Mac Graphic Advice...

[seawasp]

I have need of getting a new image-editing package. In transferring everything from the old to new computers, something happened that broke my copy of Photoshop. I can't find the original disc any more, so reinstalling won't work.

In doing a cursory search for Photoshop, I run into so many products (Photoshop Elements, Photoshop CS, Student editions, professional editions, etc., etc.,..) that I can't figure out which one it is that I want. I had what was called "Adobe Photoshop 7.0". I want something that can do everything THAT did. Preferably something I can install on more than one machine, since I have use for it and so does my artist wife Kathleen, and presumably at least one of the kids will want to play around on it too.

Any advice out there?

Comments

[laptop-mechanic.livejournal.com]

My photo editing needs are quite simple, so I use IrfanView. But I rarely get more complicated than cropping/resizing. There's also GIMP to look at as well, I guess.

[howardtayler.livejournal.com]

Anything with a "CS" on it is "Adobe Creative Studio" something-or-other. I've got Adobe CS3, and it includes Photoshop CS3, Illustrator CS3, InDesign CS3, and a couple of others. I use InDesign and Photoshop heavily, Illustrator less so.

CS=8 for Photoshop. Thus the product I'm using is effectively Adobe Photoshop 10.

The CS packages are bundled differently. A student package would work if it's got Photoshop CS3 or CS4 (the latest) in it. As long as what you get has Photoshop CS-something in it you're golden.


Photoshop Elements is a lite version of Photoshop intended mostly for home retouching of photos. We had it, and it didn't even seem to work well for that. It's really more of a teaser for Photoshop proper.

I hope this helps!

--Howard

[groblek.livejournal.com]

Also, the latest versions of Photoshop CSx allow installation on up to two computers, so that takes care of that aspect of your requirements.

[howardtayler.livejournal.com]

Correction: Adobe Creative Suite. Silly me.

[seawasp]

It does. The one thing I didn't see a mention of there was Adobe ImageReady, which I use a lot for animated GIF creation. Did they roll it INTO Photoshop, or is it outside of the CS series?

[alex swavely (from livejournal.com)]

ImageReady is included with PhotoShop versions up to CS2. After that, nada.

[wylde-writer.livejournal.com]

The CS series also installs with DRM (digital rights management), which is why earlier versions would only install on 1 puter. Some people have an issue with that either out of principle, or large hidden resource usage. If the notion of intrusive anti-theft software bothers you, its something to think about.

I'm casting about for an upgrade or replace for my old adobe software and am trying to determine if there is anything else with the same high end capabilities. Haven't really begun a critical review yet, though, so can't recommend any alternatives, even if there are some out there.

[seawasp]

Are you saying that Photoshop alone didn't do DRM?

And do they do so in the Mac as well as PC versions?

[wylde-writer.livejournal.com]

Earlier plain-numbered versions of photoshop didn't have DRM. Adobe's had DRM in the CS suite at least since CS2, and beefed up/presented as a selling point in CS 3. (Interesting commentary on this here: http://pravdam.com/2007/04/30/guest-blogger-kelly-holtzclaw-adobe-fear-and-loathing-in-las-vegas-2007/)

That function is also present in the Mac versions of the sfw: they're concerned about authorized-user-only use regardless what platform it is running on.


some comments on the issue here:

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/01/03/adobe-creative-suite.html
(whether or not drm causes probs on your particular machine will depend on the mystery mix of services and background processes you have going on that drm doesn't like.)

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10152_102-0.html?forumID=97&threadID=280868&messageID=2685385

CS3: "You are not allowed to run one copy of the software on multiple computers."


CS4, allows multiple computers, but DRM misreads system restore events which for some ppl leads to reformatting:
http://adobeforums.com/webx?14@@.59b6ebbd/4

and http://forums.macworld.com/thread/107665

[ninjarat.livejournal.com]

The GIMP is awesome in a can but, like Photoshop itself, it is a complex program and it doesn't quite work exactly the same as Photoshop. It is open source, and there are Mac installers available:
http://gimp.lisanet.de/

For something simpler there is Seashore, which is somewhat to the GIMP as Elements is to Photoshop. Also open source:
http://seashore.sourceforge.net/