Adobe to Drop Upgrade Support in CC for Older OSes

It appears Adobe will drop supporting new functionality in CC for older OSes:

 

Adobe To Drop Support For Older OSes In Creative Cloud - ExtremeTech

Since I am still running WIndows 7 and have no plan to upgrade, this may be a problem.

Here is another link about the same announcement. I am using Win 7 too and I view this as a major problem. The way I read it, if I were to buy a new camera like a Nilon Z 6 or Z 7 and a new lens, I may not be able to process images from them. I have been thinking about dropping Adobe and going to something else like Capture One Pro or DXO Photo Labs Elite or ON1. This may force me to really get serious about something else than Adobe.

 

What do others think?

 

Adobe won't support older operating systems with its next major Creative Cloud update

If you were to buy a new camera, the raw, for no reason, is proprietary and no raw processors can render it. Until each company “hacks” the minor difference and update their software. Adobe will do so but also update their free DNG converter so you can continue to process that raw in older versions. So that is that in terms raw support. OS support is a different issue. This is also not new for Adobe or others. For example, on the Mac platform, many products that could not run on intel processors, or coming, software that isn’t 64bit will not run. This lack of supported hardware and software isn’t new. Upgrade those items and you must update the software. But you don’t have to do either; no gun to your head.

Windows 7 support is running out; Adobe is basically following Microsoft's lead. Personally I never quite got the objections against Windows 10; I can get you don't like the UI as much but there are options to tweak that look and feel too. In the end, you cannot continue to hold off the upgrade to a newer OS as you'll loose security fixes, support for new(er) technologies and so on. So, personally, I think switching software for this reason is just postponing the inevitable.

 

While I am a content user of CaptureOne and Affinity Photo, and have no Adobe subscription, I think the reason to stick to an outdated and increasingly insecure OS is not a very sound reason to change software, because there is little reason to assume that other software manufacterers will not follow suit as well and start to phase out Win7 support.

That all said, I do feel it's worth examining the options outside of Adobe's world - not because Adobe software would be bad, but the alternatives are too often disregarded by default while there is very worthwhile software among them, that would deserve a wider audience. It will improve competition, and that's never a bad thing.

Seems this kind of behavior happens all the time, another example but not from Adobe:

Media Pro discontinue

This seems to suggest that Windows 7 (SP1 / 64 bit) will continued to be supported by Adobe.

 

Upcoming Changes to Photoshop and Lightroom OS Support for Windows and macOS

 

Perhaps there is hope I can get another 2 years of service from my 7+ year old box.

Personally I never quite got the objections against Windows 10

 

My main objection to Windows 10 was the heavy handed way Microsoft tried to ram it down everyone's throats. Some of their tactics were reminiscent of the way malware purveyors try to infect machines. When it comes to computers (and many other tech devices, including cameras), I do not like to be the "first kid on the block with a new toy". I prefer to let others "debug" a new OS, the third party drivers, and application software before I replace a perfectly good, if old, system. The old rule of thumb was to wait until the first Service Pack was released. That is probably too conservative now.

 

My second objection is the way Microsoft forces updates on users. My update procedure is to take a System Image backup before I download and install the "Patch Tuesday" or any system or driver update. Back in the day, when computers filled rooms, we had a saying, "Never go no where you can't get back from no how." I have found it to be sound advice. Windows 10 downloads patches when it feels like it. I can usually get a System Image backup in before the patch installs, but if I have to restore due to problems with the patch, the patch is still there waiting to install. It is part of the System Image.

 

All that written, when my wife built her new computer, we installed Windows 10. So far, no problems. When I build my new computer in 2020, I will install Windows 10.

I'm not disputing no-one can have objections to Windows 10; I only said personally I do not get them. And I still do not; others may see it differently. All I'm saying is that sticking to an old operating system, for whatever reason, has inevitable consequences. Companies cannot continue to support everything, and Windows 7 is already 9 years old by now; more and more companies will stop supporting Windows 7, not just Adobe.

The director of our graphics (digital) lab at the University always ran only the original software on any given computer. There were seldom any problems.

 

If you continue to run the un-updated program on the same machine with original software (including OS) it should continue to work as well as it ever did.

 

If you want to chase after shiny new features, then belly up to the bar and pay for new hardware and software, eh?

:p

If you continue to run the un-updated program on the same machine with original software (including OS) it should continue to work as well as it ever did.

 

Running an original (unpatched) operating system, and unpatched software, is a great way to be infected with a virus and stop working completely. Yes, Adobe has released security patches for Photoshop. It is not recommended, especially in a University environment.

I'm not disputing no-one can have objections to Windows 10; I only said personally I do not get them. And I still do not; others may see it differently. All I'm saying is that sticking to an old operating system, for whatever reason, has inevitable consequences. Companies cannot continue to support everything, and Windows 7 is already 9 years old by now; more and more companies will stop supporting Windows 7, not just Adobe.

 

I agree, running older OS's has consequences. When Microsoft drops security updates and ends extended support for Windows 7 (in 2020, when I will build my new computer), I will move to Windows 10 or whatever is current at the time. I see no need to do so before then.

Y

Running an original (unpatched) operating system, and unpatched software, is a great way to be infected with a virus and stop working completely. Yes, Adobe has released security patches for Photoshop. It is not recommended, especially in a University environment.

 

Yes, you'd think that, but in his case he was careful and never had the dire results you suggest. I'll grant he was lucky.

I have Windows 10 home - 64 bit - version 1803 - build 17134.285

 

Whatever all this *(&%* means.

I have Windows 10 home - 64 bit - version 1803 - build 17134.285

 

Whatever all this *(&%* means.

 

It mans:

 

1) Your are running Windows 10.

2) You are running the HOME Edition. The PRO Edition has features required by businesses with their own servers, etc.

