Getting hold of Photoshop or wait?

[asheep_uk]

I need to, unusually for me, do some print work in the next week or so and Fireworks isn't up to the job of understanding CMYK. So I went to download the trial of Photoshop, but Adobe have stopped all trials for June, they'll be back in July.

Here's the options.

1. Try and find the trial somewhere else and use it. Considering that the last time I used Photoshop was CS2, that's really how often I use it. I download it, use it a bit and then run back to Fireworks crying because it's scary.

2. Buy a student edition of Photoshop. I'm still a student for one more year, so this would be a great time to get it discounted, so...

2a. Buy CS3 now.

2b. Wait until CS4 - soonish?

But if I go for 2b, it doesn't solve my problem of getting print work done in the next two weeks.

So does anybody know of a place I can download a trial of Photoshop that isn't Adobe? If that's allowed...
Or, is there a decent app I can use now that handles print work well and knows what CMYK is?

[jasonsplace]

Adobe still has the CS2 trial on their website. Would that work?

[CVO Chris]

Gimp?

[gerbick]

Wait... CS4 comes out in October and I don't think Adobe gives free upgraded for more than (after purchase) 60 days for upgrades if you buy before they update.

Buy the CS3 Student Edition for crazy cheap - in the US, it's only $99 USD or something cheap, follow the tutorials, get this book for free, and stop your crying. Photoshop is not hard. Especially if you're somewhat (somehow) used to Fireworks. Their interfaces are almost the same... "almost".

Oh... and don't use Photoshop Academic Edition for pay-for jobs, btw.

Seriously dude... PS ain't that hard. And you're friggin' surrounded by avid Photoshop users.

[WannaBe_80z]

I always wondered. How would they know if you used an academic version for a paying job?

[jasonsplace]

In most cases you'd probably get away with it but that doesn't make it right. If you are a company using an academic version and you get audited then you'll get caught.

[gerbick]

I always wondered. How would they know if you used an academic version for a paying job?

They won't know... not unless they look at the properties. There's a way to know though... but to be truthfully honest, you can't upgrade academic versions (normally) and above all I'd suggest that nobody abuses the academic versions. They might take it away... I've seen too many apps disappear from academic programs to suggest otherwise.

[WannaBe_80z]

At work we just added 3 more computers to our office and lucky for me I went from CS2 to all of us having Elements 6.

Elements is amazingly powerful and great for $80 but where are my guides and folders for layers!

[asheep_uk]

They won't know... not unless they look at the properties. There's a way to know though... but to be truthfully honest, you can't upgrade academic versions (normally) and above all I'd suggest that nobody abuses the academic versions. They might take it away... I've seen too many apps disappear from academic programs to suggest otherwise.

The upgrading is the clever bit, once you've bought two or three versions of academic software, you might as well just bought the real thing and then upgraded it.

Thanks for the advice guys. I think I might shell out for the student version for this year and see how it goes. The commercial version is so expensive, it better impress me!
Thanks for the link jasonsplace.

[gerbick]

Seriously, I normally don't buy software unless I have something upcoming that will pay for that software almost immediately.

[WannaBe_80z]

Photoshop CS3 is worth every penny.

[Schfifty Five]

Buy the CS3 Student Edition for crazy cheap - in the US, it's only $99 USD or something cheap, follow the tutorials, get this book for free, and stop your crying. Photoshop is not hard. Especially if you're somewhat (somehow) used to Fireworks. Their interfaces are almost the same... "almost".

Thanks for the link!

[gerbick]

Jederzeit.

[jasonsplace]

The upgrading is the clever bit, once you've bought two or three versions of academic software, you might as well just bought the real thing and then upgraded it.

Currently the upgrade for just Photoshop is $349.00 If the academic versions are only $99 then it's way cheaper to stay on the academic path...except that your not allowed to make any money off of it.

[hanratty21]

...except that your not allowed to make any money off of it.

Right. Then you'd be considered a pro and not be able to enter the Professional Photoshop League Entry Draft next spring.

[asheep_uk]

Currently the upgrade for just Photoshop is $349.00 If the academic versions are only $99 then it's way cheaper to stay on the academic path...except that your not allowed to make any money off of it.

I didn't quite take that in when gerbick mentioned it, but in the UK, the student version is the equivalent of $263 (excluding tax is $220). So you can see how you're not that much better off over here.

Software is so freaking expensive. I only bought Final Cut just before Christmas and that wasn't light!

[WannaBe_80z]

Did you buy the FULL final cut 6? Why not just get the express? You might as well just buy the whole creative suite 3 and final cut studio 2

[asheep_uk]

Did you buy the FULL final cut 6? Why not just get the express? You might as well just buy the whole creative suite 3 and final cut studio 2

Studio

I thought about it long and hard, but DVD Studio Pro was necessary. I thought about using a cheaper alternative, but they're just not as good. Soundtrack is a blessing in disguise and it just saved my last film, so that has been worth it. Motion, I still need to learn, I haven't given it anytime yet, it's sitting in the dock, looking at me, taunting me, making me feel guilty, but I just don't have the time or a project that needs it yet.

But the cherry on the top for me was: Color. Such a freaking awesome application, when you try it, it'll make Final Cut colour correction like fitting wheels to a tomato: time consuming and a bit useless.

I bought whichever package Fireworks, Dreamweaver and Flash come in, I forget the name... Web Standard? Web Elements? Whatever that one's called. They're just sucking my money from me.

[WannaBe_80z]

Wish I could afford all that software- and a mac pro to put it on .

[chrismitchell]

asheep... i know its not as good as Photoshop .. but you could get a trial version of Paint Shop Pro or Corel till CS4 is released and then purchase that.. just a short term solution (done it myself a couple of times )