Don't be alarmed

The book came out with the release of Photoshop CS3. CS3 was a monumental release for the forensic community. Folks rushed out to buy CS3. Trainers, like me, re-did everything to accommodate the release. Then ...

I like to be honest with people and answer direct questions directly. With the successive releases - CS4, CS5, CS5.5, and now CS6, I've received a ton of questions about upgrading. With tight budgets, folks are trying to figure out if the newest versions are worth the price vs. what they've got with CS3.

Adobe's cleaned up the code. They've gone 64 bit. They've changed the UI. They continue to improve ACR. If you've got the latest and greatest hardware, your CS apps will scream.

This leaves me in a quandary. I've upgraded each time - but the majority of my LE readers have not (based on reader feedback). I've written extensively on the features in CS3 ... and those things that have changed/improved with each successive release.

So ... don't be alarmed ... but I'm having a bit of a mid-life crisis with Photoshop. I love it - but those passionate in-love feelings fade with each new version. I've been hearing rumors about a LE specific release for a while now, but nothing is yet available. So, as Adobe courts photographers and digital content creators (their primary market) ... there's little for LE to cheer about with each new release date.

Yes CS6 is out. Yes, I own a copy. Yes, I like it - I like it a lot. But, do I feel the same way about it as I did with CS3? Unfortunately ... no.

To be continued ...