Can open-source clones disrupt the world of expensive subscription software? Earlier this month, developer Brandon Thomas used Claude to reverse-engineer Photoshop, Lightroom and other Creative Cloud apps, creating free open-source versions. This move has sparked intense debate. Some view it as justice against abusive subscription models, while others see it as piracy.
The speed of AI's spread is creating new legal ramifications around patents and copyright that still need exploration. Artcraft sets its sights on Adobe. Thomas and his team first launched these Adobe suite clones in early October, pitching them as one-to-one replacements for Creative Cloud apps that are "free [with] no subscription, and you own the source code." Thomas decided to reverse engineer the apps after encountering Adobe's dark pattern 'cancellation fee.' Using Claude Opus 5.5, he created "clean room... pure Rust" versions he claims are more performant.
Though lacking AI features, Photocraft can do almost everything needed for resizing, masking and color adjustments. Menus and controls are nearly one-to-one matches for Photoshop, allowing immediate use with no steep learning curve. However, issues remain.
Users have reported critical bugs, including images being deleted and layers randomly merging. The app cannot open native PSD Photoshop files, a major problem for existing users. Thomas' ambitions extend beyond Adobe. "Software is over...
AI lets us take back tech and set the clock back to the pre-sh***y era." An application called REA (Reverse Engineer Anything) has gone viral with 87K forks and 346,000 stars, letting users deconstruct software and reconstruct it in clean code. This technology can be used for firmware in consumer devices and games across multiple platforms.
Source: Engadget · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing