I intend buying Adobe Photoshop Elements - talk me out of it

Noblejoker on 05/09/2013 - 14:40

Title says it all
I intend buying Adobe Photoshop Elements - talk me out of it
Current user of Picasa & IrfanView for management and easy/swift edits
Have tried Gimp and Paint.net freebies but find the learning curve steep
I also have the wife and 2 kids at home (11 & 8) who will use
Figured the step by step wizards in PSE might be the go for stepping our way in
And the skills learned will translate to Photoshop which is still the standard

Does anyone see a flaw in my argument?
Would you recommend something else, if so why?
Thanks

Computing

Comments

  • _Bruce_ on 05/09/2013 - 15:49

    Try looking for tutorial videos for GIMP/Paint.Net? Just think, once you have learnt it you won't be reliant on commercial software that you have to keep buying and worrying about licences.

  • frankyman on 05/09/2013 - 15:56

    Yeah whenever I need to do more than basic image editing I google instruction videos for GIMP, haven't found anything it can't do yet and I think you will find that it is miles above Photoshop Elements and on a level closer to Photoshop itself.

  • frondono on 05/09/2013 - 17:28
    +9

    have you googled the pirate bay and utorrent?

    • frondono on 06/09/2013 - 08:58
      +1

      You might want to check out the perfect photo suite as well. I use this and prefer it over photo shop. It's so much simpler and has tutorials built in and very powerful to boot.

      • Noblejoker on 06/09/2013 - 14:15

        This looks quite good
        Works stand alone or as PS plug In
        Am giving this a go - Thanks

        • frondono on 06/09/2013 - 15:21

          stand alone but it's compatible with psd files and all that jazz

  • c64 on 05/09/2013 - 18:48

    compare with us prices. it might be cheaper over there as adobe is one of the companies that likes screwing australians

    • _Bruce_ on 05/09/2013 - 18:52
      +4

      This is another reason morally to not support them and use free alternatives.

  • matt3 on 05/09/2013 - 18:57
    +1

    Don't do it. Stick with GIMP. Aside from the great name, the effort you put into PSE Wizards and online tutorials may as well be spent on Wizards and online tutorials for GIMP to achieve the same outcome (but cheaper).

  • MasterNoob on 05/09/2013 - 21:38
    +4

    Stick with Windows Paint.

  • dmc900 on 06/09/2013 - 06:39
    -1

    How about getting it legally for free.
    http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/90204
    It's CS2 version, just tried it and it still works.
    Which is a plus for me because CS2 is one of my favorite versions.

    • _Bruce_ on 06/09/2013 - 07:26
      -2

      Effective December 13, Adobe disabled the activation server for CS2 products and Acrobat 7 because of a technical glitch. These products were released over 7 years ago and do not run on many modern operating systems. But to ensure that any customers activating those old versions can continue to use their software, we issued a serial number directly to those customers. While this might be interpreted as Adobe giving away software for free, we did it to help our customers.

      I see this time and time again. Where a program has DRM activating the DRM does NOT means you have a licensed product.

  • p1 ama on 06/09/2013 - 08:07

    To be honest I think PSE is a good value product for what it is, it's quire affordable and it does give you the skills to move to Photoshop later on, which, as you pointed out, is really the industry standard for image editing.

    Yes GIMP and all of the other open source alternatives would be cheaper but at the end of the day, you're paying for the ability to move your skills to Photoshop and also for a mature, stable and reliable product.

  • ESEMCE on 06/09/2013 - 08:27

    Are you seriously likely to pay monthly Photoshop subscription fees into the future?
    GIMP can do everything and more that you are likely to want/need both now and in the future. Unless you are going professional?
    You acknowledge there is a learning curve for both products, why invest both time and money into Photoshop (for the rest of your life) when you can invest time only (for 1 year or so) into GIMP for the same result long term?

  • DARK KHAOS on 06/09/2013 - 08:28
    +3

    Here it comes.

    Don't buy it…

  • SuperMrBlob on 06/09/2013 - 11:16

    Torrent. 'nuff said.

  • BlazinPast on 06/09/2013 - 12:03
    +1

    http://www.news.com.au/technology/biztech/it-is-cheaper-to-f…
    For some Adobe items, it's cheaper to get a return flight to the US and get the exact same product.
    Adobe was summoned by the Australian Watchdog Comission about their absurd pricing and their response was along the lines of 'we can raise the prices because we can.'
    Their ridiculous, immoral standards means I have no interest in investing in their products.

  • Geekomatic on 06/09/2013 - 12:43
    +1

    Hi NJ,

    If you're truly set on PSE, at least get the best price you can.

    Officeworks will beat any AU seller (including online) by 5%. Put it in the seller's cart (include shipping) & show it's in stock online, then print out the screen. Go to OW & price match it. I know employees who do this all the time!

    Cheers

  • Koolbargain on 06/09/2013 - 14:17
    -1

    Here's what the answer should be:
    http://www.adobe.com/au/products/photoshop/buying-guide.html

    And now here's the ozbargain answer:
    http://bit.ly/18H1HDB

    bargain!

  • MarkB4 on 06/09/2013 - 15:24

    Get your technique right, shoot JPG's and 20 seconds in Picasa … Works for me.

  • epicaricacy on 06/09/2013 - 19:34
    +1

    What about Lightroom, if you are simply editing and managing photos - you don;t really say what you do. Lightroom is the rolls royce replacement for Picasa. Otherwise, if in WA and your kids goes to a state school, get the Full Adobe CS6 for $50. Not sure about other states

  • pull the lever on 07/09/2013 - 16:44

    Find a teacher friend and get the entire CS6 suite for around $80!

    edit: comment as above but it's that cost in NSW

  • zooter on 07/09/2013 - 21:13

    whoa buddy, hold your horses. you're on OZB, not Adobe website….everything for free is our motto

    http://alternativeto.net/software/adobe-photoshop-elements/

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