You confuse between "the right thing" and "the legal thing".

Again: Adobe could clarify the situation. They are not doing so. Why? Maybe for no particular reason, but I don't buy that. Maybe because it gets people like us to say "Adobe" enough to make it worth the out of date edition of the software.

Not to put too fine an edge on it: Anyone leaving a car unattended with the keys in the ignition should expect to have it taken.Is it right/legal to take it? No.

I can understand the concepts that Jafo put forward, but I also understand that either Adobe was being careless (which I doubt) or they don't care. The latter doesn't change the fact that unlicensed downloaders aren't doing it legally, but are they unjustified? No. They are human.

Adobe's up to something. Maybe it's just getting people used to using Photoshop with software which at this point is old hat. Maybe they did it this way to give people a "cheap thrill" of getting one over on the system or getting something for free which really isn't.

Either way, Adobe's plenty smart, and probably disappointed Jafo isn't playing by playing by the rules.

Maybe the whole thing was done to get him away from Paintshop Pro.

I doubt that would be an issue for a company with the size and wealth of adobe.  Seriously, if Adobe wanted to restrict the downloads of CS2 to registered users only it could easily do so.  The fact that it hasn't tells me there's more to it than appeasing its CS2 users. 

For mine, it's a Claytons publicity stunt... the publicity stunt they're having when they're not having an official publicity stunt.  Oh well, Jafo will know what I mean even if nobody else does

they wouldn't offer an eight years old PowerPC Mac version then. 

 also this "only for registrated users" thing might be hard to do, when registration server has gone belly-up.

Moshi, I find Adobe's action incomprehensible.

If they wanted to protect the product, the could have or taken it offline until a secure online method could be replaced.

The way this was done conveys a certain cavalier attitude.

If asked, I'd say the only thing preventing them from saying, "Here, take it." would be the wrath of customers who paid for it in the past.

Yes, a Claytons stunt it is...

Good publicity...

it's not that easy. they say their registration server had problems and they decided to turn it off.

so: no installations of already bought software possible. now, who still runs CS2? mostly schools and universities i guess. i can only speak for my university, they did fresh installs of all software regularly.

while it sure would be possible to get the old registration data with forensic measures and set up a new registration system so that customers could log in with their serial numbers to download software versions that do not require a registaration server, that would not only cost money, but much much more importantly time. time their customers do not have. "no Photoshop course this semester ..."

it's not like they are loosing any money here. the freeloaders that get eight years old software are not likely to ever buy their software.

legal action from customers that are not able to use their purchased software might cost mouney though.

How much it costs in situations such as this is rarely relevant. Once you've discontinued a product, you don't spend *anything* on it if you can help it. That's the entire point of discontinuing it.

They are just as justified as I would be in taking a soda from the office fridge without tossing the change in the bucket (i.e., not at all). An Adobe employee already posted on their forums that this was only intended to support existing CS2 licensees, so they deserve the benefit of the doubt until an official announcement is made.

Everyone in the office knows you're the one who did it, kryo.

Seriously? Ask yourself how critical the need for CS2 is at any given time due to accidental deletion, etc. Why put it up like that, then? Why not an announcement, "Server's gone belly up, email us with your licensing info and number we'll reply with a link." - if it's a temporary matter. If not, and they're no longer supporting it, then why all the bother?

Support costs money.

Because doing what they did is exactly the cheapest way to not piss off those people (more likely, companies and institutions) who actually did buy it (and therefore might have grounds for a legal complaint, if they had support contracts, etc.).

They clearly don't want to spend the time on their old customers by providing direct support that way.

Says about as much about them as the silliness of what they chose as a solution.

Exactly. For them, the serious customers are institutions and high end graphic artists and photographers.... The ones which opt for CS5 and 6.

Seriously excellent work can be done with Ps 7... just ask WebGizmos. I think he could put out Master quality work on a freakin' Etch A Sketch (dunno what the other Masters use, but would be fun to survey them). I've seen stuff turned out on MS Paint which would knock your socks off.

Probably 99% of folks who availed themselves of CS2 couldn't draw a straight line, and wouldn't be serious Adobe/Corel, etc. customers anyway.

Just out of curiosity.....what version would PS7 be? I use PS7

would be version number 7. (CS 1 included version 8).

Boy.....am I ancient!!