Having just installed Windows 7 Beta ,  I wanted to install my favorite applications that included Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver and Fireworks. I noticed that they have a new version CS4 and downloaded the trial to test them out.

Unfortunately none of the individual trial software packages would install. I tried Dreamweaver CS4 and Fireworks CS4 and they both fail about halfway through the installation.

I really wanted to try it the Adobe CS4 for versions so I downloaded them from a torrent site.  Stripped of their Adobe installation software they ran fine.  Attention Adobe: Get an instant upgrade of 20% or better in your software’s over all performance by outsourcing your install script to torrent freaks.  Oh yeah and the bonus is that your software will install on anything that can spin a fan.

Adobe CS4 for seems to conflict with the Windows 7 Aero theme and so I eventually grew tired of the new visual style of CS4 and uninstalled it.

I downloaded the Adobe CS3 trial versions and they installed and work perfectly on Windows 7 Beta. I like the stability and performance of the CS3 versions better anyway and think that Adobe still has more than a few problems to resolve in the Adobe CS4 lineup.

Adobe has always been famous for the quality and technical genius of it’s software and equally famous for the very low quality of its problematic installation and so-called protection software.

Continuing relationship with Macrovision is causing the same pain and same problems as with every previous release of their software. It appears that they have learned nothing from the pain experienced by their user base over the last three years.  The Adobe support forum is filled with complaints related to this and yet Adobe corporate management heads are apparently filled with nothing at all.

It’s sad I cannot write a great review about great software running well on the best release of Windows we’ve ever had, but I can’t and it’s not because Adobe doesn’t create great software.  It’s because they protect is using outmoded technology that hackers easily avoid and that same software causes very real operational problems to their equally real paying customers.  Does Adobe think that hackers will begin paying for the software if it’s protected?  Does Adobe really think that it’s corporate users should put up with problems and slow performance?  My advice to Adobe is to follow the money and serve your customers.  Get rid of the useless copy protection and move on with your business relationships with your real customers who will be happy to discover that by removing the crap you’ve added to protect your software, that it runs like a dream.

In the end I’m happy to use CS3. It is a version that I know and trust. It works perfectly under Windows 7 in all interface modes. It seems to benefit from the speed of Windows 7 and becomes even more useful than under Windows Vista previously.

Conclusion: if you are testing Windows 7 beta I highly advise that you use the CS3 version. The first reason is that it’s very stable and fast.  The second reason is that CS4 seems to have a lot of interface releated problems that are magnified by the Windows 7 Aero theme.

PS: Adobe Management (if you are even sentient) Please wake up! Macrovision problems plaque your real customers NOT hackers.  Nobody has ever bought a single copy of your software because of Macrovision protection.  Many corporate customers have had problems because of it.  Wake up, drink some coffee, take some geritol and read your customer support forums.  You’ll get it.  If you dont, then write me and I’ll help.

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