Broaden Xara X's appeal

[Albacore]

As much as I concur with many of the statements made by members and especially Steven Winters list I still think that Charles want to use this forum to get ideas to develop Xara into a vector graphics package that could appeal to the occasional user who wanted to design and print something. I use the word design in a very lose way here as many people want just to design and print simple stationary and cards. I think it was John Clements who stated the values of Corel Draw and should be listened to, as the way that CD uses "imposition" to print multiple copies in one page and multiple pages is one area that X2 could improve its useability and make itself more friendly towards the average computer user. The way that CD hides this great utility is terrible and it states alot for a really good programme which is too clunky in its interfce and far to slow with large complex drawings. If Xara did this it would also need to vastly improve its text engine which in someways is the poorest part of a great programme.

To finish lets give ideas to Charles that your average computer user would want to see in a graphics package which used vectors as it main function.

[StevenWWinters]

Couple more quick comments.

First, I agree that improved text handling would benefit everyone, advanced and average users alike.

Secondly, the thrust of this thread was to get ideas for extending appeal of XaraX to average users. Quite frankly, I don't think that the average user cares diddly squat whether he is using a vector or bitmap program. Nor is he likely to even know the difference, in many, if not most cases. He is interested, IMO, in the result for the task he is working on. If XaraX allows him to easily do what he wants, he's more likely to consider it. Personally, I very rarely open a bitmap editor, yet a lot of what I use XaraX for is for work on bitmaps. Simply improving XaraX for those routine tasks should in no way compromise its appeal as a vector app and should increase mass appeal...

Can't wait for the release of 2.0! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

Steven...

[lau3]

New users you say?

Video:
The majority of video users I know could benefit from Xara's solid alpha transparency output and strong antialiasing. I ahve been using it exclusively in Adobe After Effects for years.

However, AE user's rely on Photoshop to design their pieces and then import them in layers directly. Boasting of a Photoshop-like interaction with Premiere, After Effects and Vegas could help you.

If the new architecture would allow me to create static iamges (high rez) using the same effecs I get out of the AE effects...cool.

Scrapbookers:
Odd demographic...but my wife spends hours trying to get several photos and text printed on the same page (to save photo paper). How does she do it now? Xara. She has a slow amchine and does not have the time for Illustrator and Draw. Simple is key for her. Ask most of these guy's wives...there is a ton of money being spent on scrapbooking (mine does http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif )...digital scrapbooking is taking off with photo printers and Xara is never mentioned in articles that describe digital scrapbooking.

Advertise in scrapbooking magazines..showcase the possibiltiies (and price).

Bundle it with printers...cameras...something. Like Google's Picassa, a rocket of a photo album software...the appeal is its price (free) and speed not the lack of features comprared to Album or Elements 3.

Jsut some thoughts...

milt

[hillsy]

Originally posted by Steven Winters:
Quite frankly, I don't think that the average user cares diddly squat whether he is using a vector or bitmap program. Nor is he likely to even know the difference, in many, if not most cases. He is interested, IMO, in the result for the task he is working on. If XaraX allows him to easily do what he wants, he's more likely to consider it.

Agreed. I know several "average" users who use Xara to design posters for their business and the like. Now it's only a short step from that to designing a brochure, so naturally they look to Xara again. Only to discover the limitations of its text handling.

Average users don't care whether it's a vector illustration app or not. They just want to do a brochure, a floor plan, a greeting card, put some photos online or whatever.

Which is why some of the things I listed earlier looked suspiciously like Visio or CAD features. They are, but they're all things that I or people I know have tried to do in Xara. Joe User doesn't know about the appropriateness of using Visio or AutoCAD. He just knows he has this nifty program called Xara that's nice and easy for drawing pictures. But some types of pictures it doesn't draw as well as others.

[BQ]

# 1 - Improve Xara export functions so files can be imported into industry standard vector software for printing.

# 2 - Add photo resizing, red-eye removal and other enhancements to XPE.

# 3 - There have been a lot of people indicating they would like to see improved text support for desktop publishing. I would recommend that if this is done, that XaraX2 include a spell-checker.

[J B Lansing]

Well I use Xara for almost all my graphics. One exception is when I need to scan and image. Then I have use Photoshop or Photo Brush or some other application that has an "acquire" function. The other exception is when I need to generate a lot of text in a display panel. Then the limitations of text editing force me to go elsewhere. Things like multiple columms and spell checking ar not available in Xara. I am not sure any of these would broaden the use of xara so much as make my life easier.
J. B.

