• The Creative Cloud includes a variety of software for editing websites, printed pages and video, but the software still resides on each individual user’s machine. • Adobe pushes out updates regularly via the Internet, but end users determine whether to install the updates. • An individual user license may require a monthly subscription fee, but Adobe offers institutions a wide variety of licenses through the Education Enterprise Agreement.
“There is no doubt that journalism courses need to teach digital publishing skills beyond print. If they did an iPad edition of their yearbook, their ads could change every time the yearbook is opened. “[The] majority of incoming students find {resources} first on a touch-screen/ smartphone these days. Offering these skills is a competitive element [of any curriculum].” TOM DENT, ADOBE EDUCATION ACCOUNT MANAGER
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Adobe changes distribution strategy Staying current means embracing ‘subscription’ methodology
BY BRADLEY WILSON, MJE ffective May 2013, Adobe, the company behind Photoshop and InDesign, ceased producing new versions of its software. Instead, the company began requiring customers to subscribe to its Creative Cloud service and either pay a monthly fee for an individual user license or utilize one of the numerous group licenses the company offers — with special deals for students, educators and schools. “There will be no CS7,” said Tom Dent, an Adobe education account manager who stressed the importance of teaching skills from print to video and production of media across platforms, including tablets. But there’s more to the Creative Cloud than the individual software packages that are at its core. Cloud-based services allow for enhanced collaboration and publication efforts across multiple platforms. As soon as Adobe made the announcement, educators, such as publication advisers who depend on the software day in and day out, were concerned about the changes in the system. Information from Adobe regarding the impact of the new system was slow in coming and sometimes confusing so JOHANN ZIMMERN, Adobe worldwide education program manager, answered questions from media advisers.
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AFTER EFFECTS Cinematic visual effects and motion graphics | AUDITION Edit digital audio | DREAMWEAVER Websites, app design, and coding | FLASH Vector graphics, animation, games and rich Internet applications | ILLUSTRATOR Vector graphics and illustration | INCOPY Collaborative word-processing integrated with InDesign
Photo by William Bronston, used with permission
As a Worldwide Education Program Manager, JOHANN ZIMMERN is responsible for developing integrated school and university marketing campaigns and licensing programs, for building education community engagement and for facilitating industry association partnerships. His work centers on the development of 21st century literacy skills, creativity and innovation, with special focus on career and technical education including graphic design, web design and development and film and video production. Zimmern studied English and American literature and linguistics at the University of Hamburg, Germany and holds a bachelor’s degree in performing arts. @zimmern
tions and online services, including ongoing How does the Creative Cloud function? Creative Cloud brings together everything feature updates, customers no longer have to users need to create their greatest work. One worry about waiting for upgrades that used to simple membership gives users and their team be delivered every 18-24 months and can have access to the latest versions of all profes- more predictable costs, especially for larger sional creative desktop applications, such as enterprises, including schools and universities. Photoshop, Illustrator and more — plus new Depending on the type of customer (educafeatures and upgrades as soon as they are tion, commercial, government, etc.), Adobe is available. Cloud storage and file syncing capa- offering flexible purchasing and licensing solubilities allow individuals to reliably access files tions for individuals, teams and entire enterwherever the users are, including from their prises that address varying needs. mobile devices. Also, they can share concepts with clients or colleagues more easily than What are the benefits to Adobe? The move to the Creative Cloud gives ever. Cloud-based services let users build and publish websites, mobile apps, iPad publica- Adobe many benefits, including the ability for more rapid technology tions and content for any innovation and response medium or device. to changes in the marWith Behance inteketplace (introduction gration {to showcase of mobile devices and and discover photogtablets for example). The raphy, graphic design, Creative Cloud also proillustration and fashion}, users can publish a cus- “Like it or not, more and more vides a closer relationto creative profestomized portfolio on companies seem to think that ship sionals and a focus on a their own URL and plug into the world’s largsoftware-as-a-service is the single large-scale digital est creative community way to go: Adobe’s efforts went media workflow. to get inspired, receive feedback and find new from experiment to reality to What are the biggest for the opportunities. mandatory in just two years.” advantages customer? With Creative Cloud, For users, advantages their entire creative ANDREW CUNNINGHAM, SENIOR of the Creative Cloud world has its own cenPRODUCTS SPECIALIST offerings depend on tral dashboard to keep planned implementation ideas, files, fonts, setAT ARS TECHNICA as well as on the type of tings, notifications and desktop applications. Team members can be vertical (education, government, commercial, etc.) in which Creative Cloud offerings are in sync. required. Most notably, Creative Cloud gives continuous access to up-to-date technology What are the benefits to the customer? Creative Cloud comes with numerous ben- and makes available the largest collection of efits that help customers create, manage, opti- industry-standard software applications in the mize and distribute digital media across multi- creative space. For many customers, Creative Cloud creple platforms and devices. Online data storage and sync as well as intelligent collaboration ates a lower cost of entry over previously larger enhance the offering and can connect creative up-front payments and allows users to work users with one another and their audiences. with exciting new applications that may or With access to many digital media applica- may not have been available previously.
