Adobe released v2 of Photoshop Album, yesterday, without support for Win98-SE. (v1 supported it, btw)
I checked out the System Requirements for Photoshop CS, and see that it also does not support w98se.
Consequently, I suspect that when PSE3 is released, those of us still on w98se will be unable to run it.
If you are like me, still on w98se, would you be willing to purchase WinXP for the sole reason of being able to run PSE3, PSA2, PS-CS or some other Adobe app?
I’m having a hard time accepting the near-$100 XP price, along with the cost of the updated Adobe apps. Additionally, I would have to abandon my scanner, which uses an 8-bit SCSI interface card. Nothing at all wrong with it, just not supported under XP… so that’s another expense directly tied to the decision to upgrade an Adobe app.
I’m curious to hear from others in a similar situation as to how they reach either conclusion.
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Byron, It will be a sad day, if that happens. I personally haven’t moved to XP, I’m very happy with Windows 2000, although I switched to an Epson scanner ( for the very nice drivers ) from my SCSI UMAX scanner, because UMAX had crappy support for the Windows 2000 system .
There’s another possibility. Dual boot. You install XP in a seperate partition, but on a FAT32 formatted one. This way, Win98 and XP can share the data, and you still get to use your scanner !
I don’t see any correlation between supported Windows versions, and supported MacOS versions.
Perhaps someone knowledgable could report on any difference in System requriements for a Mac between PS-7 and PS-CS, which will probably give an indication of PSE3’s direction.
I’m curious to hear from others in a similar situation as to how they
reach either conclusion.
Thanks, Byron
Byron,
I switched to XP from Win98SE earlier this year and replaced my scanner. I also had to replace some software although most of what I had continued to work.
On the one hand, I hated to have to replace a perfectly good scanner. But, on the other hand, current scanners are so much better than my old one it was worth the replacement. I needed the push though.
You may want to start thinking about replacing your Win98SE for another reason. It’s obsolete and nearing the end of its life cycle. According to Microsoft, Win98SE is already in the extended support phase and will enter non-supported status January 16, 2004 which is right around the corner. That means no new fixes will be forthcoming. You’ll still have access to the online existing fixes until "end of life" which is one year later (Jan 16, 2005). But I personally wouldn’t want to push it given the frequency of critical updates for security patches.
You’ll find much better support for USB and new hardware features in XP as well and I’ve found XP to be much more stable. As time passes, Win98SE will be left out in the cold as newer hardware and software leaves it behind.
Jane, don’t fret. Just because Adobe may not continue to support an operating system that’s obsolete doesn’t mean they’ll abandon an entire platform! 🙂
System requirements for Photoshop CS (from the Adobe web site): Windows Intel® Pentium® III or 4 processor Microsoft® Windows® 2000 with Service Pack 3 or Windows XP 192MB of RAM (256MB recommended) 280MB of available hard-disk space Color monitor with 16-bit color or greater video card 1,024×768 or greater monitor resolution CD-ROM drive Internet or phone connection required for product activation
Macintosh PowerPC® G3, G4, or G5 processor Mac OS X v.10.2.4, 10.2.5, 10.2.6, or 10.2.7 192MB of RAM (256MB recommended) 320MB of available hard-disk space Color monitor with 16-bit color or greater video card 1,024×768 or greater monitor resolution CD-ROM drive
System Requirements for Photoshop 7: Windows (from Outpost.com) Pentium III, 4, or faster processor Microsoft Windows 98, 98 (SE), NT 4.0 (SP6a), 2000 (SP2), Me, or XP 128 MB RAM (192 MB RAM recommended) 280 MB hard disk space CD-ROM drive 256-color display with 800 x 600 resolution and 16-bit color video card minimum
Macintosh (from the box) PowerPC® G3, G4, or G4 dual processor Mac OS 9.1, 9.2, or Mac OS X v.10.1.3 128MB of RAM (192MB recommended) 320MB of available hard-disk space Color monitor with 16-bit color or greater video card 800×600 or greater monitor resolution CD-ROM drive
And those of us who’ve been using PSE 2 on any Mac operating system that predates OS X (me, for instance!) won’t be able to upgrade Elements until we do an OS upgrade, either.
As much as I know a lot of people won’t like this, I can understand why Adobe (and probably lots of others) are doing this. It would be nearly impossible to design decent software that covers the span between long outdated systems and the new ones, which are taking advantage of much improved technology. At the rate Adobe is going, by the time they release PSE 3, I just hope it has the ability to run on the new Mac hardware as well as the next operating system – Panther – which will be released soon.
