Back to Affinity. I do have concerns given their financial sustainability seems dependent on upselling features.

Terms of service can suddenly change, and are effectively pinky promises.

This business model might be completely unsustainable. And in hard times, promises are easily broken.

🧵 10/10

Yes, continue to create and support human made creations.
Yes, vote with your wallets and attention against slop.
Yes, influence those around you to do the same.

Call for legislation, express concerns, express dislikes, be loud.

But given the chance, target the biggest "evils" first.

🧵 9/10

In one shape or another, generative AI is here to stay. Even after this bubble bursts, the tech will still exist and be used, and companies will continue to favor it.

We need to do our part within that reality. This isn't something we can wish or bully out of existence.

🧵 8/10

I know many people are in the boat of "any amount of generative AI is evil", but given the track record on Adobe, we have much more than just AI to worry about on their end if they keep their throne.

If you need some dark magic to take down the demon, i say it's "evil" well used. For now.

🧵 7/10

Now, the AI-shaped-elephant in the room.

Like it or not (and i hate it) most businesses have incorporated AI features into their workflow, and have become reliant on them.

If Affinity wants to compete with Adobe for the offices, they NEED options with AI to be competitive in the market.

🧵 6/10

Making the newest and most feature-heavy Affinity free, is a gamble to disrupt that paradigm

Free is hard to argue with, especially for companies that bleed thousands per year in licenses.

The perpetual license was cheap but free gets people talking and reduces excuses for not trying it

🧵 5/10

This shapes the whole market, from design students and videographers who are taught Adobe is the only thing worth learning, to big and small businesses who have workflows that are dependent on the Adobe ecosystem.

The price is high, but that means it must be the best in the market, right?

🧵 4/10

Adobe is a behemoth in the corporate world, for the overwhelming majority of businesses it just is the default, no other thing is even considered.

Their seniority, brand name and patents for features (this month alone they published 24) keep them that way.

🧵 3/10

I am only a hobbyist when it comes to graphic design, but i've been using Affinity for a couple of years now.

I may be wrong, but Affinity has only really been popular with independent artist and small studios. Now they want to expand into other markets.

🧵 2/10

Keep an eye out, I do miss the interactions in there.

I'll go back to game design and session prepping streams soon enough!

In the end the party did succeed! But not without the heavy sacrifice of a few members.

On another note, your illustrations really sold the vibe of that setting!Brought it all together

Something as simple as meeting up with friends and playing a boardgame, away from screens, can be seen as a small act of rebellion.

Despite everything, we have our communities, our stories, what makes us human.

Let's not trade them for convenience that makes us lonelier, lazier and angrier

🧵 5/5

We are (and have been for a while) at a turning point in way too many fronts.

Personal and digital rights are eroding, economies are collapsing, creative fields are threatened, a wave of anti-intellectualism and complacency is rising, online platforms are becoming haunted towns...

🧵 4/5

I dove into the impacts of tech in society, into cyber security, into the attention economy, digital rights, AI...

I decided to logged off, be more mindful of my digital life.

I spent more quality time. Being with friends, reading, playing, watching movies...

Even playing more TTRPGs.

🧵 3/5

At the same time, unrelated to this hobby, I actively tried to change my digital habits to match my worries and beliefs.

I love technology and its potential. However, I cannot ignore that we live in messy times, and I needed to rethink my relationship with the digital before continuing.

🧵 2/5