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The reviews “Photoshop CC: Modest Upgrades Shackled to Terrible ‘Rental’ Model” by Dave Girard — Photoshop CC’s features are nice, but the licensing drawback is so severe that it leans this version toward “don’t upgrade.” This is not something people will grow to like, and practically asking people to “deal with it” confirms how bad this move is for users. “Ready or Not, Compulsory Creative Cloud Cometh” by Lori Grunin — This business model requires that you enter it with an exit plan and with a reliable Internet connection. I’m still ambivalent
What are the biggest disadvantages of the new Creative Cloud environment? Perpetual licenses are no longer available except for CS6. The transition may be hard for some people who still would like to purchase them. However, focusing Adobe engineering resources on the Cloud will enable the company to put innovation in members’ hands at a faster pace. Adobe can also pioneer new ways of connecting the worldwide creative community and make its creative process easier. In the Cloud version of InDesign, is it possible to open and to edit something a user created in the CS6 version? An InDesign file can be exported to an IDML (InDesign Markup) format that can then be opened with a fully updated installation of InDesign CS4, CS5, CS5.5 or CS6. If InDesign features were used, they might function in a previous version but likely cannot be edited.
COST What programs does a school have access to with a subscription? What if a school wants only InDesign and Photoshop? Adobe has introduced Education Enterprise Agreement, a new term-based (or subscription) licensing program, so schools and universities can obtain access to the latest Creative Cloud applications. The new one- or two-year agreement is available from authorized resellers. With the education version, Adobe can provide a single school building (think high school) versus the entire district. The deployment can be locked down for two years of equal payments. EEA does not include any Creative Cloud services. In addition, there are several nuances and regional differences as to what applications are included. Availability depends on whether the customer is in primary/secondary or higher education and on whether the customer is purchasing Creative Cloud applications per install or based on the number of faculty and staff. EEA includes the following base appliFALL 2013
about the whole thing. While it makes sense for me from a cost standpoint, there are several things I object to about the scheme, some practical, some philosophical. “Unhappy Customers Want to Parachute from Adobe’s Creative Cloud” by Klint Finley — Adobe’s move to the Creative Cloud isn’t sitting well with all of its customers. More than 5,000 of them [more than 37,000 as of July] have now signed a Change.org petition calling on the company to keep selling packaged software. Although pundits see it as a necessary move, many customers are worried that the change will end up costing them more money and give them less control over their applications.
cations: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Flash Professional, Fireworks, Acrobat Pro, Muse and Edge Animate. Note: K-12 customers also receive Photoshop Elements and Captivate. In addition, customers can purchase socalled “add-ons,” which include Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, SpeedGrade, Prelude, Encore, Media Encoder and Photoshop Lightroom. Note: K-12 customers can also purchase Presenter and Premiere Elements as addons. All of the applications available within the EEA program can be installed anonymously and do not require “named-users” to activate applications. As part of the EEA program, Adobe is providing customers with enterprise deployment tools that give them full control over the software distribution and the maintenance within their organization. In addition to the EEA program, Adobe can customize offers via the new Enterprise Term Licensing Agreement. The Enterprise Term License Agreement, which requires a three-year term, can be customized to the customer’s needs. Customers who are not ready to move to the Creative Cloud can purchase perpetual versions of Adobe’s Creative Suite 6 applications via the normal licensing vehicles, which include the successful Creative Suite 6 K-12 Site License program.
