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I use Photoshop but also utilize Topaz Studio and NIK Suite within Photoshop. Both of these can be used as a blanket filter or selectively via layering/masking within Photoshop. I prefer the latter, but that's just how I roll with my own postwork process.
Photoshop is one of those monthly subs I find totally worth it. Other subs come and go as needed, like subscribing to Mudbox or to the AMC+ Prime channel, but Photoshop is the one sub that I've never turned off. $10/mo is worth it for me to always stay up to date.
For whatever it's worth, got my CS4 install working on the new Win10 PC. Was a few years ago. Do remember servers were no longer there to authenticate. Was sweating. But it works fine to this day. So there was a way. Just don't remember ATM what i did.
Saxa - I had installed my CS4 on my Windows 10 laptop in 2020. If you ever do remember how you were able to install without server authentication, let us know! Thanks.
Photoshop subscription & Topaz AI one time purchase.
For all the popularity of complaining about Adobe, their service actually IS good value for the money, especially if you use more than one of their apps.
Edit:
For digital drawing I use either Clip Paint or Adobe Fresco.
I use Paint.net for editing. I have tried Gimp, but hated the UI.
Just looked through my notes from 1.5 years+ ago.
(1) Had a new install file direct from adobe CS that was from 2018. This DL is independant and no longer relies on install disks. Had issues with activation on new PCs, so they said that was guaranteed. And it worked for that PC.
(2) On Latest Win10PC, despite new file, still wanted to activate. Textfile note i made to myself at install-time was add entries to Windows host file to loop-back (or disable) the activation, which are still in my hosts file. Do not remember if that was critical or not. But timestamp of that note conincides with date-time of CS4 install. Do remember not working, then it did. So guess this loopback block was the key. And maybe the DL from (1)?
If you want hosts entries (there are quite a few), can post. Assuming DAZmods are OK with this.
Given I paid quite a bit for CS4 perpetual licence and it still works great, and Adobe trying to force retirement of these pricey apps through non-support of activation, i do not consider this illegal in any way.
So can 150% sympathize with anyone that wants to get their old "paid-for" software up and running. Assuming they owned it, like you clearly do, being passionate about losing access.
I think we would have to say no to posting the list of servers to block, while the users here may have legitimate licenses that would certainly not be guaranteed for the wider potential audience.
Sadly, yes there is always that wider audience issue. Disparity issues (and other) affecting legit DS photoshop users. Thx for clarifying.
I consider the $10/month well worth it. It's WAY lesss than I paid for CS4, which no longer works for me.
I have nothing really to contribute except to promote a concept...
I noticed a couple of people here seem to use a couple of different programs for postwork and that's good.
Programs and applications are tools to get the job done, and while it's great to proficient at any one program, especially one that is popular and versatile, it's even better to know others as well... because none are identical and some do certain things better or easier than others... and it's always good to know what the other options are out there if you are trying for a certain effect, look or style...
Its like trying to build a shed with just a hammer... or more accurately a medium size toolbox... you'll probably be able to do it, but if you had several different tool boxes from different manufacturers, even if they were more or less the same tools, you increase the odds of having a better tool to choose for a particular activity... making it easier or quicker...
Maybe the Husky brand saw has sharper teeth or a more comfortable grip, the Snap-on wrench a longer handle from more leverage, the Harbor Freight hammer a laser guide so you can amuse your cat with an ambiguous moving red dot while hammering or the Stanley screwdriver just fits snugger and is less likely to strip a screw (that was not a euphemism for anything dirty)...
Its not necessary to do, but sometimes it's better in the long run... especially now that there are a lot of free or very cheap image editors available... and unlike cheap tools they are unlikely to explode or have a laser guide that's off by several degrees.
Anyway, it's probably a poor analogy, but I'm just saying it doesn't hurt to give different programs a shot and even if you just use it for one thing because you like how that feature works, you still have that one thing you can do more efficiently or quicker.
And you aren't a snob if you stick to only one program, that's what's comfortable to you... so you do you.
Cheers.
@Saxa -- SD,
No worries. I suspect that your fix wouldn't work in my case. I bought an education license (much lower price than retail) on DVD when I was teaching. Somewhere in the small print (it’s always the small print), I'm sure that there were disclaimers from Adobe about future use of the software. After trying out Corel's PaintShop Pro 2023 for four weeks, I bought the perpetual license to it with a nice discount that I was offered by Corel. I'm a retired hobbyist at computer 3D stuff and that is how I got involved in a small way with postwork. Many tutorials from Daz Studio creators (some paid, some free via YouTube) went into using postwork to create some effect when working with HDRI maps and other topics. All of them used Photoshop but a few mentioned that the effect could also be achieved in Gimp; I've installed Gimp as well.
@jjoyner If you can make other software work for your needs, well that's awesome! I do a fair bit of brush work at times and would hate to lose my setup. But sounds like you have different needs.
@McGyver To add a bit more more to the one program focus. Can sure say it takes a while to go from proficient to master one program. Along the way add special brushes you find etc. And photoshop is an amazing tool. Like DS.
@ButterFlyfish $10/month is not bad at all. Photoshop is so worth it. Though can say 10 years x 12 months X $10 = $1200 which would be on top of what I already paid for CS4. Paid fair bit les than $1200. And it doesn't stop at $1200 being subscription based. But yeah once you have in workflow, hard to do without.
...I've become pretty adept with both Gimp and PSP. Pretty much got the hang of ExposureX5 just with the 30 day demo. I was saving up for X6 but they dropped W7 support with the update, so I'll have to wait until my system upgrade to W11 for X7.
I'm still using Dreamweaver and Fireworks from Photoshop Suite CS4.
I am personally thinking about buying this: https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/photo/
I looks that it's pretty powerful in what it can do and what you can achieve with it, but then more intuitive ansd easier to use than Photoshop.
I've been using it for 2 or 3 years now. I'm not sure if it's more intuitive, since I came to Affinity from using (a very very old, but still) Photoshop, so I somewhat knew my around PS. What's great about Affinity is that their learn session covers their tools with basic and more in-depth tutorials, including video tutorials. When I first got Affinity Photo and Designer (Affinity's equivalent of Illustrator), I watched a bunch of videos, and it immediately gave me the feeling that I knew what I was doing.
I am using frequently The GIMP and it works well for my needs.
A lot of my post work is done using a combination of OnOne Photo RAW and Photoshop CS4 with NIK filters and Topaz Lab's Restyle.