Ya I suppose if Adobe eventually throws their hands up and admits "Oh we don't care, everybody just take it", then I'll bring it down.  Until then though I have to take them at their word and just leave it alone.  I really have no need or desire to feel like I've gotten away with something.

I couldn't agree more Dave.  Well said.

Seems that all you need is an account with Adobe. Those who do not have one might not be able to dl the software but....to test this I dl'd Photoshop Elements 5.0 and didn't need to sign in. John Nack of Adobe said they are doing it to help their customers because the activation server went belly up and had to be retired. The products downloaded do not need to be activated. Also there's a disclaimer on the blog page that says "The views are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of Adobe systems Inc." His words.

Almost but Admin says no links.

That's precisely my point... the downloads are available [still] to people without Adobe accounts, and the fact that Adobe has known about this for several days, and still has done nothing to close access to non-customers, well that suggests to me, "look, we're not saying it officially, but please, help yourself".  I mean, seriously, if Adobe was true to its word, and the software is intended for registered owners only, then surely those download links would have been restricted to registered users as soon as the 'pubic access mistake' was discovered.

This is so weird. One part says they're not giving it away. Another says they are. A spokeperson says only for registered users of CS2 who already have a license yet...anyone can go to the site and dl CS2, the whole nine if they want. One thing that confuses me, and that ain't hard to do, if the server went kaput and they had to retire it why then isn't there another, a backup, to take its place. Are they or are they not giving it away. Yes or no!

Let thy conscience be thy guide. In all things. hehe

I would expect it boils down to the simple fact of avoiding making any further investment in a discontinued product. Standing up another server would cost money. Developing a system to ensure that only genuine CS2 licensees can take advantage of the situation would also cost money. Just tossing the files and directions up on existing infrastructure is the cheapest way to ensure those licensees are still supported. At the same time it's a considerable goodwill gesture towards those affected users; other companies might not bother at all.

On the other hand, people taking advantage of this combination goodwill gesture and least-cost solution probably wouldn't buy CS anyway if they're jumping on an eight-year-old version (and I expect Adobe is well aware of that). But that still doesn't make it right to do so; it'd be no different from just taking an item sold on the honor system without leaving the money.

I think you said it best Kryo. Adobe's popularity not withstanding their products, in particular Photoshop, is an industry leader and to some highly coveted. So human nature takes over and a freebie, even seemingly so, is still a freebie in some eyes. If I didn't have what I have now in all honesty I would have jumped on it. If you love working with graphics like I do and can't afford the high end stuff you do what ya gotta do. Right or wrong if its put out there people will reach out and grab. Nature of the beast.

The ambiguity of the situation is the only clear thing about it.

Adobe could settle this one way or the other by stating on the download page, "This is for legally licensed software owners only." However, Adobe has not done so.

No one has come forward with a statement that Adobe contacted him/her with that download link and serial by email, etc.

When a person leaves his car door unlocked and ajar and theft of property occurs, the car owner is partially guilty for the theft as he/she left the door ajar and no effort was made to prevent the theft: Indeed, the owner winked at the thief and took no reasonable step to ensure security.

Here, the software is old and the seller has left it in the open, and even provided a key to anyone happening upon it. Moreso, Adobe advertised the link.

While anyone downloading the software without a legally obtained license is doing so in a less than honest way, I wouldn't go so far as defining it as a theft or a crime. Here the temptation is winking at a person who under other circumstances might well have made no effort to obtain that software. Adobe is equally or more at fault, and I don't think Adobe cares one way or another about any unlicensed download.

Not for an older product when you consider what CS6 is capable of or CS5 for that matter. Its like driving a Chevy and some one comes along and hands you the keys to a Caddy and says go. Have a nice day. lol

Yes, it's still theft.

Quaintly there was a talkback radio session about the legality of 'finding'/keeping a $50 note on the footpath.....

It all got a little 'silly' when it was stated it would classify as litter...and thus was the responsibility of the council to collect/retrieve....and to pick it up was theft from the council.  [rather than civic duty in helping keep the footpath 'clean']....

If a door is unlocked and open it's not 'breaking and entering' [entering a residence or other enclosed property through the slightest amount of force (even pushing open a door), without authorization. If there is intent to commit a crime, this is burglary. If there is no such intent, the breaking and entering alone is probably at least illegal trespass, which is a misdemeanor crime.]...it's 'trespass' [Trespass to land is today the tort most commonly associated with the term trespass; it takes the form of "wrongful interference with one's possessory rights in [real] property".^[12] Generally, it is not necessary to prove harm to a possessor's legally protected interest; liability for unintentional trespass varies by jurisdiction. "[A]t common law, every unauthorized entry upon the soil of another was a trespasser", however, under the tort scheme established by the Restatement of Torts, liability for unintentional intrusions arises only under circumstances evincing negligence or where the intrusion involved a highly dangerous activity.^[13]] ...still a crime.

Downloading/using these Adobe products will still be unlawful unless you had purchased them previously and need the re-download...

Good old Jafo. Black and White, no room for grey.

Reminds me of a show called Bait Car. The Police have a car that is wired up with cameras and a kill switch. They leave it in crime ridden areas of a city with the keys in the ignition and the door open. Sure enough the car gets stolen. I say it's entrapment.

The word 'entrapment' goes to how one got caught.  "Getting caught" being the operative part of the argument.  One usually doesn't 'get caught' doing the right thing.  

If it was meant for only existing customers, why the process to download the applications doesn't require validation. Adobe just wants more users.

I guess you can liken it to being a different kind of word of mouth. The more people do with it the more they may like it and spread the word to those who can shell out a few hundred dollars for the software or perhaps Adobe is trying to do what other companies like the makers of Bryce and Hexagon did. They put their high end software out there for free for a limited time. That's how I got Hexagon. Its worth about 250.00 US (going by what I read awhile back). It was supposed to be for thirty days but the popularity made them extend the give away. Is Adobe testing the waters? All are valid arguments here but only Adobe has the answer. I'm kind of leaning towards the marketing ploy, whatever that is. Dangle the carrot and see how many take a bite.