Looking for Photoshop CS3 performance plug-ins for Mac

[QT Luong]

Saw recently these links about Photoshop performance:
http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2009/01/maximum-photoshop-performance.html
http://macperformanceguide.com/

This reminded me that when I upgraded to CS3, I failed to install DisableScratchCompress. On CS2, this resulted in significantly faster processing, esp. with 300MB scans.

Now I cannot find it on the Adobe site anymore (only the CS4 version). It's bad enough that it is not part of the standard distribution, but to add insult to injury, a request to Adobe for a link is met with the statement that my free support period ended.

Could anyone send me the DisableScratchCompress plug-in for CS3, Mac ? I'll make it available.

[Marko]

Adobe's been adopting an increasingly petulant posture in their attempt to entice users to upgrade to the latest version. Dropping support and/or availability of popular extensions for the previous version seems to top the list. They did the same thing with Camera Raw.

I can't decide what is more insulting - that they basically consider their installed userbase (second only to Apple's in loyalty) a bunch of cattle that can be stampeded like that or that mostly professional users who could not be persuaded by additions and improvements to the core features to a package like CS4 would somehow give in because of a few add-ons?

I understand that the economy's been tough lately and that every few hundred bucks count, but the marketing geniuses at Adobe also need to understand that it also applies to the rest of us. They also need to understand that the world will not stop for us if we decide to sit tight and not upgrade for a while, maybe even skip a version or two - not to mention consider switching tools! - but that it may ultimately stop for them if they keep irritating more and more among us in this manner.

Perhaps it would be beneficial for both us and them if we are as vocal as possible about it and keep heckling them, both with our valets and our opinions. They tried to pull a fast one on me a year ago when I was upgrading to CS3, but a few well-placed but livid phone calls put a quick stop to it, so I know they do listen when they have to. ;)

P.S.

I presume you are looking for a Mac version - I will look for it and will let you have it if I find it.

[B.S.Kumar]

English is a funny language. If we had valets, would we concern ourselves with wallets? That would be the valet's job! :D

Kumar

[Marko]

LOL, indeed it is and indeed we wouldn't. And the haste does make waste... :o :D

[Marko]

This reminded me that when I upgraded to CS3, I failed to install DisableScratchCompress. On CS2, this resulted in significantly faster processing, esp. with 300MB scans.

QT, the DisableScratchCompress.plugin can normally be found in the Photoshop Goodies folder on the "Content" disk of your CS3 set (exact naming depends on the suite, I think) and then under Optional Plugins/Optional Extensions".

If you still can't find it, please send me a PM.

Marko

[QT Luong]

Thanks Marko. This reduced diglloydmedium from 225s to 180s.

[Marko]

Did you also enable Bigger Tiles? That could shave off a few more seconds...

[QT Luong]

Yes, I had it before. It was part of the standard install (although disabled) and helped a lot.