from Hacker News

The Canva and Affinity Pledge (perpetual subscriptions forever)

by HappyTypist on 3/27/24, 11:11 AM with 4 comments

• by halo on 3/27/24, 5:22 PM

  If nothing else, it’s clear communication and shows they have seen the online discourse. We’ll see if they follow through.

  There’s a certain logic to it too: they’ll be far more interested in upselling to existing Canva subscribers than selling Canva to the far smaller Affinity userbase.

• by graypegg on 3/27/24, 5:39 PM

  From the affinity forum, posted by the CEO of Serif:

  https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/201412-aff...

  Cautiously optimistic.

• by Kye on 3/27/24, 1:31 PM

  There's a long, long, long, long history of bought companies making all kinds of promises and pledges, often sincerely and with the best intentions, only to go back on them when the acquirer's VCs--the real people in control--come knocking.

  I will remain skeptical.

• by MissTake on 3/27/24, 11:54 AM

  I really honestly want to believe, but pledges hold no legal weight.

  I guess this means we’re probably OK for v3 when it comes out, but by the time we’re in v4 land it’ll be (guessing) 4-5 years later, at which point the pledge can be forgotten and swept under the rug.

  I really hope I’m wrong, but the reality of an unknown financial future tells me otherwise.