Thank you and good bye! I'm no longer Xara's target audience.

**Xcellent** · 14 June 2009, 11:35 PM

We all love things that we got used to, it's human nature. That's why we often neglect new things and shut our eyes because nothing can be as good as the old thing we love.

I fully understand eobet and certainly with his workflow and chain of tools he's better off with adobe.

Illustrator gets better by every release (no, really!), it now has fill tools similar to xara (still not as sex*y to use but no one is perfect). You can see a difference with each version and improvement here and there.

**ss-kalm** · 15 June 2009, 03:32 AM

Illustrator is $599 - Why does everyone have to compare the two and say Xara is falling short. if they added new vector tools to Xara and charged $599 then maybe they could pay for the extra development. However, I for one wouldn't be buying the latest Xara version.

**steve.ledger** · 15 June 2009, 03:45 AM

Good point Keith.

**Xcellent** · 15 June 2009, 04:14 AM

ss-kalm, well it's simple:

Xara (old statement! *)
"Xara Xtreme, the fastest vector graphics program on the planet".*

Illustrator
"Adobe Illustrator CS4 software is a comprehensive vector graphics environment that is ideal for all creative professionals, including web and interactive designers and developers, multimedia producers, motion graphics and visual effects designers, animators, and video professionals."

People compare everything (not only software) to find a ranking and see what value things are worth.

Illustrator is based on postscript, Xara has their own custom engine - so there will never ever match.

Don't get me wrong, i love Xara and always will! Illustrator can simply be not be compared to Xara. I can see easily how people like to compare since the broad word 'vector' is the only thing in common.

*this is the statement that has made Xara popular (on so many reviews on the net) - so it's branded in people's head as a vector tool.

**jonnycross** · 15 June 2009, 05:47 AM

I found the problem with adobe CS4 stuff was that they are too big and take up too many resources. but by sticking to the old CS3 stuff and using Xara to use as my drawing program things work out fine. we all have to admit that Xara is the better drawing program don't we ?? but I do agree that for someone like me that as no interest in the website stuff the update was disappointing.
Compromise seems to be the keyword here.
just my 2 Cents worth LOL

**Xcellent** · 15 June 2009, 06:03 AM

Originally Posted by jonnycross

I found the problem with adobe CS4 stuff was that they are too big and take up too many resources.

Not disagreeing there. It's because (like microsoft) every 2 years you need to buy a brand new, kick ar*se machine to be able to use the latest Adobe updates and the latest Windows OS.

I just bought a brand new computer (spare the details), all the latest Adobe CS4 Software is working smoothly as(!), no complains there - but the money i've spent is beyond Xtreme (no pun intended)

**JokeArtist** · 15 June 2009, 09:04 AM

Good Luck Mate ... and I know how you feel. Calls for vector improvements have just fallen on deaf ears for too many years. I'm slowly learning Illustrator myself and will make the switch at some point.

**Daniel** · 15 June 2009, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by ss-kalm

Illustrator is $599

and?!

An upgrade from Macromedia Freehand to Adobe Illustrator CS4 is $199.
An upgrade from Macromedia Freehand to Xara Xtreme Pro 5 is $159.
That's not such a great difference (in price).

An upgrade from Adobe Illustrator CS3 to CS4 is $199.
An upgrade from Xara Xtreme Pro 4 to 5 is $69.
That's a much greater difference, but like you said...

Originally Posted by ss-kalm

I for one wouldn't be buying the latest Xara version.

Me neither. It's the first Xara upgrade I'll have ever skipped.

Originally Posted by ss-kalm

if they added new vector tools to Xara and charged $599 then maybe they could pay for the extra development

If only they would!!

Keep Xtreme for the Noddy templates, Fisherprice wizards and introduce new features for family tree drawings, webpage export and maybe frilly lace designing, funny face photo editing or wallpaper designs. Charge $79 or even $9.99 at petrol stations - heck, compete with Serif for the quickest turnaround of products with the least difference between them. Then charge the rest of us $199 in upgrades a year for some serious updates to Xtreme Pro... my credit card is waiting, I know JokeArtist's is too, and suspect that there are plenty others as well.

**JokeArtist** · 15 June 2009, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by Daniel

... my credit card is waiting, I know JokeArtist's is too, and suspect that there are plenty others as well.

Damn right ... I've not upgraded since 3.2 but I've put my hand in my pocket for Illustrator CS4 ... just to have a play with it. When you're a professional design then $600 is the earth to get new tools to do your job better when it equates to a couple of days work.

**Bob Hahn** · 15 June 2009, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by Xcellent

Illustrator can simply be not be compared to Xara. I can see easily how people like to compare since the broad word 'vector' is the only thing in common.

For the price between Illustrator and Xtreme when buying new, it is unfair to compare the two.

Xara themselves demonstrates Xtreme's graphics performance to Adobe Illustrator, complete with visual aids. Of course this is only based on speed. But once Illustrator's name is brought in, it is easy for people to start comparing the two on other aspects as well.