Mac users -- attention must be paid

[gmroczek]

All -- so when does Adobe release PSE5 for Macs? Has anyone heard?

It's wild to be a Mac owner, and to have Apple totally dominate the headlines for the past week and a half and still feel like a second class software citizen.

GM

[bnk1953]

It's total speculation - except for those "in the know" and they won't let us know :(
I'm putting my money on sometime after the new Photoshop is released in Universal format (both intel and power PC processor). I think I've read somewhere that Elements is just Photoshop that has had areas shut off so that we can't get to them. Not sure if that is true or not. I'm still on PSE3 for mac and still trying to learn more about what that "old" program can do.
~bruce.

[Wendy]

Hi Bruce ...

PSE4 was released quite a while after the Windows version and in it they used the CS2 filebrowser so the same thing may happen with PSE5 ... but no word from Adobe about a Mac version as yet.

Elements was originally based on Photoshop with parts missing ... and that is how and why tools like Grant's etc work. They actually use an action to access the Photoshop tools that are still buried in the coding of Elements ... Adobe may have removed the front end access to them but its possible to use an action to access some of them instead :)

Wendy

[gmroczek]

Thank you both for your quick replies.

I'm by no means a power-PSE user and, like Bruce, have much to learn in PSE3.
Would you recommend buying PSE4? or waiting till PSE5 for Macs is released?

Greg

[bnk1953]

I'll have to leave that suggestion up to Wendy and others who went from 3 to 4 for the macs. I usually do the "odd" versions - keeps the spending down and although there are changes from one to the next - not sure if there is enough to make it worth it - at least for what I do.
~bruce.

[Wendy]

Hi Greg ...

Most of the changes to PSE4 were in the organiser (which the Mac version doesn't have) and you also lost the ability to use some tools from sets like Grant's Tool set ...

I would stick with PSE3 and add on Grant's tool set ... I think thats a far better option than buying PSE4 ... and we will wait and see about PSE5 :)

Here is the link to Grant's Tools ... they are free and add some nice feature to Elements :)

http://www.cavesofice.org/~grant/Challenge/Tools/index.html

Wendy

[CarolLHB]

Although...;) I got 4 figuring it was the fastest way to have Adobe release a native version:D-hasn't worked yet, but I'm hoping...

[gmroczek]

Thanks for this sound fiscal/photographic advice Wendy.

And for the link to Grants Tools.

Best,

Greg

[Carbone]

The best way to get PSE5 for Mac is to let Adobe know we want it. Contact them. No company is deft enough to ignore customers call.

Ray

[Wendy]

Ray ...

I have tried that ... so far no reply :(

Wendy

[Carbone]

Rare are the companies which will acknowledge (or not) that a given feature is coming, or that this or that is on its way. For some legal reasons, they can't always disclose what's in the pipeline because this could affect their financial reporting and if the share price goes up, this could be viewed as a punishable act for trying to capitalize on "air". So, Wendy, I'm not surprised you were not given any response, positive or negative.

However, that surely does not mean they didn't hear you, nor that they remained silent looking elsewhere when your request hit someone's desk. Au contraire, I am positive that these things are stored in order to serve as justification for a future project (if one wasn't already in the works).

It's very important to voice all our requests, both Mac and PC. If you like a certain plug-in or piece of software, but it won't work with your version, let the publisher know. They will listen and maybe act sooner than later ;) Same thing for gears. Logitech has released NuLooQ drivers for PC because it was requested (was a Mac thing before). And Microsoft has released a desktop ensemble (mouse and keyboard) specifically for Mac because it was requested.

There is hope :)

Ray

[ME100FINN]

I feel quite content with PSE4, but I hear ya GM. It sounds like PSE5 went with more automatic templates and features that I am not so sure I want/need right now. If anything, I think I'd rather "pimp my ride" than go up a new verison at this point (I am sure the world of CS3 is in my future somewhere though). It is a bit frustrating to find something really cool and then read in fine print there is no mac version.

[gmroczek]

I've found it tough to even find a way to contact companies like Apple or Adobe via phone or email in order to forward feedback.

Do you have contact info you can share?

GM

[Tom M]

http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/contact.html

[ME100FINN]

I found this odd... Digital Photographer Issue 49 has an article stating PSE5 was Win and Mac. It is a mag from UK - it seems they have other products that are specific to their region (like others too). I haven't seen this error in reporting this. Anyone else?