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Application programs like MS Office, Adobe Photoshop, or Premiere Pro are resource-intensive in their latest versions, making them quite challenging to use on a 4–5 year-old computer. If you’ve diligently applied all Adobe updates, you might find that you can still get work done, but the joy of working might no longer be there. In the case of MS Office, the increase in resource usage is less noticeable unless you’re participating in a Teams meeting with ten participants.

Security-enhancing features that programs gain with each update are often cosmetic, and the core functionality of the programs has remained unchanged for decades. For example, Photoshop 7.0 has everything you need: web export options, image layers, brushes, and photo colour correction. The program launches in seconds and doesn’t check license validity with Adobe servers, unlike the latest version of Photoshop CC, which takes almost half a minute to start, even on a good computer, before displaying the welcome screen.

So, programs haven’t necessarily improved; they constantly monitor and collect information to verify license validity and adjust the interface. The latest significant updates in Photoshop and other application programs include the introduction of generative AI, which wasn’t in older versions, and the use of analytics to predict users’ next steps.

Licenses for older programs are often cheaper on the secondary market compared to software-as-a-service solutions, where 20 euros per month is typically charged for a single application. With its monopoly position, Adobe charges 50 euros for its cloud solution. In comparison, an old version of Photoshop costs 35 euros on the secondary market. Photoshop 7.0 still runs on an old Lenovo X250 laptop without significant graphics acceleration, with 8 GB of RAM and the Windows 11 Pro operating system.
While using older versions of video editing programs like Adobe Premiere Pro may require more effort, it can be a rewarding experience. With the right approach, even older versions can run on older hardware, demonstrating the resourcefulness and empowerment that comes with using older technology.

When using older programs, it might be worth considering an older operating system like Windows 7 or XP, which can be purchased on the secondary market for 5–10 euros. Application programs should also be acquired through eBay, as software manufacturers have removed or hidden all old trial versions from their websites.

In conclusion, if your goal is to create a video blog, purchasing a new Mac and spending 25–100 euros monthly on software might be beneficial for stimulating the economy. However, for the same result, you could consider a more affordable alternative: a Lenovo X250, which costs around 100 euros, and legal second-hand software priced between 20–150 euros. This combination allows you to create both web clips and documentaries.

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