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Farewell But Not Goodbye
A little over 15 years ago, Chris Dickman and Arlen Bartch created the Xara Xone as part of their graphics website i-us.com and asked me to be the host. A few years later when i-us.com was sold, Xara Group Ltd., agreed to sponsor and host the Xara Xone on their servers and have done so ever since. Kate, Charles and the rest of the crew at Xara have been absolutely brilliant to work with.
The "Xone" has provided myself and others a chance to create tutorials and provide resources, such as the Shareware section, the Links page, and Tips and Tricks for the Xara community. Creating monthly tutorials and content over the last 15 years, has given me the opportunity to share some of the things I have learned about this fabulous product we affectionately call Xara.
It is with a mixed amount of sadness and elation that I am retiring from the Xara Xone. I will miss the creative challenge of providing timely and challenging content each month, but I am happily looking forward to spending a few less hours a day glued to my computer screen.
Over the years I have had the opportunity to meet (virtually) many members of the extremely talented and loyal community of Xara users. I have enjoyed getting to know users from all points of the globe and seeing fumbling new users progress into talented, experienced users. And I have been extremely proud to showcase Xara-created artwork that I sincerely believe is as good as any found in the professional graphics business.
I plan to stick around TalkGraphics as a moderator and to try to help users when I can. And I will of course, continue to show off my latest stereograms in the TG Xara Gallery forum.
While you will not see this Gary around the Xara Xone after 31 December, you will see my old friend, the Other Gary, Gary Bouton. Gary has generously offered to take over the hosting and content creation duties and I am excited to see what fun and excellent things he comes up with. I leave the Xara Xone in good and creative hands.
It's been a fun 15 years!
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At least you're still going to be around here Gary! Thanks for sharing your expertise with us for all those years =D>
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I'd just like to thank you for your warmth, humour and creativity over the years in the Xone.
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Thanks Gary for tutorials you posted on XX they really put me on my way. Glad to hear you will still be around TG and look forward to seeing some more of your creations.
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It was certainly a pleasure and a privilege to host Gary's Xara Xone back in the i/us days and I was delighted to see this iniative not only continue but prosper in subsequent years. I have no doubt Gary Bouton will continue in the same vein. Hats off to Xara and all those who use and promote such a great graphics app.
Chris Dickman
Graphics.com
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Many thanks for your inspirational work in the Xone, Gary. Am relieved to read you'll still be here at TG. I of course have no evidence for this, but I like to think I'm speaking on behalf of the merry band of semi-lurkers who only post here occasionally but who nevertheless find both the Xone and TG wonderful resources.
Jon
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Thanks for being such an inspiration over the years Gary (1), enjoy your time away from the computer.
Welcome to Gary(2), thanks for stepping in (love your Xara book!)
:-)
Grenou
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Hi Gary,
I hope you enjoy the freedom that you so much deserve! I have followed you since i-us which I was a subscriber for many years, and visited Xara one numerously looking for ideas and tips.
I wish you well in your new explorations.
Jim
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What? Xaraxone w/o gary priester?
Wow.
This is crazy news to me! Good luck in your other endeavors Gary and thanks for still hanging around!
Now you should probably spend the next month reformatting all of your tutorials into a book and sell it on amazon ;)
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It's all been said in previous post just like to say a big Thanks!!!!!!!
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I like that not everyone would like to sell everything :-)
Gary thanks very much also from my side for the tutorials, I am still eating them and learning by that. At least good words can give and express how faithful I am that you were so consequent during that 15 years.
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Dear Gary,
I've only started with graphical stuff since a few years, and I know I couldn't have done that without all the tutorials and the excellent advices you've been giving to the Xara community. So, thank you for taking me to and through this fascinating world.
And although I'm aware that all nice things must come to an end, I feel some sadness in readig this thread.
I wish you all the best in whatever it is you wish to undertake.
Take care
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Hello Gary,
I'll never forget that when this idiot contacted you about XDP off-line, you took the time to answer my questions. I always remember that graciousness.
Thank you for all the hard work you've done. I look forward to you being an Xara Xone guest contributor in place of being the conductor.
Take care, Mike
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I also remember a time when Gary interacted with me on topic back in the 90s. He was excited to hear that I was creating graphics at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). I'm still here, and still using Xara. I'll miss Gary's inputs, and look forward to Gary's involvement.
Wait! What did I just say?? :think:
Best of luck to you, Gary!
