Is this a limited time thing or are they going to keep this up?

Got my copy. Maybe I'll start skinning again. Who knows.

Nice find Doc............If anyone is going to try install this on Windows 7 you might have issues but there is a workaround

I'm downloading it for Shaunna now and saw no place to register

I take it then, registering for an account occurs after installation and prior to use?

Update: Following a frenzy of Internet activity — and some confusion — it appears that Adobe isn’t giving away free copies of Adobe CS2.

Adobe scientist Dov Isaacs clarifies:

    On behalf of Adobe Systems Incorporated …

    You have heard wrong! Adobe is absolutely not providing free copies of CS2!

    What is true is that Adobe is terminating the activation servers for CS2 and that for existing licensed users of CS2 who need to reinstall their software, copies of CS2 that don’t require activation but do require valid serial numbers are available. (Special serial numbers are provided on the page for each product download.) See http://forums.adobe.com/message/4974662
Sorry for getting your hopes up and adding to the confusion.

http://forums.adobe.com/message/4974662
On behalf of Adobe Systems Incorporated ...

 

You have heard wrong! Adobe is absolutely not providing free copies of CS2!

 

What is true is that Adobe is terminating the activation servers for CS2 and that for existing licensed users of CS2 who need to reinstall their software, copies of CS2 that don't require activation but do require valid serial numbers are available. (Special serial numbers are provided on the page for each product download.) See <http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1114930>.

 

You are only legally entitled to download and install with that serial number if you have a valid license to the product!

 

          - Dov

Frankief is correct.  Here's another thread at adobe supporting the info Frankief has quoted:

http://forums.adobe.com/message/4974775#4974775

Not sure where to go from here, but I suppose the ethical thing to do would be not to use the software if one in fact is not already a CS2 license-holder prior to downloading the software from the links......

Classic case of closing the barn door after the horses have gone.

I'm not quite sure what Adobe THINKS it's doing...but I doubt the intention was/is to  be giving the proggy away as it is.

Note...rather than delete this thread I have removed the links to downloads, etc.

I think Adobe is being a twit doing things they way they are.

Let's not post links.

Thanks for leaving it up, I was kind of wondering what was going on after the other one.  Figured something had gone sideways one way or another.

What I find confusing is this from Forbes.....

"You are only legally entitled to download and install with that serial number if you have a valid license to the product!

If you have a digital creative streak but your budget doesn’t extend far enough to buy Adobe’s Creative Suite applications, this is for you. Adobe have made available an array of applications from its Creative Suite 2 bundle — for free.'

In one line it is saying only valid license holders can legally download the suite... and in the next it is saying that Adobe made it available for free.

It seems from the Adobe forums, the general consensus is that Adobe did this deliberately and that it will in fact allow CS2 to be downloaded and used for free.

I guess we'll see.

Could be to entice would be buyers. Adobe is not known for its cheap prices. I don't know if this is still true but awhile ago when looking over the Adobe web site I noticed a list of available products and the cost. Photoshop 7, now eleven years old, was selling for 699.00 US. A free give away of CS2, that's PS9 I think, first one with the warp tool, would and did cause a rush on the software. I would have jumped all over it were it not for Frankief's post. Good heads up my dear.

Doh!

All I know is what I read...

1. Adobe is providing a free CS2... 

2. Here's the link with the program, its components and a serial number (key).

Don't know about you folks... to me, that's a give away.

Please note my edit of the OP.

EDIT sorry after the last massive edits it seems that there is no more the option to resurrect the original post with that Adobe link !

well just in case you are an entitled \ firefox user right click to "Resurrect this page..." or first DL the addon "Resurrect Pages"

and remember to give karmas to DrJBHL and Jafo ! 

Since Adobe is aware of the amount of downloads this has generated and the fact that the programs and serials are still available on their site, tends to make me believe this was intentional.