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Adobe just announced the next generation of their Creative Suite family software products, including prices. As in previous years, there are significant price differences between the US and European market (as example I looked up the prices for the Netherlands) for the same products (English versions, prices excluding VAT):

Exchange rate used: €1 = $1.335

I currently have licenses for Dreamweaver MX 2004 and Creative Suite 2 Premium. Adobe doesn’t offer custom bundles with only those product one really wants, so in my case the Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium comes closest to my needs. As upgrade it would cost me $1,133.16 in the Netherlands vs. $599.00 in the US, which is a difference of 89% – enough to fly over the Atlantic and buy it there myself.

I can not imagine how Adobe justifies these extreme differences, especially as I am not talking about localized versions. Since Adobe took over Macromedia they have more or less a monopoly on design and image editing tools, which are de facto standards in the industry. As a honest customer I don’t have much choice. I have been using their software for many years and once I am switching to an Intel-Mac, I will have to upgrade or search for alternatives which I have not seen yet.

If you would like to react:

Managing Director Central & Eastern Europe:
Fritz Fleischmann

Adobe Systems GmbH
Georg-Brauchle-Ring 58
D-80992 München
Deutschland

Update [April 16, 2007]:
Sign the online petition for Fair pricing for European Software
more posts about this subject:
Adobe is ripping off European customers

Adobe posted a net profit of $143.9 million, or 24 cents per diluted share, in its fiscal first-quarter ended February 28 2007, versus a profit of $105.1 million, or 17 cents per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Obviously we are supposed to help them to achieve an even higher net profit this quarter.

Update [April 23, 2007]:
Danielle Libine did a lot of work and wrote a long article about the situation:
Adobe pricing in the EU
and how it affects customer behavior, encourages piracy and harms company image

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The pavilions in Almere are a museum and educational center for modern contemporary art. After more than 10 years, their existence is now in danger since the city wants to cut back funding and tear down the buildings. For our town of 160.000 inhabitants this would be a great loss. Just like the modern architecture, modern art is something that should have its place in our city.

This weekend Museum De Paviljoens had an action weekend to raise awareness and gain support. We went there twice and took some photos, which you can see on Flickr. The current exhibition with work of Barbara Visser is excellent. Her art is mind boggling and inspirational. If you live in the area or visit the Netherlands, come and see it. It is only 30 minutes from Amsterdam and the exhibition is open until the 15th of April 2007.

After this weekend I would not only plead to save this museum but instead suggest that it gets a chance to grow larger.

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