Forum Discussion
Publisher replacement ideas
Below are the alternatives available:
- Affinity Publisher:
- A popular choice for its simplicity and affordability.
- Offers a one-time purchase (no subscription) and is compatible with macOS, Windows, and iPad.
- Scribus:
- A free, open-source desktop publishing tool.
- Great for creating professional layouts, though it might have a slight learning curve.
- Canva:
- Web-based and very intuitive.
- Ideal for creating visually appealing designs, though it may lack advanced desktop publishing features.
- Affinity Publisher:
I have a different idea: why replace Publisher at all?
Microsoft could offer a Microsoft Publisher Legacy Edition for a small one-time fee, for example €9.99-€19.99.
It would not need new features or continuous development. It could simply be the final stable version of Publisher with:
- full opening and editing of existing .pub files
- a permanent one-time licence
- a complete offline installer
- permission to make a personal backup on DVD or USB
- limited or no technical support
Microsoft would have almost no physical distribution costs because users could download it themselves, while Microsoft could still receive revenue from an existing product.
Most importantly, people could continue using the thousands of Publisher files and layouts they have created over many years.
Even €9.99-€19.99 from a large number of existing Publisher users would be better than abandoning the product completely.
Download it, keep it, back it up and continue using Publisher.
I believe this could be a simple solution for both Microsoft and Publisher users.