At what point should a graphic artist purchase a newer version of their software?
Posted on September 10th, 2009 by admin
Adobe Software
For example I have Adobe CS2. I do freelancing and was wondering when most other designers upgrade to newer versions.
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For example I have Adobe CS2. I do freelancing and was wondering when most other designers upgrade to newer versions.
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Filed under: Drawing & Illustration
MateMediaSoft
i am an artist and i have used many different programs. it’s best if you know how to use the program. unless you aren’t happy with your finished picture, you don’t have to change anything. if you want to for many programs you can download trial periods of about a month and try them out. if you like them more than your software buy them.
The Mexican Flu – Swine Flu
Some designers will upgrade simply because they insist on having the latest and greatest tools on hand. As you have already figured out, this can be an expensive process.
In my PERSONAL opinion, a designer should only upgrade for very limited reasons.
1. When the most current operating systems will no longer support the older applications. (the old Photoshop I used to use in my old DOS system will NOT work on Windows Vista)
2. When the old application will not do what the designer needs it to do, if the new one can.
3. When the upgrades are significant enough and the performance is enhanced to the point where it has a definite advantage over the older version. (Photoshop 3 introduced “layers” that were not available in Photoshop 2, the “history” pallet began functioning like multiple “undo,” “healing” tools became sophisticated enough to replace multiple operations, etc.)
Even pros don’t always need the features of some upgrades. I know several pro designers that have never outgrown the utilities of Photoshop Elements because the only work they do fits well within the capabilites of Elements.
I made the jump to Adobe’s CS versions because of the vast improvement in productivity offered, since I had been jumping from Photoshop, to Illustrator, to InDesign for many years. The CS versions made these transitions SO much easier. It saved HOURS of labor each week.
If you intend to keep up your freelancing on competitive, professional level, you need to do constant research on the products you use, read the professional and user reviews of the upgrades as they come out, and THEN make your decision whether or not you want to make the leap. Sometimes, when an upgrade is “buggy,” the manufacturer will release “patches” to fix the problems, Then, sometime later, they come out with an “upgrade” that is no more than a version with several bugs all worked out. Are the two levels of upgrades worth the expense? For most of us, probably not.