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Ask HN: What alternatives to Adobe products are you switching to?

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Re: Ask HN: What alternatives to Adobe products are you switching to?

#72
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IMHO the problems in the usability of the software go far deeper than simply switching the widgets. This is not to shit on Gimp! It's a completely adequate package of various image processing algorithms . However, this does not make it a replacement for Photoshop for a large segment of users. I've been using Photoshop for 30 years and tried to use gimp for 25 years :D

Roughly the same amount of years here, same conclusion. I'd love to ditch Adobe for an open stack. I've day-dreamed about creating an open alternative to Photoshop many times. It's a daunting task, it would take many years of dedication for reaching even a mediocre competitor to the 90s Photoshop.

Adobe monopoly needs to be taken down one day. It's paradox, that in creative, free world, you are tight to one piece software that dictate a way how to make digital visual production. If you want to make living in this industry, you really don't have other options.

Re: Ask HN: What alternatives to Adobe products are you switching to?

#73
post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Illustrator definitely has more sophisticated tools than Figma. Figma's basically got the pen tool, point manipuation, and a couple of boolean operations, and that's it. It's perfectly fine for making simple icons and so on, but you would suffer if you tried to make a complex illustration in Figma. Affinity Designer has a lot more than Figma, but less than Illustrator. A practical example would be the "Divide" operat…

I love Figma but I agree that proper vector tools are lacking. Illustrator is complex but very powerful. Would you say that AD is enough for your needs regarding vector design? (I'm looking at ending my Adobe sub this year, would like AD to be a suitable replacement).

I used to do a lot more illustration (character illustrations for marketing and so on), and if that were still the case, I'd probably still be using Illustrator. I think Affinity Designer is up to doing everything I'd need, but it's probably a step down in terms of functionality, while requiring me to learn an entire new application's shortcuts and conventions. In other words, a lot of work just to get back to being almost as productive as I was before. Fortunately, these days, the most I am asked to do is make an occasional icon, so a combination of Figma and AD is more than I need.

Re: Ask HN: What alternatives to Adobe products are you switching to?

#74
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Davinci Resolve is super powerful, even in its free version. Every project I have learned something new that it can do. Highly recommend.

Any good guides for basic editing? Tried it a couple of times some years ago and couldn't get it working and/or got lost in settings.

Just saw this, not in the habit of checking back on comments (whoops). Casey Faris has been a huge help to me over the years: https://www.youtube.com/@CaseyFaris
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