3) The version is the major update of Windows. The number is YYMM (Year, Month) of the release, in this case March 2018 (the latest). Next one should be 1810.

4) The build is the identifier of the last time Microsoft compiled and linked Windows. Really only needed if you encounter a problem to identify the exact Windows code you are running. The higher the number the more recent the code.

 

By the way, Google and Bing are your friends. You could find this (and much more detailed) information by a simple search.

Why not use the free Adobe DNG converter fo convert RAW-files to DNG, which older versions of Ps and Lr can work with? That is a simple way to keep using an older version of Lr/Ps even if the RAW-converter does not support the new camera you are considering.

By the way - if your computer supports Windows 10 and is running with a valid Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 license you can still upgrade. Go to Microsoft and download the Windows 10 media creator, and either upgrade in place, or make bootable USB install media with a thumb drive. It'll happily upgrade you to Windows 10 of the same edition (Home or Pro), contact Microsoft's server, get an updated license key and activate. There have been a number of articles this year about it in various publications and blogs - clearly Microsoft doesn't really care. So for anyone who didn't upgrade "in time", you still can. If you just don't want to use Windows 10, well, obviously this doesn't matter.

 

Also, maintaining software for multiple versions of an operating system is expensive - it potentially burns a lot of developer hours squashing bugs that only show up on the older operating systems, working around differences programming libraries (including the graphics libraries), and slows down the introduction of new features, since it may be difficult or impossible to fully implement them on older platforms.

Good news is that Lightroom Classic CC ver 8 works on my 8+ year old Win 7 machine, but apparently WIn 7 is not compatible with Lightroom CC. I really don't want to deal with the brain damage of an OS upgrade, especially on an old machine.

I think we need more competition for Adobe and maybe this will help. Maybe other companies will want to pick up customers who aren't so quick to upgrade. With a non subscription model, upgrading isn't so critical. With a cloud service that is constantly updating, ceasing support is more important. Before the subscription model I bought a lot of Adobe software and my old version of Photoshop CS3 is still working fine. Of course it will EVENTUALLY stop working at some point because of operating system updates, but I appreciate the long service.

 

At this point, Adobe really has a captive audience.

At this point, Adobe really has a captive audience.

 

No, Adobe isn't putting a gun to anyone's head as such, no one is captive. NO one has to upgrade their hardware or software. Good idea to keep a couple of old computers around to run old software should they go south. Ebay is your friend in that respect.

I may not be a captive, but if (or when) Lightroom Classic CC no longer runs on a Win 7 machine, I will have the following options: (a) upgrade to Win 10 (or whatever OS they then require), (b) buy a new machine that is compatible with the current version of Lightroom, © keep paying Adobe $10 a month while not being able to install any additional Lightroom updates, or (d) migrate my photo collection to another photo processing software and re-learn how to effectively process images. I suppose that Lightroom CC users, which now require Win 10 (ver 1703), now have this dilemma. You would think Adobe would like to keep a photo hobbyist like me happy to pay them $10 a month.

Ditch Adobe. There’s plenty of alternatives out there now. Affinity Photo, Luminar, Capture One. DXO etc.

Ditch Adobe. There’s plenty of alternatives out there now. Affinity Photo, Luminar, Capture One. DXO etc.

 

Easier said than done - especially for Lightroom.

 

As far as I know, none of the alternatives has a good DAM (Digital Asset Manager) built in. And none of them can read the Lightroom catalog to capture all the key words for the images.

 

Can any of them read either the Lightroom catalog and/or XMP files to apply the Lightroom edits to the RAW images?

 

It was easy to go from the Organizer in Photoshop Elements to Lightroom. I doubt the reverse is true.

Easier said than done - especially for Lightroom.

 

As far as I know, none of the alternatives has a good DAM (Digital Asset Manager) built in. And none of them can read the Lightroom catalog to capture all the key words for the images.

 

Can any of them read either the Lightroom catalog and/or XMP files to apply the Lightroom edits to the RAW images?

 

It was easy to go from the Organizer in Photoshop Elements to Lightroom. I doubt the reverse is true.

What happens to your DAM (Library) when you stop subscribing to Adobe? NOTHING. It still functions. Develop and Maps will cease to run. Adobe could hold you hostage in terms of the DAM, and the fantastic Print module but they don't. The anti-Adobe folks with pitchforks ready don't tell you such facts.

Some of the metadata can be transferred to another DAM but some is proprietary so no, it's not understood. Forget your image editing metadata, that's proprietary. But keywords as an example and much of the metadata you can see and access in the Library (Metadata pane there) will transfer if the newer DAM is written to provide this non proprietary and common metadata (for example, EXIF and IPTC).

Data management starts at home. It's easy to devise a scheme using the OS's file management system to store images with a unique name (including the directory), then refer to them with any DAM program (pun intended) you wish. That program may create thumbnails and allow non-destructive editing, which will be lost if you discontinue use of that program. However you can save any editions in separate sub-directories, even rename them if you wish, and those derivative images will still be accessible.

 

For example, I save images as dailies in separate directories, named with a sortable date code (yymmdd) and brief description (e.g., D181019 PNET Example). The raw files go in that directory, and derivative files in subdirectories (e.g., PNET (900 px width), JPEG, TIFF). I don't bother to rename the raw files, since it is unlikely to ever have more than 10,000 images in that directory (the directory+file name is unique), due to rollover for example. I program my cameras with a file prefix unique to that camera. If that's not an option, simply copy them to subdirectories named to that effect.

 

You can set up "Collections" in Lightroom to group images from one or more directories, without making discrete copies. In this case, the Collection simply refers to the location of the original image, making it available for display or editing in a transparent process. "File by reference" is a feature found in all relational database programs of any merit.