Travel Technology - @#%& Adobe!

I have left my firm lawyer job and started my own private practice, while working part-time as General Counsel for one of my (now) former clients. I'm currently in Beijing and need to get some quick business cards done. My company's graphic artist sent me an EPS file of our business cards, but I don't have anything that can edit it.

"No problem," I thought. I'll just buy and download Adobe Illustrator. I went to the Adobe site, paid my $600 with a credit card, completed the transaction and received a confirmation telling me I should receive the download link IN ONE BUSINESS DAY. I don't have one business day -- I need to get this stuff to the printer TODAY.

I'm really ticked about this.

A lot of people have had problems like this, and it is the main reason why Adobe has so many issues with piracy. I even know people who pay for it, and THEN download it off Bittorrent because Adobe has such a pathetic software sales system.

And BTW; congratulations on this decision!!!!

Possible solutions:

1. Have the artist send you a jpg file instead of an eps file.
2. Have the artist put it into a Word document and send that.
3. Download something like this (http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Best/free-eps-editor.html) to edit/convert the file.

4. Go to www.shareware.com (www.shareware.com) and search to "edit eps" and check out the possibilities.

I'm no graphics guy, but one of the above will produce a quick and cheap solution. Good luck.

I have left my firm lawyer job and started my own private practice, while working part-time as General Counsel for one of my (now) former clients. I'm currently in Beijing and need to get some quick business cards done. My company's graphic artist sent me an EPS file of our business cards, but I don't have anything that can edit it.

"No problem," I thought. I'll just buy and download Adobe Illustrator. I went to the Adobe site, paid my $600 with a credit card, completed the transaction and received a confirmation telling me I should receive the download link IN ONE BUSINESS DAY. I don't have one business day -- I need to get this stuff to the printer TODAY.

I'm really ticked about this.


First, all good wishes to you in your new practice. I hope to hear more about it by P.M.

Next, since I am guessing there is no local equivalent of Kinko's, how about ordering from vistaprint (http://www.vistaprint.com)and having them overnight it? Should be a lot cheaper than $600 even with the shipping and duty.

When I make purchases from the Adobe store they give me a license key and download link instantly. If there is a trial version, you download that and copy/paste the key into it, so there is no special download needed, you just need the license.

And BTW; congratulations on this decision!!!!Thanks!

Possible solutions:

1. Have the artist send you a jpg file instead of an eps file.
2. Have the artist put it into a Word document and send that.
3. Download something like this (http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Best/free-eps-editor.html) to edit/convert the file.

4. Go to www.shareware.com (www.shareware.com) and search to "edit eps" and check out the possibilities.

I'm no graphics guy, but one of the above will produce a quick and cheap solution. Good luck.I imported the EPS file into Photoshop and edited it there (the fun part was putting in Chinese characters). I've saved the resulting files as EPS, PDF and PSD on the assumption that a local printer will be able to do with one of these formats.

First, all good wishes to you in your new practice. I hope to hear more about it by P.M.Thanks!

Next, since I am guessing there is no local equivalent of Kinko's, how about ordering from vistaprint (http://www.vistaprint.com)and having them overnight it? Should be a lot cheaper than $600 even with the shipping and duty.I've already paid for Illustrator. The last time I bought an Adobe product on-line that I needed in a hurry (Acrobat), I had to wait 3 hours for the link and serial number.

When I make purchases from the Adobe store they give me a license key instantly and download link instantly. If there is a trial version, you download that and copy/paste the key into it, so there is no special download needed, you just need the license.Unfortunately, no trial version is available.

Congrats on hanging your own shingle!

Glad you got things taken care of...but I was going to say I'm sure plenty of FTers would have made the conversion for you in a flash if you needed the help. That said, I'll put away the torrent link I was going to PM <whistling>..... :o

Unfortunately, no trial version is available.

try here:
http://www.adobe.com/downloads/

C I'm sure plenty of FTers would have made the conversion for you in a flash if you needed the help.

I have some experience dealing with Chinese printers and what types of files they prefer. So next time if you want something easy, like a business card
edited. Send it to me. It would probably take just a few minutes and be comped to a fellow FT member.^

try here:
http://www.adobe.com/downloads/Thanks -- I downloaded the GIGABYTE+ file (whew!). It worked just fine. Now I'm sorry I paid the $600. Oh, well. My serial number just came, so now I have a full, legal copy of Illustrator to add to my full and legal copies of Photoshop, Acrobat and Premiere Pro.

