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Update and news from Charles Moir
Some interesting news on the dev-list :
I was asking some update on the status, and I got within 5 min this answer from Charles:
Quote:
The project is not stopped. We continue to check in any submitted patches and improvements as always and do daily builds etc. Our internal developers are tied up with other priorities right now, but of course we welcome and will support all and any external developers willing to contribute to the project.
I hope to have a more detailed statement about the future of the project soon.
Charles
Then, concerning the closed source CDraw:
Quote:
But why is this the big question?
The source code of all the product is available with the exception of
CDraw rendering core. This doesn't stop the product working. We make the
binary of this available for free to be distributed with Xara Xtreme.
(And increasing numbers of distros are distributing completely closed
source products such as Flash Player and Adobe Reader, and most Linux
users have these installed even where they are not distributed as part
of the OS). The lack of CDraw source code certainly doesn't stop Xtreme
being progressed and developed by any interested developers if they were
interested in helping us progress the product.
So isn't it a bit of red-herring to be focussed on this small part only?
We've held back on CDraw partly because it's simply not necessary to
have the source code of this to develop, improve, fix bugs, add new
features or all the other things that I'd imagine most users would be
looking for. It's obvious this part is complete, and works perfectly
well (as you can tell using the product), so why the fixation on CDraw?
The original plan and hope was, if you recall, that *together* the
community and Xara would help create a world (and Microsoft and Adobe)
beating product. Well Xara have put a huge amount of time, money and
effort into the product so far, and we've got great result, but there's
not much 'together' in this so far.
So we still hope and look forward to the time where the community can
help us develop the product and achieve that original goal to create the
best graphics product that has ever existed on the Linux (and other)
platforms. We're still working very hard to make that happen.
Charles
Nice to know that people are still alive, working on the project. I think the Xara team wasn't enough thanked for what they've accomplished. Their application is great ! So: thank you !
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
So theyre waiting for outside devs...damn, if I had the skills I'd start hacking right away...Guess I could do some translating...is there a page where I could find out what languages Xara is already translated to?
Thanks for posting Skadge:)
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Personally, Charles Moir's feelings about CDRAW as a binary is valid. Consider what has happened with Novell joining forces with Microsoft, and Ubuntu joining with Linspire: we see a blend of proprietary and open source.
What does it gain us to be pure, pure OSS? The world needs more folks working together to achieve a goal. Everyone has to make a living one way or the other. The folks at Xara Ltd. that did most of the coding to get Linux version to where it is deserve our thanks, even though they were working on salary during the time.
There is nothing like Xara on Linux. I've worked with Inkscape off and on and even with its latest update, Gaussian blur, and it is almost an embarrassment to go from using Xara to Inkscape, because of the loss of speed, quickness, and increase in key strokes and complexity.
So let's give Xara team a big thanks for what they have done so far, and ask others who have the ability to help, to please help, in creating a most worthy design software.
frank
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
And again, not a word about the OS X version...
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
I think people are missing the point about Open Source Software. Linux and/or OS X developers other than Xara Group Ltd (now owned by Magix) employees should not be expected to produce all the work.
Developers from the Linux and OS X communities are required for any Open Source program to prosper. Waiting for Xara to dedicate develpers and money is not what Open Source is about.
The fact that Xara Group Ltd was bought by another company is a very good indicator they do not and have not had assets that allow them to devote a lot of time and money they cannot afford.
Charles nor anyone else can say work on OS X or the Linux version can be expected to have a deadline. Reading through the mail lists there have been few OS X developers available or willing to give of their time.
Just my 2 cents (USD) which is worthless for anything today (even a gumball costs 25 cents :D).
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Has Xara ever stated whether source for cdraw will be released? I thought the plan was for it to be, but perhaps that has changed...
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
It *is* important to have an open source CDraw because until then Xara is Free Software that depends on non-Free Software. This means, for example, that Xara must be in Debian's non-free repository, rather than 'main'. If CDraw was open sourced there's a much bigger chance that Debian users and users of other 'completely free' distros would install it.
Projects that run on an open source platform (Linux), are open source in themselves (like xara) but depend on a closed library (CDraw) generally aren't all that well received by the community.
If it's such a small deal releasing CDraw as open source then why doesn't Xara just do it? It could get more attention then.
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
For an excellent analysis of why Xara's open source strategy isn't working I suggest anyone who is interested read this message by Carl Worth
http://www.xaraxtreme.org/maillists/.../msg00038.html
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Charles already mentioned one of the main reason, why CDraw wasn't published up to now: There is no great feedback from "the Community" to develop new features like the completion of the SVG import/export filter. There are only members of "the Community" who asks for CDraw to include this piece of code into other projects like Linux OS or competition projects. There was even a developer who likes to do a port of Xara Xtreme for Linux for the Windows operating system, which is surely not the goal of Xara Ltd. and all the developers who work on this product for their living.