Jodi, it’s a conspiracy to make me buy something I don’t need….I hate it when that happens. After reading the thread I started around upgrading to XP, I’m petrified with the prospect of trying to make it work. I may just have to hang back with the current software for another 6 months to a year, and then go for a new ‘puter. Oh, well…..life goes on.
Chuck, I know you mentioned you wanted a Dell. Dell as a payment program to qualified buyers…on the Dell site. I’m not sure what the interest rate is…my mother in law is paying for hers this way…$28 a month ….just a thought. Nobady wants to force you to buy a new computer….they just want you to ‘love’ the ‘new’ technologies available to you….with a happy face 🙂
If I recall correctly Microsoft will soon stop supporting Win98, it may be this month, (and it has already stopped supporting earlier OS).
There is nothing new here, just the same thing I have seen since starting with early versions of DOS.
Software developers are not going to develop for non supported operating systems. But that is not to say it won’t run on these OS.
When I bought this computer almost 2 years ago it would not run my PhotoDeluxe 1BE (more acurately the ATM that came with PhotoDeluxe). So I had to buy something new to open and use all those PPD files; So ……… bought PSE 1. And then PSE2. (I have no complaints. Being forced to buy PSE is one of the best things that have happen to me, … computerwise that is).
But it is also the same with hardware; Upgrade or buy new? I would think that any system that cannot be upgraded above 384mb ram is not worth adding anything new… like a new OS or even major ram purchase.
Hi Beth, All my software runs fine on my G4 with 9.2.2, and I sure have this thing customized,,,,,,,,but I know that sometime in the next year I will probably get a new Mac. I don’t really need it, and I really don’t want another computer, so I will just sit and wait until I have to get one to keep up with all the new stuff. Don’t need a new truck either, but will just see what the future brings. Jane
I have been reading this thread with great interest and with regards to reasons for upgrading I am much the wiser now.
Thank you all.
Robert
PS I am slightly tired of Microsoft although my windows 2000 works a treat. Thinking of switching to macintosh or even Linux although the latter seems more something for real wizards.
The Linux people will tell you it’s a "piece of cake", and I’m sure it is if you have the time/energy/interest to put into it. My son runs it on one of his computers, but I also notice he doesn’t use it much! 🙂
I would never try to talk anyone into switching to a Mac unless they were already leaning it that direction, but I, personally, wouldn’t want to use any other platform on a regular basis. If you’d like to talk about it off forum, Carl Sutherland switched to a Mac several months ago, and he’s been thrilled.
Having run Linux for almost a year, I can safely say that it’s far from easy! Installing an application is a puzzle, sharing rights, etc. Go with a Mac (as I will do in a few months!)
Linux can be fun, but you still can’t use it for real work, unless your real work involves running a server of some sort (especially web). I like Ray’s advice. 😉 That’s what I did, and I’ve been quite happy. (jumped into the mac world by buying a powerbook)
There are many applications for Linux (Star Office, Gimp, etc.) But the problem is installing and managing them. There’s always a missing package (the equivalent of a DLL or library). Then, you got to surf the net, find the package and make sure it’s the proper level / version / distribution. Find the tool to install it (sometimes.. !).
Mac, eventhough they now run on Unix (which is what Linux is), are much more easy to manage. In fact, they’re just as easy as Windows.
Vicky, I might join the club of the Powerbook as well. A laptop would certainly make my life easier. Although the PowerMac G5 dual processors is really tempting… decisions, decisions!
I believe you have mentioned being an ex-OS/2 guy. I made the move from OS/2 Warp MCP2 on a P4 1.6GHz back in February to a PowerMac G4 DP 1GHz. I haven’t looked back. Can’t justify a G5 DP just yet, but by the time I can they should be in the 3GHz range — oooooooH!
I may even have the pennies scraped together by then! ;->
With mentioning Linux I was aware I threw a stone in the hen house. What I didn’t know about it was how difficult it is to actually make it work comfortably. By the sounds of it you really must like "playing" (for lack of a better word) with soft ware to switch to linux. Which is not me.
Have heard only good things about apple, not necessarily just the powerbook. I will look into that.
