Question about Photoshop CC

RHirsch

Okay, so I have worked with CS5 for seven years. I just bought a new computer, and of course they've decided a disk drive is no longer necessary, so I've been trying to find a way to download it from Adobe with my serial number. It looks to me like Adobe no longer supports any version except CC as a yearly subscription service - has anyone else found this to be true? I've been on the Adobe forums, trying to follow the advice there, but it keeps leading me to dead ends (the page I'm directed to has nothing to do with my issue, Adobe says my serial number is registered but I can't find any way to download CS5). I'm thinking I'll have to return this laptop and try to find one that still retains a disk drive, or keep limping along with my dinosaur until I can afford the subscription...my hardware has all become obsolete before my ability to afford to upgrade it. Lord, feels like I'm in my 20's again, trying to get the job so I can afford the car, but needing the car to get to the job...

Nyrryl Cadiz

Hi! If you still have an adobe disk installer, then I guess you can just buy a separate disk drive and just plug it to your device. as for the Adobe monthly subscription, yes, they do that now. I’m no tech genius tho.

Coreyartus

There are alternatives to Photoshop. You might investigate Krita or GIMP as alternatives. Considering you were using CS5, they may even be more advanced than the program you had, as things have come a long way since then. I think both of them are free. You can download them directly over the internet without needing any disk drive. There are also apps like Painstorm Studio, Clip Studio Paint, and Sketchbook, but I don't know how much those are. All of them are alternatives to Adobe and seem to be a lot cheaper. Many of them--like Krita and GIMP, save files in PSD format as well and can even use .abr brush files...

Adobe is indeed a subscription-based program now. I think, if I'm not mistaken, you can get it for $21/month currently.

The user interface subtly changes with each iteration, so it might be worth it to simply learn a new program's UI than the new Photoshop's, since that might be what you'd be doing anyway...

NessIllustration

@coreyartus Actually, for the subscription it's 19.99 per program OR you can take the photography plan which is Photoshop + Lightroom for only 9.99 It is the cheapest plan!

Coreyartus

@nessillustration You're right! Thanks!

RHirsch

@coreyartus I will check those out, thanks.

RHirsch

Well, I downloaded the free trial of CC on the new computer, I will check it out and see if it works with my tablet. We might be able to swing $10 a month. Thanks for the advice.

Coreyartus

@rhirsch One that I forgot was Affinity Photo. It has a desktop version as well as a tablet app (albeit for iPad only). It is very robust. I don't know if it's free, but it is being heralded as the closest thing to Photoshop there is... Just an FYI. If Photoshop doesn't work for ya.

lidia-ull

@RHirsch I think you should still be able to access older versions of PS if you are a PS CC subscriber. I'll try to find the page for you but if you search around on Adobe's PS page there's a link to older versions (it was there a few months ago). I remember it wasn't easy to find but was worth the time to find it.

lidia-ull

@RHirsch

https://www.adobe.com/downloads/other-downloads.html

Looks like some versions may require you to get a new serial number from Adobe to enable a download but it would be worth the short wait to have your favorite version! Seems to indicate there's no cost involved with issuing a new SN!

jimsz

You can purchase an external CD/DVD drive for less than $25. It’s worth the cost.

If you are running a Macintosh computer and still have the old computer you can insert the drive in he old computer and have it appear on the new computer wirelessly, it’s called disk sharing.

Hang onto CS5 and run it as long as possible it is better then renting software.