What are the worst tech purchases you or your family have ever made?

I watched a video recently and wanted to know what other have bought over the years.

  • MonkeMischief@lemmy.today
    46·
    5 days ago

    Let’s see… One that comes to mind that I guess is “tech” would be Substance Painter and Designer, back when it was independently owned and had an indie license.

    “This will really take my Blender work to the next level. I’m going to LEARN this. Let’s freaking go.” I said, and “invested” like $150 into it.

    I’m NORMALLY a FOSS nut, but this software was changing the game! Paint directly on 3d models with smart materials and layers and dynamics‽ AWESOME! Maybe it’s worth paying a chunk of my meager part time income for quality software…

    Then comes the email:

    Subject: “Substance is joining the Adobe family!”

    Then the follow-up to all the pissed off customers:

    “Don’t worry, it won’t be subscription only.”

    Maybe a month later it’s part of the “cloud” and made subscription only.

    I don’t care what’s “iNdUsTry sTaNdArD.” I refuse to engage with Adobe for any reason, and I’d rather put my hard earned money into supporting open source community tools than to ever get rug pulled by some shameless sellout ever again.

    • CybranM@feddit.nu
      2·
      4 days ago

      I agree with your frustration and dislike of Adobe but you can still get a permanent license through Steam. It is unfortunately an industry standard, only toolbag comes close afaik but it’s still a long way off

      • MonkeMischief@lemmy.today
        1·
        3 days ago

        EDIT: Yeah, they did finally release a Steam version with a perpetual license. That’s a step in the right direction but I’ve already gotten burnt so bad lol.

        You’re right, when it comes to the industry’s “cutting edge” unfortunately the likes of Autodesk and Adobe and their copycats seem to hold the hill.

        But know what? I’ve actually quite made peace with the idea that I’m probably never gonna work in the AAA(A?) space where that top of the line cutting edge stuff is absolutely required.

        In this case, Material Maker and Blender with some add-ons are providing some wonderfully intuitive materials workflows!

        Despite my ambitions, my life just didn’t shake out that way and now people that are at least a decade my junior are far exceeding what I can do, with a lot better training and a back that can handle the long hours. :p (Honestly from some of the stories we’ve heard out of the industry, I feel I dodged a bullet sometimes.)

        But yeah…

        It’s kinda like when I say I work in Godot and people wanna say “WeLL uNrEaL’s GrApHiCs ThO…”.

        They might be right but, ha! Am I, a little indie dev that might work alongside some other indie devs, REALLY gonna be making a project SO incredibly strenuous that it’s gonna break anything less than the full might of Unreal?! Probably not. :p

        (Power to whatever tools people like using of course! The tools don’t make the artist. :) )

        I’ve decided to dedicate my study and efforts towards empowering the Rest Of Us ™. The FOSS tool users, the industry’s rejected applicants, the amateurs, the little guys and gals; Especially the ones who are sick of being exploited by tools, employers, and corporations.

        And I hope something good comes of it one day. <3