Please consider Linux as a viable platform - Microsoft is bleeding users to Linux because of their choices.

[Vepar]

I've been using linux for 2 years now, and the only thing i have a WIndows partition for is Affinity software. There's literally nothing so advanced on Linux currently. There's a gaping hole in Linux ecosystem for professional Designer suite, and now that Affinity was bought by Canva, i hope one day, soon, there could be a linux version of Affinity software. With the relative maturity of flatpak there's no more argument of having to package the software for each different linux package manager, you can just have the one, flatpak, and honestly, i'd settle for having Affinity run through wine or proton if native version is too much to ask for.

More and more people are leaving Windows due to their anti consumer behaviour, ads, privacy concerns, and generally not being in control of the OS you have to pay for, and more and more people are choosing Linux as their new home.

There's a growing market and userbase that's just begging to pay for professional software like Affinity. Growing because of the insane decisions Windows keeps adding with each update.

Make history Affinity, be the first professional designer suite for Linux, and i'm sure a lot of people who are held hostage by an increasingly predatory OS will switch and thank you as well!

Currently, i still have my Affinity V1 licence, for my work that's enough, i still don't need what V2 has to offer. But, be it V2 or V3, please make it happen, it can't be that difficult to make it work on linux.

[fde101]

This thread is yet another duplicate:

 

[- S -]

I wish you luck, as I agree with your comments regarding Microsoft.

However, as I'm not sure it will happen given the previous responses, wouldn't it be more worthwhile trying to aim for more organisation and focus in the FOSS community and to come up with a plan to fill the holes where creative-focused software is lacking on Linux?  The first step would be to have a clear plan of what's needed on Linux, the next step would be to discuss methods of obtaining grants and other funding to make it happen.

 

[Frozen Death Knight]

Personally I would want to migrate to Linux at some point because of Microsoft botching up Windows so much lately. It would be nice to have Affinity work natively on Linux, but I can understand if the devs are reluctant to make a new version just to support the platform.

The best solution to me would be if Affinity got technical support for Linux through Proton or similar software that make native Windows software run on Linux. Valve have done wonders within gaming by supporting Linux through SteamOS and investing in technologies that bypass the differences between the two platforms (some software even run better on Linux than on Windows). It's a lot easier now to make software multiplatform and it's only going to get better in the future.

Canva/Serif spending some resources on technical support and making sure Affinity can run more smoothly through something like Proton would be a lot cheaper than making a native Linux version. That would be a lot better than having zero support for customers trying to run Affinity on Linux at least.

[Vepar]

4 hours ago, - S - said:

I wish you luck, as I agree with your comments regarding Microsoft.

However, as I'm not sure it will happen given the previous responses, wouldn't it be more worthwhile trying to aim for more organisation and focus in the FOSS community and to come up with a plan to fill the holes where creative-focused software is lacking on Linux?  The first step would be to have a clear plan of what's needed on Linux, the next step would be to discuss methods of obtaining grants and other funding to make it happen.

 

FOSS is good and all, but there's been a demand for professional interlinked design suite for decades now, no one really stepped up to fill it. Everyone just says "use Gimp, use Krita, use this and that", but none of those programs come close. Not just because of potentially different workflow or lacking features, but because they're not used as the industry standard, and you can't just use a gimp if a team (for example) is using Adobe or Affinity. Affinity is close enough to Adobe workflow that it can pass as a substitute, but FOSS programs aren't.

So the issue is not creating a FOSS replacement (although, no one even did try), but to use something that's already established and well known.

Besides, like the entire linux gaming runs on wine and proton, gaming devs spends some time ensuring their games run through proton (if they want the Steam deck market), Affinity devs could just spare some time to ensure Affinity runs through wine and that would be perfectly fine, no native program required, just a bit of tweaking.

2 hours ago, Frozen Death Knight said:

Personally I would want to migrate to Linux at some point because of Microsoft botching up Windows so much lately. It would be nice to have Affinity work natively on Linux, but I can understand if the devs are reluctant to make a new version just to support the platform.

The best solution to me would be if Affinity got technical support for Linux through Proton or similar software that make native Windows software run on Linux. Valve have done wonders within gaming by supporting Linux through SteamOS and investing in technology that bypass the differences between the two platforms (some software even run better on Linux than on Windows). It's a lot easier now to make software multiplatform and it's only going to get better in the future.

Canva/Serif spending some resources on technical support and making sure Affinity can run more smoothly through something like Proton would be a lot cheaper than making a native Linux version. That would be a lot better than having zero support for customers trying to run Affinity on Linux at least.

There's no real need to support the platform, even though i don't understand the reluctance. It's already available for iOS, and that's pretty similar to Linux, there wouldn't really be a big jump. But even without "official" support, they could just make sure it works through wine, and that's that. I'm sure people would be happy with it. The ones who would require official tech support could stay on WIndows.

So yes, if they make it work through wine or some wine derivative like proton, that would be a giant step in the right direction, and i don't think it would require too much work.

That way, they keep making only 1 version, just spinning it on a linux machine to test with wine, and that's far less work than porting it to Linux and maintaining multiple versions.

