That may sound nuts, but here's the reasons:
- I used to pay $600 every 18 months to upgrade my Production Premium Suite. Now I pay $600 every 12 months and I get everything which is something I've wanted anyway.
- I got CS6 upgraded for free after buying 5.5 upgrade for $399, and because of all THAT, I get the Complete CC for $19 per month for the first year, so already I've offset the costs in a big way.
- I just reimaged my photo/video editing rig with Win 8 Pro. I went to Adobe.com and downloaded the Manager, signed in, and got my Creative Suite installed with NO discs and stupid product keys. I can pick whatever I want to install from the dashboard. Nice convenience!
- Once you download nd install it, it's local, you don't need to be online to run it.
- It is way easier to write off the monthly subscription on taxes vs depreciating expensive software (and having to keep boxes and discs around because you need old product keys when reinastalling)
- I always have the latest version, always. Awesome.
- The absolute best feature: My first installation is on my Windows Desktop PC. My second installation can and will be on a MacBook Pro which is the ONLY laptop I would even consider using. Can't do THAT with CS6!
I know subscriptions seem frusrating, but the "rental software" thing isn't actually valid. You have never EVER owned any software you've ever purchased. You buy the right to use it, have a look at the license terms that nobody reads. And the old model was to have to upgrade every year, so you're just renting in separate chunks, not monthly. What about switching to a monthly version of the same cost, and relying on the vendor to supply all of the latest changes and also increase availability to the installation anywhere in the world with no needed media? I'll take it! It's been in the works for years to do this by several major suppliers of software. If y'all use Microsoft Office, enjoy 2013, it's the last "purchased" version you'll ever see, all future versions will be subscription.
So back in the 70's our thought pattern was "pay for TV?? MONTHLY? That's CRAZY! I have an antenna, why should I pay a monthly fee to watch TV?"
Huzzah.
OK, floor is open, start flingin' them there darts! 