Photoshop CS4

So, CS4 is on it's way. Which means I need to decide what to do! I have PS7 so I can upgrade to CS3 at modest cost or I could let my upgrade path slip and just use Lightroom and PS7 - hoping Lightroom gets better editing functionality along the way. Like many other folk I don't really want lots of different image editing software - I'd prefer just one package to do the lot. Another option is switching to Aperture, I'm a bit peeved about this as I would have bought it when it first came out but it didn't support the graphics card in my PM G5 - it does now! I'd appreciate some of your thoughts on this. Another thing is that although I quite like CS2 which I use at work I hate it when Adobe Bridge kicks in for browsing - I've come to hate Bridge with a passion! Can I just delete Bridge if I upgrade to CS3?

Vic.

Adobe's upgrade policy extends to only 3 previous versions. If you miss the upgrade to CS3 now, CS4 will be much more expensive to buy later if you need it. If you buy CS3 now, you might even get a free upgrade to CS4 when it's released.

Yes that's right, that's why I need some help deciding ................. If only I knew how Lightroom and Aperture will develop - pun intended!

Vic.

I've used CS/CS2 over a period of about 3 years
I found the upgrade to CS2 didn't do much
The upgrade to CS3 probably will
but you need to look at the features first, will you actually use them
I would go for CS3 probably.

Not sure if it'll matter much to most, but Apple / Adobe users might be interested : 64bit version of CS4 will be Windows only...

http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/04/04/1247246

Perhaps a better view of it here:

http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?email&NewsID=20878

I haven't got 4Gb of RAM installed anyway .................

Some things never cease to amaze me.

Every Mac (Leopard) user has a 64 bit OS, hardly anyone has a 64 bit windows OS. Photoshop started life on the Mac, so they go the windows route first!

There are reasons, I know, but come on guys, sort it out!

It is just a case of marketing volume. There are more pc's, so bigger profits to make, starting with Windows. Same goes to PS Elements 6. Mac users are still waiting.....
Martin.

Yeah, I know, it just keeps putting me off making a purchase.

Elements 6 is now out on the mac, might just stick with that.

Still can't make up my mind and you lot aren't much help

But I have just ordered another 4Gb of RAM for my ageing PowerMac G5 so that should help with whatever I do decide to get ..............