Custom Splash Screens

[Gare]

In a minor defense of The Xara Group, no they do not use Web Designer to build Xara.com, for the same reason we do not use Xara software to build the Xara Xone site. It's not apparent to me what software Xara uses, but I can tell you that we use WordPress with a custom template Barbara designed to make the site feasible and extensible for future needs. How can you possibly plan for the future without a content managment node in place...we've already generated over a thousand pages in the past 3 years—can Web Designer move, index, and edit this volume of data?

We use a Content Management System, CSS/JavaScript, and it's simply not possible to deliver the organization and quality of the site using a program intended for small, beautiful websites.

I don't believe in three-legged races when the best solution to a graphics problem is right on your hard drive, but one feels some sense of loyalty to a program to the extent that you're doing something the hard way. And I'll get back to splash screen in a moment, Frank.


• I use Xara Designer for short DTP needs, flyers and posters. Also for exporting AI files to modeling programs, and not least, for drawing fine art (and commercial art). And truthfully, Xara v 10 is open on my Desktop from morning to end, because it's a hub for all the other content I generate, to finish a piece. I'm used to assembling works in Xara, for about 20 years.

• I use InDesign for long documents, that need formatting options as rich as MS Word.

• I use MS-Word for word processing and don't even try to make it a dtp program because it's not.

• I use Adobe Photoshop because...c'mon; what else is there for retouching-intensive photos at a pixel level? Plus, I've used it for more than 20 years, so like Xara—why change what works?

• I use modo and Cinema 4D and occasionally Maxwell Render for modeling and rendering work. I'm trying to understand modo better, but it's currently good for importing my C4D models and animating some of them. It's rendering engine runs neck to neck with Maxwell render. When I want something that is virtually realistic, I use Maxwell render. C4D fits my need for modeling and sculpting and animation, because I think it's one of the three programs out there that has every feature anyone could ask for in animation options.

It's taken me almost a decade to afford to buy this stuff, and more than a year discovering the best of the best.

Because I've been burned by Adobe, Aldus, Caligari, and Western Digital, I see no sense in product loyalty. They provided good software for a time, and then the companies changed. It's naive to continue to fight for a product that doesn't even fight for itself,no less its customers.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Big Frank—yes, I admit I was being defensive earlier inthis thread. But I was being defensive about my talent, and not about customer loyalty and drawing my idea in Xara, even though it was intended as a graphic for a Xara product.

I've written almost 30 books on various software, and my dirty little secret is that I've used Xara for every stinking EPS file Macintosh production houses need.

Not one has failed, not one was recognized as a Windoz export, and I'm pretty happy with this feature, as is the publisher and the reader.

My Best,

Gary

[csehz]

Gare thanks for this summary about your favourite programs and describing your approach towards softwares in general. I find it as very valuable experience and really appreciate it

[Gare]

Hey csehz, and glad to be candid on this forum, and thanks to TPTB to leave it uncensored. Did you know that about 10 years ago, Corel Corporation deleted negative comments on their forum? Happy to say they "get" the net now!

"favourite programs"...humm. "Most easy to produce quality stuff, and stuff that looks like it does in my imagination"...I would say that, only because "favourite" suggest "favoritism, and carry no truck with companies that suddenly produce sub-par goods. Adobe Creative Suite v5 was such a buggy P.O.S. that they immediately issued version 5.5 without so much as truth or an apology, although they upgraded registered users for free.

I want to, but cannot, separate the company from the product. I have to assume that if a company is untrustworthy, their software reflects this. There's no "Official Apologist" as far as I can see, no Damage Control Expert at The Xara Group, I know they listen, and I've stuck with the product since 1995 because the management has not only been gracious to me, but also responsive to problems, and Xara DP kicks serious butt.

My Best,

Gary

[Egg Bramhill]

TPTB to leave it uncensored

Unless it mentions the Xara Users forum Gary

[mwenz]

Unless it mentions the Xara Users forum...

I refer to the XU when I believe it is pertinent, Egg. I haven't seen one instance removed of when I referenced XU. Which would be the only time I would notice. So I am not saying edits haven't been made. I just haven't noticed.

[Egg Bramhill]

Not my experience Mike, Iv'e seen at least two of my posts with links to XU removed.

[Gare]

Erm, this thread is about splash screens, and I know I went O/T with my list of favorite programs and why, but that's no excuse for everyone behaving like me, okay?

Thanks!

Gary

[Big Frank]

In a minor defense of The Xara Group, no they do not use Web Designer to build Xara.com, for the same reason we do not use Xara software to build the Xara Xone site

No defence of these points raised by slavelle was even required. Everybody knows XDP and derivatives are incapable of a being a half-decent CMS. Maybe they're working on one, maybe not. They certainly should be, but god knows what they're up to becaue, frankly, they do NOT listen as somebody said earlier on, not to the TG membership anyway. They do, of course, listen to their masters who hold the purse strings which is one of the disadvantages of selling out up.

XDP and derivatives are very capable of serious butt-kicking graphics including of course boxshots and splashscreens, and my indignation, which has not been addressed by anybody who could well be in the know, stands. If somebody were to inform me with authority that Xara/Magix used anything other than the product that Xara/Magix hold up to be Quite simply the world's fastest graphics software. Powerful illustration tools, innovative photo editing, flexible page layout and unrivalled WYSIWYG web design. A single application for all your creative work then my indignation and frustration with the duplicity of TPTB will see the end to my 15-year relationship with Xara and, boy, will I let the world know. I didn't say I will stop using it, I said I will stop paying for it, I will stop supporting it, I will stop pinning it to my mast and I will stop singing its praises.
I have stuck with Xara for 15 years because, maybe naively, I was convinced they believe in their product as much as I do. You do not demonstrate your faith in such a product and its hard-core users and indeed champions by using a rival product to create the aforementioned and similar marketing material.

I bought and paid for the "TrueBoxhShot" Photoshop plugin and used it once, discovering that I had in fact as much ability with my XDP series of products to create my boxshots without some stupid plugin. I didn't get a return in my investment in that product and that's life, more fool me, but at least their product marketing material was made using their product. BTW, if anybody wants it from me, they are welcome to it and the serial, I have no use for it. There is, after all, no shortage of people who create finished work with nothing more than an average photo and some free plugins and somehow believe they have that ephemeral quality "talent".

End of this disagreeable rant. I know others have other, far less rigid, opinions, and that's their right and privilege. But I won't argue with them. If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything.

[Barbara B]

This thread has gone way off topic and has gotten extremely contentious. I'm closing this thread.

Please everyone take a deep breath and move on.

Big Frank, I'm putting you on notice. You know better than to name call and use extreme profanity even if *veiled.