[walt.farrell]

14 minutes ago, Vepar said:

But even without "official" support, they could just make sure it works through wine, and that's that. I'm sure people would be happy with it.

Things like that have been discussed in the other Linux threads (and why do we have yet another one?).

My opinion: If users are paying for an application, they expect it to work, and (more importantly) to keep working. If users who don't already have Windows or macOS licenses buy new licenses so they can use it on Linux, and Serif does something that breaks functionality on Linux, those users will be annoyed. Therefore, if Serif does anything to help it work on Linux, they are "buying in" to keeping it working on Linux. That's an added support cost, and possible impediment to the development of new functions, even if Serif has only done something to enable the applications to work unofficially.

[Seneca]

7 hours ago, Frozen Death Knight said:

but I can understand if the devs are reluctant to make a new version just to support the platform.

Canva acquisition of Affinity Suite changed the rules of the game in my opinion and a push to support Linux makes more sense than ever.

[Frozen Death Knight]

21 hours ago, Seneca said:

Canva acquisition of Affinity Suite changed the rules of the game in my opinion and a push to support Linux makes more sense than ever.

I agree. It would add a lot of good will after the backlash from the acquisition. Linux is actually a growing platform and with SteamOS it would make Affinity even portable for those with Valve's console. I think there is some untapped potential in that market considering how big the Steam userbase and ecosystem actually are.

[gpjo]

On 5/11/2024 at 11:47 PM, walt.farrell said:

Things like that have been discussed in the other Linux threads (and why do we have yet another one?).

That is because the Linux user base is growing and we're looking for a professional solution. 

I also see a port of the Affinity suite to Linux as a chance for an untapped market. Whenever people are discussing their potential transition to Linux, I hear the same agument:

Adobe.

Affinity already is the better alternative in my opinion. And other than Gimp, Krita, Inkscape & Scribus, the Affinity suite offers a consistent workflow and all the other advantages we know and love. So this move would at the same time win over customers from Adobe who are willing to switch to Linux,  while at the same time helping to expand the Linux user base.

[_Th]

+1 for a native Linux version of the Affinity suite

As a long-time user (and fan, honestly) of Windows, the AI spyware "Recall" they're about to foist on new computers and users is likely the final straw for me. While it initially is only supposed to be on the ARM-processor version, and can theoretically be turned off, at least per application, it's not hard to foresee this being rolled out universally. Just having this "feature" (aka, huge privacy threat) forced onto any computer of mine—business, personal or family—is a nonstarter, to put it politely.

So ... I will be setting up at least one computer as a Linux daily driver. My other must haves (Firefox, Thunderbird, DaVinci Resolve, VS Code, Obsidian) are already available for Linux, so that part of the transition will be seamless.

Initially, I will test running the suite via Bottles or Wine, but obviously performance won't approach what it would be natively, even if it is "functional."

I believe a financially-sound business case can be made for porting, if you will, the Affinity apps to Linux. As others have mentioned, Linux is growing, even before the Windows Recall fiasco-to-be. Linux users, in general, like open source software but, more importantly, are as vehemently opposed to renting* software as any of us are. Currently, there is no professional design suite like Affinity or Adobe natively available. Being the first to this market could create a new and loyal user base of existing Linux users, and potentially encourage many current Windows users to jump ship to Linux, further accelerating the OS adoption. I'll admit to being an optimist, but I see substantial upside potential here.

I'm fervently hoping that the Canva team—and the influx of resources from the recent acquisition—will make this happen.

Thanks in advance for listening, and considering the idea.

* Yes, I realize that some have concerns Canva may break their promise and switch to a subscription-only model. Personally, I am taking them at their word that a one-time, per-version purchase option will always be available. If for any reason that changes, all bets are off anyway.

[pixelstuff]

I guess one other potential target for a Linux version is the Linux subsystem on Chromebooks.

[_Th]

14 hours ago, pixelstuff said:

I guess one other potential target for a Linux version is the Linux subsystem on Chromebooks.

I'd wholeheartedly agree with this, except ... I thought the vast majority of Chromebooks are severely under powered (processor, RAM, storage). I have one; it definitely is. Do Chromebooks exist with decent specs, and if so, do people actually buy them? I was under the impression that these were primarily for students and/or media consumption, both environments where decent processing power and memory aren't required.

[pixelstuff]

42 minutes ago, _Th said:

I'd wholeheartedly agree with this, except ... I thought the vast majority of Chromebooks are severely under powered (processor, RAM, storage). I have one; it definitely is. Do Chromebooks exist with decent specs, and if so, do people actually buy them? I was under the impression that these were primarily for students and/or media consumption, both environments where decent processing power and memory aren't required.

The first decade of Chromebooks probably are under powered, but roughly around the time they officially introduced the Linux subsystem feature they started producing devices with high end specs. Recently Google has created the Chromebook Plus program where they start with a minimum of 8GB of RAM, i3 CPU, 128 GB storage, and a variety of fit and finish requirements.

https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/14128000?hl=en

[PaoloT]

On 5/24/2024 at 1:26 AM, gpjo said:

That is because the Linux user base is growing and we're looking for a professional solution. 

