Affinity products for Linux

[Kamei Kojirou]

I like their products and wish I could use it on my preferred operating systems(Linux[Pop!_OS] & Android). So I'm showing my support for this, +1 for Linux. I don't really see a need for discouraging discussion about this. Either Affinity will decide to do it or they won't. 

[MattyWS]

On 3/11/2022 at 1:08 PM, LondonSquirrel said:

... is that the Linux desktop market share is not worth time/money developing for.

Well done for proving you can't read in full. 

Yes the future of development is to develop once to all platforms. Affinity may be too far down the line for this now which is a shame.

In fact I'd say the same thing about game developers who want to try to maintain a Linux Native build as well as windows, mac, consoles etc. Don't make native linux games, just make your games run via proton and you're golden. 

That said though I'd love for Affinity to start some kind of indiegogo/kickstarter/gofundme for getting affinity suite to linux. It'd do two things; prove whether or not there is a market there for Serif without spending money and gets them the money beforehand so they can happily develop for linux without worry that it'd be a waste of time.

 

[MattyWS]

On 3/9/2022 at 4:18 PM, wonderings said:

So do you have to stay using the exact version you have installed? How does it handle updates? For every update do you have to go through whatever process it took to get it working on Linux?

Yes sadly there really isn't an update path. I got the application running and it works fine but thats as far as it goes. But hey thats all I needed for now, ^^ Really wish affinity would run via wine at the very least.

[LondonSquirrel]

2 hours ago, MattyWS said:

Yes the future of development is to develop once to all platforms.

The promise of cross platform development has been around for at least two decades. Java to some extent solved that with a JVM for each platform. There will always be code which is platform specific. Take the API for getting the list of fonts on macOS and Windows - it's totally different. And Linux doesn't even have an API - there is a command which sort of works, but is not foolproof.

[wonderings]

4 hours ago, MattyWS said:

Yes sadly there really isn't an update path. I got the application running and it works fine but thats as far as it goes. But hey thats all I needed for now, ^^ Really wish affinity would run via wine at the very least.

Have to say I don't. understand why you would pay for an Adobe subscription when it is a hassle to get running and keep up to date. Again I see this as putting the cart before the horse. If I need an app the app is priority and the OS secondary. I make a living with the app, the OS is just a preference. 

[chiddekel]

4 hours ago, MattyWS said:

Yes sadly there really isn't an update path. I got the application running and it works fine but thats as far as it goes. But hey thats all I needed for now, ^^ Really wish affinity would run via wine at the very least.

1-st solution - is the simple update path if distribute by flatpak https://flatpak.org/ if app and library will provide by flatpak repo - then Linux Distro agnostic.
2nd solution - If compile to WASM  - https://emscripten.org/ and provide on server as Saas - then ( team manage update on server ) and user always have recent app version.   

[chiddekel]

On 3/11/2022 at 2:08 PM, LondonSquirrel said:

... is that the Linux desktop market share is not worth time/money developing for.

Look on office 365 - they have web version so it's not Linux desktop version issue - but rather make work despite which platform is using for run the product.
This unlocking possibility to reach Home Use on Linux Dekstop and have big impact of Corporations Linux Workstations.

[LondonSquirrel]

50 minutes ago, chiddekel said:

Look on office 365 - they have web version

A web version, as indeed you write, is not a Linux version.

[chiddekel]

14 hours ago, LondonSquirrel said:

A web version, as indeed you write, is not a Linux version.

Yes and no - because -  it's version that support run on Linux 🙂 through browser like Chrome, Firefox, etc. 
@ this point make Web version by compile with https://emscripten.org/ toolchain to WASM solve this problem - 
This can be a new source of profit by consume for example the Saas Model.   

[chiddekel]

🚀 WebAssembly is the perfect runtime for server-side (or serverless) applications (example on RUST + nodejs)
https://www.secondstate.io/articles/why-webassembly-server/

[Renzatic]

Is this...how it ends? Not with a bang, but with silence? The only sound being the pat-pat-patter of quiet tears we shed in the dark?

[Kamei Kojirou]

6 hours ago, Renzatic said:

Is this...how it ends? Not with a bang, but with silence? The only sound being the pat-pat-patter of quiet tears we shed in 

We are more likely to see Android support before Linux support. And so far Serif isn't even interested in that. Most of us voted on WineHQ for support because that path at this point looks to be much more likely. 

[Amadeusz]

On 5/17/2022 at 2:05 AM, Kamei Kojirou said:

We are more likely to see Android support before Linux support. And so far Serif isn't even interested in that. Most of us voted on WineHQ for support because that path at this point looks to be much more likely. 

I am looking forward to Linux version but indeed Android devices are much more popular than iPAD's. Probably Serif has some agreement and extra funds for doing software for specific systems.

