Just Released: A New Version of Web Designer

[katemoir]

We’ve just launched a new version of Xara Web Designer and Web Designer Premium. You can discover what’s new on our website @ http://www.xara.com/web-designer/whats-new/ and in the more detailed release notes at http://releasenotes.xara.hosting/wd365 but the main points for Web Designer Premium include:

• Enhanced sticky objects (scroll and then stick to top)
• 40 new on reveal animation types
• 30 ‘scrolling animations’ including parallax effects
• Editing enhancements for Xara Online Designer
• Material Design icons added to Font Awesome symbols
• New SmartShapes including charts and photo grids
• New content including all 166 business themes!
• The 365 Update Guarantee

What’s the 365 Update Guarantee? The simple explanation is that it’s a way for you to access new features and content as and when we develop them in the year after you purchase. You can find out more about that at www.xara.com/update-guarantee

And finally we have a demo website for many of the new features @ http://previews.xara.hosting/charity

We hope you enjoy the new version, let us know what you think.

[gwpriester]

Sounds awesome! Downloading as we speak!

[mwenz]

What happens after 365 days?
If you don't upgrade again the 365 Guarantee expires. The premium online services will cease, or fall back to a basic service. For current 365 products this means:

• Web Designer: The free hosting and free Online Designer continue, but the Online Content Catalog will no longer be accessible*
• Web Designer Premium: The M hosting falls back to the free hosting offer, the Premium Xara Online Designer falls back to the free Online Designer, the Online Content Catalog will no longer be accessible*

In addition you will no longer receive feature or content updates. The copy(s) that you have installed at the time of expiry will continue to run indefinitely, BUT if you re-install on a new machine after the Guarantee has expired then the new installation will fall back to the version you originally purchased.

So let me get this straight. A first copy will be continually upgraded to new features/content during the 365 day period.

However, if I have a hard drive failure after the 365 day subscription period and I have not chosen to renew, then I get the base product and not the features/content I paid for through the 365 days?

Sounds great. Sounds wonderful. Sounds ...

[Acorn]

We hope you enjoy the new version, let us know what you think.

Kate, the downside I am seeing is the loss of Online Content Catalog, which will no longer be accessible if I let the 365 Guarantee lapse. Why?

Acorn

[Acorn]

So let me get this straight. A first copy will be continually upgraded to new features/content during the 365 day period.

However, if I have a hard drive failure after the 365 day subscription period and I have not chosen to renew, then I get the base product and not the features/content I paid for through the 365 days?

Sounds great. Sounds wonderful. Sounds ...

Good call, it perpetuates the locked out syndrome that some users are already suffering.

Acorn

[katemoir]

@ mwenz. tis your choice though. You could, if you prefer, buy the new version now and get the new features mentioned above, and then reject any updates, wait for next year and then buy a new version - at which point you'd get the features we developed in the interim. That puts you in the same position as our v11 model. But it seems to me that you would be missing out on the benefits of 365, which give you access to next year's feature before next year. And bear in mind, this isn't an Adobe like subscription, you don't lose everything if you stop paying, if you buy an upgrade now you'll get a perpetual license to today's new version.

[katemoir]

Acorn, the Online Content Catalog is the means to deliver new content, so like the program updates it stops at the end of 365. Two things to bear in mind though: Firstly you could buy the back-up CD which includes the full template set (always offered as an option when you purchase) and install from that even after the 365 days and/or if you are offline, and secondly you can download the content from the Content Catalog into your Designs Gallery at any time within the 365 days. Release notes have the details.

[mwenz]

Kate, I understand both Xara's and Adobe's schemes rather well.

But you are glossing over the point. If I pay for XDP (in my case) when it arrives, I get all the benefits of the updates to features and content over the next 365 days. If I choose not to renew, then those features and content that were updated during the 365 days are still available in the perpetually licensed copy.

Until a hard drive crash. Or, until I decide to buy a new computer. Then the copy reverts to the base installation.

This seems to be neither ethical nor legal. If I paid for all the features or content released throught the 365 days of my subscription, that is exactly what I expect to have should I buy a new computer and move my license to that computer.

You keep comparing it to a new version under the =<X11 model. But it is not. For instance, will there be fixes during the 365 day period that are also installed during updates to features/content? Should I then not subscribe, move to a new computer and the application reverts to the base version, what happens to bug fix updates?

This new scheme seems to be a morphodite of various subscription schemes that has not been well thought out if the above is true. Pretty much just like Xara/Magix copy-protection scheme.

And the name is Mike, Kate.

Take care, Mike

[Acorn]

Acorn, the Online Content Catalog is the means to deliver new content, so like the program updates it stops at the end of 365. Two things to bear in mind though: Firstly you could buy the back-up CD which includes the full template set (always offered as an option when you purchase) and install from that even after the 365 days and/or if you are offline, and secondly you can download the content from the Content Catalog into your Designs Gallery at any time within the 365 days. Release notes have the details.

Kate, whatever would I buy a CD at the start of my 365 days for? I might consider it as a graceful exit from cover if it had all the updates for the period of my cover.

What happens if I offer up a Xara design file that have the latest gizmo in TG and a recipient downloads and tries it?
It has been bad enough assisting TGers with different versions; you've just magnified the problem.

I have earlier versions of the Xara products that already access the on-line content for that version. I hope these are not being discontinued?
If I can download the content then you are removing a capability that really costs you little to maintain.
You must be able to partition paid-for new content from content delivered after the 365-day expiry.

I think you have just invented Crippleware.

Acorn

P.S. What about purchases in a Leap Year?

[mwenz]

...
P.S. What about purchases in a Leap Year?