Outrage after Adobe says customers using an older version of Photoshop may be SUED if they continue

Customers who have regularly paid to use Adobe’s Photoshop software have been politely threatened with litigation for using older versions.

After discontinuing older versions of the popular photo editing software, Adobe emailed customers regarding its policy towards users who don’t abide the company’s rules. 

‘We have recently discontinued certain older versions of Creative Cloud applications and and a result, under the terms of our agreement, you are no longer licensed to use them,’ Adobe said in the email. 

Adobe has come under fire from users after threatening to sue customers who continue to use older versions of its software

‘Please be aware that should you continue to use the discontinued version(s), you may be at risk of potential claims of infringement by third parties.’

As reported by AppleInsider , some users, many of whom have been paying Adobe to use its software for multiple years weren’t happy with the company’s approach. 

‘…[It’s] absolutely crazy. I’ve paid for these products for the last three years and now i suddenly don’t have ownership of licensing despite having religiously paid for them every month,’ said one Adobe user on Twitter. 

‘A nice way to exit without fees would be great.’

Other commentators were more succinct in their criticisms of the company’s email. 

‘Another reason why Adobe is garbage!,” said another Twitter user in the thread. 

Users noted multiple reasons for wanting to keep their older software, including specific features they used and enjoyed being scrubbed by updates and also general ‘bloat’ they say slows the speed of newer versions. 

Tweets about an email sent out by Adobe ranged portrayed a mixture of shock and disgruntlement. Some users said they planned to stop using the software

While the company’s email didn’t indicate why users were no longer allowed to use older versions of the software, Adobe alluded to ‘ongoing litigation.’  

According to AppleInsider, Adobe is currently embroiled in a lawsuit with Dolby Labs filed a complaint in March this year relating to how licensing costs of its software are distributed under its new subscription model.

In 2013, Adobe controversially switched from a disc-based model which allowed customers to download — not to mention own — software on their computers by paying a lump sum, and into to a subscription models wherein users pay monthly to access Adobe’s suite of services. 

In 2017, thanks to the new subscription structure, Adobe reported a record $2 billion in revenue. 

While the switch to a subscription model has helped to bolster revenue it has also served to alienate some users who say they’re forced into perpetual payments.

As reported by AppleInsider, and documented in the legal complaint, Dolby recently attempted to exercise its legal right to audit Adobe to make sure that the company was properly distributing licensing costs — a new agreement bases fees based on how many users are running the software. 

Adobe declined to allow the audit and now Dolby has sued arguing that the company has breached its contract. 

While Adobe’s decision to switch to a subscription-based model has helped to bolser the company’s bottom line, the recent fallout of its decision to discontinue and threaten users who use its older software has given rise a more ideological debate.

Notably, critics have pointed out that the new model makes it impossible for users to actually own the software that they use, forcing them into a perpetual cycle of payment.

Other notable company’s like Microsoft have also since switched to a subscription model for products like office which contains mainstay tools like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.