gbjack
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Posts posted by gbjack
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On 5/29/2018 at 5:49 PM, VectorVonDoom said:
AD's not even close to AI in terms of functionality and at this rate won't be for a long, long time, so no. AI might be showing its age in some areas but it's hard to think of anything it can't do. Of course it depends on your requirements, not just current ones. AI hasn't moved on that much since CS6, PS gets most of the new goodies, and you can still pick that up cheaply, so no subscription.
I disagree with you. AI is very very buggy. I tried to use InDesign for all my works if possible. I am still using Adobe because my company uses it.
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I have not download nor activated Publisher bought during an email promo. Is it possible to transfer the license to Microsoft store? Photo and designer are bought from the store, so I thought a central management is better. I don't mind matching the amount on the store.
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Do you have the model of the HP printer? Home printer don't print to the edge unless it is a borderless printer
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Have you set the bleed size under document setup? Maybe it helps.
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6 hours ago, SrPx said:
Totally. Very good post. The issue is one that is common with other situations : A lot (and I mean a lot) of times I am required to deliver not as a PDF, but in other formats (TIFF, very often), in CMYK, with a specific CMYK profile, certain ink coverage, etc. (well, sometimes even just a PNG...for print). In those (frequent) cases, I do my best to get the best scenario.
5 hours ago, SrPx said:A bunch of the ones (print companies) I have dealt with (digital POD sites) do not, many wont let you give them a PDF... And yes, I know that is not offset, but digital printing. In the end, I don't chose the company to print with, neither a lot of other matters...This for doing graphic design stuff, but also (and mostly) illustrations.
Then it is critical to make sure the colours you have chosen in RGB is within CMYK range and work in their given profile.
Also some digital printers do have a full range of colour charts. If you are regular or high volume client, they may give you a copy. This way you can get the exact colours your need. I suggest you to get such a colour book from them, and don't have to depend on the colours on your screen. We can do a test print on a smaller output with the same printer so that we can then adjust the colours in the final actual size print.
Lastly I want to add that we need to have a good monitor too to get better colour display. Ideally 100% sRGB and 80% RGB. I am using a ThinkPad with poor sRGB at home and iMac at work. So I tend to "distrust" the display on the ThinkPad, rather replying on the colour percentages I choose.
I guess the longer you work with it, you will generally know what the output will be. E.g, if you add 100M 100Y you have a general idea how red it will be or 10m 100y, you will have an idea how the outcome will be.
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I am a Linux user but had to keep the best computer for Windows due to lack of graphic software alternative. I knew about GIMP, Scribus and Inkscape but cannot get used to the interface, shortcuts and ways of doing things. I think I will make the switch if Affinity is available on Linux.
As for distro, it can be made available/ support Ubuntu/ Mint and Manjaro as they have the most installed base.
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21 hours ago, SrPx said:
Yup, I do that always that I am allowed. Is just that a bunch of print sites or just the client, would require a very specific other format, in a very specific CMYK (or RGB) color profile, even specifying the ink level, etc... But I rather prefer to export in PDF/X.
My workflow with Adobe - use RGB PSD but CMYK to set colour attributes (e.g., set brand logo colour at M100, Y100 instead of using RGB. Doing this will not result in colour shift later), use CMYK illustrator files, Stock images in default JPEG, any PNG or JPEG (pixel size had to be big though because adobe distiller will convert the DPI to 300dpi)
PDF/ X is used for offset printing. I use it for all my print jobs, brochures, annual reports, flyers, event booth graphics including newspaper print (Newspaper only accept PDF through electronic transfer for a long time already). All printers will require you to use this format, but some designers still don't use it due to some reasons of their own.
If printer require special PDF settings, you can just set it or they will email you the settings for import. To be true, I don't remember I doing this at all since switching to PDF workflow more than 20 years ago.
There are a few types of PDF exchange format, I tried to keep to PDF/X-4 as much as possible because it is more flexible, unless your printer uses an old RIP that don't support this newer PDF format:
- PDF/X-1a:2003, blind exchange in CMYK + spot colors, based on PDF 1.4
- PDF/X-3:2003, allows CMYK, spot, calibrated (managed) RGB, CIELAB, with ICC Profile, based on PDF 1.4
- PDF/X-4, Colour-managed, CMYK, gray, RGB or spot colour data are supported, as are PDF transparency and optional content
For newspaper print, we will need to adjust the total ink coverage to 200% or as specify by your newspaper printer.