[PaulEC]

On 5/17/2022 at 3:05 AM, Kamei Kojirou said:

We are more likely to see Android support before Linux support.

I'm quite prepared to be told that I'm completely wrong, but, as I understand it, Android devices are mainly smart phones and tablets. I just wonder how many people are going to want to do serious page layout, photo editing or design work on such small devices? Surely people using these devices are more likely to want simple, one click solutions, rather than trying to use full blown apps like the Affinity trio. The important thing is not how many people use a particular device, or operating system, but how many of those people are likely to want to buy the apps!

[chiddekel]

Build Linux app for gnome:
https://developer.gnome.org/

[chiddekel]

Build Linux app for KDE:
https://develop.kde.org/

[chiddekel]

Flatpak, universal way to server application for any Linux Distro:
https://flatpak.org/

 

[GuernseyMan]

Build C64 app:

https://www.c64-wiki.com/wiki/BASIC

[chiddekel]

58 minutes ago, GuernseyMan said:

Build C64 app:

https://www.c64-wiki.com/wiki/BASIC

Or as abstraction on virtual hardware
https://www.nand2tetris.org/

[zer0aster]

On 5/18/2022 at 8:25 AM, PaulEC said:

I'm quite prepared to be told that I'm completely wrong, but, as I understand it, Android devices are mainly smart phones and tablets. I just wonder how many people are going to want to do serious page layout, photo editing or design work on such small devices? Surely people using these devices are more likely to want simple, one click solutions, rather than trying to use full blown apps like the Affinity trio. The important thing is not how many people use a particular device, or operating system, but how many of those people are likely to want to buy the apps!

So, I‘ve got Affinity on my Mac and my iPad, and if I were to do ‘serious’ editing, I would only do it on my Mac. I think the whole Android route is a blind alley. I guess I am also saying why do Serif prefer iPad over Linux? Must be sheer weight of numbers. And that’s it. 

[GuernseyMan]

The vast majority of my friends, anecdotally, who have Macs also have iPads (a number of my Windows using friends also have iPads). Once you've bought into the Apple ecosystem you may as well continue. I would think that anyone who buys Affinity products for Mac will simply buy a copy for iPad, maybe not to do serious work but certainly to be "cool".

I don't see that same kind of loyalty with Android devices so there probably wouldn't be the cross selling opportunity.

And yes, its weight of numbers which means that Serif prioritises iPad over Linux. I'm on quite a few software forums and they all have a thread like this one. What it all boils down to is that it's not worth supporting Linux; the money just isn't there.

[chiddekel]

12 hours ago, GuernseyMan said:

What it all boils down to is that it's not worth supporting Linux; the money just isn't there.

 The money solutions is write ✍️ for Steam Os and put in on their store.

Here is link to guide for port app to Steam Os with set of recommended tools https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/store/application/platforms/linux

[GuernseyMan]

But why, that's the question. What money could there possibly be from this?

If Serif have any business sense, and I would suggest that they have, they will go after the largest market segment they can: Adobe users.

How many Adobe products are on Steam? How many Adobe users run Linux? You might be able to get Adobe CS working on Linux but it won't be supported. If it's not supported then it won't be used for production in any professional company.

Why would Serif support a gaming platform, which isn't their core demographic, so that they can target the 1.4% of gamers on that platform which run Linux?

I enjoy using Linux as much as the next person but the reality is that without market share software houses won't write, or port, software to Linux.

[Snapseed]

2 hours ago, GuernseyMan said:

But why, that's the question. What money could there possibly be from this?

If Serif have any business sense, and I would suggest that they have, they will go after the largest market segment they can: Adobe users.

How many Adobe products are on Steam? How many Adobe users run Linux? You might be able to get Adobe CS working on Linux but it won't be supported. If it's not supported then it won't be used for production in any professional company.

Why would Serif support a gaming platform, which isn't their core demographic, so that they can target the 1.4% of gamers on that platform which run Linux?

I enjoy using Linux as much as the next person but the reality is that without market share software houses won't write, or port, software to Linux.

Pixeluvo is on Steam and it's an excellent, modern photo editor (a Photoshop Elements equivalent) for Windows and Linux.

Links:

http://www.pixeluvo.com/downloads/pixeluvo_1.6.0-2_amd64.deb

http://www.pixeluvo.com/downloads/pixeluvo-1.6.0-2.x86_64.rpm

http://www.pixeluvo.com/buynow/

The 30 day trial version is limited to saving files no larger than 800×600 pixels. It has an excellent, easy to navigate UI and Gimp could learn a lot from it.

 

[LondonSquirrel]

15 minutes ago, Snapseed said:

Pixeluvo is on Steam and it's an excellent, modern photo editor (a Photoshop Elements equivalent) for Windows and Linux.

Good. Now to the most important question... did you buy this excellent, modern photo editor?