=D> =D> =D> =D>
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Hey old man (as you reported the lunchtime hail from a construction worker shortly before you moved to Placitas) :D
I'm very, very grateful for the graphics education your tutorials have given me and your generosity in sharing and support over the years. I'm also glad that we had the opportunity to meet not just virtually, but also in person. You deserve to put your feet up and step back a bit, and I hope you enjoy every minute of it.
In i/us days, accessing the Xone required a password. It was easy to remember because we Xarans tend to think it while using our favorite software. I think it's appropriate to share it here and extend it as a cheer:
:star Xara rules! And so does GWP! :star
:-bd :-bd :-bd
Allison
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cheers me ole chum, well done for having the courage at last to take some time back, it's been an invaluable 15 years, and you deserve the rest
=D>
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Thank you for your gigantic awesome work Gary.
I certainly learned a lot through your tutorials!
Marc
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Gary, what can I say more than thank you very much, xara xone give and gave to all learners the best site anyone can desire to find, I can't value it there aren't so many figures to express it, any software would envy to have such as great user guides, I said many times that xara is different above all for xara xone, tg and lately xara users, any software is as good as xara if it has these kind of people working so hard to explain every detail about it, helping, etc.
Apart of teaching us you give us a place to feel us proud of ourselves when showing us as feature artists.
I'm glad for you and I confident about your succesor Gare, I've been in contact with him several times and He is great as well.
Sorry if my english have several misspellings, my best wishes from Uruguay.
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Gary, Xara Xone, and the i/us members started me on an exciting journey by teaching me many things about this application we call Xara. It is addictive and fun to use. I'm glad Gary will be around to moderate TG, and glad that Gary Bouton will helm the Xara Xone.
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It's all been said in the posts in this thread but would just like to add, many thanks for all the help, knowledge and politeness you have given to all Xara users.
Stygg
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Good move Gary, Gary B is going to have to hit the ground running to even catch up but if anyone's the man he is and for you 'another day another seque' make it a good one, as Beret said, you deserve it
Toujours très fort, thank you for all you have done so well
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Congratulations on the retirement! Your accomplishment with the Zone is incredibly impressive and you have touched many lives for the better, including mine.
Glad you're still moderating.
Best wishes,
David
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Hi Gary W.
I tend not to be here as frequently as I'd used to be
But just viewed this thread,which saddened me a bit.
To hear you're in a retirement-home and your stereograms have gotten your eyes staying crossed in the end :D
The xone is a great reference pool for tips and tricks to be used in our beloved X(ara,treme,designer(pro)).
I would like to thank you for all your time and effort you have put in to it.
And wish your beloved ones strength to endure your free time and being around more often.
Glad you stay on as a mod and Gare will sure do its best to be a worthy successor
Hans
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Gary,
Relax and enjoy your newly fround free time while you can ... my guess is it will be filled with some other new project before you know it. Thanks for all your graphics support over these many years.
Mickie
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Hi Gary,
I can´t help but to feel a little sad with the news. You've been here since i can remember and you´re an integral part of what i "know" as Xara. I´ve been enjoying Xara Xone and your contributions here at Talkgraphics since i´ve joined a bunch of years ago. And i´m sure i will miss it. I´m glad to know that you will stay around us as a moderator. Enjoy your new free time and thank you for all your effort and dedication.
Miguel
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A few short years ago I was struggling to cobble our little publication together with some secondhand, outdated versions of Pagemaker and Illustrator and a chance afternoon of surfing the net for affordable alternatives brought me to Xara.com and right away I liked what I saw, but up to that point I simply cobbled clipart together for ad layouts. After a few days with Xara I decided I was going to follow a dream I had since my school days, so I set to learning all I could about graphic design and one of the first places I found to learn from was The Xara Xone. I started reading the tutorials and trying out what I read, and around the same time I also started visiting Talkgraphics. Before this I had never participated at a forum on posted any of my work online. But after finishing one of your wonderful tutorials I decided to sign up for TG and post my result. I was welcomed warmly by quite a few members and I remember being welcomed by you Gary and thinking how great it was that "The Xara Xone Guy" took the time to comment on my post. From there I progressed doing more tutorials and creating my own stuff! To this day I still use the Xone often for inspiration, and for a great resource. Thank you Gary for all that you have done to make the Xara Xone what it is, and Thank you for staying on as moderator.
Enjoy your new freedom and I look forward to more Stereograms :D And to Gare B Thank you for stepping in, you have a hard act to follow! I am looking forward to seeing what the new year will bring.
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Gary, thank you very much. So very much, for everything you gave to all of us.
Happy trails! Jon Donahue
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Gary I have held off from replying to this because I just didn't know what to say. Seems like you have been on the forfront of this for as long as I can remember. Longer then I have been a member for sure.
