OPEN LETTER TO MATT BOLTON

**amoore** · 22 August 2019, 06:34 PM

The point has been made, and made clearly. This is an important thread, so let's keep the posts cogent and civil.

**Acorn** · 25 August 2019, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by amoore

The point has been made, and made clearly. This is an important thread, so let's keep the posts cogent and civil.

Sadly, the point has been made to the wind.

Acorn

**Lorrain** · 25 August 2019, 10:23 PM

I haven't been registered for a very long time but I've been through a lot of the forum and this reading has been very instructive for me: my essay with Xara will remain an essay, like the one I had already done in the very early 2000s.
Magix seems more interested in selling its products by offering bonuses that are not used to improve Xara.
Moreover, the forum gives the impression of being the preserve of a few people who rule it and sometimes have a perfectly unpleasant and sufficient behaviour towards other members, it is the first time I have seen it so much on a forum. I myself am a moderator on a forum and I have difficulty understanding these behaviours, certainly due to the long standing of these people and who feel all-powerful.
I understand that Xara users who have been Xara users for twenty or thirty years are reluctant to leave this software for another because they know it perfectly well, but I think that new users, such as myself, will have less difficulty doing so and returning to their old software or even trying another one. Magix may have some concerns if they continue their stupid policies and don't listen to their customers.
Anyway, my adventure with Xara is over and I am also leaving the forum.
However, I wish you all the best, with or without Xara.

**gwpriester** · 25 August 2019, 11:01 PM

Hi Lorrain

We are sorry to see you go. And I really appreciate your comment here. It is very important for Magix to hear stories such as yours and I can only hope they see this, read this, and take it to heart.

**Boy** · 26 August 2019, 07:43 AM

Originally Posted by gwpriester

We are sorry to see you go. And I really appreciate your comment here. It is very important for Magix to hear stories such as yours and I can only hope they see this, read this, and take it to heart.

Well, Lorrain also has some gripes with some members. I don't quite understand who is being referred to but I do agree that the mood on the forums is not always happy. In my view this has to do with Xara/Magix being mostly unresponsive and, indeed, remaining members 'moping' and still hoping for a miracle resurrection, having difficulty letting go of their favorite software.

Originally Posted by Lorrain

Moreover, the forum gives the impression of being the preserve of a few people who rule it and sometimes have a perfectly unpleasant and sufficient behaviour towards other members, it is the first time I have seen it so much on a forum. I myself am a moderator on a forum and I have difficulty understanding these behaviours, certainly due to the long standing of these people and who feel all-powerful.

**handrawn** · 26 August 2019, 08:23 AM

there is a lot of passion on this forum from members at times

you have to remember that this is a help forum and members give their time for free and the attitude of the company often comes across as if they take this for granted - it is a very unaware, dedicated [or maybe just perverse] member who completely ignores this

affinity [for example] publish a roadmap and keep everyone informed - xara seem to prefer non-committal hype

Originally Posted by Lorrain

However, I wish you all the best, with or without Xara

all the best to you too

**mwenz** · 26 August 2019, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by handrawn

...affinity [for example] publish a roadmap ...

Serif has removed the roadmaps.

**handrawn** · 26 August 2019, 08:02 PM

they deleted the thread:

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/ind...comment-485257

the link makes somewhat interesting reading, you [might] get the impression that the grass is nowhere near greener on that other side

and not everyone approves of affinity spotlight, but then 'tis par for the course...

**Acorn** · 26 August 2019, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by Lorrain

Moreover, the forum gives the impression of being the preserve of a few people who rule it and sometimes have a perfectly unpleasant and sufficient behaviour towards other members, it is the first time I have seen it so much on a forum. I myself am a moderator on a forum and I have difficulty understanding these behaviours, certainly due to the long standing of these people and who feel all-powerful.

I suggest that TGers who appear regularly on TG are strong supporters of the Xara Desktop applications and who are made impotent, not all-powerful, by the failure of MagiXara to engage constructively. Those who are disrespectful of Posters are quickly censured by a vigilant corpus of volunteer moderators; a task for which I have great respect.

If there are a "few people" who contribute then the fault is not with them but with MagiXara who are succeeding in driving off the old Customer base in search of a larger but transient market share. Do the developers and designers of the product whose forum you moderate engage?

Acorn