76 Reply by JAmedia

(96 replies, posted in General Discussion)

dcr wrote:

So, I think I'm going to be sticking with v2 until I find a suitable alternative.

Likewise

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77 Reply by JAmedia

(96 replies, posted in General Discussion)

The announcement is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP_TBaKODlw
NOT on the Canva thing

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78 Topic by JAmedia

(96 replies, posted in General Discussion)

As this new improved biological, AI, etc freedom announcement from Canva is starting in 10 minutes I thought I would start this thread for everyone to comment in and keep it all in one place....
Will it be cheers and happiness
Doom and Gloom
or just WTF was that?

Hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.

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79 Reply by JAmedia

(16 replies, posted in General Discussion)

walt.farrell wrote:
PaoloT wrote:

Ouch – I'll be out at the time of the presentation. Will everyone that doesn't attend be excluded forever?

Just imagine this guy trying to find a good spot to get the signal on the smartphone…

You can simply watch it later, on the Canva YouTube channel, or at canva.com/canva-world-tour

Hi Walter, good to see another "name" from the Affinity Forum!
This could develop in to a good place for serious affinity users. 

Chris

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80 Reply by JAmedia

(18 replies, posted in General Discussion)

Twolane wrote:

a day or two for the updates to show up in the Apple Mac Store

That's because Apple has to vet the software. Had you bought direct from Serif, thus allowing them to get all the money rather than Apple having a cut, the program updates would occur when they are pushed out.

Good point. Always go direct to the Vendor, not the Apple Shop.

One big reason is it gives flexibility on which version(s) you download. The Apple shop always and only has the latest version. Going via Affinity, you can (could?) download all versions.  And have them as actual files stored safely on your computer.

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81 Reply by JAmedia

(16 replies, posted in General Discussion)

Ali wrote:

There is a big announcement on Canva's YouTube channel at the same time (probably not a coincidence):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnqOzxpWHNA


Thanks, but not on the Affinity YouTube channel, which now has no visible videos.
It seems it is Canva now and if you are not already part of the Canva family then you are left behind.

I am thankful that Alfred is running this forum for the pro's adults and me. :-)

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82 Reply by JAmedia

(16 replies, posted in General Discussion)

Ali wrote:

It's going to be livestreamed on Insta (as I understand it) at 1700 GMT.

No idea about that I haven't seen anything from Affinity-Canva as, I don't normally do insta FB or TikTok.

Will it be on YouTube or Linked in?

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83 Reply by JAmedia

(16 replies, posted in General Discussion)

Ali wrote:

Thank you for posting this. It resonates closely with my own expectations, so hopefully it's close to the truth!

That's good. People who have been close to Affinity do tend to agree.  Though I am not sure how many are still close to Affinity post the Canva takeover.   

The thing is I have seen these sorts of take-overs before, and 12/24 months on the new owner does a clean sweep and the old ways and ethos are gone.

I do know one company owner who dropped over  €1Million on the sale price for guarantees for the 15 staff, but that was only for a certain period of years. He was an unusual person anyway. A decade on and all bets are off and so is the company.  The name has all but gone, let alone the ethos.

However, as the answer is only 24(?) hours away, let's wait and see.  I hope to be pleasantly surprised or just about contented, whilst fearing the worst.

Let's discuss tomorrow :-)

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84 Reply by JAmedia

(3 replies, posted in General Discussion)

See the other thread with similar subject..  The forum was playing up, and I ended up accidentally posting it twice, and it wouldn't let me delete this one.

See
https://punster.me/serif/viewtopic.php?id=1094

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85 Reply by JAmedia

(15 replies, posted in General Discussion)

Alfred wrote:
JAmedia wrote:

This says you can't create an account on affinity any more.   So whilst it fixes a few bugs (on macOS)  I am reluctant to install if if it cuts me off from my Affinity account.

