Apparently Adobe Systems can persuade skeptics that its Creative Cloud subscription plan is worthwhile -- as long as the price is right.

That's one finding from a survey by CNET and analyst firm Jefferies this month. Nearly half of the 525 respondents already are subscribers, and of them, 59 percent said deeply discounted introductory pricing was a "major" influence in signing up for the Creative Cloud.

The Creative Cloud subscription is a monumental change to Adobe's business. Instead of persuading customers to buy perpetual licenses to Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, Edge, and other members of the Creative Suite (CS), the company is pushing a subscription that grants customers access to all that and more for $50 a month for a one-year commitment. To get buyers on board, Adobe cut the price to $30 a month.

Creative Cloud customers also get software updates when they're done, not when the next full CS version arrives. Today, subscribers will get a hot, new feature: support for Apple's high-resolution Retina display in Photoshop and Illustrator, though Adobe said it'll also bring that to traditional customers. Adobe plans to detail more Creative Cloud news at an ... [Read more]