Why Register?

[SimonTheSorcerer]

Hello,

I was happy to see the new updates of 1.9 and the software registration. I like to work cross-platform so I have a windows desktop and a mac laptop, and unfortunately for me, that means I've bought the apps twice, for windows and mac, even though I obviously work on one machine at a time. I've bought them from 3 different places, mac app store, windows store and affinity store and as you can imagine managing them becomes a bit messy.

With the registration I thought it would finally organize things under one account, and have the purchased software recognized regardless of platform (since the old excuse for people wanting to switch between platforms was "mac app store doesn't provide customer data"). But after registering my windows and mac app store purchases, I don't really see them under my affinity account. I still only see the one I bought from the affinity store.

So my question is, what's the point on registering if we the software we bought doesn't get recognized under the unified affinity account? What does the software registration do exactly?

[walt.farrell]

3 minutes ago, SimonTheSorcerer said:

But after registering my windows and mac app store purchases, I don't really see them under my affinity account. I still only see the one I bought from the affinity store.

So my question is, what's the point on registering if we the software we bought doesn't get recognized under the unified affinity account? What does the software registration do exactly?

Well, to start with, it gets you free stuff

But its real benefit to us (customers) right now is that it simplifies the installation of creative content (brushes, assets, macros, etc.) that we've purchased from the  Affinity Store. With your application registered to your account, the content you've purchased can be downloaded from the account and installed automatically. If you run multiple machines, it can be downloaded to each machine that you've registered for the app.

In the future it may be expanded. Some have theorized, for example, that it could lead to a way to synchronize our own brushes, macros, assets, etc., not merely those we've purchased from the Affinity Store.

[laROQUE]

Curious to understand this: I have the MAS versions of the apps. When I launched Publisher 1.9 a large window appeared telling me to register and get free stuff. There is no button to register. There is a My Account menu item that...opens that same window again. Circle, meet loop.

Am I missing something?

[laROQUE]

Well...that was silly: you can scroll the window. There’s just no visual indication that you can. A bit of shame here but...Resolved (!)

[Patrick Connor]

@laROQUE

This is not the usual experience on. What device are you on and please can you (temporarily) log back out and take a screenshot of the UI that does not fit but has no obvious scrollbar. I have only seen this on some models of iPad (in Portrait mode) and yours may be another case we need to mitigate. 

[v_kyr]

20 minutes ago, laROQUE said:

Curious to understand this: I have the MAS versions of the apps. When I launched Publisher 1.9 a large window appeared telling me to register and get free stuff. There is no button to register. There is a My Account menu item that...opens that same window again. Circle, meet loop.

Am I missing something?

Interesting, I too have MAS versions of the apps which I updated today, though I've never saw such a registration panel at all when I freshly updated and afterwards started the v1.9.0 apps. Also now afterwards those "My Account" menu item and top bar button are always disabled for my MAS versions. - So I wonder if that "My Account" stuff works at all for MAS versions here under MacOS El Capitan.

[laROQUE]

@Patrick Connor Thx. It’s fixed now. When I opened Photo there WAS a register button—and it worked fine. I then opened Publisher again and realized I needed to scroll the window in that app in order to reveal the same button (I’m on the new Air, no external monitor yet, small screen). I haven’t tried the iPad versions yet. 

[laROQUE]

@v_kyr t’s working now (see follow-up). But I’m on the latest Big Sur.

[v_kyr]

[Patrick Connor]

13 minutes ago, v_kyr said:

So I wonder if that "My Account" stuff works at all for MAS versions here under MacOS El Capitan.

As the release notes touch on, the feature requires Sierra or above. The 1.9.1 patch will bring up a dialog that will say as much on El Capitan

[v_kyr]

8 minutes ago, Patrick Connor said:

As the release notes touch on, the feature requires Sierra or above. The 1.9.1 patch will bring up a dialog that will say as much on El Capitan

So if I understand you correctly it's not supported for older MacOS versions than Sierra then? - Hmm how should MAS customers with older MacOS versions then get their bonus stuff and the like if they buy or bought an Affinity app that way? - In the past it was possible via the welcome panel links.

