Help Please! I need Xara Extreme for my new MAC

[marketmanager]

Hello Everyone,
I recently purchased a G5, now the only program I am without is Xara X.
I looked through the notes on the website but it looked way to confusing. Is there a simpler way of installing Xara X on MAC? Or maybe someone could put up easier step by step instructions for someone who is not a programmer?

When will a commercial version by available to the public?

Thank you in advance, I really miss XARA X, without it, my frelance work is suffering.

[abligh]

Hello Everyone,
I recently purchased a G5, now the only program I am without is Xara X.
I looked through the notes on the website but it looked way to confusing. Is there a simpler way of installing Xara X on MAC? Or maybe someone could put up easier step by step instructions for someone who is not a programmer?

When will a commercial version by available to the public?

Thank you in advance, I really miss XARA X, without it, my frelance work is suffering.

Neither Xara X or Xara Xtreme work on the Mac, unless you run one of the emulators allowing your Mac to run Windows programs. Sadly, this won't be particulary fast, but should keep you going. Of course Intel-based mac owners can dual boot (see BootCamp etc.).

Xara LX (the open-source program) currently runs on Linux, and will will hopefully soon run on the Mac. We help to port it. Whilst it's possible to run the current open-source version, it certainly isn't easy (you have to compile it yourself and it is non-trivial), and it's nowhere near as stable as the Linux version. I think you have a few months to wait.

When this is done, I expect Xara may release a commercial version that runs on the Mac too.

[marketmanager]

Thank you!
I guess I'll just have to wait. Will they be posting updates on when it will become commercially available for MAC?

Any suggestions on what program to use that is similar to use for MAC in the meantime? I have Illustrator CS2 installed, but it doesn't come close to the ease of XARA X for creating vector graphics.

Thanks again

Frustrated designer

[michaelward]

Thank you!
I guess I'll just have to wait. Will they be posting updates on when it will become commercially available for MAC?

Any suggestions on what program to use that is similar to use for MAC in the meantime? I have Illustrator CS2 installed, but it doesn't come close to the ease of XARA X for creating vector graphics.

Thanks again

Frustrated designer

There isn't anything as good as Xara... I'm in the same predicament, the only thing I'm missing on the mac is Xara or a replacement. But be patient, before too long we'll have what we're craving!

[todder]

You're right. There is nothing that will replace Xara on the Mac at this time. Here's a list of half-as-good apps you might want to look at:

There's a couple apps with the same simplicity: Intaglio and Inform. They're kind of like what Xara was ... 20 years ago.

Illustrator has similar capability ... but yes I understand you have to stand on your head to use it.

Concept-Draw is more of a Microsoft Visio replacement than a Xara replacement but if you make mostly technical drawings, rather than creative ones, you might find this useful.

Then there's Gimp. Some people like it, but personally I think it's a mess when compared to Xara.

It may sound slow, but running Xara through virtual PC on a G5 would be quite reasonable IMHO. It would be a lot faster and easier on your head than trying to learn and put up with another app. I would say that's your best option. I've tried vPC on my G4 and it works OK - surely enough to run most things in Xara (bevels and shadows are prohibitively slow - maybe not with a G5.)

Anyway, hope that helps.

[Pekele]

There is a free software on Mac that can be used as professional drawing. It is expression3. A vector drawing programm with artistic effect. Microsoft had bought it and sell it now as acrylic only on windows. But you can find the beta for macosX of expression free to download.

I use it every day and i'm waiting for a better Xara LX version on mac to go on drawing vector

There are no problems, only solutions

Actually the mac's version of XaraLX is too buggy to be used. Most of the code is in C++, so i can't help in the dev. If you know some mac's coders tell them about Xara.