The death of the discussion

[dalel]

I expect that if and when a new version of Xara is released, I will have BOTH the old and new versions on my computer.

I have two versions of Photoshop on my computer, the older one because it is much faster, the newer for the additional features.

I truly hope that any new version of Xara is not slower, buggier, or so redesigned that it is unfamiliar and clumsier to use.

http://talkgraphics.infopop.net/1/Op...&ul=1101906325
Why, I’m afraid I can’t explain myself, sir, because I’m not myself, you know...
- Lewis Carroll

[diniel]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Why do you request a new version? .... All you need is more patience <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

All I need and why I requested the new version are the same: I need a version of Xara X that can export animated GIFs as well as Corel Xara, still use drop shadows, have transparency available without bloating filesize, and have the ability of opening any EPS that Freehand or Illustrator can open without the stupid "Error detected in file at line xxxx" message.

Most software companies would address these issues with bug fixes, patches or workarounds. Xara seemingly does not, and approaching Xara X's second birthday I thought it might be time that these issues were resolved.

Corel Draw 11 has been released, and Xara X can only import Corel Draw 5 files (asking for CMX files gets a bit tiring after a while, and don't always work). No PDF import, or even an export - times have moved on, but Xara hasn't.

Or rather, Xara Ltd has moved on, onto fancy webservices and gimicky applications for readers of the Dummies Guide series of books - without the decency of telling users of Xara X that development has stopped.

A short post from Xara would be useful - either "Yes, Xara X is dead and we've moved all of the programmers to other tasks", or "No, Xara X isn't dead, and you can expect the above basic features plus some new suprises within 1/3/6/9 months" would do it.

[Jonathan Payne]

Sheffield Abella,

I think you might not have remembered Kate Moir's reply correctly. The original post is here. In the post Kate says "Xara Group made some redundancies in May but NO, we have not laid off all our developers" (my italics). You could read this as saying that Xara still has a development team but smaller that before or you could interpret it as saying they have a skeleton staff there to fix bugs and create simple extensions to their previous programs. Perhaps more importantly, she says "we are continuing to develop software, including client side graphics software" – this could mean that they are working on a new version of Xara X or it could mean that they are concentrating on simpler projects such as Xara Menu Maker.

Jonathan Payne

[Jonathan Payne]

I have just noticed that in my previous reply the "From" tag at the bottom said "Xara Ltd". I no longer have any connection with Xara Ltd or Xara Group Ltd. I have changed the "From" value in my account but at the time of posting this reply, the old value is still being shown. Again, I would like to make it clear that anything I post here represents my own views and is not associated with any company in any way.

[gidgit]

Well said Jens...

haha, speaking of buying new tools, I just purchased a new 3/8 drill, it's a Dewalt keyless chuck all shiny yellow... [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] First one in eight years or so... [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] Feels pretty nice.... I have a feeling the wife will be submitting a project list any day now... [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[gwpriester]

I have not heard a thing about if the Xara X development is continuing or not. Last I heard it was, but that was some time ago.

My own feeling is if Xara would just address the myriad bug reports and issue a Xara X.02 it would be terrific.

I do know that Xara is planning to sell Xara X, 3D and Webstyle 3 in boxes on real shelves in real stores. Maybe if the sales effort is successful they will be forced to continue to support and update what is unquestionably the best set of drawing tools around.

I have to say in response to DRAW 11, Corel has had several years to improve upon their interactive on-screen tools and have not come close to matching Xara's implementation of these.

Whenever I try to recreate a Xara tutorial in DRAW I find myself saying words that would have had my mouth washed out in soap when I was younger.

Maybe if we all at a certain time just started chanting Xar-a, Xar-a, Xar'a we could start the ball rolling again [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

<a href="http://www.gwpriester.com">
www.gwpriester.com </a>


The Xara Xone

[pduggan]

For once I agree with *every* word Jens says...

Sure, any tool *could* be better, but the XaraX I use still does everything it did when I bought it!

Peter

Peat Stack or Pete's Tack?

[RAMWolff44]

placing it on the window sill at night, when all is quiet and then saying a prayer over it will send the chanting up to XaraX Heaven where the Xara God will hopefully hear our minuscule pleas and maybe, just maybe if we stop bombing each other, and so forth and so on, we will see an answer in the next rainbow over head! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

And then I woke up! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]

Richard [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

---Wolff On The Prowl---

[pduggan]

Who's 'bombing' who? [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif[/img]

Peter

Peat Stack or Pete's Tack?

[RAMWolff44]

[img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif[/img]

Richard [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

---Wolff On The Prowl---