I know this is not goodbye but only a farewell and a retirement from XaraXone. You have been an inspiration and helped so many people over the years. I'm certain that naming Gare as your successor was a wize choice and he will do a great job. And so from me Gary a big THANK YOU for all you have done. =D>=D>=D>
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There's a lot of love going on here Gary... I wish to personally thank you for the education I've received from all the tutorials and workbooks I've read and done over the last 15 years.
All the best,
Joel
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Hello Gary,
Good luck in all you do...
To anyone looking at any of the Xara Xone content, it is obvious that it wouldn't be nearly the appealing resource it is, without your love and attention over the years.
You've created a great body of work/tips/tutorials over the years, but I can tell that you won't be resting on your laurels.
Take care and again, THANKS and good luck for the future!
Peace
James
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When I think about Xara I inevitably think about the Xara Xone and thus Gary. It's so sad to see you leave Xara Xone. You were doing so much work with Xara Xone that your name almost became synonymous with Xara itself, at least in my mind.
One of the things I admired the most about you was your endless creativity when putting up new content on Xara Xone every 2 weeks. Thank you for all you've done for the Xara community.
I am very glad to hear that you're staying as a member and a moderator. Enjoy your well-earned retirement :salute:
I'm looking forward to see your successor's work, Gary Bouton, on the Xara Xone and wish him good luck with his new job.
Take care :)
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Well it has been a pleasure for many, many years to go to the Xone and download your tutorials and do them even after about 9 or 10 years. What can I say this man is a gentlleman in the best way he listens to what people comment on and then produces a work of art for the start of the month which all can complete. He never gets annoyed when people get bullish or try to take over Talkgraphics all that he does is ptoduce workbooks to help their problems in a consice and instructive way.
Thanks Gary for all of your hard work it has helped me and many others to get to the standard that we have achieved with this software. Still think Harry Potter Bear has been his best!
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Hi Gary,
It seems a little shallow just to say thank you after all the hard work you’ve put in over the years. I have learnt so much from your tutorials, not just about using Zara but also from your sense of artistry, which is why I must say that I think you are extremely selfish in wanting to leave enjoy your retirement!
However, as its Christmas, a very long, happy and enjoyable retirement to you both!
Gerry
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Hey, Gary, glad I caught this announcement, I would have been sad to have missed it. I haven't been as active here on the forum as I was in the past due to my recent shift in attention to animation, but I still visit every other day or two. I am thankful to know you and for the help you have been to me in my freelance career with the various featured artist shows you have put up, your great tutorials which I have followed step by step, your help here on the forum. You're a true friend and mentor and I owe you a lot. Have a good break from the grind and may you be able to follow your dreams at your leisure and produce more stereograms and images that both inspire and instruct us. You're a great guy and good friend!
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Thank you everyone for your generous praise. I should have retired long ago. ;)
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Gary,
I echo the comments of everyone else. Thanks for your sincere help. Some users comments come off as a little condescending, but yours were always very supportive and professional. I'll miss them.
Jim
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I owe you a debt too, Gary, for getting me started, and providing encouragement when I most needed it. How you have managed to maintain your interest (or conceal your lack of it at times) and provide consistently good tutorials for so long, I really don't know. Anyway, have a good Christmas!
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Hi Gary,
Your tutorials have given me tools I never expected to have. I'm not a professional in using Xara software at all but you have given me the confidence to try some things and the results aren't bad, a good starting point for sure. I even dared put up my results of your tutorials every once in a while and I would not have except for the fact the tutorials you wrote were exquisetly done. Thank you for helping give me another area in my life where an artform can produce beauty in this life. You're sacrifice of time for so many has been nothing short of amazing and thanks are not nearly enough to express what you have given this community and on a personal note, myself.
I believe you have chosen a most noteworthy successor for the Xone. Gare is in his own rite nothing short of phenomenal when it comes to this program so a job very well done on all fronts. I look forward to the challenges that Gare will put forth for us and know already what a great help he has been to this community and will become even more so.
Thanks Gary for all the wonderful everythings that you've done for this community and thanks Gare for everything you're about to do for this community.
We are all receiving true education in it's finest forms from these masters.....
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I salute you Gary.
I am not sure there are many of us who can truly appreciate the effort expended to produce the XaraXarone; coming up with new ideas each month, then executing them .... well, it is hard to comprehend.
My gratitude for all that you have contributed and the inspiration we have taken from it.
Warm regards, John
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I can't add anything new to what has already been said, just Thanks Gary!!