X4 'Panacea' Or 'Pan Of Something Else' Poll?

[The Alien]

Re: Poll
I didn't vote for any of the options in the poll, cause none reflect my opinions on this upgrade. I think this new version brings some really neat features, but I wouldn't say it's "more than I ever wished for!". The second option does not reflect my opinion because I think it is more than just "nice minor improvements" and text underline was not that high on my wish list.

Re: New version and upgrading
I think every one of us has 1 special wish (feature request/bug fix etc.) for the software and if the developers implement it, we will upgrade no matter how small that 1 wish was (if they don't, then they should have one! ). For me, it was fixing the inaccurate boolean operations (intersect/subtract etc.). While to any other person, this might be a minor fix that deserves no mentioning, to me it's pure gold!
Now they've also added a basic X3D to the program (among some other good improvements), which makes it better. Cause I've always wanted to fiddle with X3D. This makes it very worthwhile to buy X4. Currently I have X1 and between these 2 versions, there were no really useful additions to the software for me. Agreed, I'm a vector fanatic and would still like to see more vector tools added to the software, but you can't have everything in life.
This version has good features and bad features IMO. When I read they added an HTML export feature, I thought "what were they thinking?" and I think every user experiences this reaction for some feature that has been added. Thing is, you gotta weigh the negative features with the positive features and once you have a "net" value, you have to consider whether the upgrade price is worth it for the net value. For me, since X1, upgrading was not worth it until now.

Re: Xara's course over the years
I understand how people here defend Xara's course by saying they need to attract a wider audience with raster tools and that this new version will definately bring Xara more success...But personally, I need some official proof/confirmation of this. If they show us their earnings over the last 5 years or so or some other proof that their course is the right one, I'll be convinced and happy. Currently, I just know the opinions that I read on this forum, but that's no proof of how the company is actually doing.
If you consider that since X1, they've mainly kept adding raster tools, this might be an argument to say that all these years they're actually trying to save their product from going belly-up. But this is just an opinion and proves nothing, like all other posts

Final note
One other thing: Xara may implement features that seem useful or useless to you and me, but one thing I feel is that - when they add a useful feature - Xara do come up with original ways to implement them effectively. An example is text repelling. I think Xara have originality in implementing features in a way that's both innovative and feels natural to users. It's just that I think they could concentrate a bit more on vector tools

[handrawn]

I think Xara have originality in implementing features in a way that's both innovative and feels natural to users.

exactly - and if they hadn't started with a vector tool we would be having a whole different debate - something to reflect on perhaps...

[Albacore]

No one has brought up the point that the introduction of the html. filter will save professionals and hobbyist a like a huge amount of work. I have used PS, AI and Xara in nearly all my designs and then slice my web work. As I have had to use AI at work I have tended to use this programme to design most of my sites and then assemble them in either GoLive directly or in ImageReady and ignore Xara for its inaccuracies.
Well that has changed in most respects we now have a programme which has made it easy for everyone to produce a reliable website page or template which can either be used directly or taken into your html editor and tidy up. We have had many cries on the vector front to have a mesh tool but how many vector drawings shown all over the web do you see it being used, very little except on simple things like fruit. For the last two years until recently I worked in a national newspaper which produced many types of magazine supplements with a squad of about 20 in the office all using Illy and no one produced any drawing using the mesh tool.

Think about the last three versions of Illy and what changes they gave to their users:
CS A decent font engine, better preview and packaging for printing, and a silly 3D tool, and Symbols.

CS2 Live Paint and Live Trace and the latter hardly works

CS3 Live Colour (I like this one), better integration with Flash and a silly Eraser Tool (OK it works but it is a gimmick)

If you had upgraded each time a new version came out from Version 9?? that would have cost you in the UK around the £700 mark or in dollars $1400 where the value there and how many jobs would that take to get your money back. The last upgrade before V4 was a con from xara but this time I think we have got our monies worth for at last we have a text engine that works properly, we have accuracy when slicing objects and I could go on. I am a great believer in using the right tool for the job but maybe now I wont use Seriff's PagePus for the small print jobs that i do I will now consider XPro4 and leave the rest for InDesign.

