 08/01/2013 - 21:54
          -2

          I cant believe Im having my comments neged! Just because of an opinion!!

  • teaBagger on 08/01/2013 - 11:55
    -3

    Aaaaaarrrrrr

    • yada on 08/01/2013 - 20:17

      Forbidden

      You don't have permission to access /images/uploaded/pirate-bay-2011-05-12.jpg on this server.

      • bthaxor on 08/01/2013 - 21:08

        They've disabled hotlinking (like Ozbargain!), go to Neowin.com then visit the link in the same tab.

        It's TPB ship by the way.

  • Morphine on 08/01/2013 - 11:57

    This just in from the Adobe Community Admin (link here - http://forums.adobe.com/message/4975722#4975722):

    Effective December 13, Adobe disabled the activation server for CS2 products and Acrobat 7 because of a technical glitch. These products were released over 7 years ago and do not run on many modern operating systems. But to ensure that any customers activating those old versions can continue to use their software, we issued a serial number directly to those customers. While this might be interpreted as Adobe giving away software for free, we did it to help our customers.

  • yada on 08/01/2013 - 12:05

    Only 8 days into the new year, and we've already got the ozbargain deal of the year!

    • ddhytz on 08/01/2013 - 12:22

      8 is Chinese lucky number. :-)

  • irajohn90 on 08/01/2013 - 12:06
    +10

    direct link to adobe download page and magic serial numbers for CS2 without the need for signing up.
    http://www.adobe.com/downloads/cs2_downloads/index.html

    i suggest bookmark and save this page.

  • rodh on 08/01/2013 - 14:39
    -6

    The licenses are not actually free, they've just turned off the activation server.
    http://www.forbes.com/sites/adriankingsleyhughes/2013/01/07/…

    They've clarified that you still must have a valid license in order to download and install the software. If you don't, it's still copyright infringement.

    I'm negging this because I want to draw attention to the clarification from Adobe. Think of it like this: They've left their door unlocked, but that doesn't mean you can come in and take their stuff.

    • [Deactivated] on 08/01/2013 - 15:18
      +2

      Not only will i take their stuff, I'll be grabbing a bottle from their wine cabinet, chilling out in their Jacuzzi, and having a quick nap in their bed given all the excitement.

    • Mitchh on 09/01/2013 - 20:18

      They made the page available for everyone, you don't need to login, and it just says "CS2 Downloads", there is absolutely no mention on the page that you are only allowed to download what you've purchased. As a matter of fact, it doesn't say so in the Terms of the installers either. So its free, and we should thank Adobe for providing it.

  • [Deactivated] on 08/01/2013 - 14:59

    This is very strange, supplying both the software download and serial seems odd, they could just make it unsupported?

    Plus "Adobe scientist Dov Isaacs clarifies" WTF? Who cares what this scientist thinks, is this an Adobe official statement or some guy that doesn't what his work given away?

    Edit: This also comes after the odd news of Adobe discounting Flash and stating that there will be no more future mobile releases of Flash when everyone is still using it!

    • crudman on 08/01/2013 - 15:07
      +2

      I'm with you marchi, the only reference to it being NOT free is on a forum totally separate from the downloads page by this Dov guy. That holds as much weight as an employee of a supermarket saying the milk is $2 when the price tag says $1.

        • phunkyfeelone on 08/01/2013 - 15:16

          Don't know why you got negged for providing a link to an official Adobe communication on the issue???

          It doesn't really clarify the legality of the free-for-all, nor does it say whether users can activate updates and at least get all the patches for CS2 without having the serial voided.

        • [Deactivated] on 08/01/2013 - 15:19

          And? Where does it say that you are not to download unless you have purchased the software?

          Officially they don't want to appear to be giving away the software but it's clear they could have done a variety of things to protect their software

          Like maybe make the user input their current key before downloading? Or have you contact support for verification? Or repair the validation server? Or discontinue 10 year old software?

        • rodh on 08/01/2013 - 15:24

          Adobe Staff member says so here as I mentioned above:
          http://forums.adobe.com/message/4974662#4974662

          I agree their statement on their blog was a few words short of being a final answer, but if you consider the forum posts it seems pretty clear to me, despite what we are hoping for.

