Photoshop Elements 9 Questions?

Question

Just a couple quick questions about photoshop elements 9:

1) Does it require internet access to work?
2) I'm thinking about splitting the program with my sister - will anything beyond a failure to launch happen if both programs are running at the same time?
and 3) I know the license agreement says only two comps, but if i installed it on three would the general program still work, be a trial version, or simply take up space. Or worse, deactivate the other two. (Not paranoid, just know that there are a lot of stingy companies out there)

No offense Adobe, simply trying to sate mine and my nosy mother's curiosity.

Answer 1

1. As far as I know an internet connection is not required to launch and use Elements 9. Sometimes I'm online while using it and sometimes I'm not and I've never had problems using it.



2. Whatever you and I think about Adobe software prices, a lot of Adobe software is ripped off. Adobe software "phones home" to Adobe when you connect to the internet if there are records of your having used their software. (Computers keep complete records of everything that's turned on and off, every error or software failure, etc. with details of what, when, etc.).



3. Adobe randomly remotely deactivates illegal software.



4. Older versions of Elements could be installed multiple times. You can't do this anymore. You can install 2X then one of the installations has to be deactivated from the Elements Help menu (Help>Deactivate) before you can use the disk to install a third time. If one of the computers Elements is installed on goes belly up and the software can't be deactivated, the user has to contact Adobe for installation instructions. Only registered users are allowed "office activation".



5. All of this is really inconvenient for families that would like to buy one copy of a program to use among themselves but are supposed to buy one copy for everyone in the family. This puts a real financial burden on families that want to do the honest thing. Adobe should sell a family license that could be used at one address.

Answer 2

Mujer is almost right when it comes to installation. You can install it however many times you need to... however, you won't be able to work more than one copy simultaneously. if you and your sister want to share it, then one of you has to deactivate your copy on one machine so it can be activated on the other. Then when that person is done using it, they have to deactivate THEIR copy on their machine so the other person will be able to use their copy.



They are correct though when they say that if your computer goes belly-up and say you need to install say a completely NEW hard drive or get a brand new computer altogether before you get to deactivate the copy on the old hard drive/computer -- It still counts as an active version. Also, if you uninstall the program be sure to deactivate the software before-hand because it will still count as an active version even though you uninstalled it. However, if you happen to need to just uninstall and reinstall the same software on the same computer, I don't believe it counts as an additional "copy". I had to install and reinstall CS4 (which has the same activate/deactivate requirements as CS5 and Elements) like 3 or 4 times on the same computer/hard drive and had no problems with activating it.

Answer 3

Well, my response is that possibly 'stingy' is in the eye of the beholder because from where I stand, you and your sister seem to be the stingy ones here. And, potential thieves, I might add.



Companies guard their software just like we guard our personal possessions. And, I don't blame them. Software is a valuable piece of intellectual property. It takes Adobe a lot of time and money to develop their software and stealing it is as much of a crime as robbing a bank. What you're talking about is theft. There's no other word for it.



Photoshop Elements is reasonably priced software. If you and your sister each want the software, you should both buy a copy.