Xara X vs. Illustrator

[digitalmineral]

Thanks for all the helpful feedback!

So, the main pluses of Xara are speed and transparancies and an easy-to-learn interface. Those are very important benefits.

So far, Xara is popular on this thread - but after all, this is a Xara forum http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

What impressed me about Xara is the gallery - the photorealism is astounding. I don't thing that Illustrator is easy to push in that direction (although I've gotten some decent results.) It's good to know that Illustrator is considered a 'harder' program to master compared to Xara. I think it would be more likely that I could learn Xara considering time constraints (I haven't learned a powerful new software program in six years.)

Really, I'd be interested in Xara for illustration - especially realism. Illustrator is terrific - but I think it's main power lies in layout. I use it primarily for package design for retail products. (I don't touch Quark or Indesign.)

I have to check out the tutorials as well - that is probably the best way to learn outside of a classroom.

[inabottle]

Well with either program photorealism comes with patience. All my stuff I try to make it as photorealistic as possible. It takes a lil while but its not hard, as it is with AI, because something you make photorealistic, you will follow the same pattern of steps when just goofing around or doodling. Xara X puts out good quality graphics with very little effort.

[Klaus Nordby]

OK, Yael, enough talk - now go away and learn XX1! Then come back here in a week and wow us all with what you've got. :-)

[digitalmineral]

Bad news. Only now have I realized that the program is not Mac compatible. That's a real shame. This must be why I didn't ever learn more about the program. I remember seeing ads for Xara quite a while ago but haven't looked into it until I came across this site. Am I missing something? It can't be a PC-only program.... http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

[Klaus Nordby]

Yes, it's of course PC-only. Thank goodness the Xara folks aren't wasting programming resources for that tiny, marginal, close-to-dying platform.

But you can run it on Mac using a Windows emulator - if you really want to stick with the overpriced and overhyped Macs.

[digitalmineral]

Klaus! You are very vocal in stating your opinions - be careful you may insult someone http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif. I like Mac. That is what I use at home and what I use at the office - which is a professional design firm. I don't know any other design firm that uses PCs.

And if you haven't seen it in action, the new OS X is extremely fluid, besides the Unix brain it's based on. That alone is a reason to 'convert' - but I see you like your PC and I like my Mac - yet can still be friends http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif.

For the record, I've used both Mac and PC platforms for graphic design purposes without much difference.

I will have to see if an emulator is really any good. I have never tried it.

[joroho]

I'm not a professional designer, but one thing to keep in mind when wanting to use Xara for print applications are some of the hassles other members of this forum have had in submitting printer-friendly work.

.joroho.

[John Rayner]

HiYael,

I do not own a MAC, but I have heard that the emulators are not very good at running xara. You delay is great going through the emulator, that it is almost as slow as AI. Try it on both your PC and MAC... I imagine you will notice a difference. I have run and created very nice artwork on as little as a 486.

[digitalmineral]

Thanks for the pointer John. It looks like I will not have the pleasure of using Xara in the near future. Although I have a top of the line G5 with 2GB ram running a 2GHZ processor. It's powerful, so maybe it can take the emulator without too much noticeable drag.

[John Rayner]

Hi Yael,

If you get used to xara running on an emulator, do not ever run it on a PC or else you will be spoiled instantly. Imagine being used to surfing at 300 baud and then get a chance to see broadband. You will never want to go back.