I agree with it's a rent not to own type deal. I totally understand the cost of the products are high and if a person can't afford it I totally understand. If anyone  is just going to use one of these palns they maigh as well put that amount of money away each month and long before the 12 months is up they will be able to purchase it and then own it.

I really can't see a good reason to rent their software. Photoshop isn't learned overnight so if you rent it and spend the first six months or more learning it where does one benifit. If you decide after a year that you really want to continue to use it because it's great, which it is, what do you do now? Continue to rent or purchase it because you already lost a boat load of money renting it for the year.

I say wait till you have the money to purchase and go out and get it. Just my opinion and thoughts.

I wouldn't Rent it..

Maybe they should let RENT-A-CENTER sell it too even though I still would not do that too cause you would end up paying Double PLUS..

the rent-a-center was a joke though ..

I'm surprised they just don't do a cloud based deal.

Absolutely the most idiotic idea I have seen of late! 

     I can see businesses using it for presentations, web page devs and such but for the average user, like skinners and others who just want to have fun with graphics, it wouldn't be worth it. I use to do electronics as a hobby. Had tons of fun doing it too. Then I went to work in a clock factory building digital time systems. That too was fun, for awhile, but when you have to make deadlines and sometimes rush a job, well ... the fun goes out the window real quick. Same with Photoshop. Everything I do in Photoshop I have fun with. I love working with graphics and doing the apps for the community project plus the WB's ...... heaven should be that good. But now they want to do these subs and if you want the high end stuff you got to pay as you go. Not to say that you can't buy it but the price ....... way out of my league. Plus there's no real savings. In the long run you wind up paying more than the app is worth. IMO 

     I understand the business aspect. But for a program that powerful and yes Photoshop is, to be offered up by subscription really doesn't make sense unless you're into the professional part of it. A true deal for the nonprofessional would be to allow them to pay over time like you would for a car or some other high end product. So what if there would be interest attached to it. That palls in comparison to the actual worth of the app. Offer the average consumer incentives such as putting CS5 by itself up for a sale price. Then if they want throw in the extras for a reduced price. Think about it. Photoshop 7 is ten years old and they still sell it for $699.00. Ten years and its still the same price as it was when it first came out? Please. That's more ripoff than anything else.

     The Gimp is an open source Photoshop clone. Does just about everything PS does and its a freebie. I have the Gimp, latest release, but I haven't used it much as I'm stuck on PS ever since I got it. I've also got Paint Shop Pro. That too is pretty darn powerful and to some far better than Photoshop and less expensive. Point is if Adobe really wants to grab up more of the market they need to rethink their approach to more than just the professional end of things. Put Photoshop within easy reach of the average consumer and watch the sales go through the proverbial roof. IMO