Adobe has been under a hell of a lot of fire since they forced the Creative Cloud on their user base. Sure, the CC model was met with wary cynicism for over a year, but it wasn't the only option. Once it became the one and only choice to continue with Adobe into the future, people flipped out. Since then, it's been nearly impossible to talk about something cool that Adobe is doing without the conversation devolving into a muck-throwing attack on what the business of Adobe is doing.
When thinking about what your personal opinion of Adobe is, I think it's important to separate the people from the policy, because the people are some of the most awesome individuals I've ever met. That is why I wanted to make a video actually putting faces to the names on the splash screens. They are amazing people with big dreams and creative hearts. They are the reason Adobe is a success today, and likely had no say in the decision to retire perpetual licenses.
I got hooked up with Adobe almost by accident. I shared something with them via Facebook, and the relationship blossomed from there. I have always been a huge fan of Adobe. I've used their products for over 10 years. A major reason I am a creative is because of just dinking around in Photoshop while in high school. The ability to just "play" on a digital art board exploded my creativity. When I spoke to the people at Adobe, it was clear that my experiences mirrored those of the engineers and designers. We're all just a bunch of art junkies, playing around in the digital realm and making magic with what we touch.
I visited both their offices in San Francisco and San Jose. They have different vibes (I much preferred their San Francisco office, with it's exposed brick and duct work), but the people were very much in tune with what I was hoping I would find. Former photographers, videographers and graphic designers lined the offices. I met people who knew and understood what I did, and were passionate about making my experiences with my profession better. Obsessed even.
The next time you want to aim a verbal tirade at how much you hate Adobe and their demonic practices (or whatever language you want to use to describe how wronged you are), remember that there are people at Adobe who are just like you. They aren't a group of conniving demons thinking up ways to rob or cheat you. No, they are just a bunch of artists doing what they love. Geeky guys packed in rooms trying to design code that will make your next work of art truly magical.