Hey everyone, I'd like to chime in here (and yes, I'm all for group hugs!)
I purchased the full CS 6 master suite just months before Adobe switched to the insane subscription model, and happily used it for a couple years with mostly no problems. This was a relatively good thing, for I found out later that the Adobe customer support is beyond horrendous, it is non-existent. Then, with every upgrade to macOS, it became more and more difficult to keep it running adequately. First, it was needing an antique version of Java to run, then little other things kept popping up. I would go for months without the ability to use one the apps or another. Finally, by the time MacOS 10.11 came around, I gave up altogether and just ditched the whole thing. Thus began a multi-year search for a replacement, which kinda culminated when I discovered the Affinity family. just a couple months ago. I say "kinda" because I still have not found a suitable replacement for the InDesign app.
These Affinity apps represent the epitome of how truly well engineered applications should be made. It is readily apparent that an incredible amount of forethought, engineering, testing and refinement goes into every tiny detail. As a result, every interaction, button click, and visual feedback just feels right, natural and intuitive. I cannot remember how long it has been since I actually enjoyed using a piece of software, but it really is a pure joy to use these Affinity apps, big time! Take the pen tool for example, like most designers out there, this was always my least favorite tool to use, and consequently I almost never used it. However, in Designer, it is just the opposite, and for the first time ever, I am actually using the pen tool, and enjoying it to boot! The way it feels, interacts and provides feedback truly makes it a tool that is easy and pleasurable to use. The Affinity dev team has truly taken the Apple philosophy of design and engineering excellence to heart, and it comes through in every detail of these applications.
The reason I share this here is that I hope to convey to the development team just how painful it really is to us to not have Affinity Publisher available yet. One major problem with all of the temporary alternatives offered in this discussion thread is that after spending just a small bit of time working in Affinity Designer and Affinity Photo on macOS, all of the other just feel like crap. Really, after being absolutely spoiled by the ease and joy of the Affinity suite, using any of the others feels downright disgusting. It is akin to taking off a finely crafted and tailored Italian suit and putting on a pair of scratchy worn-out jeans. Like innumerable other Affinity users, I have a very real and pressing need for Publisher. Of course, I do appreciate the need to do it right, I really do. But know also that there is a huge gap in today's software availability, one that can only be filled by the forthcoming release of Publisher. So if there is any way to allocate more resources to the Publisher dev, design and testing team, please do it, please!
Magic-design got a reaction from mbechetti in Adobe Photoshop & InDesign Alternatives
Magic-design got a reaction from 000 in Adobe Photoshop & InDesign Alternatives