Designer 10 pro vs. Photo and Graphic Designer and Web Designer 10 Premium

[TDolce]

Haven't really looked at upgrading my Xara Designer Pro X v 8 software lately, but as an owner of Web Designer 9 Premium and looking to upgrade to WebD10P, I noticed that Xara offers
what they call "Designer Pro X10" (am I the only one who thinks this is getting confusing?) and it is supposed to do it all.

Here is my question....is Designer Pro 10 like a "Jack of all trades and master of NONE" or does it totally (and I do mean totally) eliminate the need for me to have Web Designer 10 Premium and Photo and Graphic Designer 10 altogether? (I'm looking for a user's opinion and not Xara's marketing splash on their home page)

This answer is critical for me because I would hate to buy it (Designer Pro 10) only to learn that it is not as robust as WD10Prem. when I'm trying to work on my company's website as I currently do with WD9Prem.

Same goes for the graphics end. I mean I know I can keep my version X installed, but the purpose here is not to overload my hard drive with redundancies if I can help it.

So what is the story with this Designer Pro X10?

Thanks!

[mwenz]

XDP has everything all the other single applications have plus a bit more. Always has.

Do be aware that there are new versions on the horizon. How long until release I don't know.

[TDolce]

Thanks for the info.....I will wait a month or two and see what Xara does. If no updates or new versions,..I may just bite the bullet and upgrade my WD9Prem. to 10 Premium and just keep using Xara X v. 8 for my graphics.

[pauland]

Why not just download the trial and use that? You can use it for a month, I think.

[TDolce]

Why not just download the trial and use that? You can use it for a month, I think.

I did,..but it was a toothless wonder (as are most trials) with none of the built in widgets and things being available. All stripped out with messages to
go online and buy it.
By looking at the layout and GUI,..it does appear to be inclusive as to what I would need though. That alone was worth
looking at. I don't normally like to install trials or demos that often due to the "trail of tears" that every program leaves behind in the registry etc.
that seem to stick around forever; and trust me they do.

So yes,..it appears to be the same as the Web Designer Premium,...but I'm thinking if nothing new pops up in the next month, I will just upgrade to WD10P
and that's it. As for the graphics end,....I may be switching over to another program altogether to better suit my needs.

I can keep the older version of Xara's graphics app to slowly migrate files over to the other program I purchase.

Thanks everyone.

[pauland]

it was a toothless wonder (as are most trials) with none of the built in widgets and things being available.

That's not a fair description. As someone who has used Xara software for many years, I never did use any widget or template, even after purchase, and the trial has all of the functionality of the complete product.

In which way does Xara not meet your graphic needs?

[Gamerprinter]

Yeah, I agree with Paul here, the widgets and templates are junk filler content in my opinion (almost worthless), adding nothing to my design paradigm. I actually preferred the clipart provided in older versions of the software (which doesn't seem to exist anymore), I didn't use them much, but I've never used the templates or widgets at all, and cannot see a reason why I ever would.

[TDolce]

Yeah, I agree with Paul here, the widgets and templates are junk filler content in my opinion (almost worthless), adding nothing to my design paradigm. I actually preferred the clipart provided in older versions of the software (which doesn't seem to exist anymore), I didn't use them much, but I've never used the templates or widgets at all, and cannot see a reason why I ever would.

Sorry,..it's a new version.....I'm not a widget user either (for the most part) as I customize everything for my 600 page site....BUT again,...it's a new version and usually it's interesting to see (for many of us) some of the additional things that may have been added and how the functionality plays out. Are they worthless? Maybe to many of us,..but still would be cool to see what was added; that's all I'm saying.

I was overzealous in my descriptive term of "toothless wonder" so do therefore apologize for that.

[ss-kalm]

Yeah, I agree with Paul here, the widgets and templates are junk filler content in my opinion.

I agree about the templates, but some of the widgets could be useful. Although I've never used them.

.....I actually preferred the clipart provided in older versions of the software.

Yes, agreed again, most of the newer clipart has to be exploded to get rid of distracting background colours and shapes. I've still got my clipart from Xtreme 5 which I much prefer.

[Gamerprinter]

I did say "almost worthless" and not completely worthless, as you (TDolce) suggest, perhaps there's someone out there that can find value in the widgets and templates, however, as stated no value to me.