Placing the order today - where should I buy Adobe CS3?

[olnacl]

I've done quite a bit of searching and would appreciate advice from those who know - where should I order the full (not upgrade) CS3 Photoshop. I trust Amazon but have seen it for less at some other places I've never done business with. If anyone has a source they've used that's significantly less than Amazon, I'd like to hear about it.
I'm placing the order today, so time is of the essence.

examples:
http://www.mgwglobal.com/product.php?product_id=12243&gclid=CI-Fo4qZj5MCFQmQGgodI1u4fA
http://www.softwaremedia.com/product/320...?ovchn=GGL&gclid=CKTQiqyZj5MCFQ-WGgodNwVUgQ
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NDIB6Y
http://www.softwaresurplus.com/Guarantee...creen=PROD&Product_Code=3089&Category_Code=Adobe_graphics&Product_Count=1&gclid=CN6VyOCZj5MCFQQRGgoddTvDew

And I'm sure there are more. My butt is on the line as this is for a long time friend a thousand miles away so I need the deal to be legit and without any hassles on her end once she has it. eBay is not an option, BTW.

I'd sure appreciate any help.

[mrlynn]

Well, there's this outfit:

http://www.cheapsoftwares.org/index.php?target=products&product_id=60

$490 plus shipping for CS3 Design suite, full version.

I agonized over this here:

http://forums.macresource.com/read/1/430...msg-434546

and in the preceding thread (linked), because this company clearly trades in the grey market via China, but as far as I could tell the product was legal. It installed and registered OK. My guess is that it was a promotional copy that was steered into the resale market. Doesn't come with any box or packaging.

So I ended up keeping it. I don't use it very often, so it's hard to justify more expense.

/Mr Lynn

[olnacl]

Ah, thanks for the link and your experience. Since this is for a friend, not myself, I really don't want to venture into the gray market or education. This needs to be a legitimate, full, no caveats boxed application.

I see Newegg has it for $619.95 and I guess that's where I'll be heading unless someone with a better, unquestionable, source chimes in.

I do thank you though.

[Chupa Chupa]

This may or may not work for you depending on the sales tax to the shipping address

Target.com has it for $650. Use Coupon 2IINXJ25 to get it down to $592 shipped BUT not including sales tax. That will be the make or break.

[olnacl]

[quote Chupa Chupa]This may or may not work for you depending on the sales tax to the shipping address

Target.com has it for $650. Use Coupon 2IINXJ25 to get it down to $592 shipped BUT not including sales tax. That will be the make or break.
Thanks, but tax brings it to $630 and change so Newegg is the better deal at the moment.

[karsen]

Please do a follow up post to let us know where you purchased from and the results of the transaction. Thanks.

[datbeme]

This is not pertinent to the OP, but I've noticed that some of the academic software sites mention that parents of K-12 students are often eligible to purchase academic versions in the names of their children. See the description below.

http://www.academicsuperstore.com/eligibility/k12

I know this doesn't seem right, but would anyone like to comment on this?

I have earlier retail versions of Photoshop and Illustrator that I use sparingly for my personal use, and these legacy versions are no longer compatible with Leopard. Purchasing the retail versions is out of the question for my hobbyist uses, but the academic pricing might be worth it to me if this is truly allowed. What's the deal, here?