Just Released: A New Version of Web Designer

[katemoir]

No, the scheme is not so simple as all that. It's a silly straw-man argument.

Kate, one prime difference between the old scheme and the new one is in regards to bug fixes and/or any new content/features added during a release cycle.

Under the new scheme, once it reverts back to day-one install for any reason, one looses out on any bug fixes that have occurred during the one-year subscription.

Under the old scheme, I could be stranded on a desert island for the next 10 years, be rescued, buy a new computer, reinstall X11 or older, and apply all the bug fixes (and any added content, features) that came out for that particular XDP version. Period.

You do see the differences, don't you?

Mike, what I'm wondering is which of the common alternatives you would prefer - the old system (no access to next year's features until next year) or an Adobe-like subscription (get new features as you go along but lose all installed versions completely at the end of 365 days)? We are trying to find a way of offering some of the advantages of subscription without actually making it a subscription, while still making it profitable enough for us to carry on doing anything at all! Now I have a little suspicion that you will not be completely happy with any answer I give, but fyi the reversion will include any bug fixes we've issued for that version.

[gwpriester]

Christine - You can also copy the spiral from Designer Pro X or WD 11 and paste it into WD 365. Love the new controls. It appears that quite a bit of thought has gone into rethinking the control handles. Much more elegant.

[angelize]

Okay correct me if I'm wrong (I'm trying to understand all this) so if you don't renew the 365 guarantee it's just the additional content of the content catalogue you lose? any bug fixes or new features added into the program its self you would keep?

so a new smart shape you would lose unless you made a local copy but a new feature like a new animation type or a new page transition that is part of the program you would keep it as long as it was released with in your initial 365 days?

[jacobitejake]

No, I believe you lose everything except for bug fixes, you would probably want to reinstall v11 then

[mwenz]

Mike, what I'm wondering is which of the common alternatives you would prefer - the old system (no access to next year's features until next year) or an Adobe-like subscription (get new features as you go along but lose all installed versions completely at the end of 365 days)?

There are other alternatives, such as the scheme Corel is using for the last couple versions.

We are trying to find a way of offering some of the advantages of subscription without actually making it a subscription, while still making it profitable enough for us to carry on doing anything at all!

I have two small businesses. I fully understand what it is like competing in today's ever changing marketplace. And to be completely accurate, I am happy that the software side of one of my businesses that ran from 1989 through 2005 is no longer a part of the business. I cannot fathom what that would be like in 2016.

Now I have a little suspicion that you will not be completely happy with any answer I give, but fyi the reversion will include any bug fixes we've issued for that version.

No, this statement does make quite a difference. It's not fully what I would think is the forthright thing to do, but at least the application fixes are a great start to that. That we have a difference on what the forthright thing is, is what it is.

I would further expect that because the 365 subscription is being touted as a future cost/benefit as regards any added features/functions/content during the 365-day period, loosing those things at a potential reinstall for any reason past the subscription is wrong. In other words, I am not buying a license to a semi-static product as per the past. I would be buying a license to a semi-fluid product of unadvertised features/content. I would be trusting that Xara does add features/content during that 365-day period. If then those features/content which were valid during my 365-day period were withdrawn at any point in the future for any reason, then I believe that is wrong.

You mention Adobe CC. When Adobe introduced CC at the CS6 cycle, both perpetual and subscription licenses were available. I chose the perpetual license. What Adobe didn't do when CC became the only path forward was to remove features from CS6. My CS6 is the same as when they stopped updating it, which wasn't until the 2nd year of CC. Point being, that even though there was a single new feature added during CS6, it wasn't removed no matter how many times I have deactivated, reinstalled and reactivated it on new HDDs and computers.

Corel has both what they term "standard" and "premium" subscriptions for their perpetual licensees. (Terms were changed with CDX8 that was recently released.) The Standard subscription is a "static" product with the exception of bug fixes. The Premium subscription allows for new features to be rolled in during the release cycle (which is a longer release cycle than Xara's releases). If I pay for a year's Premium subscription, then cancel it after one year, then move to a new computer, all those features remain in-place upon a new installation. I don't loose them, the software doesn't revert to as purcahsed. (BTW, I also do not pay Corel's Premium fee, either.)

As I mentioned, we evidently have a disagreement on what is fair or ethical. For myself, loosing something in XDP will not have quite the impact as it does for persons using the web capabilities--God knows that there are not many drawing enhancements now and I cannot imagine these will be any more swiftly in the future. But if a new web widget appears and is used, then a reinstall following the expiration of a first install, I can see that having ramifications. It then more or less becomes a forced-upgrade, unless in-place widgets would work in that scenario.

I do wish Xara the best. I do want to see Xara succeed. I also want better print stuff--even certain things that do not work (and have not worked) properly to be fixed/added. But other than skipping XDP version 10 out of protest concerning OT feature support, I have upgraded since my first version as a means of demonstrably showing my trust and faith in Xara.

This will be my last post on this subject. I do appreciate you taking the time to respond. Releases are stressful and I suspect I have added to the stress.

Mike

[browj2]

I received a message from the Magix German forum about the new subscription method for other Magix programs, which is the same as for Xara, and he indicated that it may be possible to save the updates, which are in temporary files, so long as you save them before they are deleted, which I presume is automatic once the update has completed its cycle. This is awkward, but a possibility. Perhaps Xara can comment on this. Can we save the update files? And then if we have to do a re-install after the 365 period, assuming that the subscription was not renewed, can we just execute the update files?

I fully understand why Magix/Xara is going to this subscription method and it has advantages that we have already discussed in a separate thread, but the possibility of losing updates due to a re-install is definitely not right.

If one doesn't renew after a year, can one climb back on board, say 6 months after the end of the subscription period, without having to pay the full price of the program?

My friend noted that the German community is quite concerned about the same point being discussed here, for all of Magix' programs.

Thanks,
John

[handrawn]

possible to save updates currently - it's geekish though, you need to make sure the process stops to ask for [admin] permission to proceed once they are downloaded and then copy the files from the temp location; they are not in a meaningfully named folder as such so you need to know what to look for.... if you let it complete first they are gone...

[browj2]

Saving updates - only those who are in the know would likely do so, thus it is not an acceptable solution. It was just mentioned in the German forum.

Presently, Magix has all of the purchased programs in the user account, and the user can download a copy at any time. Once downloaded and installed, there is usually a second large download required from within the program, that contains all of the content, plugins, etc. Then there is the update (patch) and the latest is always available in the user account. With the new subscription method, Magix/Xara would have to keep track of all updates (new features) that the user acquired during the subscription period and make these available to the user, permanently. The latest bug patch would also have to be available. This is the only way that I can see that it could work. Then if the user has to reinstall after the end of the subscription period and did not subscribe for another year, at least the program and the "purchased" upgrades would be available to be downloaded. Surely this could be done.

John

[handrawn]

Saving updates - only those who are in the know would likely do so..

point I was making

[dutchim]

If you don't renew after the year is up... They should send you the DVD with the latest version you paid for including the updates/patches that came out during that year.

As a parting gift of some sort