Affinity Suite: Blocking of versions, very bad idea

[Jowday]

9 hours ago, Old Bruce said:

To all who are requesting this compatibility:  There is a new blend mode in the latest betas (1.9.0.x) called Divide. How would that get rendered in the 1.8.x versions?

OMG. The internet. It doesn't have to render it correctly. But I should be able to open the file after a warning that not all properties are supported. The result may be weird and not perfect - but also often almost OK. I will be able to retrieve something. This is a solution often used. Modern software simply allows people to open and save files in file formats not perfect - with plenty of warnings - but they can, because sometimes you have to. It is not perfect - but neither is democracy. It is just the least bad solution in several cases. Blocking access to good data is a no go. Entirely blocking customers from accessing the file (data) whatsoever is a solution from a century we left decades ago. But if you want to see the world in black or white - be my guest.

A file with 200 design layers with classic content and then one insignificant layer with a contour = you can't open this file in 1.8 is simply ridiculous.

Designing a clever file format can be done from the very beginning af development of even a new suite of programs. Was so decades and decades ago.