And professionals open multiple threads, when there are already others going? (Maybe the Search feature of the forum is too little rogue for Linux users… 😜 )

 

[gpjo]

4 hours ago, PaoloT said:

And professionals open multiple threads, when there are already others going? (Maybe the Search feature of the forum is too little rogue for Linux users… 😜 )

 

Well, the search function is how I found this thread. Which had the most recent posts. Guess I'm still not nerd enough.

[Dunestorm]

I agree. So many Linux users feel the pain of how awful Gimp and Inkscape are (no disrespect to the developers), but they simply aren't a replacement for Photoshop and Illustrator like Affinity Photo and Designer are. I've already purchased the V2 suite, and I'd love to be able to use it on Linux.

There's a massive creative void on Linux, and it really doesn't have to be this way. Affinity could join the DaVinci Resolve team in bringing great creative workflows to the Linux desktop at a time when Microsoft are destroying their user-base!

[TinfoilDurag]

I just made an account to +1 the sentiment here.

I recently switched to Linux for the reasons listed in this thread plus some others. I also wish to switch to Affinity from Adobe and would 100% buy in the moment I could run Affinity Suite on Linux. I don't care if I had to use a compatibility layer either.

[Laura Ess]

As someone who just converted  two Windows 10 PCs to Linux Mint PCs (couldn't update to 11)  This would be GREAT! I would pay for a Linux license!

[wizzledonker]

As a software developer also working on desktop software, I can relate to the sentiments Serif have shared in the past. Partly. Some thoughts;

We develop CAD software, and while we only publicly release a Windows version, we maintain a MacOS, Linux and Windows version internally. We're able to do a lot of this because we have developed a lot of our CAD technology internally. Our application is written in C++ using Qt, which does make cross-platform deployment a bit easier (but it's still not easy!).

Why do it when our customers all run Windows? Well, we have three main developers, one of us prefers to use Linux daily, one prefers Windows and another prefers MacOS. Importantly for C++, this means that we use three different compilers for all of our code daily - Clang (MacOS), MSVC (Windows) and GCC (Linux). Each one throws slightly different warnings and has slightly different behaviour where not covered by the spec (so-called 'Undefined Behaviour'). So we've convinced ourselves that running multiple operating systems internally actually allows us to ship more stable code.

We found the hardest part if we were to support cross-platform versions is actually deployment. If I had to take a wild bet, I'd guess that Serif are able to generate a Linux build inside their office inside a week. But that's not the hard part. What do you do? AppImage? Flatpak? They all have their upsides and downsides, and are invariably more complicated than the options on MacOS and Windows. That's not the end of it. An important part of desktop software deployment is management of software crashes. In the industry, this is best handled by a separate crash-reporting mechanism that can be in-process or out-of-process. Using google breakpad is a great solution for this, however out-of-process crash reporting (more desirable for some reasons I'm not going to unpack here) is supported by different underlying technologies on each platform (particularly on MacOS due to Gatekeeper), which means separate support. You could just use the built-in tools on Windows and MacOS (particularly nice on the App Store), but then you're back to needing to maintain a bespoke solution for linux.

Nonetheless, my DAW software of choice <moderated> works flawlessly on Linux, Windows and MacOS and I use it on all three. I've never used software so stable. Often when I have troubles at work with some of our cloud Linux stuff, I think to those guys! (And I think Cockos is only 3 developers!)

As you may have guessed, I'm the clown of the three on Linux. And I would love if my licenses to the Affinity suite worked there obviously!

[gpjo]

1 hour ago, Laura Ess said:

As someone who just converted  two Windows 10 PCs to Linux Mint PCs (couldn't update to 11)  This would be GREAT! I would pay for a Linux license!

+1. Yes, I would also pay for a Linux license. Even though I already have the Windows license.

[emptyflask]

Just upgraded to the V2 suite for all platforms. I have a macbook for work, but would really like to run these natively on Linux (NixOS)! I'd even pay a little more if the apps were available there. Until then, I'll attempt to run under Wine I guess, since now I have a license for the windows versions...

[Laura Ess]

54 minutes ago, emptyflask said:

Until then, I'll attempt to run under Wine I guess, since now I have a license for the windows versions...

Keep us up-to-date on how that goes.

[Alfred]

On 5/30/2024 at 12:38 PM, wizzledonker said:

my DAW software of choice <moderated> works flawlessly on Linux, Windows and MacOS

Welcome to the Serif Affinity Forums, @wizzledonker.

It seems highly unlikely that Serif are planning to add a DAW to the Affinity suite, so I suspect that your post was moderated because it’s your first post rather than because you mentioned a potential competitor. However, it’s not difficult to work out what you referred to!

[anto]

4 minutes ago, Alfred said:

However, it’s not difficult to work out what you referred to!

I thought it was about REAPER. I use it on Linux and Windows and it works very fast and smoothly.

[Alfred]

1 hour ago, anto said:

I thought it was about REAPER.

I don’t think it could be anything else!

1 hour ago, anto said:

I use it on Linux and Windows and it works very fast and smoothly.

That’s good to know.