[J B Lansing]

Just a couple of more thoughts. For the last four summers I have work In 2 week programs that bring teachers onto the battleship to create "TIPS" (Technical Information Panels) these are large 24" by 30" panels that get put up around the complex for visitors to see. When we started the program I Choose Xara as the graphics program to use with these "average Joes" as it was easy to teach in a short time. We have 10 xara seats for this program. The largest problems have been text handling (would love to have a way to Lock the font style so it would not get changed by mistake. A spel checker (more for me in editing) and a way to lock (I mean really LOCK) the proportions of an imported bitmap image.
J. B.

[RAMWolff44]

Originally posted by Anton:
I feel like a kid in sweetshop who's been asked what he'd like to see on the shelves for his next visit! So this may also be over the top...

I'd LOVE to be able to do 3D CAD work with the kind of intuitive ease that Xara has been spoiling us with. At least some of the programming is there already, in XX1 and X3D.

I was hoping that someone else would mention CAD. I have had a few CAD things that have come up lately and Xara X has NO CAD tools. I would love to see these implemented. Since they are all vector based I can not see that making Xara X2 bloat ware.

Support for 32bit Bitmaps which would lead to many of the PS plugins to finally work properly in Xara X and a way to select and create proper layers to really get the higher end plugins to work correctly too ( like Flaming Pear and EyeCandy )

I'm not all that interested in seeing Xara X2 become a 3D app as I have my favorites for that but, yes, better intergration with Xara 3D would be nice! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

Better quick shapes too!! My god, I know Serif is bogged down with stuff but their quick shapes are just wonderful. A shape that can become 30 other shapes with dragging nodes is just the bomb!! Time saving and nice for new and old users!!

I'm with Mark too on the Grid thing, that would be very cool and quite useful for those bendy types of blends you need at times!!

Better, improved and expanded brush system. There is NO reason why Xara X2 could not become similar to what Satori FilmFX is already. I fully editable paint program that's done in VECTOR!!

Templates, yea, lots of templates. Not going to bog down the program either!!

Better text handling for sure and a spell checker intergrated and I'm not going to debate with anyone about this. It's my wish - so there!! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

PLEASE get the scanning hook in implemented. Why in heavens name wasn't this put in to place with Xara X1??

I already asked about this but this was more of a Xara 3D thing, please implement an export filter to export in Obj file format. Simple shapes and even complex shapes can be extruded in Silo or other modeling programs. Saves alot of time creating these shapes within the program. Time saving!! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

That's it for now!

All the best to ya Charles!

[eobet]

1. I use Photoshop for fixing colors, contrast, palette, transparency and stuff like that (and I like it FINE, Photoshop is an excellent tool for it and I do NOT want to see that functionality in Xara, as it doesn't belong there).

2. I also use Photoshop for plugging holes the anti-aliasing may create in Xara. This is bad, though, so I think Xara should really be much more accurate in this area (cutting/slicing also creates similar errors, but I've made enough threads about that already).

3. Indesign for print stuff (if I need vector based art from Xara, I export to WMF or PNG and take it in via Photoshop). I don't use X1, but the old Xara and all I can do is 800x600 drawings, it seems. Xara really needs the ability to switch its entire interface between pixels/mm in some setting and the ability for custom sized drawings.

4. I also use Notepad if I want to put some Xara graphics on the web (usually take it through Photoshop just to make sure, first as well).

Now I must make a comment here: Xara, imo, should absolutely NOT be a general purpose tool for day-to-day graphics and photo work. That's just wrong, and dillutes the purpose and uniqueness of Xara.

Xara is the absolutely fastest object based drawing tool and should stay that! (And I'm not talking drawing performance, but rather intuitive access to all tools which makes it really quick to work with.)

It is nowhere near complete in that area either and you should instead concentrate on bringing its feature set up to date with what Corel Draw and Illustrator has to offer.

For example, a tree-view of all objects, layers and clipviews with full drag and drop and hiding support (god I want to be able to drag objects in and out of a clipview and select them for quick access to full editing options). Also, for example, a mesh fill interface similar to the philosophy that Wings3D or SketchUp employs in their GUIs (SketchUp is to 3D what Xara is to 2D, when it comes to its interface).

This question makes me very concerned for X2. Xara seems to be losing its focus.

I would like to see a sticky thread asking about everyones top four issues with the interface instead (and suggestions on how to make it faster/easier).

[kriz10]

I just don't do text in xara. Illustrator CS2, InDesign CS2 and Corel all do text sooooooooooooooooooo much better there is not even a close comparison.

Oh how I wish the text and paragraph capabilities of XaraX were better but they are not, they are .. well .. clunky at best.

I also use PS CS2 for all my bitmap work not Xara.

Anything that is multiple page I don't do in Xara.

Usually I just make all my basic shapes and simple effects in xara then its over to Corel or Illustator to finish it off and send it to the printer.