Buying a Mac and Adobe software - need advice

RonaldMacDonald

Registered
I want to buy a Mac and some Adobe software for my son who is studying web design.

Did Adobe make it impossible to buy Fireworks without buying a suite? While I appreciate that they offer software bundled into a suite, which reduces the total cost, I don't like they way they force you to buy a lot of software you do not want. Any way around this? Is Adobe getting greedy like Microsoft?

At this time, is it better to get Lion with an Adobe Suite CS5.5 or buy an almost new Snow Leopard?

I personally use illustrator, PS Elements and hard code. My son likes fireworks and dreamweaver. Any way to buy fireworks cs4?
 
I can only offer partial advice since I do not do web design. Last time I complained about the practices of Adobe on a Mac Page I got a collective NO U!!11!! U STFU!!11! from an Admin graphics designer who, I think, worked for Adobe and wondered why anyone would NOT buy the SuperMostusExpensivus Versus. I responded I was saving money to buy His Mom.

I digress. . . .

If you specify WHAT he is studying, I can ask some graphic designers I know. Of course, one might just respond HERE anyways.

What I can answer:

I want to buy a Mac . . .

At this time, is it better to get Lion with an Adobe Suite CS5.5 or buy an almost new Snow Leopard?

Currently, any new Mac you purchase will come with Lion loaded. It is possible to "go back" to SL if you have purchased it separately--which I did--but it is a bit of a pain--you need an Ex-HD, cloning program, a garlic press, et cetera. THAT is probably too much bother. I do not like Lion, lots of :) users do not like it, but there are those who do and, for better or worse, it will be "the next best thing" or at least lead to "a better thing" like Vista led to people switching to Macs.

I use Photoshop and Premier CS5.5 on this Mac on SL without any problems. It worked fine on my older machine--it is just faster on the faster machine. So, methinks, you concern with getting a Mac is processor speed, and maxing the RAM. You can get very good to better RAM cheaper from vendors--search this site for recommendations.

Now, if you go to the Roaring Apps site, you can see that many of the Adobe products are reported to have issues with Lion. It appears there will be a CS6 that will be compatible when it is released.

So . . . long story short, if you get a USED Mac, get it with SL. As for the Adobe apps . . . well, you have to get them and you might as well get the CS5 versions. If you get a NEW Mac which has Lion, and he has to use Adobe products, you may wish to consider corresponding with them regarding when more compatible products will be available--check to see if you get the CS5 products now what discount do you get for CS6.

If you want to use a NEW Mac with SL, the process is simple, just takes a bit of time.

Do not know if any of that helps.

--J.D.
 
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