Investing in creative software is a significant step for any studio. For one studio, the purchase of eight Adobe CS6 Production Premium Suites represented a substantial commitment, costing over 15,000 euros – a figure exceeding 20,000 dollars. This investment was intended to equip their team with the tools needed to meet demanding deadlines and ongoing projects. However, what should have been a seamless upgrade turned into a major frustration due to an unexpected language barrier.
Upon installation during the Christmas holidays, the studio discovered that their newly acquired software suites were locked to the Italian language. This presented an immediate problem. The team, comprised of designers, editors, and motion-graphics artists with 10-15 years of experience, had always worked with the English versions of Adobe software. Their workflows, training resources, plugin compatibility, and collaborations with international colleagues all relied on a common English language interface. Switching to Italian was simply not a viable option.
Initial attempts to circumvent this issue, such as the “rename method” found online, proved unsuccessful. The software recognized the licenses as specifically for the Italian version, blocking any language change. Contacting Italian Adobe customer support provided no solution; they confirmed that the licenses were indeed for the Italian language, and switching to English would necessitate purchasing entirely new licenses.
For a studio that had already invested a considerable sum – 15,000 euros to dollars representing a major financial outlay – being told to repurchase software simply to change the language seemed unfathomable. The inability to use their preferred and necessary English interface is not just an inconvenience; it’s a significant impediment to their daily operations and productivity. The studio now faces the perplexing situation of having invested heavily in software they cannot effectively use in their professional workflows due to a language lock, highlighting a critical oversight in software licensing and localization.