I was running OS/2 3.0 (Warp) on a Pentium 233Mhz. It was FAST! Installing software was easy, so as running the machine. What I didn’t like was Netscape (not the most stable of all Netscape version..) Win-OS2 was perfect as well!
Nowadays, I still have the old reflex of pressing CTRL-ESC to bring up my Window list… 😉
One way to overcome the "techno lust" that rears it’s ugly head whenever a new operating system/application/processor/etc. is announced is to stop looking at the ads, stop reading forums, stop talking to peers and don’t leave the house.
We were all happy and excited when we bought our present system and software – it was going to be waaaayyyy better than what we had before and we convinced ourselves that it was worth the expense. But as soon as a newer version is announced, suddenly, what we lusted after a year ago no longer fills our needs and we have to upgrade.
JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!
I’m as conflicted as everyone else. I NEED Panther – not!! But I’ll probably get it. PhotoShop 6 works fine and has way more tools and abilities than I will ever learn to use, but I NEED PS cs and will probably get it.
What would have happened in the television world if we consumers had to get a set with new features in order to watch the new shows announced at the start of each season. And would re-runs from years ago still display on our newer sets??
I like the comparison with a television set and old television programmes. However I think you are closer when you compare a computer to a car. Take a volkswagen as an example. In the 60’s it wouldn’t go fast it wouldn’t start if it was seriously freezing and a car radio if you had one, would be full of disturbance. Nonetheless, back then every one wanted to have a car. We just didn’t know any better. That goes in a way also for computers. We want one and think we have the latest model untill a new one comes along and we all of a sudden find the old one is outdated. There is a difference between the development of cars and computers. That is, cars continuously improve and overcome old problems where as computers not nessesarily do. Just imagine yourself buying the newest volkswagen but it still doesn’t start when it is freezing and the car radio doesn’t work properly. Would you want it? I would say no. You would go to a cardealer of a different brand that sells better cars.
Unfortunately that same strategy doesn’t apply with computers as there are hardly any other "cardealers", so we are stuck with our one supplier who doesn’t see the need to improve its hardware as we still buy it from him. Well done Gates and pity to us who still buy the stuff because we can’t live with out it anymore.
Well, Ray, if you ever want to ask about the powerbook, fire away. However, I’ve got the just recently replaced version. 😉 They’ve now got 15" models that match the 12 and 17. Mine is the updated titanium version (1ghz G4 and superdrive model that still boots os9). I bought it early this year.
One thing I should tell you, though, is that the track pad on this thing is quite good. Someone asked me about powerbooks before and I told them that the track pad was a track pad (i.e. nothing special). Now, though, I have to say that it’s actually good enough to use with PSE, although it takes a bit more patience. There are really nice cute *tiny* mice available, though. I’ve got the smallest one I’ve ever seen for sale. It’s a little optical USB mouse. It fits in my bag and I take it with me when I know I’m going to want to do something that day that would be easier with a mouse. Unfortunately, it glows a lot (it has a see-through case), but it’s still a really nice mouse.
Other than that, this is easily the fastest machine I’ve ever used. I’ve used some intel ones that are supposed to be faster, but they are choppy. I mean, some things seem blazingly fast while others don’t. This machine is consistently fast, and with tons of ram, it will cache everything so that once you’ve started a program once, it starts up twice as fast in the future (and for the rest of the time you have the machine on – seriously, I run Mail, Mozilla, Safari, Word, Excel, PSE2, and a couple of games, and it somehow manages to cache things such that all of these programs will start up twice as fast after the first run, as long as I don’t log out). And it’s *quiet*.
Oh and the absolutely coolest thing of all is that I rarely reboot this machine. When I’m done, I close the lid, it goes to sleep, and then when I want to use it again, I open the lid and go for it. This can go on for weeks without a reboot. I have never used a machine that could go for weeks without a reboot before. Usually, the only time I reboot it is if I upgrade the system (those almost always require a reboot), or if I accidentally changed the battery at the wrong time (take it from me – do not use your battery down to 0% charge. The system will go to sleep and then when you change the battery, it won’t wake back up again. This is a flaw that may have been fixed in os10.2.8, but I haven’t dared to find out.)
Unfortunately that same strategy doesn’t apply with computers as there are hardly any other "cardealers", so we are stuck with our one supplier who doesn’t see the need to improve its hardware as we still buy it from him.
Actually, this is exactly one of the biggest reasons why I decided to try a Mac this time around. (the other reason is because I tried OSX and really really really liked it)
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