Tired of Xara running on virtual machine

[discotv]

I'm waiting for 2 years Xara mac os version. unfortunaly there is no alternative vector editor for mac. how long do i have to wait?

however my dream is an new generation vector editor fundamentally different from exiting products such as illustrator, corel, xara, etc.
maybe apple do this revolution?

[pauland]

I'm waiting for 2 years Xara mac os version. unfortunately there is no alternative vector editor for mac.

That's not really true - Adobe Illustrator for example.

however my dream is an new generation vector editor fundamentally different from exiting products such as illustrator, corel, xara, etc.
maybe apple do this revolution?

Different in which way?

[Luke.Hart]

That's not really true - Adobe Illustrator for example.

AI is not 'alternative', it's the incumbent 20 ton gorilla.

Different in which way?

That's what I was wondering too!

[Charles Moir]

No positive news on the Mac version I'm afraid. We have a half working version, but right now need to persuade the powers that be that it's worth finishing this instead of adding more improvements to the Windows version. Of course all Windows users would prefer we keep improving the Windows versions instead.

Talking about Virtual Machines, I was just emailed by a customer that moved to the Mac, asking the same question as you. He was using Parallels to run Windows software, and had just changed to VMWare instead. He was just letting me know there was a huge improvement in stability and speed of Xara Xtreme on the Mac.

[eobet]

I run Xara in Fusion these days, and it runs fine.

I wonder which will be released first. A native Xara or a native InkScape...

http://jo.irisson.free.fr/?p=62



PS. There's a new guy at work who, like me, also chose to shun Illustrator for something else. However, he uses InkScape, so I'm going to take this opportunity to learn more about it!

[minimiro]

or try this on MAC

http://www.chromaticbytes.com/zeusDrawTour.php

[discotv]

No positive news on the Mac version I'm afraid. We have a half working version, but right now need to persuade the powers that be that it's worth finishing this instead of adding more improvements to the Windows version. Of course all Windows users would prefer we keep improving the Windows versions instead.

Talking about Virtual Machines, I was just emailed by a customer that moved to the Mac, asking the same question as you. He was using Parallels to run Windows software, and had just changed to VMWare instead. He was just letting me know there was a huge improvement in stability and speed of Xara Xtreme on the Mac.

improving = new tools/functions or stability? i prefer the second.
often updates (begins from xara x) inherits principal bugs - for example problems with clipboard and unexpected shut downs (list of actions leading to shut down are growing from version to version)

[discotv]

do not develop a new os x version repaid? there are a lot of switchers who would be bought xara4mac

[Bob Hahn]

No positive news on the Mac version I'm afraid. We have a half working version, but right now need to persuade the powers that be that it's worth finishing this instead of adding more improvements to the Windows version. Of course all Windows users would prefer we keep improving the Windows versions instead.

I'm on the verge of switching to a Mac and the one thing that has me chained to Windows is Xara Xtreme. If there was a Mac version, I'd be in heaven. The thought of using BootCamp or some other software program in order to have Xtreme run doesn't sit well with me. It defeats the whole reason for making the switch.

Recently, I even downloaded the trial version of Illustrator CS3 to see what it was like, and it just gave me a headache. Simple things - like their way of editing a transparancy effect is nuts. And the price is even nuttier.

Mac's are advertised as easy to use, fun, and "it just works." Xara Xtreme is like the perfect Mac program yet only available for the PC.

It's not just "a Mac version" - it's millions of possible new Xara Xtreme users. It's worth finishing. Windows version is good for now.

[eobet]

Recently, I even downloaded the trial version of Illustrator CS3 to see what it was like, and it just gave me a headache. Simple things - like their way of editing a transparancy effect is nuts. And the price is even nuttier.

The transparency in Illustrator isn't "simple", because you can create way more complex stuff using it, than what you can (simply/easily) accomplish in Xara. However, once you get familiar with the masking concept, you'll probably find it as intuitive, or even more easy to work with than Xara (I did).

The price is big, because the people who use it do big jobs, where the stakes are bigger, which demands big investments but also do big pay-offs. Xara is a hobbyist tool, so for small jobs, you use smaller tools (yes, I know I get flamed by this constantly, but someone has to be the voice of reason... err, I mean the voice of the non-fanboy around here).

Also, you can get the entire CS3 suite for peanuts if you're a student, and for just a peanut or two more, you can get a CS3 student license approved for commercial work (and again, sorry, but if the job you are doing won't cover a full CS3 license, it either won't require it so Xara will be fine, or you got a bad business deal).

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