https://github.com/vndee/local-talking-llm

libreddit to the rescue

I think the only answer is “Doom”

I am hosting stuff on OVH at the moment. Entry level package is around £1 / mo in the first year.

Here’s what they wrote to users in an email:

To our amazing Affinity community,

Today marks a momentous new chapter in our journey together.

I am thrilled to announce that Affinity is joining the Canva family.

This is a moment of great excitement, anticipation, and profound gratitude for all of you who have been part of our story so far.

We know that those of you who’ve put your faith in Affinity, some since we launched our very first Mac app, will have questions about what this means for the future of our products. Since the inception of Affinity, our mission has been to empower creatives with tools that unleash their full potential, fostering a community where innovation and artistry flourish. We’ve worked tirelessly to challenge the status quo, delivering professional-grade creative software that is both accessible and affordable.

None of that changes today.

Etc.

The last word is what I am really worried about: today. It doesn’t change today, but what about 6 months from now?

This is a really really worrying development. The best selling point of Affinity products was the lack of subscription. I am convinced this will be the end of owning or software. I abandoned Adobe for a reason, I will be sad to abandon this excellent piece of software when the subscription model comes in.

I mean it even harvests typing data and Outlook also includes calendars etc… It’s really bad.

But yes, I just suggested a re-evaluation of the use of Microsoft Outlook to my company …

Depends on your sector of work. Imagine you’re a therapist or a lawyer…

There will be simple conversion kits available I should hope.

Generally VPN’s are a good idea. I think the level to which streaming is policed depends both on your ISP and the laws of your country. An ISP that is part of a big conglomerate that owns media companies (eg. Virgin) might have more financial incentives to go after people who stream content “unofficially”.

Hard work and dedication.