It only says you can’t create a new account, it doesn’t say anything about being cut off from an existing one. If you don’t already have any Affinity software products or add-ons, the only reason to create an account would be to make purchases (which is clearly not an option at present).

Point taken,

Can anyone who had upgraded to 2.6.5 still access their online account?

I don't think I will install 2.6.5 until after the announcement tomorrow.  I have downloaded the updates anyway.  Paranoia has kept me alive, pretty and witty this far so... :-)

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86 Reply by JAmedia

(15 replies, posted in General Discussion)

This is the update log for the 2.6.5  Do you really need this update?


Patrick Connor: This post covers most of the changes that are included in 2.6.5.
https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index. … nt-1410218

We have released a build to try and address a couple of issues found in 2.6.4 and also to make changes to stop the application offering any way to create an account or starting a trial or suggesting that the software can be bought at the end of the trial. Now that version 2.6 is no longer available to buy, the software has stopped offering any way purchase from within the trial.
The build also fixes a number of minor bugs including some for macOS Tahoe regarding regressions that are specific to that environment.

    [macOS Tahoe] Crash linking text frames [AF-8379]
    [macOS Tahoe] Crash placing PDF file in document [AF-7867]


------------------------------------
This says you can't create an account on affinity any more.   So whilst it fixes a few bugs (on macOS)  I am reluctant to install if if it cuts me off from my Affinity account.  Though, if the ditch the web site the update may be required so the program doesn't become unstable if it phones home to an unused number.

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87 Reply by JAmedia

(16 replies, posted in General Discussion)

In Summary: What You Need to Remember

    Affinity will live on as the professional, standalone tool.
    The one-time purchase model is likely here to stay. Major news is expected on October 30th.
    Canva is the partner for collaboration and scaling, not a replacement for Affinity.
    The ultimate goal is to provide freedom and options, not to lock you into an ecosystem.

Canva's strategy is highly intelligent: positioning Affinity as the professional stronghold and Canva as the collaboration tool that, unlike Adobe's competition, does not force you to use their entire suite for teams to work together.

Source: https://www.marketingdirecto.com/market … egia-retos

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88 Reply by JAmedia

(16 replies, posted in General Discussion)

Part 3
3. Long-Term Vision: The Grand Strategy
This section explains the "why" behind the merger.

    Breaking Adobe's Closed Ecosystem.
        "Canva/Affinity wants to break that."
        The great promise is "creative freedom." They don't want you to feel trapped in their ecosystem just to be able to open your own files. They want to offer interoperability without the "lock-in" that characterizes Adobe.
    AI for Professionals, Not for Replacement.
        "AI designed for the professional designer, not AI that aims to replace you."
        The AI they will integrate will not be for generating generic posts, but for accelerating the professional's work: cleanly vectorizing logos, reformatting layouts (e.g., converting a flyer to a story format), or improving intelligent retouching. It is an assistant, not a replacement.

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89 Reply by JAmedia

(16 replies, posted in General Discussion)

Part 2
2. Immediate Future (What will happen after October 30th?)
This section addresses the core of Canva's promises to alleviate these fears.

    Affinity is NOT being discontinued; it will remain the PRO suite.
        "Affinity will continue to be the PRO part."
        Affinity Photo, Designer, and Publisher will continue to be the tools for serious work: true vector illustration, advanced photo retouching, and print-ready layouts (CMYK, PDF/X, etc.). They will not become a simpler version of Canva.
    Canva COMPLEMENTS Affinity; it does not replace it.
        "Canva will come in as the scaling and collaboration layer."
        The workflow will be: you create the master file in Affinity, then export it to Canva so that marketing or non-design teams can adapt it (for social media, ads, presentations) without damaging the original and without constantly interrupting the lead designer.
    The One-Time Purchase Model (The KEY and most anticipated point).
        "That's not the idea... on 10/30 people will be reassured/'pleased'."
        Fisher strongly hints that they will not eliminate the one-time purchase model. The October 30th date is crucial because, presumably with the launch of the new version (Affinity 2.2 or 3.0), they will definitively clarify the business model and promise that the community will be pleased. This is the most important promise for the majority of users.

