Should Xara's interface change?

[Soquili]

Remi no interface will eliminate all or simple questions.

Interfaces similar to those by Adobe and Corel create more questions than Xara's. In those other programs even if you know which popup, flyout, menu, etc to open you still need to know which sub what-ever to drill down to find the function you need.

[remi]

Remi no interface will eliminate all or simple questions.

True, but that doesn't mean that there is no room/necessity for improvements. If some questions comes up over and over (like the background color thing), it's a sign that the usage of this functions are not obvious. That's the whole point with Usability: "the ease with which people can employ a particular tool". One method in order to reach the goal of "Usability" is to make usability tests (for example by asking the user to complete various tasks), but they are costly. Therefore Xara is in a good position to own such a great forum like talkgraphics, where customers posts about their Usability problems.

Remi

[MarkMyWords]

That is certainly true Bill, but some parts of the interface are not intuitive. We all know about the alignment dialogue, but what about the name gallery? Though powerful, this gallery's interface is not at all intuitive and certainly needs re-thinking. In a way Xara make a rod for their own back with this, because so much of the interface is simple and intuitive, when we come across something that isn't intuitive, it jars.

Xtreme uses a clunky way to import brushes; copy and paste them into a doc and they become available. Why not allow brush sets to be imported and swapped like other programs?

I am still convinced that macros/scripts are the most efficient way a user can 'customise' any program to their own needs and even share workarounds and 'wizards' with others, but I promised not to go down that road again and Xara have already said it ain't gonna happen, so I'll shut up about it...for as long as I can LOL!

[bcire68]

My take on it is this:

If you want to upgrade the looks of the interface (the graphics) thats fine, however don't mess with the functionality of it. The interface works. As they say in the southern U.S., "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

That being said, I am sure that there are a few minor things that could be added to make things a bit easier for newbies. For example changing the background color could easily be an option on the right click of a color on the color bar. Of course it could also be handled in the help files better too. For example learning how to change the background (page) color in Xara is explained under the topics for Applying fill and Line colors and Web Page Backgrounds. These are not the first places that I might look. As I say, these things are minor and I think that they are mostly geared to people new to Xara but as Remi stated, the fact that people are always asking the question implies that the interface is lacking in this area.

Eric

[Soquili]

Not everyone uses Xara the same way therefore not everyone will see a need for the same changes.

In what ever way Xara evolves Xtreme there will be changes that some users may or may not use. No one company can please every user all of the time.

[gwpriester]

It works. Don't change it.

[syntagm]

If it ain't broken, why fix it?

[alexbozhenov]

Personally I don't believe it will be changed )
I miss just one thing - coloring in the Arrange palette... Greyed cquares work much worse than yellowed as some time before )
But I will live without it for sure... Want to see a Mesh tool a lot )

[MarkMyWords]

If it works don't change it?

A horse and cart worked...

Not that Xtreme is in dire need of a change, but it isn't perfect and probably never will be.

[steve.ledger]

A horse and cart worked...

And still does..