Why did I drop Adobe? It's because the subscription rate is rather ridiculous (read here). That's why I'd recommend shifting to Affinity Photo for a one-time purchase (that's probably until a super new version comes out). I looked into this video, thinking about how Adobe was once my get-go. I remember recommending Adobe Photoshop to people--whenever I saw people using Microsoft Paint. Adobe Photoshop was the get-go. I often called it "MS Paint but much better."
Eventually, I Googled for "Adobe Photoshop substitutes" and discovered Affinity Photo. True, Affinity Photo can't do animated GIFs. However, one could still draw several frames and get some other program, or an online service to create animated GIFs. I tried Affinity Photo and got convinced that buying it at USD 25.30 (price may increase any time soon). Affinity Photo was learning all over again. However, it was worth relearning since I'm not a professional graphic artist. I just draw for fun, on my spare time.
It's unsurprising to learn Adobe got sued by the US government. Reading the article, I can come to the conclusion that it's highway robbery. Why would I want to pay ₱3,324.00 for the sake of nostalgia. Just because I grew up with Adobe as a child--doesn't mean I'll allow myself to be extorted by nostalgia! Let's think what I got rid as I grew up. I went from Word Perfect to Word Pad to Microsoft Word. The diskette was later replaced by the USB storage. CDs were replaced by DVDs, and Blu-Ray came.
Was Adobe thinking they were invincible? Sorry to say but sometimes, a decades-long relationship can be based on a lie. That's what I felt when Adobe gave its ridiculous subscription model. If I can abandon using MS Paint for Photoshop, I could abandon Photoshop for Affinity Photo. Sticking to nostalgia kills businesses. Sticking with nostalgia can kill finances too!