Acrobat 11...deployment to CS6 users

[Don_Montalvo]

Acrobat 11 was just released, and deploying it will pose some challenges:

1. CS6 users will need to wait for CS6.1 (?) since the bundled copy of Acrobat cannot itself be updated, only the entire suite can be updated (one serial number is used across the suite).
2. Non-CS6 users will need to get Acrobat 11 stand alone version since it uses a non-CS6 serial number.
3. Fairly certain CS6.1 will include substantial updates to rest of suite, and can/should be handled using Adobe RUM (yum!), but also doubtful Acrobat 10 would be updated to 11 this way.
4. Looking like we're gonna have to package/push the entire suite...I'm off to the AAMEE forum to bitch, moan and complain...
5. We tested Nerf's Deploy CS-6 weapon, recommended by Jody Rodgers (Adobe) and found it lacks critical enterprise features...although it was tons of fun to test.

PS, anyone seeing Acrobat 11 on the Adobe LWS yet?

https://licensing.adobe.com

http://www.hasbro.com/nerf/en_US/shop/details.cfm?R=00452E41-19B9-F369-1045-2B19DCD09676:en_US

Don Montalvo

[dave_m_k]

Hi Don,

Acrobat XI (11) has been announced, but not released yet.  The release should occur later this month.

Regarding the bullet points:

1. CS6 will not include Acrobat XI.  http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobatpro/faq.html
2. Acrobat XI stand-alone has always used it's own serial number. (Pro S/Ns start with 1118, Std. with 1016), so there is no change here.  Acrobat can be deployed in quite a few different ways.  Please see the Enterprise Admin page for more info: http://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/enterprise-administration-acrobat-products.html
3. As CS6 will not include Acrobat XI, you shouldn't have to worry about this scenario.
4. Again, I don't think you're going to have to worry about this.
5. Which tool are you referring to?
   
   

As I mentioned, because Acrobat XI hasn't been released yet, it's not going to appear on LWS yet for customers with upgrade plans.

-David

[Don_Montalvo]

Hi David,

I'm only concerned about the Mac version, and our client has ELA.

Does this mean there won't be an update to Creative Suite 6 that includes the new version of Acrobat?

Don

[Don_Montalvo]

...bump...

[hawz]

Don

From a Mac perspective, you'll be interested to see that there will be a Mac version of the Customization Wizard which, even though less powerful than the Windows version, should hopefully be helpful in prepping Mac deployments of Acrobat XI alongside CS6.

Documentation on and downloads of this should hopefully be available soon.

H

[Don_Montalvo]

Hi Hawz,

Thanks for the response. My question is specific to upgrading Acrobat X to Acrobat XI on computers that have it as part of CS6...please see below for specifics.

I opened a Adobe Gold Support case (reference# 183712736) for a formal answer...

Key points from Adobe Gold Support:

• CS6 comes bundled with Acrobat X and they share the same serial number.
• The bundled copy of Acrobat X cannot itself be updated to Acrobat XI.
• If Adobe releases an update to CS6 (CS6.1 ?) it will include Acrobat XI.
• If Adobe does not release an update to CS6, users will have to wait for CS7 to get Acrobat XI.
• If a CS6 user wants Acrobat XI now, they will need to purchase a full copy of Acrobat XI.

Adobe CS historical updates:

• CS2 included Acrobat 7
• CS2.3 included Acrobat 8        <-- free update to Acrobat via ELA
• CS3 included Acrobat 8
• CS3.3 included Acrobat 9        <-- free update to Acrobat via ELA
• CS4 included Acrobat 9
• CS5 included Acrobat 9
• CS5.5 included Acrobat X        <-- free update to Acrobat via ELA
• CS6 includes Acrobat X
• CS6.x may or may not be released, if it is, it will include Acrobat XI.
• CS7 will include Acrobat XI (ETA sometime in 2013)

SUMMARY: Our CS6 users need to know if/when they will be getting Acrobat XI...given the above, it looks like our client will need to spend more money or wait. Where in the past our CS users got Acrobat upgrades via incremental updates to the suite, it looks like this isn't the case anymore.

Not. Good.

Thanks,

Don

[Don_Montalvo · Accepted solution]

Adobe confirmed last week that if you are a CS6 user on Enterprise License Agreement (ELA), you will not be entitled to free update to Acrobat Pro XI.

Clients are furious that so much was spent on ELA and now they need to spend more on something that traditionally was a free update...I guess we'll have to see how things pan out.

Don

[kevin_cecil]

We have a couple of hundred users that have the full Creative Suite, with maintenance, paid in advance ($$$$$). They do not get an upgrade to Acrobat XI…

We have 30 or so users that bought a stand-alone copy of Acrobat X, with maintenance paid in advance($$). They get an upgrade to Acrobat XI…

Creative Cloud users have the full Suite and pay by the month ($). They get an upgrade to Acrobat XI…

It seems the less you spend, the more you get…

This needs to be rectified.

[Don_Montalvo]

Yep, our client is going to be formerly notified this week. I'm hoping my kevlar vest is ready by then.

Adobe....I realize Creative Cloud is the direction you guys want us to go in, we need some guidance on how to get there without unreasonable/unjustifiable cost to our clients who spent tons on ELA.

So...updated details:

Adobe CS historical updates:

• CS2 included Acrobat 7
• CS2.3 included Acrobat 8        <-- free update to Acrobat via ELA
• CS3 included Acrobat 8
• CS3.3 included Acrobat 9        <-- free update to Acrobat via ELA
• CS4 included Acrobat 9
• CS5 included Acrobat 9
• CS5.5 included Acrobat X        <-- free update to Acrobat via ELA
• CS6 includes Acrobat X
• CS6.x may or may not be released, if it is, it will WILL NOT include Acrobat XI.
• CS7 will include Acrobat XI (ETA sometime in 2013)

Don

[Guest]

There are mixed messages.

Adobe answer once and for all... Will CS6.5 include Acrobat XI?