I'm on a mac, but that is not the problem. My problem is just getting

the stupid link to the download.

My Adobe account doesn't handle the shopping cart info correctly...

(??possibly due to my security packages on ffox?). But while

I was trying to figure out the problem, I  ordered cs5.5 via phone. On

disk. It arrived, it installed.

Except Photoshop kept crashing. I googled about and worked with it for

days. I found the most likely problem is

an uninitialized variable somewhere with the font loading libraries. 

Killing the preset files to force it to create new ones,

rebooting to wipe out the threads still running after running photoshop

and restarting Photoshop again worked  IF

I first opened up the character window to load the fonts before I opened

opened a new psd file.  This would initialize that

pesky variable causing the crash. I leave you to guess how many times I

rebooted my machine before discovering the

character window trick.

ok. So now thats working.

I get notice that CS6 is out. I check my Adobe account, and the shopping

cart is still not showing anything I try to put in it.

I call the only phone number showing up on website. The guy is very

happy to help me until I say I'm wanting the

/complementary/ cs6 upgrade, and he shuffles my call to another person

who also seems put out that I don't actually

want to PAY for the upgrade, I want the complementary one. My call is

shuffled off to customer service.  She helps me

by placing the order for me and says I will get an email telling me when

I can download it. You'll hear within 24 hours and

Can I close your ticket because its all taken care of? ok.

24 hours goes by. No email about the download. Maybe its just waiting in

my account. Well, dang. The download says no downloads.

Just like my shopping cart said nothing in cart after placing my

original cs5.5 order.  Checking my support ticket I see that

my download is delayed by Adobe waiting to verify my transaction.

(Pending Adobe verification)

ok. Memorial Day weekend. Lets give them until end of day Tuesday. Nothing.

I finally call on Friday and the story (after going through 3 people,

one of whom wanted to send me CS6 on disk, if I paid again for it.)

is delivery (enabling the download) is first come first serve, and my

serve hasn't come up yet after I've been a week in the queue.

I could understand if this was a ma & pop organization. Its not. The

fact I have ALREADY paid for CS6 when I bought CS5.5

on the end of its life cycle doesn't seem to impress Adobe that I'm a

real customer. Each upgrade experience has gotten worse since

photoshop 4 (pre CS anything). On my last upgrade, they sent me the

windows disks twice.

I don't blame the folks working the phones or the engineers. I realize

there is only so much they can do without a

competent company backing them up.

Adobe's purchasing system is broken. Their website is a baroque

labyrinth. Its very pretty, but not helpful.

There is good info on it... if you can find it.

If you buy a product and then feel frustrated, angry and dissed just

trying to get the product you purchased, something is wrong.

I don't think I'm alone in my frustration with Adobe.

Thanks for listening.