All the great developers of "the Community" wants "CDraw", but there was only one developer who was willing to do some coding for Xara Xtreme for Linux so far (I'm talking about Alex). Perhaps there was one or another two who tries to do a Mac OS X port, but that's all.
Under these circumstances I wouldn't recommend to open the source code of CDraw to all the nice competitors out there, which likes to call themselve "the Community"...
Regards,
Remi
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
I think the question here is what can we DO to help? I can't code.. but I can be an evangelist.
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=336515
If we all make a commitment to do what we can to raise the profile of XaraLX in the Linux community we are a part of that can only do good. Xara comes up in the ubuntuforum about once every few days, and I'll see what I can do about catching those posts and help people understand the product and promote it.
I'll go create a blog posting too.. these are things we can ALL do. The more buzz there is from the user community the more interest there will be in the developer community.
Keith
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
I think Charles Moir is a bit mistaken on some of the assumptions he makes.
While many Linux users do use some closed commercial software. It is largely restricted to that of which there is no open alternatives. Given the choice between open and proprietary software, Linux users will undoubtedly choose the open software. In other words, the majority of the OSS community, users and developers, view using free but proprietary software like Flash and various hardware drivers as a necessary evil UNTIL an open alternative is available. Installing Flash would not even be a consideration if it wasn't so pervasive on the web and quite frankly Xtreme is not in the same position Adobe is. We NEED Flash to view many sites on the web and we NEED drivers to get full functionality out of hardware. We do not NEED Xtreme, there are other alternatives.
I've said this before and I will say it again. The problem Xtreme for Linux is currently facing is not that there is a lack of willing developers to help with projects like this. The problem is that developers are hesitant to devote their time and effort to a project whose future is uncertain. As of yet we have not been given a reason to believe that this isn't a dead or dieing project.
It's clear that priority has been placed behind the commercial Windows version of this software, which is fine. But don't expect Linux/Mac developers to come in droves to donate their time and skills to a project that could be dropped at any time, especially when more open and more rapidly advancing alternatives exist.
The best thing that could be done to increase the market for Xtreme on Linux is to open it up COMPLETELY and let it grow as it may, or to produce a FULLY capable commercial version and sell and support it for those of us that would purchase it.
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
you would use a free, opensource version. You would use a paid, proprietary version, but you would NOT use a MOSTLY free hybrid?
hmm..
yeah, there does indeed have to be a NEED for a product in order for it to flourish... Linux, Windows, OS-X, free, commercial, whatever.
Now, I am not one to pimp the product over the user (as happens from time to time) but... let's face it, there is no drawing product like Xara on any platform at any price. I commend the folks doing the work on Inkscape, but, it may have occurred to some that the reason it is slow and cumbersome (ignoring its limited feature set) is that it lacks the low level core code that Xara wants to retain as proprietary.
If you want to shed the encumbrance of MicroCrud and still use the best software, you will pray that Xara gets over to Linux, full power soon. I do. Xara is the only app for which i still NEED windows. Waiting for XaraLX is the only think keeping me from switching.
Let em keep the core (I dunno how folks make a living giving their stuff away, anyhow). Just get it done, please.
geo.
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
@GeoBen
the problem is not only a philosophy problem.
If the Core Drawing Code of Xara is releade the community has the garantee that the software will remain open source, because once you releaseu the code anyone can use it and release it under GPL
so, would you give your time working on a project following a precise phylosophy without the guarantee that that project will follow that phylosphy?
:) I wouldn't
But maybe the Magix would say the same thing, butlooking from the other point of view.. why should they release the core code, which is a real competitive advantage, without having the guardantee that someone of the community will develop the software?
---
Anyway I really like this software, probably in the future I will send some translation :) and I hope it will continue to exist ^^
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Hi:
Noticed this in this mornings rss feeds:
http://www.linux.com/article.pl?sid=07/02/26/1726257
Sounds like a positive development, opinions?
Scott
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
I'm not sure if this is positive or not. I've used Linux apps that incorporate Cairo and found them to be slow, but that may be that Linux GUI is slow compared to Windows or OS X.
The Xara LX with CDraw runs slow on my Linux machine. But it is still lightening speed compared to other drawing applications on Linux.
I noticed that one reply to the article thought that releasing the CDraw code would be beneficial to Xara Group (or should I say Magix). How can giving away all your assets help a company make money if your competitors can now enhance their programs using the best that Xara can offer.
I'm not a business person and most company decisions do not make sense to me anyway. However, most of the companies I have known that made decisions that I thought would lead to ruin...did go bankrupt.