PHOTOSHOP SHAKE REDUCTION — Samartha Vashishtha works as a content and community lead at Adobe Systems. “If I had to put my finger on the Photoshop CC feature that comes closest to ‘magic,’ I’d pick Camera Shake Reduction. For most users, it is the powerful tool that deblurs pictures that got ruined in a sudden shake of the camera.” More information — www.adobe.com/ products/photoshop.html
TYPEKIT — Desktop font syncing became part of the Creative Cloud in mid-summer. “Adobe Typekit features an unmatched library of oldclassic to new-favorite fonts for use on websites — and, with this update, creatives can use many of the same fonts directly in their desktop applications.” More information — blog.typekit.com/
What will be the educational pricing structure? Adobe is offering educational discounts for individual, team and enterprise versions of the continued on page 36 COMMUNICATION: JOURNALISM EDUCATION TODAY | a publication of the Journalism Education Association | 35
INDESIGN Page design, layout, and publishing | MUSE Website design without coding | PHOTOSHOP Image editing and compositing | PRELUDE Video ingest and logging | PREMIERE Video production and editing | SPEEDGRADE Professional color correction
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KULER — Kuler is a cloud-based application for making color themes online or for using an iPhone. Users can capture colors anywhere with a snap of an iPhone camera. Also, they can customize themes and use them instantly in Illustrator or InDesign. More information — www. adobe.com/products/kuler.html
Creative Cloud. For most institutional customers, Adobe recommends reviewing the EEA and the ETLA offerings and speaking to a reseller or sales representative for pricing. Adobe does not set end-user pricing for institutional customers so pricing may vary, depending on the reseller. Individual student and teacher membership is available from Adobe for $29.99 a month, and education team subscriptions are available for $39.99 a month. On sale, it is $240 a year for students and teachers rather than the normal $360 fee. Previously, users could buy a six-year copy of the package they wanted. Now, they will have to keep paying and paying and paying. Isn’t the Cloud simply a way for Adobe to make more money? Adobe does not recommend purchasing individual Creative Cloud licenses for institutionally owned computers or for use in school or university lab settings. The Creative Cloud Student and Teacher edition is meant primarily for use on personally owned machines by students, teachers and faculty.
REFLOW — A “responsive design tool” to be released this fall. According to developer Jacob Surber, it is a Web-design tool that is entirely built on HTML and JavaScript. “Everything you create on that design surface, you know is going to render in a browser,” Surber said. The tool should allow for easier creation of content for the Web, tablets and hand-held devices. More information — http://tv.adobe.com/watch/adobeedge-reflow/what-is-reflow-interview/
What accommodations is Adobe making to assist under-resourced schools, which are unable to purchase the software again every year? Historically, advisers have been able to skip every other version to maintain affordability. Adobe is making every effort to ensure that the software applications are available at affordable pricing for schools, school districts, colleges and universities Adobe is aware that schools used to get a site license and ride that large investment for a few years and skip a couple versions. Adobe also recognizes that the pricing can vary,
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depending on the software needs and the size of a school or school district. It is important to interact directly with an authorized reseller to obtain accurate pricing. Adobe will continue to review pricing and to adjust it from time-totime to meet market needs. What is the most economical way to get a subscription for more than 20 computers when a school requires yearly budgets? The most economical way to license Creative Cloud software for a single school is via the new one- or two-year term-based EEA program. Adobe will likely add an additional licensing option for individual point products and/ or a smaller number of installations. Adobe is reviewing options based on customer feedback and may change offerings in the future.
ADVISER CONCERNS If an adviser subscribes and then stops, what happens? If an adviser cancels or downgrades an individual membership, the user will still have access to all of the files in the Creative Cloud folder on the user’s computers and via the Creative Cloud website. The account will be downgraded to a free membership, which includes 2GB of storage. If an adviser is using more than 2GB of storage, the individual will not be able to sync files until the amount of online disk space used in the account drops below the allotted amount. Any individual who is over the quota will have 90 days to reduce the online usage to avoid losing access to some or all of the files through the Creative Cloud website. Can schools stop subscribing over summer break and then start again in the fall? Adobe does not offer this option under the new Education Enterprise Agreements. The agreements require a one- or two-year up-front commitment. FALL 2013
Children’s online privacy Enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, the CHILDREN’S ONLINE PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT OF 1998 became effective April 21, 2000. It applies to the online collection of personal information from children under 13. It details what a website operator must include in a privacy policy, when and how to seek verifiable consent from a parent or guardian and what responsibilities an operator has to protect children’s privacy, including restrictions on the marketing to those under 13.
