Interesting discussion.
As a web developer and long time Windows user I found myself buying a Mac because because of how well it runs a (LAMP) web server and also for the many good options for graphics software.
Like many others freelancers, I would head for the torrent sites for the latest version of Adobe Creative Suite rather than be taken advantage of with their expensive subscription fees. Then Affinity came along with a viable and affordable alternative and I was more than happy to pay up for legit copies of both Designer and Photo.
I fell out of love with Apple after my £2,700 MacBook Pro failed after only three years usage. After the SSD was removed, it was worth only £300 as scrap on ebay. More recently, many Macbook owners have complained about the gimmick touchbar, underwhelming specs and of course 'donglegate'.
Feeling let down by Apple, I decided to revisit Windows only to conclude once again that without powerful hardware, it was not suitable for running open source web apps or a demanding web server. To my surprise, I was also told by Affinity they would not transfer my licenses to Windows and that I would have to buy them again. (cough, torrents are available).
So once again I find myself looking at Linux and once again I find that the graphic choices are less than ideal.
As a web designer I need good illustration tools for logos, comps and layouts. I need export options for jpg, png and these days more usually for svg. As for photo editing I just need basic tools such as cropping and exposure adjustment.
It is a matter of fact that many web designers have moved over to Sketch. It is better than Photoshop for website and app design. It also has support for symbols and grids; and whilst it's photo editing is poor, it is good enough for the basic tasks and it can also export to css, which is a bonus.
The price point of Sketch is similar to that of Affinity. And like Affinity they also have a fairer understanding of the subscription model than Adobe. Customers get to keep the software they have invested in, whilst repeat subscribers benefit from new features and ongoing support.
Of big interest to me is that there is now a new kid on the block. Gravit Designer is free and it is available for OSX, Windows, Linux, Chrome OS, iPad, Android and also as a web app that will work in the browser! Gravit Designer is a cutting edge product and is probably what the next generation of software will look like. Whilst their start-up business model is not yet defined, more established software houses should look seriously at the value (and disruption) that small teams can deliver in this day and age.
For myself personally, the idea of portable, cross platform software is very attractive. Moreover, I am happy to a pay a fair price for it, but I don't want taking for a ride, nor do I want to pay again for each of my devices.
I wonder if Affinity are still reading this thread?