Quo vadis ?

[j3rry]

What's next for Affinity in 2025? I will no longer blindly follow a programme suite without knowing roughly what to expect. It is clear that no details are to be expected, but I would like to see a roughly outlined plan...

[Pšenda]

44 minutes ago, j3rry said:

but I would like to see a roughly outlined plan...

Hmm, in 2025 you will have been a member of the forum for "nine" years. Have you really not noticed in all that time that Serif, on principle, does not provide any information about its plans?

[PaulEC]

Maybe the best thing is to use Affinity, if you like it, AS IT IS NOW, and, if you don't, find an alternative that you prefer. Worrying about what may, or may not, be added at some time in the future is really rather pointless!

[jmwellborn]

@j3rry  "Patience is a virtue.  Virtue is its own reward."  Happy New Year!!

[R C-R]

1 hour ago, j3rry said:

It is clear that no details are to be expected, but I would like to see a roughly outlined plan...

As you should probably already be well aware of by now, the best you can expect in this regard is following what they add to the betas.

[j3rry]

OK, You're right, you can't do it without patience...

Happy New Year!!!

[Alfred]

13 hours ago, jmwellborn said:

Patience is a virtue.

That always reminds me of a children’s book featuring a girl named Grace, where one of the other characters says “Patience is a virtue, virtue is a grace, Grace is a little girl with a dirty face!” 

[PaoloT]

On 12/27/2024 at 9:32 PM, jmwellborn said:

Patience is a virtue

Always keeping in mind that nothing can go wrong. So far, so good. So far, so good…

 

[Meliora spero]

 

Patience is a free virtue for pure amateurs. That’s not where I or my professional community stand. Affinity is not free genealogy software for retired seniors.

The recent integration of Affinity into Canva’s ecosystem raises a lot of questions about the future of these semi-professional-grade tools. Canva has built its brand on "democratizing design," making creative tools accessible to everyone, regardless of skill level. While that sounds great in theory, it’s worth asking whether this vision aligns with what made Affinity special in the first place: its focus on professionals and its depth as a toolset.

If Canva applies its usual approach to Affinity, we might see a push toward more automation, templates, and one-click solutions. On one hand, this could open up some aspects of Affinity to new users. But on the other, it could dilute the software’s serious appeal. Designers who rely on Affinity’s precision and control may find themselves navigating through cluttered features aimed at casual users. Worse, the market could become flooded with generic, templated “designs” created by people who aren’t professionals but “just want to make something nice.”

The core question is whether Canva’s plans for Affinity will respect its professional roots or compromise them to chase accessibility. Will this evolution empower skilled creatives with new capabilities, or will it turn a robust tool into a simplified, automated platform?

For those of us who have spent years honing our craft, this shift feels like a potential double-edged sword. If Affinity becomes "Canva-ized," does that mean professional users are being left behind in favor of amateurs? And what does this mean for the design industry as a whole, if tools for professionals are watered down to cater to everyone?

Well - do you see this as an opportunity or a threat to the creative professions? Should we be skeptical of this “accessibility for all” direction, or is there a way it could coexist with Affinity’s semi-professional identity?