SECURITY What should advisers tell school administrators about security and people “hacking” into the school’s systems? Adobe recommends a review of the Creative Cloud Security FAQ for Informational Technology staffs. How would upgrades and collaboration work for schools that have heavily restricted Internet access? Software upgrades are delivered online and require sufficient bandwidth. However, Adobe expects staff members in the IT department will download necessary updates once and then deploy them centrally. Is Adobe ready to address the plethora of differences among school districts and the varying degrees of computer security? Adobe recommends a review of the Creative Cloud Security FAQ for IT. Users should remember that the EEA program does not include any Creative Cloud online services. Does Adobe have an education division for the Cloud to assist with problems? All enterprise customers can contact Adobe’s customer support to assist with troubleshooting. They can also purchase additional support services.
UPDATES/PLUG-INS Recognizing Adobe will automatically push updates throughout the year, what happens with plug-ins already in use, such as those provided by yearbook publishers? Customers are in control regarding the installation of updates once they have been provided. There is no requirement to install updates if customers do not want to install them.
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In July 2013, the FTC revised the rules — the second significant changes to the act. The revision widened the definition of children’s personal information to include persistent identifiers such as cookies that track a child’s activity online as well as photos, videos, audio recordings and geolocation information. “The updated COPPA rule helps put parents in charge of their children’s personal information as it keeps pace with changing technologies,” FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said. The FTC has also released two new pieces designed to help businesses ensure they are compliant with upcoming changes to the rule.
Depending on the type of plug-in, Adobe encourages third-party vendors to work to ensure plug-ins will continue to work with Creative Cloud updates. As computers become old and need to be replaced, will owners be able to transfer a license from a discarded computer to a new one? Creative Cloud desktop application licenses are transferable and can be installed on newer computers. In the case of Creative Cloud Individual and Creative Cloud Team applications, advisers can simply deactivate an older computer before activating a newer one. Will the change require updating a school’s infrastructure for Adobe to work if a staff has older computers? Before purchasing any new software, schools must make sure the computers meet the needed hardware requirement. Most Creative Cloud applications now require Microsoft Windows 7 (SP1) or higher and Mac OS X v10.6.8 or higher.
COLLABORATION How will collaboration work in Creative Cloud? Adobe anticipates more and more collaboration as part of the creative workflow. Currently, Adobe is not offering any Creative Cloud services as part of the EEA program. Adobe anticipates being able to offer the collaboration features once the company has resolved legal limitations in regards to cloud services, especially for use by minors under the age of 13. Is the new system going to change users’ experiences? Technology innovation can truly change users’ experiences, but it requires users to take advantage of what the technology can enable. n
More information CREATIVE CLOUD • General information — www.adobe.com/ products/creativecloud.html • System requirements — http://www.adobe.com/ products/creativecloud/tech-specs.html • Frequently asked questions — www.adobe. com/products/creativecloud/faq.html • Education Enterprise Agreements — www. adobe.com/volume-licensing/education/ enterprise-agreement.html SECURITY • Creative Cloud Security FAQ for IT — wwwimages.adobe.com/www.adobe.com/content/dam/ Adobe/en/devnet/ creativesuite/pdfs/Security_CCE_ FAQ_20130424.pdf COPPA • 15 USC Chapter 91 - Children’s Online Privacy Protection — www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/ text/15/chapter-91 • Safe Harbor Program — business.ftc.gov/ content/safe-harbor-program • “FTC Will Propose Broader Children’s Online Privacy Safeguards” — www.natlawreview. com/article/ftc-will-propose-broader-children-sonline-privacy-safeguards • “Revised Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule Goes Into Effect Today” — http://www.ftc. gov/opa/2013/07/coppa.shtm
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