I have some experience dealing with Chinese printers and what types of files they prefer. So next time if you want something easy, like a business card
edited. Send it to me. It would probably take just a few minutes and be comped to a fellow FT member.^Thanks for the offer -- I appreciate it! Now that I have Illustrator, could you tell me what type of file is acceptable? The graphic artists sent me everything in EPS.

... Now I'm sorry I paid the $600...

You can get a refund for the software.

Return an Adobe Product (http://www.adobe.com/support/service/returnadobe.html)

Since you got the download, there is nothing to physically return. You just fill out a form.

now this thread is just the sort of helpful advice that i love FT for
(particularly the refund advice :D)
well done all ^^

my problem with adobe seems to be that when printing some words and lines are garbled when printed from my laptop to one printer. when i send it to my other computer and print it with different printer all is well. i guess it is a printer driver thing, but dont know how to cure it

Thanks -- I downloaded the GIGABYTE+ file (whew!). It worked just fine. Now I'm sorry I paid the $600. Oh, well. My serial number just came, so now I have a full, legal copy of Illustrator to add to my full and legal copies of Photoshop, Acrobat and Premiere Pro.

Thanks for the offer -- I appreciate it! Now that I have Illustrator, could you tell me what type of file is acceptable? The graphic artists sent me everything in EPS.

generally they prefer ai (adobe illustrator for pc seems printers tend to use pc more than mac overthere) also include a jpg
for viewing to make sure that the ai file matches correctly. If its 4 color
process then a .tif file at 300dpi should also work for business cards. Make sure
the artwork is 3.625 x 2.125 so if it bleeds there is some margin.

Thanks -- Oh, well. My serial number just came, so now I have a full, legal copy of Illustrator to add to my full and legal copies of Photoshop, Acrobat and Premiere Pro.


That's a rarity in China..

When I buy things online or e-bank outside the US, I often VPN my connection. Foreign IP addresses tend to trigger fraud alerts, etc. Now, I try not to use a VPN when I do the actual download because I seem to take a performance hit.

generally they prefer ai (adobe illustrator for pc seems printers tend to use pc more than mac overthere) also include a jpg
for viewing to make sure that the ai file matches correctly. If its 4 color
process then a .tif file at 300dpi should also work for business cards. Make sure
the artwork is 3.625 x 2.125 so if it bleeds there is some margin.I went to the printer yesterday. Turned out he needed AI, though he had CS3 and I had CS4. Fortunately, I brought my laptop with me so I just resaved.

When I buy things online or e-bank outside the US, I often VPN my connection. Foreign IP addresses tend to trigger fraud alerts, etc. Now, I try not to use a VPN when I do the actual download because I seem to take a performance hit.I think the problem was logging on through the North American portal. Coincidentally (or not?), the serial number came through shortly after Bobster posted that I could get a refund.

As for the foreign IP address part, I bought it logged in through my account, which reflects prior purchases of Premiere Pro (years ago with regular updates), Photoshop (years ago with regular updates) and Acrobat (last June). Clearly, I'm a long-term Adobe customer AND Adobe knows my email address, as I usually purchase for download.

That's a rarity in China..;)

When I buy things online or e-bank outside the US, I often VPN my connection. Foreign IP addresses tend to trigger fraud alerts, etc. Now, I try not to use a VPN when I do the actual download because I seem to take a performance hit.For some reason, my otherwise bullet-proof home system is down, so I can't VPN back. I'm very frustrated because I can't get to my Slingbox, either. At least I brought a full back-up of my files and databases.

;)

For some reason, my otherwise bullet-proof home system is down, so I can't VPN back. I'm very frustrated because I can't get to my Slingbox, either. At least I brought a full back-up of my files and databases.

No Slingbox is worse than the Adobe problem! :o

OP,
This might come much too late.
Most, if not all Adobe products can be downloaded for a 30 day FREE trial.
Example (Ai):
https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/tdrc/index.cfm?loc=en&product=illustrator

Anyway, all the best to your new venture!

I'm rather surprised by this. I have bought several Adobe products and have been given the link and serial number right away.

I'm rather surprised by this. I have bought several Adobe products and have been given the link and serial number right away.As have I. Fortunately, everything worked out. Now the only problem is I have new program to learn. ;)

There's also GhostView which is a free viewer for EPS files, and it will take EPS files in and spit out bitmapped (ie JPG) versions...

There's also GhostView which is a free viewer for EPS files, and it will take EPS files in and spit out bitmapped (ie JPG) versions...I had already tried it. The problem isn't viewing, but editing. As soon as the EPS file is rasterized, I lose the ability to scale without degradation.