Xara acquired by MAGIX

**Nostaw** · 31 January 2007, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by remi

Hi Nostaw,

Why not? Magix is the new owner of the company. But would you show all 303 employees from Magix the source code (99 of them are marketing people and not developers)? Certainly not. Only the Xara developers need access to the source code. And access to the powerful assembler code of Xara's kernel is surely access restricted to only one or two core developers within Xara.

Did you analyze the source code and the documentation under http://www.xaraxtreme.org? It's interesting to learn some intern details of Xara Xtreme.

Regards,
Remi

Xara's sourcecode is a development of the last 12(?) years or so, it is the heart of Xara LTD. To give it full access to MAGIX is like dropping down the pans, doing the full monty - see, If for some reason this deal is not working out, Xara has lost everything and MAGIX can do whatever they feel like with the sourcecode.

It is certainly scary what _COULD_ happen in future, right now it seems to be the best thing ever happened to Xara. Congratulations again!

**remi** · 31 January 2007, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by Nostaw

Xara's sourcecode is a development of the last 12(?) years or so, it is the heart of Xara LTD. To give it full access to MAGIX is like dropping down the pans, doing the full monty - see, If for some reason this deal is not working out, Xara has lost everything and MAGIX can do whatever they feel like with the sourcecode.

You're right. But this deal isn't only a "marketing cooperation" between two different companies. Xara Ltd. belongs to Magix AG, since yesterday. If you're selling your old car to me, you also have to give me the car keys...

**MEB** · 31 January 2007, 11:06 PM

Nostaw, I´m afraid Remi is right

This is not an agreement between the two companies. Magix simply bought Xara LTD. They can do whatever they want regarding Xara or Xara products.
And that means they can continue developing and improving Xara software or just dropping it in favour of their own program´s development using the best bits from Xara source code.
We will have to wait and see. This could be the best or the worst thing that could happened to Xara LTD.
Only time will tell if this is a good or a bad move regarding Xtreme´s future.

**Hwy101** · 01 February 2007, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by Miguel B.

Nostaw, I´m afraid Remi is right

This is not an agreement between the two companies. Magix simply bought Xara LTD. They can do whatever they want regarding Xara or Xara products.
And that means they can continue developing and improving Xara software or just dropping it in favour of their own program´s development using the best bits from Xara source code.
We will have to wait and see. This could be the best or the worst thing that could happened to Xara LTD.
Only time will tell if this is a good or a bad move regarding Xtreme´s future.

What does 'Magix' make? (never heard of them -but, I've been sheltered)

**davezub** · 01 February 2007, 12:43 AM

Hmmm very strange that neither site is promoting this on their websites. Been a way for sometime and been checking in lately and saw the news. Basically, like it or not it is necessary part of the software business today, can't be avoided.

Can go either way Corelish (bad) or good. Be interesting to see what Xara does with a little money in their pocket. Sort of like raising children....you can do all the rights things and they turn out bad or do everything wrong and they turn out good or vice versa. Either way its change/movement. At least you guys have something to talk about ;-) Change is change we will all have to wait and see, and to be honest there is nothing we can do about it, so sit back fireup the old X and create something. Hell I may even startup the old XaraFaq site - LOL.

Put it into perspective....MicroSh*t could have bought them......

**jamesmc** · 01 February 2007, 02:47 AM

Never heard of Magix either. I'm not that much into video or photography, but still haven't ever read an article about them covering their products.

There are tons of cheesy cheap software distributors in the US originating from who knows where. Not including Xara in that, but hope they won't get caught up in the cheesy software marketing.

I refused to buy another Corel product as they have gobbled up good software and then simply stopped its distribution.

This sudden drop of distribution I guess is a danger to Xara. Some programmers have kept their proprietary right to the software and can buy the rights back, but doubt that is the case here.

**thewump** · 01 February 2007, 05:49 AM

Congratulations. Nice to see that the community has many passionate members. I've been using the products for years, and love them dearly.

I trust that the Open Source project continues to receive support. When I toyed with Linux a few months ago I was astounded to see Xara LX available. I almost shed a tear ( seriously ) and it was a significant factor in my ability to switch away from Windows. I hope that a Linux version will be available, whether that be free or has an associated cost.. doesn't matter to me.

With all this change perhaps it's time to look at the Mac market too? No professional design product can truly penerate this sector without supporting that platform. Perhaps the business possibilities in this area are what could help justify the ongoing linux project.

Best

Keith

**BONES** · 01 February 2007, 08:35 AM

Originally Posted by timo.heil

Talking about the audio products from MAGIX: their Samplitude (www.samplitude.com) and Sequoia are among the best audio apps one can buy. The audio engine has a very high reputation in the industry. Many audio engineers e.g. prefer it over Protools and espcially Sequoia is used in the broadcasting area and for Classic Music Recordings, due to its supreme sound quality and processing/editing features.

Well, I'm a semi-professional music producer [we have released two albums this century using only software] and I work in the broadcast industry but until I read this I had never so much as heard of Sequoia. I spend too much time at places like KVRaudio and I don't recall anyone ever mentioning it. It just looks like an uglier version of Cool Edit Pro [Adobe Audition these days] with an enormous asking price. It may be popular in Germany but I don't even know if they try to sell it anywhere else. I've certainly never seen it in a music shop here in Australia, where you see Samplitude and Magix Music Maker everywhere.

Originally Posted by masque

The corner shop and Xara were all I had left to hold on too, I really hope its successful.
Derek

You're lucky Derek, we lost the corner shop to petrol stations, and later convenience stores, 25 years ago. I often wonder why convenience stores aren't.

Originally Posted by samrc

Several times now I have gotten attached to software that is bought out by or merges with other companies. After the merger the products become watered down or change so much in flavor that they no longer have the thing that made them special. (Jasc's PSP to Corel DRASTICALLY changed that product)..

It's hard to know where these things originate. For all we know JASC may have sought the buy-out so they could afford to do what has been done to PSP since?
The company I work for acquired Alias last year and they already had a three-year roadmap in place for Maya which is virtually impossible to change so the first 3 or 4 Autodesk releases will be pretty much exactly what they would have been if it was still an Alias branded product.

Originally Posted by gwpriester

I know there is a lot of concern that Xara may not continue to develop. But how can such a fantastic program not continue? And how can such a fantastic program not continue to improve to the point where it will give Illustrator a real run for its money?

And if if it didn't, I wouldn't care. It already does everything I need it to perfectly. I could use it forever without anything else being added or improved.

**DocBambs** · 01 February 2007, 11:33 AM

I think this should be good news for Xara.

My company competes with Magix in the consumer world, though I work for the corporate division. In the same way, it is in an acquisition mood at the moment having purchased a couple of companies in the last few months.

I suspect that Xara will loose some admin people but gain technical resources. There might be more pressure on internationalisation of the product to sell it more widely. (Anyone for a Kangi or Chinese edition?)

I wouldn't expect the open source product to survive.

DocBambs

**rbonelli** · 01 February 2007, 12:03 PM

Besids the fact that i really understand all the business involved in this acquirement of Xara by Magix, that's make me really sad.

I've knew Xara on Linux, de LX version. An amazing program.
What's scares me the most is not no fact 'per se', but the way that looks like questions about the OpenSource project are being avoided.

Please Xara ppl, shed some light for us in that matters.