Friday's Digest - The Newsletter for Doctors & Scientists

Friday's Digest #110

Why Doctors and Scientists Should Stop Using Adobe Software

We all use Adobe's software, but recently, there's a lawsuit against them and privacy issues. These are the apps I use instead.

October 4th, 2024

Friday's Digest - The Newsletter for Doctors & Scientists

For two decades, I've been developing tools that have improved my practice in medicine, dentistry, and scientific research.

Join me every Friday to discover a new tool you can integrate into your workflow as a doctor, a scientist, or both.

I believe in sharing knowledge, embracing automation, boosting productivity, and finding joy in the process.

Preface
Main Article
Readers’ Favorite
Stuff

Preface

Let's start with a running update, shall we?

In issue 108, I announced I'd be running 5 kilometers the following week.

Well, I celebrated too soon.

Why too soon?

Because I didn't make it to the 5K mark.

At 4.2 km, my knee started to hurt. It always happens when I push too far, too quickly.

I wasn't too tired or weak. On the contrary, I felt I could easily run at least 7-8 kilometers. At that stage, my mind is much stronger than my knee. I could definitely endure the pain and make it to the 5K mark. But then it would take months to recover— months without running.

So I stopped that run IMMEDIATELY when the pain began. This way, I can continue running after just two days.

How did it feel?

Lousy.

But since then, I've already run several times.

I ran without a distance goal.

I ran simply to enjoy the run.

How did it feel?

Great.

Will I enjoy running without a goal for long?

Probably not. It's hard for me to do anything without a measurable goal.

Why?

Because if my goal is to enjoy the run, how can I run when I'm tired? Or when it's raining?

Well, that's it about my running as a metaphor for life itself 😀.

I'll keep you posted!

This week, we'll discuss software everyone uses (made by a company called "Adobe").

Why are we discussing it?

Because Adobe announced that it would copy and use your personal data.

Yes, you read that right.

On top of that, some scientists are paying a lot of money for it, although there are excellent alternatives out there.

So today, we'll discuss how you— a doctor, a scientist, or a private individual— should protect yourself against it and save money along the way.

Number 110!

Let’s dive in!

Main Article

Let's start with some background on what Adobe recently did and how it affects you.

Then, I’ll list alternative software you can use instead of Adobe.

If you're not interested in the background, feel free to jump to "Alternatives to Adobe".

Background

Adobe software is everywhere.

One of the most popular is Adobe Reader, the app for reading PDFs.

Other Adobe products include Acrobat (for creating PDFs), Lightroom and Photoshop (for editing images), Illustrator (used by scientists for preparing figures), and Premiere (for editing videos).

Previously, I wrote about why I prefer not to read PDFs at all, but that advice was aimed at improving your reading experience. To make it more fun.

Today, we'll focus on your wallet and your privacy. We’ll discuss how expensive Adobe is, and how it can harm your privacy.

Let’s start with the price.

Their paid products require a monthly subscription. An EXPENSIVE subscription.

And if you try to cancel… well, good luck with that.

It can take you an hour, and will probably cost you money just to cancel. Their pricing model is so problematic that it has led to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) to sue Adobe.

A company taken to court by the FTC is a very bad sign.

The second reason is data ownership.

This is EXTREMELY important for doctors (patient confidentiality), scientists (protecting your research), and pretty much anyone (personal privacy).

Do you know those "terms of service" that pop up when you install or update an app? The ones we all click "Agree" without reading?

Well, Adobe's recent update included an alarming language:

"We may access, view, or listen to your content through both automated and manual methods"… "You grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free sublicensable, license, to use, reproduce, publicly display, distribute, modify, create derivative works based on, publicly perform, and translate the Content."

In other words, Adobe can use and share your data. Even worse, according to their terms, they can access files stored ON YOUR COMPUTER. And you had no choice but to accept these terms.

So, Adobe not only costs more, but also wants to access and distribute your data.

This change in their terms of service sparked massive online outrage, causing Adobe to panic, modify their terms, and release multiple announcements.

If you want to learn more, just search "Adobe TOS" on Google (TOS stands for "terms of service").

I stopped using their software years ago, long before this fiasco. I found Adobe too heavy on the computer, crashes all the time, and so expensive.

So, what are the alternatives? There are many, but here are the ones I use professionally and personally:

Alternatives to Adobe

🔵 Reading PDF (instead of Adobe Reader)

You don't need Adobe Reader to read and highlight PDFs.

I've previously written about Readwise Reader, which transformed my reading process. I highly recommend you give it a try.

But if you want to keep it really simple:

For Mac— "Preview". An excellent PDF reader I use all the time.

For Windows— Okular. A great PDF reader.

🔵 Creating PDF (Instead of Adobe Acrobat)

Many don’t know it, but you can create PDFs using Word, PowerPoint, and Excel without Adobe Acrobat.

Just click “save as” and choose “PDF”.

🔵 Editing PDF (Instead of Adobe Acrobat)

If you're a Microsoft Word fan (I'm not), you can often open and edit PDFs directly in Word.

LibreOffice is another excellent option for editing PDFs for both Mac and Windows.

🔵 Editing Images (Instead of Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop)

Lightroom and Photoshop are at the center of Adobe's privacy mess.

I switched away from them years ago due to their tendency to crash and high cost.

An alternative I like is Affinity.

As of writing this newsletter, they're offering a 6-month free trial— an INSANELY good deal. I recommend you sign up before it expires.

🔵 Creating Figures (Instead of Adobe Illustrator)

Many scientists use Adobe Illustrator to create manuscript figures.

However, it's expensive, and the recent privacy issues should concern any scientist using Adobe.

Like in photo editing, I recommend Affinity. It replaces Illustrator really well (See "Editing Images" above).

🔵 Editing Videos (Instead of Adobe Premiere)

I've always wondered why people like Adobe Premiere for video editing. It crashes all the time.

For both Windows and Mac, DaVinci Resolve is excellent. The free version is wonderful, supporting editing up to 4K Ultra HD at 60 fps.

Unless you're a professional filmmaker, the free version should be more than enough.

If you’re a Mac user, other alternatives are iMovie (already installed on every Mac), and Final Cut Pro (great app, but it will cost you).

Summary

There you have it—a list of apps I believe every doctor and scientist should consider to protect the confidentiality of their work (and wallet).

These recommendations are also great for personal use, allowing you to enhance privacy, and reduce costs.

Enjoy!

Readers’ Favorite

“Slow Productivity” is a nice concept. Do less and achieve more.

But does it work in real life?

You can read what I think about it here.

Stuff

🤳 Gear I use - Presentation Remote

When giving a talk, I ALWAYS prefer to use a remote.

The remote I absolutely love and use is the Logitech Spotlight—it's really cool.

There's also a basic (but great) option that's incredibly popular: the Logitech R400.

Epilogue

If you received this newsletter from a friend and would like to join Friday's Digest, visit https://newsletter.shaysharon.com

That’s it for this issue.

Hope for better times.

Shay

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