Farewell But Not Goodbye

[The Alien]

When I think about Xara I inevitably think about the Xara Xone and thus Gary. It's so sad to see you leave Xara Xone. You were doing so much work with Xara Xone that your name almost became synonymous with Xara itself, at least in my mind.
One of the things I admired the most about you was your endless creativity when putting up new content on Xara Xone every 2 weeks. Thank you for all you've done for the Xara community.
I am very glad to hear that you're staying as a member and a moderator. Enjoy your well-earned retirement

I'm looking forward to see your successor's work, Gary Bouton, on the Xara Xone and wish him good luck with his new job.

Take care

[Albacore]

Well it has been a pleasure for many, many years to go to the Xone and download your tutorials and do them even after about 9 or 10 years. What can I say this man is a gentlleman in the best way he listens to what people comment on and then produces a work of art for the start of the month which all can complete. He never gets annoyed when people get bullish or try to take over Talkgraphics all that he does is ptoduce workbooks to help their problems in a consice and instructive way.

Thanks Gary for all of your hard work it has helped me and many others to get to the standard that we have achieved with this software. Still think Harry Potter Bear has been his best!

[gerver]

Hi Gary,
It seems a little shallow just to say thank you after all the hard work you’ve put in over the years. I have learnt so much from your tutorials, not just about using Zara but also from your sense of artistry, which is why I must say that I think you are extremely selfish in wanting to leave enjoy your retirement!
However, as its Christmas, a very long, happy and enjoyable retirement to you both!

Gerry

[ZEBtoonz]

Hey, Gary, glad I caught this announcement, I would have been sad to have missed it. I haven't been as active here on the forum as I was in the past due to my recent shift in attention to animation, but I still visit every other day or two. I am thankful to know you and for the help you have been to me in my freelance career with the various featured artist shows you have put up, your great tutorials which I have followed step by step, your help here on the forum. You're a true friend and mentor and I owe you a lot. Have a good break from the grind and may you be able to follow your dreams at your leisure and produce more stereograms and images that both inspire and instruct us. You're a great guy and good friend!

[gwpriester]

Thank you everyone for your generous praise. I should have retired long ago.

[jimhanus]

Gary,
I echo the comments of everyone else. Thanks for your sincere help. Some users comments come off as a little condescending, but yours were always very supportive and professional. I'll miss them.

Jim

[tonylondon]

I owe you a debt too, Gary, for getting me started, and providing encouragement when I most needed it. How you have managed to maintain your interest (or conceal your lack of it at times) and provide consistently good tutorials for so long, I really don't know. Anyway, have a good Christmas!

[Karateed]

Hi Gary,

Your tutorials have given me tools I never expected to have. I'm not a professional in using Xara software at all but you have given me the confidence to try some things and the results aren't bad, a good starting point for sure. I even dared put up my results of your tutorials every once in a while and I would not have except for the fact the tutorials you wrote were exquisetly done. Thank you for helping give me another area in my life where an artform can produce beauty in this life. You're sacrifice of time for so many has been nothing short of amazing and thanks are not nearly enough to express what you have given this community and on a personal note, myself.

I believe you have chosen a most noteworthy successor for the Xone. Gare is in his own rite nothing short of phenomenal when it comes to this program so a job very well done on all fronts. I look forward to the challenges that Gare will put forth for us and know already what a great help he has been to this community and will become even more so.

Thanks Gary for all the wonderful everythings that you've done for this community and thanks Gare for everything you're about to do for this community.

We are all receiving true education in it's finest forms from these masters.....

[jclements]

I salute you Gary.

I am not sure there are many of us who can truly appreciate the effort expended to produce the XaraXarone; coming up with new ideas each month, then executing them .... well, it is hard to comprehend.

My gratitude for all that you have contributed and the inspiration we have taken from it.

Warm regards, John

[TimS]

I can't add anything new to what has already been said, just Thanks Gary!!