slackard

I attempted modifying the startup properties for the service in question to no avail. The Affinity startup check is looking at something else, and still throws the "requires Aero" popup, even when the service is running (see: https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/27817-requires-aero-desktop-theme-really-guys-cmon/?p=135691 ) The workaround is to enable an Aero theme, or execute affinity with the --no-dwm-warning switch. Using the latter option, as the moderators have clearly stated, will preclude any support responses you seek during the beta period. What I'll be doing is running the app with the --no-dwm-warning switch on. If I encounter issues, I'll enable an aero theme and test again. If the issue persists in both environments, or in Aero alone, I will report it. If the issue only presents in classic mode, I will honor the Mod's request to not comment during the beta period... Hope this helps

Perfect! So far so good, able to run classic and no "rendering problems" thus far.. At least now I can get to evaluating the software! If I do experience issues I will validate/replicate them on my own, with and without an aero theme (and further, with and without WDM) before posting any results to the forum.. That is to say, I'll be sure to cover my bases. Question about the methodology behind this "--no-dwm-warning" switch... Does this simply disable the startup check? or does it change the way the software functions internally? I ask because as shown in my previous post, DWM is technically enabled on my system (even if not using an aero theme proper).. So, now that I've bypassed the warning message, will Affinity utilize DWM, since it IS enabled? Or does this switch actually disable DWM utilization entirely (e.g. driver reversion, as discussed earlier)? Thanks again!

I gave his one a shot and its a no go. Actually, I tried all 5 methods and Affinity is still throwing the Aero message. It seems just enabling DWM without an Aero theme isnt enough to satisfy Affinity's startup checks. I had to use photoshop to crop this down... D`oh! I still have high hopes for this software, and do understand this is intended as a beta restriction.. Willing to wait it out, and appreciate the continued engagement. I'd just like to see you guys reach as many users as possible so we can have spirited competition in the market place. When companies compete effectively, consumers always win. Thanks guys!

FWIW, this copy is from the marketing email I received this morning, which (in light of the issues outlined in this thread) is misleading... "The Windows version matches the Mac version feature-for-feature, so all the thrilling speed, sophisticated tools and pinpoint accuracy which have earned Affinity Photo its formidable reputation are now available to Windows users too without compromise." Lets read that last part again... ....now available to Windows users too without compromise. One more time for good measure... ...without compromise. Not sayin.. just sayin..

"We disable it because we do not want the noise created by 10,000 old, broken graphics drivers at this point in the beta. Surely you can understand how what we are trying to do here is reasonable and temporary?" I will grant that this reasonable stance for an early release candidate, but to read your marketing info, the (beta) software is pretty much ready and it's been released it into the wild -- so at this stage its reasonable to assume lots of users will want to evaluate, and it should mostly just work. However, in my view this is a major usability issue & nothing in the marketing email I received or on the homepage said anything about the restriction or its temporary status. Additionally, the startup error that I received simply says I need to enable Aero/wdm. Perhaps it was covered in these forums, but the error popup does not state this is a temporary/beta-only restriction.. Maybe you guys could have worded that a little differently (or added an opt-in feature as Andy suggested)? I do feel I've been respectful, if also direct and honest. [edit: I will retract "lazy". A lot of good dev work here too, which I do not mean to minimize. Aside from that, non-wdm "classic" users were thrown under the bus when the decision was made to rely on wdm instead of an engineered solution like that of your competitor's.] Early on, I had a lot of hope for this software, as have others. So, if users have negative impressions, its important that you guys know, so you can nail it -- isnt that what beta testing is all about? I appreciate that you guys have engaged me on this issue and have not just written me off entirely, as i feel my concerns regarding AD environments and OS market share are valid and will be for at least a few more years until corporate environments migrate beyond win7.. Often times, it's the squeaky wheel that gets the more opt-in features, so just doing my part to help others in the same boat as myself. I'll stay tuned to see if the opt-in becomes an option, etc.. but for now, adobe still has my dime. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

"Also, those statistics depend on which site you browse, looking on Wikipedia you'll see it's only 38.97% for Windows 7 vs 24.81% for Windows 10." Even at a purported 38% market share, win7 still has an overwhelming majority of users vs any other OS, and you are writing those users off. Also, you can assume that a lot of corporate/AD environments have Aero/wdm disabled via group policy, and have no plans to migrate those users to win8 or win10 in the near term or at all. Users in such environments would be unable to enable aero/wdm even if they wanted. So again, a sizable portion of your potential market is being written off because of this. To read your responses to this issue, you dont want those users and they obviously doing it wrong anyway.. What's really obvious is that you guys feel you made all the right decisions. I'm telling you though, (and this is free advice) writing prospective users off as effectively "youre doing it wrong" just because you failed to design software that could work independently of wdm is totally and completely lazy & asinine. Photoshop is able to leverage my GPU just fine and I dont need to enable WDM/aero.. so who is to blame here? Go ahead and rebut your positions all you want -- I've already uninstalled your beta & I will never use or pay for this software, so long as such restrictions/changes to my desktop environment are forcibly imposed. Poor show old chaps. Poor show indeed.

"During the beta we aren't interested in bug reports from people who don't have DWM enabled, as those bugs are out of our hands." OS Market share by % (source: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=market+share+windows+7 ) Windows 7 48.38% Windows 10 22.59% Windows 8.1 8.40% Windows XP 8.27% Your software is causing user hardship and youre not interested. It is within your grasp, you're just too lazy to design software that can work independently of DWM. --- its been done, you are just lazy. A lot of users will experience this issue, and you're simply not interested. Asinine!

Listen. I am admittedly pretty set in my ways, especially in the way I have my desktop environment setup. I use the Windows Classic theme, and that is that. Switching to Aero is not something I want to do, ever. Seriously, not ever. When a new program heralds itself as the best of the year, the developers and project managers should realize that messing with peoples preexisting environments is massively inconvenient, and will definitely stand as a giant barrier to adoption of their software for those users. I'll try your beta version, but given that you are forcing me to alter my desktop settings just to start the app, i can promise i wont end up a regular user, let alone a paying one. Good software should integrate seamlessly with the host OS, and not "cause rendering problems," or rely on kludges like Aero Themes to accomplish your goals By relying on aero hooks to accomplish your UI goals you've automatically ruled out a sizeable swath of your potential market. Lazy design at the cost of user experience.. D- on day one --- not a good start guys. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