From A Different Angle

It was launched. Yes it was.

Adobe CS5 (all logos, names, texts, and whatever else are copyright of their original copyright holders)

Creative Suite is ready for pre-ordering and the English version is said to be shipped mid May.

And every time, EVERY time Adobe launches a new version of it’s Creative Suite (and some other software, too) it annoys the crap out of me (excuse me my french), because they with their monopoly position in the market right now can do whatever they want with the prices.

The price for the English upgrade to CS5 Design Premium from CS3 Design Premium in the US is $799. That's a fair price, I would say.

The price, however, for an English upgrade to CS5 Design Premium from CS3 Design Premium in Finland is €1,096.78!!

Don’t get me wrong, I love the software, I can read and write with it and I’ve been using it (and paying for it!) ever since version 3 or so of Photoshop), but there are things that just aren’t right, regardless of the quality of the product.

I contacted them through the Adobe website (I have a customer number, yes, so you can open a case which will be reviewed by their customer service) about it with some of the previous versions, and they say it’s all about translating costs, and differences in prices in marketing and commercials. When I wanted a more explicit explanation, because I thought the whole translation and marketing reply was too vague they just closed the case without further reply. So translation and marketing? I say that’s the biggest load of crap and the lousiest excuse they could’ve come up with (until of course they reopen my case and give me some physical proof of the numbers of marketing here in Finland compared with those in the US).

When it comes to marketing and commercials… There’s not so much of that here in Finland from Adobe. There are no huge tv-campaigns, or the likes. Most of the commercials and ads are done in specific magazines and on websites, and that really doesn’t bring in the costs. On the translations excuse… I get it that the version in Finnish language would be a tad bit more expensive, but if I order the English version here in Finland the price difference shouldn’t be as massive as it is.

Right now? At the current exchange rate $799 equals €586.23. So the upgrade for the same product here in Finland is OVER TWICE the price than that in the US. Even with 22% VAT that’s too big a difference.

And you know what the worst thing is?
I’m a graphic designer / photographer and I need the software, because it’s industry standard.
So you know what I’m gonna do about it (to speak in Jim Carey’s words in Liar Liar):

so what I am going to do is piss and moan like an impotent jerk, and then bend over and take it up the tailpipe!