        • phunkyfeelone on 08/01/2013 - 15:33

          I'd rather take the official Adobe Comms over one employee statement on a forum. Who says he has the authority to communicate on behalf of the company?

          As someone mentioned earlier, just because the checkout chick says milk is $2 a litre, if the sticker says $1, it's $1.

        • [Deactivated] on 08/01/2013 - 15:34

          "While this might be interpreted as Adobe giving away software for free, we did it to help our customers."

          Guess my interpretation of the above is different to yours because I don't see it as a "Halt! Desist! Do Not Download"

        • yada on 10/01/2013 - 16:24

          Their response is to turn a blind eye. They are not oficially condoning free use of their software but don't seem to be too troubled if folk take matters into their own hands. That's my read of it.

  • some_one_some_where on 08/01/2013 - 16:11

    "While this might be interpreted as Adobe giving away software for free, we did it to help our customers."

    Now can anyone come with a definition of 'Customer' that is suitable to all @ OZB?

    I have some Adobe products so I am a customer too? So it works for me!

    • [Deactivated] on 08/01/2013 - 16:52
      +3

      [hops out of Jacuzzi]

      Well i'm using their software now, so i guess that makes me a customer.

      [hops back into Jacuzzi]

  • crudman on 08/01/2013 - 17:14

    Fact of the matter is:

    1. They are publicly available for download (and still are)
    2. Serials are publicly available (and still are)
    3. This is end of life - Adobe do not want to spend anymore resources on it
    4. They cannot say: you downloaded our stuff - pay us $xxx
    5. The only real fix they have is activation / disabled keys

    Why Adobe will most likely leave it as is:

    1. These downloads are most likely different as per Adobe CS2 help. It asks the user to uninstall their version and install the versions linked here when product activation screen appears with error.
    2. Due to 1. above, activation is most likely bypassed in the coding and there may be no way to disable the keys for these particular downloads without applying an update.
    3. Any attempts to fix it for future people will cost resources (see point 3 above)
    4. Good publicity surrounding Adobe and $$$ (for once)
    • dragon69 on 08/01/2013 - 17:33
      +1

      I agree.

      I just tried the OP's link in Google Chrome (I'm normally a Firefox user, so Chrome has no Adobe history or links) and the OP's link redirects to http://www.adobe.com/downloads/cs2_downloads/index.html - a new page entitled "CS2 Downloads" with all the links and serials listed with NO stipulation that you need to register or be an owner of any of these items of software.

      I figure Adobe has shrugged their shoulders, realised that the stable door has too long been left open, and hope that people will upgrade to newer paid versions of their products.

    • zzyss on 08/01/2013 - 22:50

      5) More people using Adobe products instead of a competitors, meaning when it comes time for upgrades / new versions / got a new job and need to buy software / being employed in the industry… they will choose Adobe over anything else.

      If it wasn't more likely to be down to plain dumb luck, it would actually have been a clever marketing strategy.

      • crudman on 09/01/2013 - 10:32

        Actually I'm not even sure they have the option of my point #5 - disable keys / activation. I now firmly believe anyone who downloads it from Adobe (and agrees to the license agreement) is licensed.

        Excerpt from the CS2 Licence Agreement in the download:
        2. Software license. If you obtained the Software from Adobe or one of its authorized licensees and as long as you comply with the terms of this agreement, Adobe grants you a non-exclusive license to use the Software in the manner and for the purposes described in the Documentation, as further set forth below.

        • Note "obtained the Software from Adobe"

        Also as the links are plainly available (nobody exploited) it's not in breech of their website Terms of Use.

        To clarify, this contrasts with downloading modern trials (CS6 etc) which does not license you as (Photoshop CS5 excerpt):
        If you obtained the Software and any required serial number(s) from Adobe or one of its authorized licensees and as long as you comply with the terms of this agreement, Adobe grants you a non-exclusive license to install and use the Software in a manner consistent with its design and Documentation and as further set forth below.

        • Note the "and required serial number(s)" which downloading trials does not provide you with.
Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join