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90 Topic by JAmedia

(16 replies, posted in General Discussion)

I found this on an affinity FB page  on 29/10/2025  It wouldn't let me post it in one block so I did it in 4. Then messed about because I wanted to do 4 mosts in less than a couple of minutes. I think I upset the forum Sw. somewhere. :-(

In a recent interview with Liam Fisher, Head of Pro Design Marketing at Canva.

The current climate is one of uncertainty. The strategic acquisition of Affinity by Canva, coupled with the temporary suspension of the official website until October 30th, has generated significant doubt within the community. This interview with Liam Fisher aims to alleviate these fears and present a clear vision.
1. Current Situation: What is Happening NOW?

    Strategic Acquisition: Canva acquired Affinity with a clear plan, not on a whim. Their objective is to create a complete and powerful alternative to Adobe.
    Community Concerns: There is a genuine concern that Canva will replicate Adobe's model: forcing a subscription, killing the product, or integrating it in a way that dilutes its professional essence.
    Silence and Speculation: The Affinity website being offline reinforces this uncertainty, although it is highly probable that this is to prepare for the new launch

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91 Topic by JAmedia

(3 replies, posted in General Discussion)

I found this on an Affinity facebook group

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92 Reply by JAmedia

(1 replies, posted in General Discussion)

Alfred wrote:

What? Really? Elon demands a $1 trillion pay package

Elon probably owes Tesla $1Trillion for the problems he has caused them.

In much the same way that Farage has damaged, and is still damaging,  the UK.

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93 Reply by JAmedia

(18 replies, posted in General Discussion)

stuck wrote:

Subject line says it all.


With the BIG update in 3 days, is now the time to do an update to V2?

Do we trust Affinity that this update won't have hooks and SW in it that will  do something else in 4 days time?


Just found the update log https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index … nt-1410218

This post covers most of the changes that are included in 2.6.5.

We have released a build to try and address a couple of issues found in 2.6.4 and also to make changes to stop the application offering any way to create an account or starting a trial or suggesting that the software can be bought at the end of the trial. Now that version 2.6 is no longer available to buy, the software has stopped offering any way purchase from within the trial.
The build also fixes a number of minor bugs including some for macOS Tahoe regarding regressions that are specific to that environment.


This bit "stop the application offering any way to create an account"  is a bit of a worry  and might suggest what ever is next won't be using accounts on the Affinity website....

As I have a perpetual licence, not a trial, and I am not on a Mac, do I need to install this version?  Should I?
I have downloaded the updates "just in case" but I am not loading them.

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94 Reply by JAmedia

(10 replies, posted in General Discussion)

GB wrote:

The USA reverts to solar time on the first Sunday in November.

to be fair the USA reverted to 1930's time in February and doesn't look like changing any time soon :-)

I have just registered but had no option to add event to calendar.
On the notification did it give a time zone?
Serif is UK based and Canva is Australian....

Having signed up I got an email saying "Want a glimpse before it begins?
Keep an eye on our social channels. We’ll be sharing glimpses of what’s about to unfold. You’ll find the links in the footer"

The socials being Farcebook, Xiter and Insta,but not on the Affinity forum it seems nor their replacement discord-chatter.
Are the going back down market again?

There is also nothing on the Canva web site. So I would assume it will be a UK timed announcement?

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95 Reply by JAmedia

(11 replies, posted in Publisher (Desktop & iPad))

street79 wrote:
JAmedia wrote:

I would say yes, You should convert images from RGB to CMYK in photo before importing to Publisher.
Especially as you may also be changing resolution and format.

Thanks for the quick reply, which gives me a new perspective on the topic...

Have a good week... smile

Just to add a curved ball.... As Photo, Publisher and Designer share a lot of code it might be the same SW in both Photo and Publisher that does the RGB-CMYK converting... however I would still use Photo to set up the images correctly for use in Publisher.

