I can see where Jens is coming from, because there is a lot easier way to get from point a to b in Xara because of graduated transparency and soft vector edges which allow you to fade one color into another in a way that to me resembles a working in water colors and building up a wash.

Of course this technique also applies to oils and other media.

The whole point of mesh is to create something without the above process. In Illustrator, trying to select one item from the next, is a lesson in frustration, select one thing, you often get everything. So if you could use one tool to get what you want, namely the mesh tool, it sure would seem like a miracle.

When you can easily select what you want, that is a concept, too long ignored by Adobe.

I have to remind myself that there are things I like about Illustrator. But as far as doing things in such a method, I enjoy too much a looser approach, blending more like with real tools.

I'd rather draw and stay out of dialogue boxes.

If other people want to use these things, that's up to them. Unfortunately, with the hold that Adobe has on graphics in higher education, any other methods, are hush, hush. What are they afraid of? And highly disdained, it seems. When anyone becomes too convinced of their own argument that they can see no other point than there own, they have created themselves a comfort zone and for others, an un-comfort zone.

What is so bad about accepting others as they are. Xara does not have to be Illustrator. But it is friendly enough to be able to work together without sacrificing what Xara can do. Why Illustrator for all of its expense is not able to do what Xara can do, now that is a good question. Shouldn't you get better value for all those upgrades and all that shelled out hard cash?

Xara, the mouse that roared?!?!?