Great write-up.  While $50/month is kinda nice to have access to the CS library, I would hate to lose access if I miss a month.

Thanks... and you are absolutely correct in your article.

To me, at least this seems like a marketing gimmick to push their version of "The Cloud" cloaked in their own most well known software as well as marketing "Touch".

I don't even see a "rent to own" option... after laying out more than the original would cost (in the case of individual apps). True, the wide range of apps available is attractive for serious, professional graphic artists trained in the various CS apps ... but that begs the question, "Wouldn't they have their own, licensed CS 5.5 anyway?".

$49.99 a month!

When are Adobe going to realise that Joe Schlub does like using their products, but unlike graphic and photo professionals, he doesn't have the ridiculous amounts of cash they charge for their products.

Yeah, and in Australia we pay upwards of $200 more for PhotoShop than folks in the US, etc.... despite our dollar being above parity on the $USD.  The difference on the full creative suite is even greater...  for something that's already ridiculously priced to begin with. The standard edition of Adobe Photoshop sells at AUD$1,671 and the creative suites range from AUD$2,172 and go up to AUD$4,344.

At those prices I'll never ever own any of them, and I'd hazard a guess that most others who'd love to own it never will, either.  I have PhotoShop Elements 5.0, and only then because it was on special at OfficeWorks for AUD$129.95, and due to Adobe's pricing it will be the only product of theirs I'll ever own. 

I wonder what happened to that philosophy that it's easier to get a dollar from a million people than it is to get a million dollars from one.  Yup, companies like Adobe would make more sales if their prices were more reasonable, but no, prices keep rising... as do exorbitant executive salaries.

$50 a month isn't bad if you can lease it month to month when you need it but $600 a year in place of a perpetual license that costs $600-1200 is quite steep.  At this point I only use PSE and upgrade every 3 versions.  Since they only offer a 20% discount from any version it would be cheaper to buy the full version at full price when I want to upgrade.  

This is not good for the regular Schlub!

Things have come quite a ways since Elements 5.0... now at 10.0. It's a shame, really.

The "Touch" apps might give you exceptional photo editing (and more) at a much lower price (US $9.99) each. Not the equal of CS5.5 nor what we think is coming in 6.0, but still enough to give a great deal of creative fun...

I am unclear why CS and Ps should be so expensive in Australia. So I researched a bit and found:

http://www.zdnet.com.au/aussies-pay-premium-for-adobe-cs5-339302397.htm

And for CS4 the answer looks like it's coming from the 'resellers' or 'middle men'... not from Adobe USA.

http://www.zdnet.com.au/adobe-defends-aussie-cs4-price-hike-339292257.htm

and for CS5:

http://www.zdnet.com.au/adobe-explains-aussie-cs5-pricing-339302455.htm

Anyway, I believe the price increase might either come from what Adobe USA charges it's local reseller or from the reseller himself. Not fully clear from the answers given.

As the ZDnet article says,

"The pricing has the potential to raise the chances of Australians buying the software online from US resellers and then shipping it down under or pirating it — a pre-release version of the software has already made it onto BitTorrent site, The Pirate Bay."

CS is ridiculously priced..and here we are back to "rent-not-own" software and "all for your convenience".

Why sell a car when you can make them ride in a cab and charge them a fee everyday?

Nice post though.

It has merit for a niche with small business or if they contract out to huge ones.  Convert some art to SVG, make a billboard print, etc.  But for actual regular design work, better off owning it.  Would be great if they would apply the $50 towards the purchase price and let you use it online until a full download was paid for

Christ on a bike, those are some expensive prices, Starkers! I think the most cost effective way to get your hands on CS5 is to go the fleabay route. Buy a copy of CS3, and then buy an upgrade version of CS5. Over here I'd still be looking at about £350-400+, but it's cheaper than it would cost to just get CS5.

Reasonable prices would be great, but they're obviously happier selling it to the crowd who follow the philosophy of "you've got to spend money to make money," and they ain't Joe Schlub. It certainly isn't skinners either.

Never used any of Adobe's products other than Acrobat.  Doesn't look like I ever will.

Doc, it's the same with all things PC...  compared to US consumers, we pay through the nose for everything PC related, in both hardware and software.... even when our dollar is above parity.  In part our GST [goods and services tax] is responsible, but to a greater degree it is the company of origin then the importer/supplier who artificially inflate prices.

Um, yes, it is Adobe who keeps Australian prices at a premium.  For example, if I log into the US Adobe site to purchase a digital download at a US price, I would be automatically switched to the Australian based site where prices are higher, even taking into account the exchange rate.  And those prices I quoted above, they were taken from the Adobe Australia site.

There are resellers, such as Officeworks, who can sell the physical media at discounted prices, but even then it is still determined by Adobe, as was explained by a store manager when I asked why there was very little difference [about $20] between Elements 5.0 and Elements 6.0. The response was that Adobe reduced the wholesale on the older version by "less than 10%", and thus it was the only saving they could pass on to the consumer.

Yup, they know how to get blood from a stone orright, but for me I could not justify the cost of even a heavily discounted CS3.  I have arthritis in both my hands [among other places], and prolonged periods of anything but one finger typing [using more than one confuses me ] usually causes joint pain and cramp.   However, when things level out some financially, I might look into it for Shaunna.  She is the creative one here anyhow, and with her new SLR camera giving greater rise to photographic interests as well, it may be a worthwhile investment to get a discounted CS3 and do the upgrade to CS5 or 6 later.

oh adobe.. innovate faster already. Only thing i like from you is dream-weaver.