GIMP is still free. I made the switch from Photoshop to GIMP years ago. Never missed it for photo editing, creating logo's and other images, or designing large prints.
Canva’s affinity strategy: Normies over power users
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Re: Canva’s affinity strategy: Normies over power users
#42GIMP is still free. I made the switch from Photoshop to GIMP years ago. Never missed it for photo editing, creating logo's and other images, or designing large prints.
I've used Photoshop forever, mostly for image manipulation instead of full on graphic production. I've found the web editor Photopea[0] to scratch most of the itch these days.
Re: Canva’s affinity strategy: Normies over power users
#43Re: Canva’s affinity strategy: Normies over power users
#44A lot of professionals would like to switch to Affinity too - InDesign hasn’t changed too much for last 10 years… But if you have everything in its format, decision to switch is tough as there is no tool to import or open full indd files to Affinity or anywhere else than Adobe. Life-time vendor-lock.
For new people, Affinity is easier to start, and their new policy to give it for free is awesome.
What comes first from Adobe? Pro products for free? Or attempt to acquire Canva?
Re: Canva’s affinity strategy: Normies over power users
#45The original Affinity business plan included selling assets like brushes, textures, LUTs via their store.
I guess this wasn't wildly successful and at some point every single person that would be interested in a professional grade design suite for 50€ each (often discounted to 35€) has already bought it.
Re: Canva’s affinity strategy: Normies over power users
#46GIMP is still free. I made the switch from Photoshop to GIMP years ago. Never missed it for photo editing, creating logo's and other images, or designing large prints.
I've used Photoshop forever, mostly for image manipulation instead of full on graphic production. I've found the web editor Photopea[0] to scratch most of the itch these days. [0] https://www.photopea.com
I've been trying to use GIMP for years (since Corel destroyed Pain Shop Pro). I don't do a lot of photo manipulation so I don't put in a lot of time learning. PSP had a UI that was discoverable for an amateur occasional user. GIMP has a UI that is completely inscrutable. +1 for Photopea, it has become my go-to.
Re: Canva’s affinity strategy: Normies over power users
#47A lot of professionals would like to switch to Affinity too - InDesign hasn’t changed too much for last 10 years… But if you have everything in its format, decision to switch is tough as there is no tool to import or open full indd files to Affinity or anywhere else than Adobe. Life-time vendor-lock. For new people, Affinity is easier to start, and their new policy to give it for free is awesome. What comes first fro…
> Or attempt to acquire Canva?
I wonder if the Figma acquisition being canned [0] would also prevent them going after Canva. However, there might be different people in those regulator positions/agencies...
I don't want to will that into existence, so I'll just hold onto hope that fighting for regulator approval would be obscenely expensive for Adobe still. Fingers crossed!
[0] https://news.adobe.com/news/news-details/2023/adobe-and-figm...
Re: Canva’s affinity strategy: Normies over power users
#48Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm not a FOSS advocate, but I think that's a bit strong. I think it's more a case that they recognized the need for a good user experience, but that never hit a threshold which would move the needle for change to happen with the most popular FOSS. Darktable is probably one of the exceptions here.
Darktable, to me, and multiple YouTubers who have looked at it... ... falls flat on it's face in the first impression by looking like an unresponsive window, due to the disorientingly light gray color design choices. I also just tried it and of course it's not notarized, meaning that it's almost impossible for anyone to install on macOS, unless they know of the secret button in System Settings. Nope, they aren't ther…
> I also just tried it and of course it's not notarized, meaning that it's almost impossible for anyone to install on macOS, unless they know of the secret button in System Settings.
I don't understand why you're blaming the Darktable team for that when it's Apple that makes it nearly impossible for anyone to install a program written by someone who doesn't pay them $100/year.
Re: Canva’s affinity strategy: Normies over power users
#49GIMP is still free. I made the switch from Photoshop to GIMP years ago. Never missed it for photo editing, creating logo's and other images, or designing large prints.
GIMP doesn't do 1% of what this does even if you don't have a problem with GIMP's UX. It's not comparable.
Re: Canva’s affinity strategy: Normies over power users
#50Earlier quoted context omitted.
So because I need professional print features, I’m a GIMP hater? It’s fine if you don’t want GIMP to change to meet the needs of a different group (after all these years I suppose the GIMP team agrees). But to people who want to be paid for their product, this is valuable feedback.
Is Adobe responsive to their customers? Maybe at one point a long time ago. But this just shows the folly of tying your professional life to proprietary tool chains. Adobe's business now is to suck any blood left in their customers's veins while trying to obsolete them through AI intellectual property theft.
Adobe sucks, but I need CMYK to make “dead” print projects, so I got the Affinity suite.
Open source principles are nice but unlike Affinity, GIMP was not made with graphics professionals in mind. I don’t love proprietary formats but it doesn’t matter as much for print projects which have a lifespan and revenue.
People are mourning Affinity because it was a great functional tool with no strings attached. We’ve seen this story before. It’s fine; someone else will step in with an alternative when necessary.