[Mac] A mess called Adobe CS5

[Lituus Limacon]

The Windows version of CS5 is hella buggy too, but it is loads better than the Mac version. It is very sad that Adobe can't maintain a good level of fit and finish on both platforms. I think their problem is two-fold. CS apps have now become too feature-packed making it difficult to maintain all of it right, plus Adobe seems to think they must-add-features to every version and release it so often. What they need to do is increase the time between releases and make more point-releases that reduce bugs. The other, of course, is that they have no true competitors in their particular niche in the high-end pro market.

As far as UI-inconsistencies and bad development practices are concerned (as far as conforming with a platform's guidelines), Windows has traditionally been worse off, but as the Mac's marketshare grows (proportionally, if not in comparison to Windows), more apps must maintain compatibility and/or are feature-packed and more apps get released as well. This results in the Mac getting more haywire where following guidelines is concerned.

Consolidated software updating is a problem that both Microsoft and Apple must be trying to solve for ages now. For instance, on Windows, Apple, Google, Mozilla, Adobe, Sun etc. all use their own updaters. When they auto-update it is usually fine (unless of course, they add startup items, which they usually do), but many of them don't by default, resulting in security issues. Apple on the their part has to deal with Microsoft and Adobe's updaters on the Mac.

The problem is that the cat is already out of the bag. It is incredibly difficult to force an app-store and/or centralized update mechanism on third-party ISVs and OEMs now because that has not been the case for too long. That is why Apple in general allows fewer things on the iP<>d platform initially, and opens it up when the need grows too much and they think the implementation is okay. Once they've allowed something it is difficult to take it back, though remote kill and the ability to remove apps from the store help.

The technical problem is that update cycles for the platform-vendor and third-parties don't match often and there are issues like trust, breaking of release cycle rhythms, delayed deployment, version control, bandwidth, policy restrictions and so on.

Some day, maybe...

[.Neo]

As far as UI-inconsistencies and bad development practices are concerned (as far as conforming with a platform's guidelines), Windows has traditionally been worse off, but as the Mac's marketshare grows (proportionally, if not in comparison to Windows), more apps must maintain compatibility and/or are feature-packed and more apps get released as well. This results in the Mac getting more haywire where following guidelines is concerned.

Actually most developers manage to provide a good Aqua user experience, even relatively new ones like VMware. It's just the big companies like Microsoft and Adobe that tend to **** things up with their application suites.

[Tamilboy86]

I haven't got any problems with PS CS5 on Win 7 yet... Runs really smooth.. :) I have to try on Mac soon..

[PyX]

?How the hell did they do that? I?ve used Interface Builder a little bit, and would have absolutely NO idea how to move the traffic light buttons. They really did work this one out?

It makes me wonder, is it possible if they did that on purpose? I mean, having non-standard interfaces? There?s no way in hell you?d want to make those buttons closer, it?s no use at all.

[Elliott]

?How the hell did they do that? I?ve used Interface Builder a little bit, and would have absolutely NO idea how to move the traffic light buttons. They really did work this one out?

It makes me wonder, is it possible if they did that on purpose? I mean, having non-standard interfaces? There?s no way in hell you?d want to make those buttons closer, it?s no use at all.

Sometimes I wonder with Adobe. It's like they go through more trouble than it's worth just to annoy people. :laugh:

[ObiWanToby]

On PC it really isn't great either. We still get the old file open and save dialogue. I mean wtf is up with that.

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Adobe applications do not feel at home on both platforms. You'd think they'd try to.

[PL_ Veteran]

So the design leaves a lot to be desired and they're still putting files all over the place, but what Photoshop CS5 does is so impressive I'm willing to look past it. The Content Aware Filter is great.

[Quillz]

It's almost depressing that in 2010, a standard-looking application is still a pipe dream.

[Tamilboy86]

On PC it really isn't great either. We still get the old file open and save dialogue. I mean wtf is up with that.

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http://localhostr.com/files/2c08c7/Open.png[/img*]

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http://localhostr.com/files/941407/Open.png[/img*]

Adobe applications do not feel at home on both platforms. You'd think they'd try to.

You are right about this... I was thinking the same thing about the opening dialogue, when I was working the other day...

[ObiWanToby]

So the design leaves a lot to be desired and they're still putting files all over the place, but what Photoshop CS5 does is so impressive I'm willing to look past it. The Content Aware Filter is great.

I've not had much luck removing an object from an image and having the background look as believable as in the demos. Healing tool is great, and extracting an object and using the new soft filter smart edge detection works well.

[Aaron Olive]

So the design leaves a lot to be desired and they're still putting files all over the place, but what Photoshop CS5 does is so impressive I'm willing to look past it. The Content Aware Filter is great.

it's not that great it could use some updates to it's algorithm for better fills.

