CS5.5 fuzzy on screen with new iMac Retina 5K

[mattiasm18846180]

Hi, I have used my (old, yes I know) CS5.5 perfectly through the years and I am not interested in expensive upgrades
since I have already through the years paid a lot for the CS-package and have upgraded it many times. I am not using it as much as before.

BUT, now when I go my new iMac with Retina 5K, every program InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop etc is now "fuzzy" or pixeled.
Everything, the documents, the menus, texts etc.

Why? Is it some settings I have missed or just a way to force us to buy new software when upgrading the hardware?

[Derek Cross]

You need to upgrade to Photoshop CC2017/2018 as these versions have been designed to work with high resolution screens. The Photographers plan, which includes Lightroom, costs about $10 a month.

By the way, InDesign CS5 (and CS6) is not supported by Adobe running under El Capitan upwards.

[mattiasm18846180]

Thanks.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

When one decides to stick with obsolete software one should make sure one is able to roll back any and all software and hardware updates in case they »break« the set-up.

Why? Is it some settings I have missed or just a way to force us to buy new software when upgrading the hardware?

So you invested in new hardware with a new OS that were years from being released at the time Photoshop CS5 became obsolete but you think Adobe is somehow trying to force you to do something?

[mattiasm18846180]

I have invested A LOT of money in the upgrades over the years and frankly I am not ready to continue doing that for the purpose I need it for. I think every new upgrade has only been with useless filters you don't need. So yes to my own question then.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

If you want to pay hardware and OS makers for new products but not Adobe to keep up with that new hardware and OS’ you have no right to complain if the obsolete Photoshop version you use cannot utilise the hardware properly.

I think every new upgrade has only been with useless filters and **** you don't need.

Well, I can’’t judge what you »need« in an image editor but have you kept up with the »What’s New«-section of the Help or what’s the basis of your assumption?

Which useless Filters are you talking about for example?

[mattiasm18846180]

Well, I think I have every right to complain it's not up to you to decide, is it? If it ain't broken why fix it? Have you ever used the whole Adobe-package? I know them by heart and have seen the "development" over 15 years. If you are a pro you don't need all the extra stuff. Maybe if you want to play around with all s*** fine, but don't force it on me. And I can tell you I have supported Adobe and Apple my whole life so don't even try that on me.

It's like buying a hammer, but this time the hammer is covered in gold, it can play music and works as a flash lite. And to use the hammer you can't use it on regular nails, you need to buy extra special nails from a company and pay a monthly fee for the rest of your life or else your nails rust. Sometimes you just need to hammer. Got it?

[D Fosse]

mattiasm18846180  wrote

If it ain't broken why fix it?

Well, it is broken, and your new iMac with a brand new MacOS broke it.

The new Photoshop versions fixed it.

That simple. Your choice.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

I know them by heart and have seen the "development" over 15 years.

I find it annoying when people consider it necessary to point out the length of time they have been using Adobe products on these Fora.

As for the consistency of your argument:

If you were a photographer and did a product shoot in 2010 (the year CS5 was released) and the customer had changed the product design since you would re-shoot the images for free, right?

If you were a web-designer and created a couple of banners in 2010 and the customer needed them adapted for other formats/resolutions/… now you would do that for free, right?

If you were a graphic-designer and designed a brochure in 2010 and the customer changed the CI now you would adapt the brochure for free, right?

If not you should consider applying the same reasoning to Adobe’s intellectual properties.

Adobe provided you a license to use certain versions of their software indefinitely.

They never promised to indefinitely update that software to accommodate whatever hardware and OS you might, at some future date, purchase.

Aside all that:

Does the Information Panel for the Photoshop-app file feature a check-box for upsampling its display?

I seem to remember there used to be some such thing … but I’m not sure which versions it applied to.

Could you please post a screenshot of some image open in Photoshop taken at View > 100% and with the UI elements visible?

[Conrad C]

mattiasm18846180  wrote

Well, I think I have every right to complain it's not up to you to decide, is it? If it ain't broken why fix it? Have you ever used the whole Adobe-package? I know them by heart and have seen the "development" over 15 years. If you are a pro you don't need all the extra stuff. Maybe if you want to play around with all s*** fine, but don't force it on me. And I can tell you I have supported Adobe and Apple my whole life so don't even try that on me.

Understand that the reason the problem is happening is because Photoshop CS5 was released in 2010, and Macs with the Retina Display didn't come out until 2012. Adobe did upgrade Photoshop for Retina displays, in 2013, with Photoshop CS6. So the fix was made years ago and is present in all versions since then. Very, very few software developers are going to go back to an earlier version to do a rewrite for something like a new display system.

If you just bought your iMac, it probably comes with macOS 10.13 High Sierra. As an Apple supporter you must be aware of Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and the rest of their video/audio suite. When your copy of Photoshop CS5 was released (2010 I think), Final Cut Pro was at version 7. That version, and all versions of the Apple suite from that time, are not compatible with your current iMac and paid upgrades are required. Similarly, Microsoft Office 2011 was out when Photoshop CS5 came out, and Microsoft has said it will not receive any updates for High Sierra either. All of those programs that came out at that time are so old that they need to be upgraded...even the programs from Apple themselves!

I fully understand that you have paid for Creative Suite for many years. But then it could also be pointed out that you haven't paid for it in almost a decade.

The right solution might be another program like Photoshop Elements, Affinity Photo, or Pixelmator Pro, any of which probably do everything you need Photoshop CS5 to do, and is fully up to date with a current Mac. And any of those choices costs very little money with no subscription.

mattiasm18846180  wrote

It's like buying a hammer, but this time the hammer is covered in gold, it can play music and works as a flash lite. And to use the hammer you can't use it on regular nails, you need to buy extra special nails from a company and pay a monthly fee for the rest of your life or else your nails rust. Sometimes you just need to hammer. Got it?

What really happened is that the company making the nails (Apple) changed them to a different type that no longer works right with the hammer you've owned for years. Now you need a new hammer.  That's why so much of the software from 2010, including Photoshop CS5, and including Apple's own software, needs a paid upgrade to work properly on a 2018 Mac.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Well put.

The right solution might be another program like Photoshop Elements, Affinity Photo, or Pixelmator Pro, any of which probably do everything you need Photoshop CS5 to do

Gimp also used to have a decent reputation.