For web graphics, save your profile as sRGB will do. The old ways of converting images to CMYK and using TIFF format are long gone, there is no need to keep the old unproductive workflow.
Things to check in PDF
- Check printer's marks
- Check overprint if you need in some instances
- Preflight PDF/X format in acrobat
- Check printing plates
- Check embedded fonts
- Check ink percentage
- Check total ink coverage, e.g., if you are printing on thin stock, don't use high percentage on all CMYK. The ink will soaked the paper and affect printing quality and drying time
Hope this clarify everything.
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XD can import Illustrator file now. So I assume exporting to AI may help.
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18 hours ago, appuser99 said:
I find this "forced subscription or shut down" model is not to my liking and not within my financial abilities. Maybe some people can afford it, I can't. I had to say good bye to Adobe upgrades (even though I loved the software), goodbye to Ulysses upgrades (I run my old version, plus purchased Scrivener), and maybe I need to say good bye to WeekCal (but can hopefully continue to use my current version).
Don't worry appuser99, now there is affinity to the rescue!
My customer journey with affinity begins constantly looking for workarounds on Adobe Illustrator due to its bugs in the latest and newest version. I went through Adobe's forum only to be told 1 message, "upgrade to the latest version!" without any solution.
One day, I can across some forum talking about affinity designer and photo. I checked it out, looked at their features, checked out some reviews and purchased the software in conjunction with Black Friday offer. This proved to be a good decision for small-time freelancer like me. I picked up the software immediately and there is little need for re-training, while the money saved on subscribing to Adobe software can be used on better hardware.
- SrPx and jmwellborn
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+1 to the bug above while I was working on a 1 page document. Also when using the arrow key to shift objects, sometimes the distance indicator got blocked by the centre text frame handle, being underneath it. While at times it got displayed correctly by being in front.
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+1 for data merge.
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19 hours ago, SrPx said:
Ehm....I don't actually agree with all that. Look, I have deeply trialed both AI and PS in its latest versions, and they are definitely actual jewels. Yes, quite resource hungry and loading (at least in Windows) a lot of extra TSR processes (there are ways to get that 100% under control, tho. But I bet only a 0.01% of "digital population" knows how, lol) removing resources, memory, etc. All of that, with a lot of crazy-geek-level fine tuning can be put under control, and get reasonable, functional performance even in a dinosaur machine like mine (in the signature down below). Heck, even with GPU acceleration off, getting smooth brush painting in huge canvases, while being totally stuck in a raw fresh install ( I took it as a crazy challenge). They were stable in a many hours intensive set of tests in my experience.
I have used Adobe tools 5 to 6 days a week daily for the past 26 years, with the exception when Freehand is still in business, and when later InDesign came along. What good is a software if it needs user to do many workarounds and switched off many resources? Maybe you are working with small files. We worked with huge pre-press files, large event panel files, and the latest Illustrator is just not production ready.
- Bounding box disappeared by itself (mac)
- Changing text box A attributes will affect text box B. Text box A have no effect, need to quit (mac)
- Select an object and the properties panel do not reflect the selection (mac)
- The program reset preference as and when it likes (mac)
- AI ext is associated to XD and cannot be changed (Win)
- measurements are not accurate (e.g., enter 210 mm, the properties may become 209.99 mm - long term)
- White became yellow on screen
- kerning set will revert to 0 after deselect
- Out of memory (mac)
Most these may be non-existent if you are working with tiny file sizes, I do not know! Support will only tell you we have a new update 23.0.1, please update and thread is closed.
Sorry for whining, out of topic.
- John Gibson, Patrick Connor and SrPx
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Thanks all for the reply. I have bought designer and photo already based on some reviews. The software looks promising, picked it up like fish in the water. Looking forward to publisher!