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Shaman
I find it positive ! Cairo also is capable of evolution. And if it's well suited for Linux, why not ?
Now what I am waiting for are a complete port of the application, new features like vector effects and also new artistic drawing features.
kindly
ivan
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Shaman
This is good news for Linux users because it means yet another choice and a and hopefully one that will not see the stagnation that has occurred here in this project.
Although Cairo does need some optimizations, it would likely do just fine for most day to day drawings other than the extremely complicated ones. Furthermore, a QT based Xara LX could actually end up rivaling CDraw in speed. Maybe we could get QT devs in on this too. It would definitely be interesting with all the optimizations that the QT developers have been doing to see how the latest QT compares to CDraw. CDraw could quickly become irrelevant on Linux.
Though it's pretty much a dead issue, Carl Worth (Cairo Developer) made a pretty good point on the mailing list about how a GPLed CDraw wouldn't be as disastrous to Xara/Magix as many on these boards think it would be. At least not in Linux world.
Quote:
Releasing CDraw under the GPL likely won't have the disastrous "use
> elsewhere" consequences you are imagining.
>
> I have to speculate here a bit, because I don't know exactly what
> the disastrous consequences are that you imagine. Is it that CDraw
> might get sucked into cairo, and then applications like inkscape
> could quickly start benefitting from it, and then inkscape might
> take developer mindshare instead of Xara?
>
> First, I'll ignore the fact that inkscape is already acknowledged
> as winning that mindshare already, even without any benefit from
> CDraw.
>
> Second, if CDraw were made available under the GPL, then it
> couldn't be immediately used in cairo, (not without cairo changing
> its license from LGPL/MPL to GPL, and that's quite unlikely to
> happen). For example, right now Zack Rusin at Trolltech is doing
> some really interesting things inside Qt with a vector-graphics
> library that's very much like cairo. It's available under the GPL,
> and the cairo community hasn't even looked at the code because of
> that, (in spite of the fact that Zack has recently added some stuff
> that we've been wanting in cairo for a while).
>
> Now, I actually don't love the fact that there's a bunch of
> duplicated effort in the community already between cairo and the
> Qt stuff. But I think the evidence is pretty good that GPL
> libraries do tend to maintain a sort of separate existence.
>
> (Interestingly, GPL applications wouldn't have any problem using
> GPL libraries, so maybe at some point GPL application authors will
> all start collaborating enough on GPL libraries that they start
> dominating, and things like LGPL libraries start disappearing.)
This makes perfect sense because Linux users & Devs are by and large very respectful and conscientious of licenses unlike our Windows counterfei...err counterparts.
If and when Xara were to release CDraw under GPL, no doubt, Xara would suddenly get the interest of a lot of developers and users. Though, I'm not sure Xara would know how to handle that. Maybe that's part of their fear. Fear of the unknown, fear that their Linux version could out pace their Windows version???
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Quote:
Originally Posted by
remi
Charles already mentioned one of the main reason, why CDraw wasn't published up to now: There is no great feedback from "the Community" to develop new features like the completion of the SVG import/export filter.
I can write such filter even without great C++ skills.
But who need this stupid SVG? How people couldn't see that SVG is "stillborn child"?
Look at Inkscape gallery. What format is used to show their great works?
Is it SVG? No. It is good old JPG or PNG.
Can you see many sites using SVG? No.
Can you see many viewers capable to show SVG in any way? I dont think so.
Any printing solutions for SVG?
So, again, who need this SVG?
I have theory about this ;)
The answer is - SVG is the choise of new paranoid wave - Free Software people. They are not worrying about goal. They are more worried about process. So they dont need XAR, they need SVG.
P.S. I like free software, I just don't like paranoiacs.
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Dmitry, I agree with you: The .XAR format is better. But the problem is, all these OpenSource users are programmed through thousands of Blogs, Websites and also Magazines how great SVG is and that it's really important (in their eyes) to use this "Standard" vector graphics format.
The consequence of this "hype" is, that SVG is the de facto standard for vector graphics under Linux: Not for Desktop Publishing, but for exchange between other Vector Editors and for saving Icons and Wallpapers (and sometimes Websites as a Flash replacement).
There is generally a trend to use vector graphics within Desktop Environments or Applications (SVG under Linux and XAML under Windows Vista). So, to support the needs of Linux users, a great SVG import/export filter is important.
