Adobe has worked very hard over the years to not only produce really great design software, but to create a de facto monopoly. Just about anybody in the design industry is tethered to some version of Creative Suite, and we've all shelled out thousands of dollars over the years to stay as current as we can afford.

But, Adobe's recent decision to do away with flat-fee, one-time purchase software licenses is an affront to freelancers and small businesses everywhere. Adobe is instead converting all its software to subscription plans via Creative Cloud, charging anywhere from $9.99 for the use of ONE app per month, upwards of $49.99 for a single user PER MONTH.

Adobe says that this transition to mandatory use of Creative Cloud is so that users can always stay current on their software. How many design professionals are still using older versions of Creative Suite? No doubt a high number, because let's face it, they haven't changed that much from release to release, at least not that most of us need, especially if we can't spare the extra $1,000+ for the upgrade!

Small businesses are the backbone of economies around the world, and freelancers are what keep marketing and art departments running efficiently. How can we continue to run our businesses if we're forced to shell out hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars a year to continue to use software that is integral to our businesses?

We are seeking to encourage Adobe to either: 1. reinstate their former licensing platform so that users may purchase individual software licenses through a flat-fee, one-time purchase; or 2. lower the monthly price of Creative Cloud so that small businesses and freelancers can afford it.

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