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11 hours ago, John Gibson said:
To your first point, that you do not support perpetual licensing, I take it you agree that Serif will have to move to a more cash flow friendly pricing regime in time, to better facilitate their service, support, upgrades and new product development? If so, what do you think is a fair annual price for service, support and upgrades - AUD$165 per annum, or do you have another amount in mind?
To your second point, perhaps I should clarify the question to include a Serif Software suite that includes:
- Illustration (Designer);
- Photo manipulation (Photo);
- Page layout (Publisher);
- Photo service (eg. Lightroom - I am unsure about this one, as I did read about something similar available from Serif but I can't seem to find it now)
- Web design (eg. Dreamweaver)
- Video editing (eg. Premier Pro)
- Video effects (eg. After effects)
- Document editing and execution (eg. Acrobat)
- Cloud Based Asset Storage (eg. Bridge)
- Animation (eg. Animate/Character Animator)
- Audio (eg. Audition)
- 3D Mockups (eg. Dimensions)
- Copywriting (eg. InCopy)
- 3D Compositions (eg. Blender)
- Gaming (eg. Unity 3D/Unreal)
These last two items, 3D compositions and Gaming may well happen as a result of partnering or acquisition, but still the current alternatives Blender and Unity 3D?Unreal are bloatware with increasingly complex UI and UX which could be disrupted by a philosophy to development such as that held by Serif.
I admit there is only 15 products here rather than 20, so I'll edit my original post to reflect this explicitly.
Answer 1 : AUD55 for 1 piece or bundle 3 at AUD150 per year should be good and competitive.
Answer 2: Have an option to sell the bundle like for - graphics, web, video/ animation/ gaming or individually, instead of forcing us to have everything.
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1 hour ago, John Gibson said:
QUESTION 1: How much you would be willing to pay a year (updates, service & support) for Affinity Designer/Photo/Publisher beyond its current perpetual price of AUD$165 (assuming Publisher is also about AUD$55 when its stable) and how much would you pay per year for an Affinity version of Adobe CC with 20 software products?
- I will upgrade if the features are attractive and essential. I do not support perpetual license.
- I do not see the need to use 20 software, Adobe is playing the greed "tricks" on her users, and on the other hand, Adobe shifted her software development to India for more profits, resulting in poor quality stuff. (I am not against Indians)
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" Unlike some developers, Serif doesn’t outsource coding work to developers in low-cost countries. “We’re proud that we’re entirely UK based, but from a development perspective it is one of our challenges,” Hewson admits. “We’re in Nottingham but no matter where we were in the UK that’s always going to be the same issue, finding really good people who have a level of experience in writing creativity apps.”
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Have anyone used the latest latest version of Illustrator? You will know what I mean.
All I am pointing out here is that Adobe is producing buggy programming in the last few versions. The group of engineers on the screenshots should felt ashamed of themselves. And John Gibson, why are companies made to pay for subscriptions and pay for wasted man hours with such "irresponsible" company?
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Since the beginning of time, Apple had been problematic to third party users. First with propriety connection on HDD, input devices, graphic cards, scanning devices, until they got forced out of market.
With OS X, they got no choice but to go with standard devices, but they still do minor stuff like propriety HDD format, from time to time. If you are on OS X, you had to bear with such occurrences from time to time.
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If you have buggy products, and bad company management, no subscription based or perpetual license is going to save you. Instead of paying all the money to cloud based companies and network infrastructure, the easiest way would be to set a shelf life to the software, like 3 years. If everyone is doing something, this does not mean it is the only way to go.
Like I said, if you had a mind blowing and essential feature in major upgrade, users will want to upgrade. The last few versions of Abode CC just introduced more bugs!
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The subscription based model may have led Adobe to produce buggy products. They had no more incentive to produce great features that make users feeling the need to upgrade anymore because they tied users on a yearly basis.
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Recently I found out about Affinity designer and photo after searching for a workaround for Illustrator's bugs.
My question is, will the future update be anytime soon? It may not be well if I did a purchase and after 6-7 months, a new version is released. I've read somewhere, from memory, that there is a point update already on 2017. So the next major update may be around the corner.
I am happy and had high expectation on Publisher too,
Digital painting using Affinity 2
in Share your work
Posted
Title: When the rocks hide us II (series)
Media: Digital (Affinity Designer 1)