Is VectorStyler a one-person project?
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Out of curiousity, I wonder if VectorStyler is a one-person project. Looking at this forum, it seems that every question about VS is answered by @VectorStyler alone. Is this a single person or a shared team account?
It's impressive to see a feature-packed, relatively new tool like this, but I'm also kind of worried about the developer in terms of workload, from a work-life balance standpoint.
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@nocturnalYL Yes it is a one person project.
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Apart from the feature list and impressive tools of VectorStyler itself,
the most impressive thing about it is the fact that it is a one-person project.But aside from that, many users are willing to help him in one way or another.
As you can see in this forum.
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@VectorStyler @Subpath Thanks for getting back. I'm very impressed.
I wish you the best.
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@nocturnalYL said in Is VectorStyler a one-person project?:
I'm also kind of worried about the developer in terms of workload, from a work-life balance standpoint.
We must protect this man at all costs!
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His snack budget must be very expensive. He could open a ko-fi link or something so at least we can make sure he always has his snacks. (That's entirely up to the developer, obviously, and I wouldn't want to impose)
I appreciate that while it is a retail product, it feels like a passion project, but being developed in an organized and considered way. I think it is paying off as the more I use VS, the more I realize it's an indispensable tool. There's already plenty of 5-click, 1-stop shop graphics programs out there in the wild. Still, I have imported some of my raster/photography work with no issue and make sheets with cut lines on the fly for a Cricut. So I've been using it also for simpler projects with few objections. I am missing having a separate work area of sorts like I had with Export Persona in Affinity as I like to have my files pre-setup for this, but for most of my exports I did just simply use File>Export in Affinity. Especially if they were one offs.
By comparison though, Affinity gave me too many headaches with trying to achieve polished output, dealing with developers who speak like crafty PR people and forcing its weird rather programmatic decisions onto users. Eventually that became a deal breaker. Adobe is clunky to output with (except maybe PS) and the workflows between raster<->vector are painful when different customizations were being considered, so for me it was never the most optimal solution.
Anyway, I especially appreciate that VS is not trying to be any of these programs and focuses on what it is built to do and does that very well. With document mgmt/output and UX improvements that make considered workflows seamless and effortless, I think that VS will have no problem finding itself a part of other designer's toolsets overtime as it will be hard to find anything else remotely comparable in the near future.
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VectorStyler is a humble one-man project that has achieved the nearly impossible in a few years, while Serif Software is an amateurishly run multi-person project that has been getting most things wrong for 37 years—repeatedly, if they can—and where customers with a truly amateur background or less torture themselves by waiting decades for bug fixes, improvements, and usability enhancements that never come.
In VectorStyler, bugs will be more than lucky to survive a quarter. VectorStyler's one-man army of a programmer is incredibly professionally competent, ambitious, and has an outstanding and awe-inspiring respect for his customers.
The three best things that have happened to me as a graphic designer in the past few years are:
- I discovered and focused on VectorStyler
- I switched from Windows to macOS (where VS shines)
- I stopped using Affinity
Also, take note of how this forum is blessed with mature, respectful members. A facepalm-free forum.
One man, but many and great achievements. I am deeply impressed.
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I’m equally impressed…
I wonder if @VectorStyler has a strategy of remaining elusive and anonymous, forever hidden behind the alias? Not that I have anything against it, but I would love to know a little about @VectorStyler’s background and other works. We know the enterprise is based in Finland, but that’s about it..🤫🫥
Please delete this post if you don’t want any pot-stirring in this regard..🫣 -
@larsherold said in Is VectorStyler a one-person project?:
I wonder if @VectorStyler has a strategy of remaining elusive and anonymous, forever hidden behind the alias?
No such plans
I'm just trying to focus on the app, not the person
I'm Csaba Raduly-Baka (of Hungarian origin) and I also teach CS at the University of Turku, Finland -
I share the enthusiasm and encouragement expressed here
Certainly, VS is incredibly rich in features: there are still99.9%99.8% of options whose purpose is yet to be discovered
... VS is (will become) an indispensable tool indeed. I'm surprised that there aren't more of us active on this forum to report bugs & suggest features/options/... I'd be more circumspect about the Affinity suite's critics: its strengths lie in the fact that it offers a range of software from page layout to photo editing, with its bugs probably, its workarounds certainly... but the basis is there. This mix of pseudo-vector and raster is interesting. The major weaknesses are the absolute slowness of software development, the persistence of bugs and the lack of communication. I kind of miss the ease of using brushes/switching from one persona to another or adding noise when using VS... but of course I have plenty of specific/unique features in VS to test and play with -
@VectorStyler said in Is VectorStyler a one-person project?:
@larsherold said in Is VectorStyler a one-person project?:
I wonder if @VectorStyler has a strategy of remaining elusive and anonymous, forever hidden behind the alias?
No such plans
I'm just trying to focus on the app, not the person
I'm Csaba Raduly-Baka (of Hungarian origin) and I also teach CS at the University of Turku, FinlandHe's the international man of mystery!
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I have been promoting VectorStyler to many people, and it seems that a lot of them are interested. They have been suggesting various effects they desire, and I have been testing using VectorStyler to address those requests. Gradually, they will begin to make purchases.
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@VectorStyler Some potential buyers don't have credit cards and always ask me to make the payment on their behalf. It would be more convenient if could input their username during the purchase. Today, when I asked someone if they wanted to wait for Black Friday for a possible 50% discount, they replied that the software is so good they couldn't wait and wanted to buy it immediately. However, since they don't have a credit card, they asked me to make the payment on their behalf.
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@Li-Xiao Could they use PayPal?
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@VectorStyler I don't think many of them have PayPal, but I can suggest them to try registering for PayPal. Alipay is also a viable option.
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@Li-Xiao VS uses Paddle for payment processing. When at the Checkout phase with the Paddle, please look if you can find an Alipay option. I cannot see it here as it is only available in China.
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@VectorStyler I only see credit card and PayPal options. It's okay, I'll take care of the payment on their behalf. It's a small matter.
