Adobe tech support using forums to solve their issues

[sygnus21]

So I call Adobe and get their tech support section. My issue... I keep getting a registration pop-up notification telling me to complete my registration for my product, which I've done numerous times.

This issue happens with all my "cloud" based products (Photoshop, Acrobat, Dreamweaver). None of these are cloud based paid subscriptions, but I guess they need to be registered as such to get updates. Interestingly enough I've no registration issues with Adobe Lightroom 5, which isn't tied to cloud

Anyway frustrated by yet another pop-up, I call Adobe. After explaining my issue, the tech puts me on hold, comes back and tells me the issue is "because Windows UAC is turned on" and that if I want to fix the issue I have to "turn UAC off". He than offers to show me how to do it. When I protest that I'm pretty sure that's not the problem, he then directs me to Adobe's forums as validation. Here's the post - Adobe Community: Registration PopUp Window Won't Go Away

• First off, that's an issue mostly concerning PS CS2/CS4 and Windows 7, which also had compatibility issues with those versions; I have CS6 which is 8/8.1 supported.
• Second, Adobe Cloud wasn't out, or at least in the iteration it is now, which requires "tying" your Adobe products to it.
• Third, UAC has nothing to do with "on-line" registrations
• Lastly, the tech never even bothered to ask what version of Windows this was.

When I tried to explain this, the guy just kept trying to talk over me, so I just terminated the call

This issue happens on both my machines (laptop, desktop) running 8.1. And yes, I'm allowed to have the items installed on both machines as I have the student/teacher editions.

BTW I also have Adobe Lightroom 5, but it's not cloud based (not registered to cloud) and interestingly enough, no registration issues :huh:

Anyway it would be one thing if Adobe actually provided the fix themselves, or even sanctioned it, but this is from a regular forum user with no world from Adobe. Incidentally that particular "registration" issue could be fixed by removing a particular file; I know because I've done it myself, without "disabling" UAC. And as stated, this was due to compatibility issues between Win 7 and some versions of Photoshop!

Anyway this issue is different so, pushing me to a BS fix seems to be unbecoming of Adobe, and is yet another example of companies blaming the other for their issues.

 

[whs]

I try to stay away from Adobe products. I always had the impression that they don't do a very good job and with their updates they always drag some other junk along without giving you a chance to deselect it - e.g. Google toolbar. That always requires a cleanup afterwards. See Ed Bott's comment:

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/adobe-and-skype-top-my-foistware-hall-of-shame/3195

 

[sygnus21]

Well, despite their less than stellar tech support I received today, I personally love their products; been using them forever so...

At any rate this wasn't about the quality of their products, but the quality of support I received today

 

[whs]

You are right, their products are good - although a bit bloated at times. But their ways of dealing with their customers are questionable.

 

[sygnus21]

Well, for what it's worth, Microsoft isn't any better; though they've yet to route me to a forum for a fix

Anyway this doesn't or won't keep me from using Adobe products so to each his own

And again, we wasn't talking about the viability of Adobe's products, but their quality of service I received from their tech support.

 

[andrew129260]

The first thing most companies do is to tell you to turn UAC off. They are to stupid and lazy to properly fix the issue in there programming. I hate companies that do this. Then I am the one who get people calling me getting viruses up to wazoo.

 

[sygnus21]

This is obviously a clear disconnect between their understanding of the issue at hand and the end user's need for proper security.

It's also clear they don't have the proper understanding of the function of UAC. Not that they necessarily should... however, if you're going to tell your customers to turn it off... you'd better have an understanding of it, and not just rely on some forum poster who may not even understand it themselves.

I'm all for forum help, but for expertise in technical help, I expect to vendor to know better than the forum users; not shamelessly blame Microsoft and than justify the BS by pushing me to a forum where no Adobe representative posted or validated the supposed solution. This is simply being sleezy, lazy, and inept. Period.

 

[cluberti]

Also, given disabling UAC (except on servers that aren't used as Terminal Servers or app servers) is unsupported by Microsoft, you most certainly *do not* tell users to do something that will modify their supportability with another vendor to fix your product's lack of design for a modern environment. This is a big faux pas.

 

[sygnus21]

Also, given disabling UAC (except on servers that aren't used as Terminal Servers or app servers) is unsupported by Microsoft, you most certainly *do not* tell users to do something that will modify their supportability with another vendor to fix your product's lack of design for a modern environment. This is a big faux pas.

Agreed and as I said, just pure laziness and BS on their part. That said, I'm sure (I would hope) I'd get a different answer if I called in today, and certainly if I spoke to s second tiered tech.