Adobe Creative Cloud 2018 versions now available

But I must admit that first time there is few very good and useful new features, but it take long time, and biggest one (mettle’s skybox) was production ready plugin from 3rd part developer. So Adobe didn’t make this innovation, they just bought it. But its good addition anyway… It just makes me think that is this the way how they will improve their softwares in the future? Rental payments, and when they need innovations to keep customers happy they just buy some software and integrate it, then they will rise rental price again?

Remember that Adobe CC was meant to be always updated software, no upgrades, always up to date software with daily builds and newest features. That’s what they said if i remember right that was their sales pitch – then we got CC2014, CC2015, CC2016, CC2017 and now CC2018 (the only one which brings very useful features finally). So, its like CS but only rental. And how about new features? This was first time when CC got many useful features but most of them are just 3rd part plugins which Adobe bought and integrated into their software and they make rental price higher because of their innovation/investments (mettle skybox – those who have bought this plugin separately will have nothing special in this update but they still need to pay more because of this integration – this is the way adobe innovate – and soon we will have this “content aware video fill” which is most likely fayteq’s fayout plugin).

Adobe CC price really is quite affordable but when you stop paying it then your projects will be hostages – then there is no way to edit them or convert them anymore. Thankfully Affinity supports very well photoshop formats.

With Affinity the only price is about 50€ – no hostage files – no blackmail – no surprise with new high rental prices on next month. just one payment (until version 2.0 will be released – until you want / need to upgrade and support software developer if they are going right way in development – 1.5 got lots of good features for free and i can’t wait what 2.0 will bring up)

Affinity has also good Designer software which is already better in performance compared to illustrator but there is features which are still missing from designer but its still good software and fast and also user friendly and it can export pdf files without problems. Affinity Designer is also about 50€ and one payment (and already 3 years free updates so it is very affordable)

Replacing premiere – DaVinci Resolve (there is also free version with 4k/uhd support – so its 0€ and free version is pretty good for basic editing – there is also studio version with more advanced features with 300$ price).
Replacing After effects – Black Magic Fusion – (also free version – and also 4k/uhd support – sure free version won’t include optical flow but you can use blender to track your footage with optical flow – or you can buy fusion studio with 300$ – and no need to worry that your projects will be hostages if you don’t want to upgrade – unless your operating systems requires it)

Audition alternative/replace – DaVinci Resolve (has new audio tools), Audacity (free opensource software), Sound Forge, Reaper, or one of the most used pro softwares – ProTools, Nuendo (these were standard before audition, and these are still great softwares.) Btw. There is free version for ProTools (first) and Avid Media Comoposer (first) too 🙂

Lightroom alternatives – rawtherapee (free), Capture One (amazing software), silkypix, dxo softwarews, acdsee softwares, Luminar

And Affinity will release competitor for adobe indesigner. The acrobat itself is quite impractical and it has had lots of security holes like flash did. Future internet will be more build on standards so that is why flash will be killed and next thing will be acrobat which will be replaced with other open source format.

My thoughts are that the only thing what makes Adobe to buy new tech for CC products and integrate them into CC pipeline is most probably because of new competition in industry (Serif/Affinity, BlackMagic Design, Magix, Avid, Macphun/Skylum, Phase One, Pixelmator Pro, even old industry standard Quark has started made new progress etc.) – so I am very thankful for these companies to make new competition and for new innovation. It looks like there is future for all of us. Also for Adobe CC customers who benefits from this competition because these competitors are the one who make adobe try. If competition dies – then adobe can stop their innovation (no need to buy new tech and integrate – no need for coders who will update their software) – if competition dies then adobe can just cash with subscription model – no need for updates – just cash flow because of rental / hostage (blackmail) model. So lets be thankful because adobe has no monopoly yet and because they have left their innovation team sleeping 🙂 These 3rd part plugin integrations are just artificial respiration.