academic/educational versions of photoshop

what does this actually mean anyway?

[Trisha]

I ordered a copy of Photoshop 7 from Amazon, but it came from a seller there, not from Amazon itself (Amazon didn't have it). I emailed the guy ahead of time and asked if it was the real version and everything. But then today, when I started it up I see that it is the academic/educational version. What should I do? Can I even use it legally?

I don't know of anyplace else I can still buy version 7 from either, other than third party sellers. And I can't run CS.

I wonder if this is why it didn't come with many fonts either. How many fonts should Photoshop 7 come with?

[monkeythumpa]

Photoshop does not come with any fonts. All the fonts you have by default are system fonts which vary a little from computer to computer.

As for the ac/ed copy, I belive you are not allowed to make money with it. If you charge a client or mock up a website and then run adsense on it, that is technically against the rules. Now, Adobe can't tell if the website you coded from a jpeg you outputted from Photoshop was a ac/ed version so don't worry too much, but if you are "caught" using it there are legal consequences.

[Trisha]

Photoshop does not come with any fonts. All the fonts you have by default are system fonts which vary a little from computer to computer.

I was wondering about that. My old computer is an NT. I have never bought or installed any fonts on it, so I thought they came with Photoshop. I hadn't expected that NT would come with so many.

Apparently, this version of Win98 didn't come with as many, or at least they were never installed (I didn't install 98 myself).

As for the ac/ed copy, I belive you are not allowed to make money with it. If you charge a client or mock up a website and then run adsense on it, that is technically against the rules. Now, Adobe can't tell if the website you coded from a jpeg you outputted from Photoshop was a ac/ed version so don't worry too much, but if you are "caught" using it there are legal consequences.

I looked up a little information about the ac/ed versions - I need to look up more though. I could have sworn one site said it depends, that sometimes you can still use them for commercial things. I guess that information would be in some legal or read me file, but I haven't found it yet.

I do have a full and legal version of PS 5, so it seems kind of silly that I would to use that one to make graphics, but not the new version I bought. If adobe was still selling ver. 7, I wouldn't have a problem with spending more and buying it from them, but I can't find anyone but third parties selling it.

[Trisha]

Well, I don't know what to do. I did more searches and it looks like you really aren't supposed to use the academic version for anything commercial. It's unlikely I'd ever get caught, but I'm too chicken to take a chance. But then that leaves 2 problems:

1) Will I be able to get the money back from the person I bought it from? There's no way I could afford to go and buy the real full version unless I get back the money I spent on this one.

2) I have no idea how to find a version 7 that I know is really legal and not academic. And there's no way I can use the CS version.

[monkeythumpa]

Call Adobe first and see if they can upgrade your ac/ed copy to full commercial. Their help people are really nice.

[Trisha]

I think its too late for that, but I think I'm starting to get this sorted out. I'm in the process of trying to get my money back first. If the seller isn't cooperative, amazon will apparently try to help sort things out.

I did call adobe though, and they were really nice. I wanted to see if the version 5 I got years ago was really upgradable or not. It came bundled with a scanner and is old, so I wasn't sure. It turns out it is. And I had never registered it, so they did that over the phone. I asked about version 7, and was directed to a place on their site where they list authorized resellers in my area. I already called one who said they might be able to get me a copy.

Or I might just go ahead and try GIMP and forget about Photoshop.

Or another option that just occured to me today - can Photoshop run under crossover office? I'll have to ask in the linux forum about that I guess.

[Trisha]

Interesting development on this, if anyone is reading.

My husband and I got in touch with the company who is actually selling this software, who the reseller from amazon buys it from. According to one of the company owners, the serial number was just incorrect, that it really wasn't an academic version. I was given a different one to use. I still think that sounds a bit questionable though.

At any rate it doesn't come with registration or technical support, but can be updated. Apparently they buy it in bulk from places that it would have been bundled with other software or hardware.

And they sell it very cheap, and allow people to resell it. If, really, this is all legal it could be that I stumbled on a really good opportunity for myself.

So, if anyone is reading -

1) if you were in my position would you contact Adobe and make sure this serial number thing is really legitament?

2) Do you really think it is a big issue to be able to get tech support for Adobe products or get a manual? Apparently the manual is available in pdf anyway. And the product is still legal, upgradable and ok for commercial stuff.