Others say...

"Some great, some not so great"
Turns out I WAS able to upgrade from a Windows version of Studio MX to the Mac version of CS3. When I got to the serial number step, it would not accept my Windows serial number. However, a quick call to Adobe and the phone tech had me push some magic key combo, got a challenge/response key and I was able to get it authorized! Nice job Adobe.

As for the actual software, Photoshop and Illustrator are fantastic tools and the latest versions are incrementally better. I haven't used Fireworks, Acrobat or Contribute yet.

The downside is Dreamweaver. I'm a long time Windows Dreamweaver user (indeed FAN) but I'm pretty disappointed with this 'upgrade.' It's surprising how sloppy and out of it's element it feels running DW on a Mac. There are really no new features in the CS3 version (compared to v 8).

I'm glad I was able to get all this software in one bundle and the upgrade price was great. It would be hard to justify this upgrade if I already had CS2 version of these programs because I don't feel there are any MUST HAVE new features. However, it was a sweet way to get all these fine programs for my shiny new Mac.



"Affordable must have upgrade"
If you are a professional web developer who already uses Adobe's tools (Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver) then this a must have upgrade.
The price is a reasonable $500 USD (or about a $1/day until the next Adobe upgrade).
All the tools have been enhanced and you will never "learn everything" due to the extensive sets of features.

Bottom line. Does it make you more productive by a $1/day? Yes, it does. So, buy it.

"Excellent Value - ESPECIALLY if you're upgrading"
I initially purchased Macromedia's Studio MX suite (Mac OS X) for web design in 2002 and haven't upgraded since. Personally I like the idea of owning the whole web design suite rather than individual applications (much more economical in the long run). I usually like to upgrade every third new version or so. So you can imagine my joy in being able to upgrade to Adobe's CS3 Web Premium, which bundles Photoshop 10 and Acrobat Professional into this all-new suite! Not having a Mac version of Adobe Acrobat or Photoshop previously, upgrading to Web Premium CS3 with these apps thrown in was more than worth the upgrade price. (Sold separately they cost over $600 each!) CS3 Web Premium features tightly integrated applications for a complete powerful web design experience. Running natively and "Universal" on PowerPC or Intel dual core Macs results in blazingly fast performance and a very rewarding overall user experience. There are so many new tools to explore that I really wonder if I'll ever exhaust them!

If you love web design, you'll LOVE Adobe CS3 Web Premium - especially if your upgrade is from Studio MX!

"Pricey but still a must have for web developers."
I have spent thousands on Adobe upgrades over the years and the price just keeps increasing. However, I do web development and this package has the tools that I use. The upgrade package was almost $500 this time. But, the tools are excellent and they do the job. Web development in Dreamweaver is very strong and Flash Pro, Fireworks, and Photoshop Extended complement Dreamweaver very well. It is not unreasonable to look at this as a must have tool set... Just for the productivity that the combined tools bring. I guess compared to upgrading individual products it is not much more... and when you upgrade everything together they all work seamlessly.