Where would we be without the suite of tools provided us by Adobe? This isn’t an endorsement so much as an acknowledgement that the software they distribute plays a significant role in much of what we see and hear on the internet. Beyond the many professional applications of its editing and creative tools, we wouldn’t have so many of the memes that we now enjoy without Photoshop, and what is the internet without memes?
Alas, both Adobe and its users find themselves under a bit of legal pressure lately that threatens to disturb the status quo, while not sinking the company itself. Adobe made news when it sent out a notice to users that those using outdated versions of their apps could potentially face claims of copyright infringement from third parties. Given that tech types can be particular about what they use and unwilling to change once they’ve found what works for them, the company’s message was a strong one and apparently a necessary one as well.
As Gizmodo reports, the message to subscribers was in response to a lawsuit from Dolby claiming copyright infringement. The suit from Dolby alleges that Adobe was less than forthcoming about its sales numbers upon moving away from physical copies of its software and to the Creative Cloud, where customers can download their software online. Those sales numbers matter in the licensing agreement that allows Adobe to use Dolby technology in their software, and in fudging their numbers Adobe was in violation of that agreement that granted Dolby a certain amount of revenue based on the sales of certain programs.
As the article notes, it’s unfair for Adobe to put the burden for their own legal woes onto the shoulders of the paying customers that support it, demanding that they do the work of helping Adobe with compliance and potentially putting themselves out in the process. Users have various reasons for not updating their programs, but those shouldn’t matter provided that they pay their annual fees. A company’s problems are not their customers’, and asking consumers to bear the weight and cost of alleged corporate malfeasance is not only unfair but a great way to lose those same loyal customers.
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