No Cross-Platform Serial Numbers on Photoshop CS3

I'm rather disappointed in the way Adobe has chosen to handle the licensing for the Photoshop CS3 beta. As a new Mac owner, I saw this as a great opportunity to try Photoshop on my new Mac with plenty of time to compare it with my Photoshop experience in Windows. Unfortunately, a post in the Photoshop CS3 beta forum states that:

The CS3 Beta serial number returned will be for the same platform of the CS2 number you enter. So, your CS2 Win number will give you a CS3 Beta Win number.

Yet, in another recent forum post, another Adobe rep (I have to assume these are Adobe reps, although the posts aren't signed and there is no way to check a member's status) states:

Our primary motivation for doing a public beta really was a matter of customer service for our Macintosh customers.

These two statements seem contradictory to me. Also consider this--many Adobe Creative Suite users on the Macintosh platform never upgraded from Creative Suite 1 to Creative Suite 2 since there was no MacIntel native version of Creative Suite apps. All of these Macintosh users are also cut off from testing Photoshop CS3 since a CS2 serial number is required.

Releasing a public beta of Photoshop CS3 was a brilliant move on Adobe's part, but by doing it in a manner that will likely anger a good portion of it's customer base... not so good. I hope Adobe will re-think this policy and do right by their Macintosh customers.

Update 12/18/06: There's quite a lengthy thread in the Photoshop CS3 beta forum petitioning Adobe to change their policies on cross-platform licenses. Be sure to check it out if you have an opinion on this issue.

Update 1/7/07: Good news! Adobe is now allowing Windows customers of Photoshop CS2 to get a Mac CS3 beta serial number, and vice versa. Get the full scoop from John Nack on Adobe: Yes, CS3 can be tested cross-platform.

• About.com Discussion of Photoshop CS3
• Adobe Labs Photoshop CS3 Beta Forum
• Petition for Cross-Platform Licensing from Adobe