is AFPHOTO worth another look?

[carlseibert]

Hi Phil,

It's 2024. After the latest Adobe outrage many users are migrating away from Adobe and its awful business practices. "Many" is relative, depending on sample size, among other things. I can say definitively that 50% of the artists who live at, well, my house, are weaning off of Adobe products. :-)

Serif's Affinity Photo is the obvious successor to Adobe's Photoshop. No photographers were harmed in the creation of its EULA terms, it seems to be up to the task, and the price is right. (At least at the moment.) Although, I gotta tell you, if you have 30 years of Photoshop muscle memory, the learning experience isn't exactly fluid.

Maybe it's time to take another look at support for AFPHOTO, Affinity's PSD.

I realize that they changed the file format a couple of years ago. That does give me a creepy feeling. I'll pray to the demons of development that they refrain from more of that. (Although, in fairness IIRC, Adobe has changed the PSD specs more than once.)

With Version 2, they have added pretty good IPTC support in their product. I feel like this is a new-found sensitivity on their part. When I talked to them about it some years ago, I got brushed off. Better late than never, as they say. They seem to be onboard now, so I'm more in credit-for-doing-the-right thing mode, rather than uncomfortable-with-their-checkered-past mode.

Thoughts?

-Carl

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Carl,

Personally I won't touch any software with a monthly subscription fee, and Adobe was one of the first I know to turn to the dark side, so they have been in my bad books for a long time.

I can't answer about AFPHOTO -- I haven't tried it.

- Phil

[obetz]

be aware that Affinity Photo 2 changed it's activation to "server based". With version 1, you got an activation code, enabling installation without internet connection. Photo 2 activation depends on a working activation server.

[Hubert]

Photo 2 activation depends on a working activation server.

There are two similar purchase routes for Affinity products, dependent on your OS.

On macOS you can buy through the Apple Store or direct from Serif, the developers.

Same for the iPad version.

On Windows you can buy through the Windows Store or direct from Serif.

A universal licence covers all these operating systems (but not Linux).

I bought Affinity Photo 2 direct from Serif for use on macOS.

Once installed and activated it launches runs absolutely fine without an internet connection (I just tried it.)

I can't answer about AFPHOTO -- I haven't tried it.

There's currently a free six-month fully operational no-strings trial if you want to take it for a spin.

[obetz]

Once installed and activated it launches runs absolutely fine without an internet connection (I just tried it.)

Correct, but if you want to install it on a new computer, you need the activation server.

Version 1 could be activated just with the code.