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Re: Software discounts and recommendations redux
colak wrote #341037:
So can anyone recommend any alternatives to the suite?
Well, ATM, you can keep using what you have and if you bought it from the App store, it is available for re-download (ah… an advantage, for once! no idea how long that will last though).
If you update, it probably works well – for now? It probably is a good idea to turn off automatic updates (assuming there is an option to have a “notify me” message), and read the release notes carefully.
I have currently no idea if a replacement exists. The “designer” part is what worry me most. I use Acorn for images anyway.
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#14 2025-10-31 08:55:40
- Algaris
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Re: Software discounts and recommendations redux
As far as I can tell, the AI features are only available if you subscribe to Canva Pro. I’ll take a look at the new app at some point, but I’ll still have my v2 apps to fall back on. I just worry that if they turn off the activation servers, you might not be able to reinstall the apps later.
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Re: Software discounts and recommendations redux
phiw13 wrote #341038:
Well, ATM, you can keep using what you have and if you bought it from the App store, it is available for re-download (ah… an advantage, for once! no idea how long that will last though).
If you update, it probably works well – for now? It probably is a good idea to turn off automatic updates (assuming there is an option to have a “notify me” message), and read the release notes carefully.
I have currently no idea if a replacement exists. The “designer” part is what worry me most. I use Acorn for images anyway.
I use the whole suite. I know that I can move to vectr or inkscape to replace designer, and I’m looking at Scribus to replace publisher. Acorn may indeed be a good replacement option for photo as I’m not happy working with gimp but I’m also investigating the PhotoGIMP plugin which may change my mind.
Yiannis
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#16 2025-10-31 10:30:51
- Algaris
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Re: Software discounts and recommendations redux
@Colak, if you’re on a Mac, I find Pixelmator to be very good and often use it myself.
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Here’s Ars Technica’s take on the new Affinity App.
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Re: Software discounts and recommendations redux
I’ve not tried it myself, but Graphite is reportedly pretty capable. Apache-licensed.
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Re: Software discounts and recommendations redux
Algaris wrote #341041:
@Colak, if you’re on a Mac, I find Pixelmator to be very good and often use it myself.
Pixelmator is another app that has a dubious future since Apple bought it a couple of months ago.
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Re: Software discounts and recommendations redux
phiw13 wrote #341043:
Pixelmator is another app that has a dubious future since Apple bought it a couple of months ago.
The most recent build of Pixelmator (non-Pro) is from October 2022 (3 years ago). The most recent build of Pixelmator Pro is June 2025 (4 months ago).
I have a vague recollection that Pixelmator (non-Pro) throws an warning on the first run when it’s a recent macOS; I’ll see if I can recreate that and post it.
For what it’s worth, I’m running Tahoe & iOS 26 and I should’ve waited before upgrading to both. I will stop short of saying “I have regrets” but they’re both pretty clumsy efforts so far.
Last edited by gaekwad (2025-10-31 12:02:16)
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#20 2025-10-31 12:19:39
- Algaris
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- From: England
- Registered: 2006-01-27
- Posts: 596
Re: Software discounts and recommendations redux
I should have specified I was talking about Pixelmator Pro. I’m not too worried about Apple buying Pixelmator, but I hope they’ll keep the perpetual licence and keep the app independent, rather than rolling it into Photos or something similar.
gaekwad wrote #341042:
I’ve not tried it myself, but Graphite is reportedly pretty capable. Apache-licensed.
Oooh. Graphite does look interesting.
Last edited by Algaris (2025-10-31 12:21:41)
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Re: Software discounts and recommendations redux
NordVPN are having a sale. My subscription ran out recently and I forgot to apply any Black Friday codes so I contacted customer services for a refund. As a ‘valued customer’ they offered me a 36-month extension for the same price instead. Oh, go on then… :)
It’s a great service for securing free-to-air public WiFi (at least, for those that don’t actively block VPN traffic) allowing me to conduct business on the move without leaking sensitive info. And non-US based too.
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#22 Today 06:10:43
Re: Software discounts and recommendations redux
I understand that now Affinity Studio has become one App containing Photo, Publisher and Designer and is distributed for free. I haven’t really dug into the culprits as we have guests from abroad until mid week but if it is indeed the case and if the app has the same functionalities we know with an aditional subscription model for Canvas tools it may not be bad.
See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ6V2J3afOQ
Davinci Resolve’s model comes to mind. I have been using this for years now and I never needed to upgrade as what they offer is ample enough for what I’m working on.
Yiannis
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I do my best editing after I click on the submit button.
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#23 Today 09:42:56
- Algaris
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- From: England
- Registered: 2006-01-27
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Re: Software discounts and recommendations redux
colak wrote #341069:
I understand that now Affinity Studio has become one App containing Photo, Publisher and Designer and is distributed for free …but if it is indeed the case and if the app has the same functionalities we know with an additional subscription model for Canvas tools it may not be bad.
Davinci Resolve’s model comes to mind. I have been using this for years now and I never needed to upgrade as what they offer is ample enough for what I’m working on.
@colak, I agree. If Affinity Studio continues with its freemium model, and doesn’t start locking non Canva features behind a subscription, it should be a good deal.
Davinci Resolve is a good example of this working successfully. I use it at home and paid the £200 to upgrade and got a free Speed Editor keyboard bundled in as part of an offer.
Last edited by Algaris (Today 09:44:18)
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