[Southern Patriot]

Lack of Aqua elements is partially because Adobe used Flash to develop certain parts of the Photoshop CS5 interface. And people wonder why Apple doesn't want the same crap to happen on the iPhone.

There is no real reason why the close/minimize/zoom buttons are located in a different place...

GUI-wise I don't think there are many other applications on Mac OS X that parallel the train wreck that is Adobe CS.

I swear, looking at those screenshots, it almost appears that Adobe writes their stuff in Java or some X11 crap to make porting to different platforms easier, because it doesn't look native ANYWHERE.

[Southern Patriot]

So the design leaves a lot to be desired and they're still putting files all over the place, but what Photoshop CS5 does is so impressive I'm willing to look past it.

And that is how they continue to get away with this crap. Too many people who simply say "oh well, I'll live with it" and not enough people who demand that they fix it.

[crazzyyfool]

Despite all the gripes. 64-bit Photoshop is awesome. Shame the likes of Illustrator and InDesign aren't 64-bit though, at least on Mac.

[.Neo]

So the design leaves a lot to be desired and they're still putting files all over the place, but what Photoshop CS5 does is so impressive I'm willing to look past it. The Content Aware Filter is great.

That's how Adobe, and other companies, get away with this kind of crap on both Mac OS X and Windows and basically break the user experience Apple and Microsoft are trying to provide. It's a shame really.

[instant.human]

That's how Adobe, and other companies, get away with this kind of crap on both Mac OS X and Windows and basically break the user experience Apple and Microsoft are trying to provide. It's a shame really.

i totally agree.

still, virtually everyone uses photoshop. or indesign. or illustrator.

i for myself use indesign mostly, because of layouting print and stuff and it's more or less the same... it never looks and feels like an OS X-program. but you get used to it and after some time you just give a sht, cause it's more or less the best out there... which is not true but still... aww.

[Aaron Olive]

does anyone else feel like there is too many adobe products like for example why can't photoshop do the things that Illustrator does like advanced vector and stuff.

[macf13nd]

does anyone else feel like there is too many adobe products like for example why can't photoshop do the things that Illustrator does like advanced vector and stuff.

Both such advanced software packages they'd probably have to build from the ground up.

and more $$ the way it is, I'm sure (plus expensive to do the above).

[Aaron Olive]

Both such advanced software packages they'd probably have to build from the ground up.

and more $$ the way it is, I'm sure (plus expensive to do the above).

well I'm pretty sure it's easy to do since all of the stuff is already made all they would have to do is combine the two, adobe is just lazy for a quick buck which brings us back to the lazy UI they made up very inconsistent lol.

[Shadrack]

For graphic design professionals, my understanding is that Adobe CS is still the industry standard. For people who are not in this field and don't want to drop the cash (or don't want to pirate the software) there are definitely alternatives out there.

I purchased Pixelmator for my raster image manipulation. And I use the freely available InkScape for my vector drawing needs. Just throwing it out there that there are alternatives for casual users who don't want the extent of what Adobe installs on their Macs.

[Quillz]

well I'm pretty sure it's easy to do since all of the stuff is already made all they would have to do is combine the two, adobe is just lazy for a quick buck which brings us back to the lazy UI they made up very inconsistent lol.

Just like it was easy for Apple to port Mac OS X from PowerPC to Intel. All the work was done, they just had to change a few values, right?

... Combining Photoshop and Illustrator into one product is hardly easy and would take a long time and money.

And don't you think Apple has too many products? Why don't they just combine Aperture and iPhoto? After all, all the work is done.

[Xero]

Anyone else find scrolling in Photoshop CS5 is slow as hell? I can't figure out why, its bugging the hell out of me. I'm using a Magic Mouse if it makes a difference. Flash and other apps seem fine.

[.Neo]

Just like it was easy for Apple to port Mac OS X from PowerPC to Intel. All the work was done, they just had to change a few values, right?

Well technically Apple didn't have to port Mac OS X from PowerPC to Intel as the OS has been compiled for both architectures since the very beginning. ;)

[Quillz]

Well technically Apple didn't have to port Mac OS X from PowerPC to Intel as the OS has been compiled for both architectures from the very beginning. ;)

Yeah, I know, I was just trying to give an example.

There's a reason that Adobe, Microsoft, Apple, etc. don't just "combine" all their products into one... It's not financially viable, it's not easy to do and it only leads to more and more "bloatware."

[.Neo]

Does anyone here have the issue when deselecting applications within the installer they still get partially installed? As in the folders for the app appear with partially installed files. :/