by Patrick McAvey | Twitter.com/thefndtn
In April, Adobe released the CS5 versions of its Creative Suite applications. All of the key programs are now updated to version CS5, and have a nice array of new features and tools that are both powerful and compelling. However this article is about some of the other factors that go into deciding when it is time for you or your business to upgrade to CS5.
System requirements
When evaluating the impact CS5 will have on workflow, begin with determining if your computers can run the new software. Hardware-wise, a multi-core Intel processor is required. No G4, G5 or older Macs here. That means the single-core Intel Mac mini is also out. At least 1 GB of RAM is recommended. However, you can run it with less while suffering a dip in performance. In reality, more than 2 GB is probably a better floor with 4 GB being a better target if you need Pro performance. A qualified graphics card is probably the steepest requirement – Adobe specifies “1024×768 display (1280×800 recommended) with qualified hardware-accelerated OpenGL graphics card, 16-bit color, and 256MB of VRAM” – all but the oldest Intel based Macs will fulfill this requirement. You will also need enough hard drive space to install the suite. The different versions have different space requirements, but 5-10 GB is the minimum for most. You will want to have more than that amount free on your drive for making new files of course.
Playing Nice
An even more important impact made by any major software version upgrade is the effect on present workflow. Newer versions of Adobe’s applications can open files created in older versions – InDesign CS5 can open files created by CS4 and older. The challenge comes when you need to share your work with someone who has an older version of the suite. If you work primarily in Photoshop, then the files you are creating in CS5 will be useable by anyone with recent versions of Photoshop. If you primarily work in Illustrator, then you can save your AI files in a previous version or just work in EPS for compatibility. InDesign poses the greatest challenge, as with every prior version of the page layout app, only InDesign CS5 can open InDesign CS5 files. To save your layout for use by another person who has CS4 or prior, you must export it as an Adobe Interchange files (extension .inx). This is not too difficult when infrequent, but if you are exchanging InDesign files daily with a freelancer, or a printer, not to mention co-workers, it is a good practice to find out what version they use. Plan your upgrade accordingly.
Conclusion
There is no single answer in regard to when your company should upgrade to the latest version of any product. However, when taking these items into consideration, and after consulting with your Technologist, you may time your upgrade most appropriately.
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