[Patrick Connor]

13 minutes ago, v_kyr said:

In the past it was possible via the welcome panel links.

It's not currently available, sorry

[Pšenda]

2 hours ago, SimonTheSorcerer said:

and unfortunately for me, that means I've bought the apps twice, for windows and mac, even though I obviously work on one machine at a time.

I bought two cars, one for diesel and the other for gasoline. Unfortunately, I had to pay for both, even though I always only ride with one 😞

[Pšenda]

2 hours ago, SimonTheSorcerer said:

What does the software registration do exactly?

https://affinity.help/designer/English.lproj/pages/GetStarted/registerAndSync.html

[v_kyr]

45 minutes ago, Patrick Connor said:

It's not currently available, sorry

Thank's for sorting that out and clarification. BTW, I've overseen the >= Sierra release note indication, my bad!

For other people it might be useful to read the following articles, which tell a bunch of things in more detail related to the new "Your Account"  feature ...

• Sync your Affinity Store resources with your Affinity 1.9 apps
• A guide to installing creative resources purchased from the Affinity Store

[SimonTheSorcerer]

9 minutes ago, Pšenda said:

I bought two cars, one for diesel and the other for gasoline. Unfortunately, I had to pay for both, even though I always only ride with one 😞

Luckily, unlike cars, with software you only need a license and a digital copy, not a physical product. I have tons of software, from 3D to compositing, to photo development, to sound editing, to 2D animation, with more than 500 installed apps and Affinity are the ONLY ones that required double-purchase in order to across different platforms. It's not normal and it's not really customer friendly either, and I do hope Affinity will decide to improve on that. Even software that do require physical parts for verification such as dongles don't really need multiple licenses to run, as they should.

[Pšenda]

2 minutes ago, SimonTheSorcerer said:

Luckily, unlike cars, with software you only need a license and a digital copy, not a physical product.

Because SW is not a physical product, its "production", ie design, development, testing, marketing, distribution, etc. is probably done by someone somewhere for free, who does not need an office, development equipment, does not need to eat, live, feed his family, ...

[stewart_whaley]

14 minutes ago, SimonTheSorcerer said:

...Affinity are the ONLY ones that required double-purchase in order to across different platforms ...

But isn't there a huge price difference in the software you're talking about and Serif stuff?

[Jowday]

I don't know what long term plans Serif has for the My Account section in the apps themselves, but perhaps the choice of name is misleading... nah not misleading... it just doesn't cover the range of options there.

Here and now it is more a "'My stuff and info" usability enhancement that offers easy access to extras like brushes and templates - and a link between the Serif Store and purchases. Likewise there is a link between the customer account at serif.com and My Account. Downloading and installing and even uninstalling extras is now a no brainer for everyone on all platforms. That's what is in it for us. The complete separation of software, store and the customer account we had before only generates extra clicks, frustrations and customers that are unaware of brushes and templates. And who often does not know how to handle and keep zip files with extras.

I wasn't born yesterday of course. I am well aware that Serif is making this move to animate customers to purchase extras - because it is so easy and well integrated into the products. That is fine. There is something in it for me as well and their business style is pretty honest and transparent. I have no problem with the license per operating system. The software is dirt cheap, is discounted very, very often and so far no upgrade fee for years. I never complained about money - I actually suggested paying more often to get features more often!

Personally I like being a customer when companies are all right - and as a professional myself I understand money and goods must be exchanged. Making software or bridges is more expensive than you think.

Compare to what so many in here don't like about the subscription model - I have no problem with that either - or the business model behind products like Xara (fake discounts with a constantly moving fake deadline and and an uninstallable service subscription update reminder) that I loathe and spit on... I think Serif is doing business the right way.

It is true that double licenses are rare. But with so many discounts and no yearly upgrade... no paid upgrade so far for five years... you have to see it in the big perspective. 

[walt.farrell]

45 minutes ago, SimonTheSorcerer said:

Affinity are the ONLY ones that required double-purchase in order to across different platforms.

How many of them cost only $50, as a one-time fee? How many allow usage on an unlimited number of computers?

