The reasons fall into three main categories:
Adobe does not sell CS6 anymore. However:
Navigating Adobe Illustrator: Why and How to Use an Old Version
Some popular long features in older versions of Illustrator include: illustrator old version
Using an old version of Illustrator isn't nostalgia; it's often a practical necessity. If you are designing complex vector art for web and print today, the new version is objectively better. But if you are cutting vinyl decals, running a legacy sign shop, or simply can't afford the cloud, that old Illustrator icon on your desktop is still a powerful tool.
Before you download an ISO file from a sketchy forum, understand the trade-offs:
Don't update your OS. That’s the one update that will finally break your old friend for good. The reasons fall into three main categories: Adobe
Can't find the options for Illustrator legacy versions | Community
A bespectacled designer with a mop of curly hair approached her and said, "Hey, you must be the new intern! Welcome to the team. We're working on a big project for a music festival, and we need all the help we can get."
– This is the big one. Before 2013, you could buy Adobe Creative Suite (CS) with a one-time payment. For freelancers on a tight budget, students, or professionals in countries with weak currencies, a $20/month subscription isn't sustainable. An old, paid-for copy of Illustrator CS6 still works perfectly today. But if you are cutting vinyl decals, running
Emma was using an old version of Adobe Illustrator, CS3, which she had inherited from her older brother. It was a relic from the past, but she had grown accustomed to its quirks and limitations. As she worked, the software seemed to be slowing down, and the tools she needed were hidden in strange places.
From that day on, Emma approached her work in Illustrator with a new sense of creativity and resourcefulness. She learned to love the old version of the software, and it became an integral part of her design process. And whenever she had trouble, she would close her eyes and remember the magical night she spent in the past, surrounded by her new friends and the hum of old machinery.
– Modern Illustrator requires a modern computer. The 2024 version needs at least 8GB of RAM (16GB recommended) and a GPU with DirectX 12. An old laptop from 2015 will choke on it. However, Illustrator CS5 runs like a dream on 2GB of RAM. Many designers keep old machines alive specifically to run legacy software.