I recently read a discussion about using Photoshop CS6 which was released in 2012 on a computer with the latest operating system. Photoshop CS6 was the last version of the program before Adobe introduced the subscription model. It has been 10 years. When I first bought Photoshop I paid somewhere around $700. To upgrade every 18-24 months was around $200. So in 4 years I went from Photoshop CS4 to CS6 and spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $1,100. This doesn’t count Lightroom, which costs $199 and upgrades another $80 or so.
From CS6 until today to get continuous upgrades I’ve spent around $1,200 in 10 years! I will just never understand. I spend less money today than I used to, and I get the program’s latest version. In fact, I get two programs for less than I spent previously just for Photoshop.
Many of those complaining about the “subscription” model uses the “but you don’t own the program” argument. If they had read the license they would probably realize they never owned the program, they owned a license to use the program which could be revoked. These same people also likely spend more on coffee each month.
I just don’t understand wanting to continue to use outdated programs with outdated tools. I don’t use Microsoft Word or Excel much but I use them enough that I wouldn’t want to use a 10-year-old version of them. Photoshop and Lightroom I use nearly every day. To use Lightroom and Photoshop on the subscription model literally costs me 33 cents a day!
Photographer Clay 
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