And if you had only one OS, would you have been happy paying $100 just for the possibiity you might someday have a second OS?

(Not to mention the sales, which bring the price down substantially if you take advantage of them.)

[Clamo88]

I've read through the instructions and followed two links for instrux on how to register the Affinity products. NO Dice. There is *no* My Account button on the windows desktop app. I purchased through the Microsoft store and have no way to register designer and publisher, thus cannot get the update. What gives? There just is no button for "My Account" and the one on the website only lets you log in -- not create an account where I can prove my registration #s.

Any help available?

Thanks.

[SimonTheSorcerer]

1 hour ago, stewart_whaley said:

But isn't there a huge price difference in the software you're talking about and Serif stuff?

 

37 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

How many of them cost only $50, as a one-time fee? How many allow usage on an unlimited number of computers?

And if you had only one OS, would you have been happy paying $100 just for the possibiity you might someday have a second OS?

(Not to mention the sales, which bring the price down substantially if you take advantage of them.)

It's not really "only 50" if you have to buy them again and again, right? Also, when new paid versions come out, is there an upgrade price, or do you have to pay the whole "only 50" again, multiple times? For affinity Photo it would be around 130 for Windows/Mac/iPad, that you'd have to repay when the big update comes.

Sorry I don't think that's cheap. They do have a lot of ground to cover to reach the adobe equivalents, something that should be apparent in threads requesting really simple stuff, not to mention going to more complex features, so I'd consider the "actually 50" price fair.

Most software are quite affordable these days, especially if they have the vast pool of potential customers that Affinity does, which counts in the millions. From Game Engines to 3D software, there are always fair and affordable plans.

Adobe does offer the simplicity of managing all the software from one account, and since it's also the industry standard it's the easy solution, so more people pick that. But I'd rather support a company like Affinity which doesn't want to force people into subscriptions and demonstrates a lot of talent and potential. But forcing their customers to buy the same software twice leaves a bitter taste and isn't really helping to maintain nice relationship with the customer. I do wish Affinity to succeed in their business, since it's a win/win for both seller and customer, which is one of the main reason I try to share this feedback.
 

1 hour ago, Pšenda said:

Because SW is not a physical product, its "production", ie design, development, testing, marketing, distribution, etc. is probably done by someone somewhere for free, who does not need an office, development equipment, does not need to eat, live, feed his family, ...

I've been working in a software development company, I'm aware of all that. Affinity has a much larger customer-base than what I'm used to, I'm sure they can find a better balance between a profitable license practice and keeping their customers happy.

[walt.farrell]

16 minutes ago, SimonTheSorcerer said:

It's not really "only 50" if you have to buy them again and again, right? Also, when new paid versions come out, is there an upgrade price, or do you have to pay the whole "only 50" again, multiple times?

You don't have to buy then again and again. If you purchased back when it was release 1.6 as I did your $50 has covered you for 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, and now 1.9 (with several minor releases in each) over a period of 4 or 5 years (I can't check the exact period right now). Some users started earlier, and have gotten more value.

When version 2.0 comes out it will be a new purchase. But that might be next year, or 5 years from now. No one knows. Until then, you don't make another payment.

Even then, if you don't want to upgrade, you can just keep using whatever the last release of version 1 is. You don't have to pay and upgrade.

[Jowday]

The paid upgrades are released so far not even every five years and priced like Photoshop plugins. Discounted often and then sold at ridiculously low prices. Like exactly now.

I have purchased a lot of software and Affinity must be the cheapest software I have. As an actual expense - not license theory - I see no problem. The most likely combo of licenses is Mac + iOS or Windows + iOS. Both combos also dirt cheap. In fact if you are fine with buying expensive (and you guys ARE paying solid overprices for the Apple brand) Apple computers that doesn't age as well Serif software it simply baffles me you would ever complain about cheap bang for the buck software products. Affinity is budget software. You are complaining to the wrong company. You eyes will water when you upgrade your Mac the next time! And that pattern will surely repeat itself with real sums of money involved.

No more comments from me on this non-issue.