[StevenWWinters]

I understand how people here defend Xara's course by saying they need to attract a wider audience with raster tools and that this new version will definately bring Xara more success...

You're right of course, the only poll that ultimately matters, as far as the survival of the product goes, is actual sales; and I don't expect Xara to release their sales figures. However, the fact that there is a new version seems to indicate that there is at least some success in that regard.

Charles statement that "Real users want to mix photos and vector artwork" seems to be supported by deep pocketed Microsoft's entry into the market (Expression) with integrated vector/raster capability. With Microsoft's $$$ available for market research, there might be some merit to that notion.

Adobe, OTOH, has zero incentive to sell an integrated product because they can make more $$$ by continuing to market the two which are presently considered industry standard.

I look forward vector enhancements (when Xara can get to them), as I'm always truly impressed by what a real artist/illustrator can do with the tools. I expect that those who don't find much use for a new feature (3d extrude, for example) at this time (myself included) will find themselves using some of them down the road. However, for my needs, many of the enhancements being made have value I'm willing to pay for...

And yes, I also do not think the poll wording accurately reflects the range of possible responses to the upgrade.

[BobInce]

I think every one of us has 1 special wish (feature request/bug fix etc.) for the software and if the developers implement it, we will upgrade no matter how small that 1 wish was (if they don't, then they should have one! ). For me, it was fixing the inaccurate boolean operations (intersect/subtract etc.).

Me too! Combine shapes is a fundamental drawing tool, can't remember how I got by before it.

Thing is, you gotta weigh the negative features with the positive features

I wouldn't describe HTML export as a negative feature, even if you don't like it. I'm unlikely to use it, but it doesn't do me any harm sitting in the export format list.

But personally, I need some official proof/confirmation of this. If they show us their earnings over the last 5 years or so or some other proof that their course is the right one, I'll be convinced and happy.

Pfft! Demanding, much?

I suppose there's always http://www.magix.com/uk/magix-ag/inv...spublications/ ...

[The Alien]

Pfft! Demanding, much?

I suppose there's always http://www.magix.com/uk/magix-ag/inv...spublications/ ...

No, just saying that without confirmation your word is as good as mine
But if you don't need such confirmation it's up to you. Just realize that (other people's) assumptions are not necessarily true.

And thanks for the link. Interesting stuff, though I don't think Xara's situation is reported there seperately.

[RickX]

But the inclusion of Xara3D (which has never struck me as anything much more than a toy) is fairly pointless.

Yes and no. You will see more and more 3D integration into 2D imaging and vector bases applications. The question is are they continue to develop the 3D features. If it is a one time 'throw that feature in because we already have the code' it is pointless.

I think they should really hit the market if they for example extend the 3D functionality with collada import, they will be the first vector based illustration tool that can have 3D clip art gallery . If they can integrate that and keep the excellent antialiasing quality it can be a major hit.

The demand for 3D is continue growing, it will be awesome if you can apply stroke styles to 3D objects, so it is not leaving the vector business and it can attract new users to xara

Take a look at:

http://www.maxon.net/pages/products/...andtoon_e.html


You will be happy if you are able to make something like that in xara.

[zaphodeist]

... You will be happy if you are able to make something like that in xara ...

At £659+VAT I think I'll stick with Xara

[ss-kalm]

........You will be happy if you are able to make something like that in xara.

Looking at the drawings shown on their home page ...... there is nothing there that I haven't seen done better in Xara by artists on this forum.

RickX you should check out ...The Xara Gallery or look at Valery's work here

[BobInce]

The demand for 3D is continue growing, it will be awesome if you can apply stroke styles to 3D objects, so it is not leaving the vector business

SketchUp is a good choice for this. It has newly-introduced stroke styles, and exports well to Xara via PDF for further 2D editing.

Whilst a package with full 3D modelling and 2D vector graphics, with non-destructive links between them would be an interesting idea, it's well out of Xara or anyone's reach at the moment; it's hard enough coming up with a non-horrible interface to 3D modelling alone! (SketchUp is the only application I have tried, of many, that makes it at all tolerable.)