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This article is from August 12, 2009, and is no longer current.

Adobe Dropping Support for PowerPC Macs in InDesign CS5

Adobe today announced that future versions of the Creative Suite for the Mac OS would no longer support computers with the PowerPC chipset. That is, CS5 and later will only support Intel-based Macs.

Wow.

Well, given that Apple itself is dropping PowerPC support in Snow Leopard (10.6), it’s kind of a no-brainer that Adobe would follow along. But it’s still a bit of a shock to see it in writing. I’m glad that Adobe has released this information now, so that companies that expect to upgrade to CS5 will have time to ensure their hardware is upgraded, too.

In the meantime, Adobe notes: “Those who own Creative Suite 3 and Creative Suite 4 will still be able to use the software on either a PowerPC based Mac or an Intel based Mac and do not have to upgrade their software. However, Adobe will not be developing for this platform other than for critical issues that may arise.”

You can learn more at Adobe’s CS FAQ page.

Bob Levine says:

August 12, 2009 at 1:01 pm

A long overdue announcement, in my opinion and the correct decision, too.

When the company producing the hardware stops supporting it, it’s time for software companies to stop using resources to support it.

It’s one less platform to support and as I wrote earlier this week things are changing fast for Windows and Mac. It’s going to be a challenge for all software developers to keep up.

Steve Werner says:

August 12, 2009 at 1:10 pm

Definitely the correct decision. Especially in this difficult economy, continuing supporting older platforms is very expensive. Very wise to announce this well in advance.

Raffi Bearmant says:

August 12, 2009 at 1:25 pm

Well if anybody is listening out there PLEASE we BEG you to fix the Footnotes in ID CS5 so they can run along the same line and don’t open a new PP for each note. This drives me and many others CRAZY!
Thank You
|RB

joecab says:

August 12, 2009 at 1:29 pm

How can this be a shock? When were you expecting them to make the switch? I can’t believe people still get surprised at stuff like this anymore. I thought we were pretty lucky getting CS4 on both chipsets.

August 12, 2009 at 1:33 pm

@joecab: Who said anyone was surprised?

Chris V. says:

August 12, 2009 at 1:52 pm

@Steve:
In this difficult economy, upgrading the computers and software is cost prohibitive for my company. We’re primarily PowerPCs and only plan to get Intel Macs as needed (when a current PPC dies or has serious hardware issues).

I’ll still try and snag a copy for Windows at home though.

elle says:

August 12, 2009 at 2:49 pm

Same here as Chris V. We’re still on G5 towers because they still get the job done. Comparable Intel Macs, OS X upgrades AND CS upgrades, all at once, cost too much. Going from 9 to X was at least doable piecemeal, but now it can’t be broken up into parts.

We’ll likely be switching to PCs and Windows (hurk), IT costs be damned. My department would be in for $7,500 on hardware alone if we went with high-end minis; we can get Core 2 Quad Dell workstations, Windows 7 and CS 5 for $7,000. There’s no way we’re giving up perfectly good 30″ cinemas for iMacs, and there’s no way we’re spending $2k+ per station on Intel Pros when we can get computers designed on spec to our actual needs for a fraction of the cost.

Damn you, Apple, for making your old hardware so sexy and still viable, but completely unsupportable! :p

Mark Hebert says:

August 13, 2009 at 5:52 am

WOW!

I had better upgrade my PowerBook Tiainium 800GHz to a Mac Mini G4 1.5! Also a brand used Dell 20′ UltraSharp just ripe for calibration, drool! With 1GB ram I would now have acres of space for all my open apps and OS X 10.4. Good bye spinning beach balls of death! And with 80GB HD to load up my newly bought CS2 Premium upgrade (off eBay, Bob) I won’t know what to do with myself. Ad in a full keyboard with it’s own keypad and SuperDrive to boot! Luxury!

How could I ever survive without this technology before?

Well… hidebound clients who still use Quark 4-6.5, PageMaker 6.5, InDesign 2.0 and only a few who have gotten up to thinking about anything CS2, that’s how.

almaink says:

August 13, 2009 at 11:26 am

This is just insane IMO. Print shops like mine have been barely hanging on as it is and now we gotta buy new Macs to support software? Bad timing is all I can say…

August 14, 2009 at 6:31 am

almaink,

You can get a Mac mini (Intel) beginning as low as $599.

Adobe still offers the Adobe Authorized Print Service Provider program for $595 per year which gives you two full copies of the Adobe Creative Suite (one Mac, one Windows).

There are ways of getting by if things are rough.

Mickey says:

August 14, 2009 at 10:13 am

It’s definitely the right time to drop Power PC, we still run G5 towers at work, they are work horses, not really that fast anymore but it does get the job done.

I will say that I bought the department a new C2D Imac and it monkey stomps these old $3,500 towers.

Hey printers: evolve or become extinct. I’m not saving down for you.

greg says:

August 17, 2009 at 9:16 am

there’s nothing stopping people who are using powerpc chips from using current versions of OSX or CS. i don’t understand why people think that companies should support legacy systems forever.

and remember, it’s not just adobe’s customers dealing with a down economy, adobe’s got to deal with it as well. and developing to support both chipsets increases their development costs.

again, nobody is forcing people to upgrade to snow leopard or CS5. and both companies have given plenty of warning ahead of time that this will be happening.