this post was submitted on 12 Jan 2026
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Annnd well they should lose millions!
NGL, I paid out the ass for PSCS3 waay back in 2007 - Universal binary.. PPC AND Intel installer - and FWIW, I'm still using it. In point of fact it's why all my Macs are dual boot with Mojave (32-bit support) so I can continue to install and use it. Homegirl is no how, no way gonna rent what I should be able to own.
(As Adobe no longer has the CS3 activation servers online, if you've still got an installed, activated, instance of the PSCS3 kicking around somewhere, copy the actual application itself out to a backup location.. so when you use the installer in a system capable of running it, you can swap the newly installed, inactivated copy out for the activated one you have in backup. Just do NOT try and launch the program before you do the swap.. This works for PC copies of CS3 as well as Mac..)
Personally, I can recommend a VM for that reason. Activate it once and then just copy the VM over to a new PC, Backup location, etc. Turn on internet access for it when activating, turn it off and leave it disabled for the rest of your life. Worked like a charm for me.
If you're going to run windows in a VM, then what's the point? Why not just run one OS?
Not for one application, while all other programmes run on GNU/Linux.
I'm still using cs3 as well. For what it's worth, I just checked and it's still out there to be had. I have the master suite, which I could not find, but pscs3 itself is still alive out there.
Which is good!
Years back, I tried the trial version of CS6 and just about lost my mind when it came to finding where tools had been hidden in the submenus.. but the biggest "oh hell no.." was whatever they had done to the print profiles. No matter what setting or profile I used, the images were oversaturated. Even tried importing from CS3 - nope. I gave it up pretty quickly at that point.
Yep, same here. Mojave on an old MacBook with a complete CS5 suite lets me continue to use what I paid for.
I didn't have a still-running copy like you did, so instead I disabled all network access and used my existing install media/licensing to activate offline, then before restoring network I went through and blocked every single executable at the firewall, esp anything having to do with updates or the licensing module. Now it doesn't matter whether there is internet access or not, everything is stable and it doesn't phone home.
The blocking was a pain in the ass, no lie, but I can restore the firewall settings from time machine if ever needed, and meanwhile I have a working, unshittified CS5 that is not constantly trying to move my data up to the cloud or give itself legal rights to my IP. It's lacking some newer features probably, but it does what I need.
I'm going to pass your instructions along to a friend still using CS5 on the same Mac he installed it on, though. It's a great strategy.
IIRC, I discovered it when I retired my Mirror Door Drive G4 and bought a MacPro. At the time I wasn't online and couldn't get the fresh install to activate and on a lark, because it WAS a universal binary, I just copied over the application from the G4.
It worked, but was a bit janky, so once the internet got sorted, I did a clean reinstall of CS3 and activated it as normal.. I still have the G4 with the CS3 on it, and also copies of the install I did on the MacPro.
Also, with the CS3 and the OSes later than El Capitan, you need to get the JavaForOSX.dmg from Apple. It won't launch otherwise.
The great thing about CS3 is that even if I try to have it update, it doesn't. I used to run it with all the Adobe "phone home" addresses blocked in my system's hosts file. Now I no longer have to even do that. Nothing's there online. It will launch Bridge but when it gets to the Adobe Stock Photos and accepts the certificate, it connects to their servers and promptly quits.
LOL! Too funny!
Adobe has moved on and it's pure bliss for me.