Photoshop CS student version licencing agreement?

I'm working on an associate's degree in web development and this
semester I'm taking my first graphic design course for the web. The
last week or so I've been looking at various photo editing tools and
ultimately decided to purchase a copy of Photoshop CS. Since I'm a
college student I can get the software at student pricing, but as I
came closer to purchasing the product I thought I had heard someone
say that the licensing agreement of the student version of Photoshop
was different from the standard retail version in that the student
version could not be use for professional purposes. I was wondering
if anyone had any information on this? If I won't be able to use the
software professionally then I think I'll get a copy of MX fireworks
to get me through school and then buy the retail version of Photoshop
later on.

Thank you,
Scott

 

Never mind what someone said. Read the EULA on www.adobe.com where, by the
way, you can get a free 30-day trial version. The student version of the
software is the same as the regular version. The differences concern
transfer of the license.

 

AFIK, once you upgrade to a newer version (at the full upgrade price),
the limitations on the academic version license are lifted. Not a bad
deal overall.

 

Macromedia doesn't like Educational versions used for professional
work. Their lic. says so. Adobe is not so nasty about Students
transitioning to the work world. Read the link given in a previous
post.

Macromedia doesn't get it that when you are going from "student" to
"making money", it's rare that there would be money in the pocket to
upgrade to the professional version just to say do a web site for
someone for a couple of hundred bucks to pay the rent.

A software company will get students for the full professional version
on the next upgrade when they are not in school and not able to get
the student book store discount. Being restrictive, especially on
struggling students, does not build good brand loyality. It punishes
students. Adobe understands this long term relationship. They are
into it for a long haul with thier users. Macromedia doesn't get it.
They are out for the short term.

Good for Adobe. Shame on Macromedia.

 

Scott,

I would recommend you get Photoshop, just for the simple fact that it
is the standard for image editing. MX fireworks is probably a good
program also, but not a substitute for the for the power of PS. The
learning curve on PS is several years, unless you have intensive
tutoring, and even then it is probably a year before you get a handle
on all the concepts. An analogy that comes to mind is PS manipulation
is similar to playing a piano. Some play the piano acceptably and some
are masters. The same thing is true about Photoshop. The one common
factor is you will not learn Photoshop in a few days or even a few
months. You should start now and by the time you are out of school you
will at least know how to use Photoshop methods. There are lots of
other reasons to use Adobe products(color management,
interconnectivity etc), but the learning curve is the biggie.
Nikki