what-adobe-creative-cloud-is-and-isnt

Adobe’s Creative Cloud is a multi-faceted, cloud-based, monthly-membership service that provides 20 gigs of cloud-based file storage and access to 17 Adobe desktop applications, plus Adobe’s Touch Apps for iPad and Android™ tablets. It also provides file-sharing and device-synchronizing tools, web hosting for up to five sites (through Adobe Business Catalyst), and (via its Type Kit) access to numerous web fonts.
Creative Cloud isn’t a server for cloud-based applications, however; it houses Adobe applications that you can install onto your desktop or laptop, just as you would from an online source. Note, however, that your Adobe applications don’t run on the cloud, but on your computer.
Is your Adobe Creative Suite several versions behind? Does it seem like you just upgraded to CS5 and are cash struggling for another upgrade? If so, the Creative Cloud could become an affordable solution to get you current. It gives you access to all CS6 Applications: Photoshop, Illustrator InDesign, Premiere, Acrobat and Dreamweaver.
Membership provides you with Adobe’s latest introductions. Also, you don’t need an Internet connection to run its applications, but you will need to connect monthly, so Adobe can confirm your membership.

The desktop apps picture
Currently, Creative Cloud membership provides Photoshop Extended, After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, InDesign, Flash Professional, Illustrator, Fireworks, Adobe Muse, Dreamweaver, Audition, SpeedGrade, Prelude, Lightroom, Flash Builder Premium, Edge Animate Preview, Acrobat X Pro, and Touch App Plugins. You download and install them independently, on an as-needed basis. You can also install and use the applications on two different workstations — Mac and/or PC — as long as they don’t run concurrently. Activation and a subscription license check occur every 30 days. If you are not online, your software will inform you to connect to the Internet.

Website design and hosting
Are you a small business without a website? Is your current website timeworn? Are you lacking coding skills or the funds to hire a web developer? Creative Cloud includes Adobe Muse, a web-design application for designers who don’t write code. The web design begins with an icon-based site map. Creating the web navigation is as simple as adding pages and dragging them to their correct hierarchy. Best, it feels familiar to those persons already comfortable with other Adobe design applications.
Membership also includes web-hosting services through Adobe Business Catalyst.

File storage, sharing and device syncing
Want to sketch ideas on your tablet and later open them in Photoshop or Illustrator? Want to collaborate on designs? Do your team members occasionally need to see the file contents, but don’t own the Adobe applications? Do you email attachments to clients for approval review?
Cloud-based services allow you to create and access files from any internet-connected computer or device. You choose which files you want to upload (and sync) via the cloud; otherwise, you save files in your traditional manner.
Cloud-based file sharing offers exciting possibilities because you can easily email file links to others. Also, Adobe-based files created in Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign can be viewed by anyone with an Internet connection and browser, sans the application. Further, useful information is also displayed with the file, i.e., application, fonts, number of pages, file size and color palette.
Each reviewer can leave comments, and the file receiver can download a file, if it’s permission tagged and they have appropriate software.

Conclusion
There’s much to like, but frankly, the current file-sharing feature is short in effectiveness. The file uploading is buggy; some files fail to upload with no error message given and you can’t cancel an upload in progress. Adobe says you can switch the Photoshop layer visibility on and off, but I was unable to duplicate the process. I also discovered uploaded files that didn’t display until the web page was reloaded several times.
Unquestionably, Adobe wants success for its cloud-based services, so trust that its engineers are working on upgrades — especially for cloud-file storage and the sharing features. Here’s my Creative Cloud wish list:
– Establish a secure location for shared files
– Provide the ability to customize email when sending a link to a file; include the email subject line and the body copy
– Label cloud-sent emails as having been sent from my email address, not “Creative Cloud.”
– Send return email notification when recipients view and comment on a file
– Include a file version stamp
– Include a file approval stamp
– Provide space for comments on each document page, not just the overall document as is currently offered.

 

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