The Xara Desktop Applications with and without the Update Service

[Gypsyjoe]

Thanks much, great job.
I run programs like Xara in a virtual machine. To back it up is to just copy the VM's folder. I keep a couple of the latest versions on a NAS. I do some program development, so use VMWare's Workstation Pro ($$) so I can have snapshots. Their Player version is free and, after a learning curve, easy to use. They even have a stand alone program to make a VM from a system. There are other VM programs, mostly free. I prefer to host on a Linux system but that is not a requirement. The only advantage of that is that Linux breaks stuff with updates less often than W10 does.
If I decide not to renew the upgrade service, I can just back up the latest VM in case of a failure.

From the way you talk if I run virtual machine if my computer fails I can still keep my updates am I correct in what I am thinking your saying?

[louyo]

From the way you talk if I run virtual machine if my computer fails I can still keep my updates am I correct in what I am thinking your saying?

As long as the virtual machine is backed up, external to your computer, you just copy it back in. A VM is just a bunch of files in a folder. You would have to reinstall the host program.

Lou
Edit: Should mention that there are restrictions in the video drivers. The "video card" is the one provided by the host program. In my case, that is the VMware driver, not the hardware driver by my video card manufacturer. This can be restrictive for things like 3D.

[Gypsyjoe]

I think I like this idea of a virtual machine, is it real hard to set up. I know someone suggested in another thread to wait till v17.1 so they will get the bugs out so I'm waiting until then to buy back in. But I sure like the idea that I would not lose my updates.