Actually, unless Adobe can prove that a particular design was made with an unlicensed version of one of their applications (which they cant), they would have no grounds to sue you for commercial work you've sold. If you're running your own company, and they can prove you are in possession of pirated Adobe software, then they would have grounds to sue. However, if you're working freelance, and not using pirate software as part of a business, then the maximum penalties would be the same as any home user. That said, if you are making money off said software, the Justice of the Peace, or tribunal judge or whatever (it depends on what country you live in) may be more inclined to give you the maximum possible penalty. However, unless you are in possession of a certain amount of pirated material (I think it's 10 copies of any given intellectual/digital propery, or the value of it exceeds a certain amount (it's something like $5k US off the top of my head) then it doesn't enter the realm of a federal suit. The most Adobe could do would be to launch a civil suit against you, which they are unlikely (almost unheard of) to actually do so against a single individual due to court costs.
Hmm... well, either way, I'm going to be a pr0fessional photographer when I graduate, so I figure I might as well invest in a legal version now. Since you seem to know a lot: do you know if you are allowed to make commercial use of an education copy of Adobe software? If that's the case, I wouldn't have to buy the software all over again after I graduate, which will run me up 2 grand. >.<
No. The point of education software is for educational institutes and students only. That said, how would they know.
One mistake and they'd find out. You are required to register software, even if it's educational. If I drew attention to myself and they noticed that my copy was licensed as an educational version, I could have a lawsuit on my hands, as well as being blacklisted as a photographer. Better safe than sorry. It'll be tax deductible anyway. I won't get the student price, but I still will be getting some of my money back. Thanks for answering my question. Easier than doing complete research on it, although I'll still have to look into it anyway. My mom doesn't believe me...
I'm sorry but how do you think they're going to be able to look at your copy of photoshop? Adobe don't have the right to break into your computer and look at your programs.
It's registered as an educational copy. They have it on record on their own computers. That's how they'll know. I gave them personal information to register my copy in my own name.
Yes, but they can tell that a educational license is registered under your name, however they cannot prove that you continue to use said license. Registration is purely a support type thing. It does not grant them any inside information of your computer, your activities, or anything else. It's not proof of anything.
You could easily have changed your name or purchased another copy under a different name and they cant prove otherwise. They probably have several thousand duplicates in their registry database, not that it means anything. Basically, Adobe are never going to catch you if you arn't using the right license/don't have a license at all.
Hmm... either way, it's an ethics issue. I'm one of those guys that points the finger and says "OMG! U stealed fotoshoop!" only in a more pr0fessional and friendly, non-condemning way. In fact, all I really do is make a face, tell them they should buy it, and move on to whatever we were talking about before... But the point is: I don't like to steal software, so I don't, even if I could get away with it. I mean, honestly, how many people do you know who actually bought Photoshop? I can be all special and stuff because I paid for it or something. And I really shouldn't have ordered a large root beer... I'm twitching from caffeine right now... and this post probably has the worst flow ever compared to any post I've made since 2003.