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96 Topic by JAmedia

(0 replies, posted in Information Storage)

I initially posted this in the general section as Topic: Canva gone?   But I think it is quite pertinent in the "information storage"  for a different sort of discussion.  Not "Is Canva still working?" but "where do you store your information?"

I can see the Canva website, but I am not a user and haven't tried logging in. However, there are posts on social media saying people can't access their work on Canva. (and you know you can trust Social media :-) )

However, this report https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c5y8k7k6v1rt  says multiple websites and systems are done but, when I last looked, didn't mention Canva.

The point is that clouds, sky based or computer based, are not yours and can move or disappear though forces you can't see and have no control over.  This is why I always use computer based systems with perpetual licenses that do not need to check home to work. As it says on my A-Pub start screen:- https://i.postimg.cc/WDmcNLw7/Screenshot-2025-10-06-100439.png

Can someone check that it is still possible to use the online parts of Canva for work? Even if it is still there, and unaffected, note that in 2025 there have been multiple major online system failures and hacks of major systems.  You should not depend on anything on-line for your work.  Certainly nothing you don't have backed up or copies of locally.

For my self I have one RAID 5 NAS and one RAID 6 NAS with a total of 100TB of storage... OK so it  is about 80TB of usable space but nothing is stored in the cloud that is not on one of those two NAS.

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97 Topic by JAmedia

(0 replies, posted in General Discussion)

II can see the Canva website, but I am not a user and haven't tried logging in. However, there are posts on social media saying people can't access their work on Canva. (and you know you can trust Social media :-) ) 

However, this report https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c5y8k7k6v1rt  says multiple websites and systems are done but, when I last looked, didn't mention Canva.

The point is that clouds, sky based or computer based, are not yours and can move or disappear though forces you can't see and have no control over.  This is why I always use computer based systems with perpetual licenses that do not need to check home to work. As it says on my A-Pub start screen:-  https://i.postimg.cc/WDmcNLw7/Screenshot-2025-10-06-100439.png

Can someone check that it is still possible to use the online parts of Canva for work?

Even if it is still there, and unaffected, note that in 2025 there have been multiple major online system failures and hacks of major systems.  You should not depend on anything on-line for your work.  Certainly nothing you don't have backed up or copies of locally.

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98 Reply by JAmedia

(11 replies, posted in Publisher (Desktop & iPad))

street79 wrote:

Hi,
I apologize if this is a trivial question:
In a CMYK Publisher document, is it better to insert RGB photos and let the program convert them to CMYK when producing the PDF, or is it better to insert the photos directly in CMYK?

Thank you so much for your time...

I would say yes, You should convert images from RGB to CMYK in photo before importing to Publisher.
Especially as you may also be changing resolution and format.

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99 Reply by JAmedia

(21 replies, posted in General Discussion)

Maarten wrote:

. And Linux being the only valid non-American alternative to the major OSses.

Linus did Linux in 1991/2 and by 1996 was living in the US and has been there since which is where the main FOSS development organisations and companies are based.

If there was any doubt in 2024 Linux excluded Russian developers from working on the kernel on the instruction of the US government.
Linux is a US controlled OS.

The US Spooks don't like it when other governments put things in Linux but to be fair it has been open season on Linux for the last couple of decades.
At least with MS and Apple you know who is screwing you.

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100 Reply by JAmedia

(13 replies, posted in Mathematics & Science)

William wrote:

Well, editing a PDF file was not as straightforward as editing a .afdesign file.

Yes it is.
If you have Adobe Acrobat (not the reader) you can edit the PDF quite easily and I have done so many times.

There are other non-Adobe PDF editors, as well as other apps, like afpublisher and afdesign that can read and edit PDF's

Whereas they only app that can read an afdesign file is Affinity designer.

Then there is EPS that is portable.

We don't need another file format.

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