Remi
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
hi,
i'am a linux user since over 4 years. i think, a svg export called like a good idea, but it isn't. svg don't support most of the great features, that make xara so different to other programms like inkscape.
ok, it's possible to create an exporter, that create svg's from your xara pictures, and then? you can see the cool effects in an svg file, but you can't work with them.
i don't think, that svg will ever be the standard for vektorgraphiks in the web, this is only a dream of the unix community.
i think, there are many other possible features, to make xaraxtreme a better software. a svg exporter can only be a toy without a real usability.
if the open, flash compatible, alternative for the flashplayer is finnished, no one aks for svg again. then we will see a developement community that want to create a good free swf editor.
svg is trendy at this moment, but i don't think, that this format have a great future.
Tarabaz
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Thanks, Tarabaz. Im not alone.
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
As I said before, SVG is not the best vector graphics format, but in the year 2007, SVG support under Linux is necessary. For example for users who wants to create vector graphics for their Application or their Desktop.
Some examples of SVG integration into new KDE 4 applications:
KDE's icon engine is able to show vector graphic icons (in SVG format) and KDE is also able to show Wallpapers in vector format (also in SVG format, since KDE 3.4 from March, 2005). Examples:
I'm not sure, if the Linux community is also willing to include other vector formats like .XAR or .SWF into their Desktop Environment... (never say never, but I don't believe in that).
Regards,
Remi
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
hi,
how many people create icons for kde? take a look at kde-look. ok, you can create a exporter for this 20 people ;)
a designer, don't want to create his/her wallpapers for use with kde only, wallpapers in png or jpg format, works on every plattform.
i think, we can continue to talking about what developers can do, if active developers are here.
tarabaz
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
As someone who isn't familiar with the details of either XAR or SVG formats, I'm curious what makes SVG so offensive? Pointing to the minimal browser support seems like something of a straw man argument given that browser support for XAR is exactly 0. Similarly, I don't know of any print shops that I can send a XAR file to.
There must be some advantages to using a format that is based on widely used standards with lots of existing tools? For example, I just needed to change some object properties in a bunch of SVG files. Starting with no knowledge of SVG at all I was able to put together a Python script that made the changes I needed within a couple of hours. Could I have done this with XAR? I don't know but I suspect not.
Best,
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Yes, I must confirm - you are right.
We are suffering here :)
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
I am legitimately curious why XAR is better.
Like I said, I'm not familiar with either format, however, I could probably guess at some reasons why XAR might be preferred. On the other hand, saying that SVG is a "stillborn child" seems a bit overly dramatic.
Best,
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jedfrechette
On the other hand, saying that SVG is a "stillborn child" seems a bit overly dramatic.
I agree with you. The standardization of SVG is a fact - if you like it or not - and more users knows SVG than XAR.
To address your further questions about XAR:
"The Xar file format, previously known as the Flare file format, is an ultra-compact, open, vector graphic format. It is also the native graphics format for Xara X application (and also its predecessors such as CorelXARA).
This document describes the format in detail and provides information for third parties interested in converting to or from this graphics format.
Why another vector graphics format? The Xar file format is not new. It dates back nearly ten years and so it predates more recent formats such as SVG. It is not designed to compete with SVG, but Xar files are considerably simpler to understand (the SVG spec is 700 pages) and more compact (often one tenth the size). However the primary reason for the existence of the open file format specification is to enable third parties to read and write the Xara X native files.
Background
The Xar vector graphic structure is that of modern vector programs, based on the Adobe Postscript rendering model, but with additional features. The graphic primitives are broadly similar to those available in Postscript, PDF and SVG. However Xara X, and thus the .xar file format, support more advanced graphic primitives and effects, for example a greater range of graduated fill types, graduated transparency, feathered vector shapes (soft edges), soft shadows and more. These enable the talented artist to create highly realistic and more painterly effects with Xara X than is possible with traditional vector graphics solutions. See http://www.xara.com/gallery/
The format is designed so that rendering can be started before the entire file is available. The format is extendible, with a degree of forwards and backwards compatibility (this means older version of the software can still read files produced by newer version of the authoring software they simply ignore the objects or parts they do not understand).
Part of the reason for this compactness is that Xar files are binary, rather than plain text as is SVG (which is XML). But with the recent movement towards a binary XML format, in order to overcome the verbose nature of XML (and SVG), it seems things might come full circle. On the other hand Xara X offers a plain text variant of the .xar file (file extension .wix) which can help in understanding the structure of .xar files."
source: Xar file format specification
Regards,
Remi
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Just to add a little more background about the Flare file format. There was a plugin available for web browsers. It has not been updated in several years because the .swf format was promoted and adopted as part of the "Industry Standard".
Now some people question that standard and are promoting SVG.
It is a never ending cycle.
When or if SVG becomes the popular standard someone will design a 'new' format that will be championed until it either becomes the standard or dies trying.
Then it will begain again. Life is a circle :D
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Soquili
...
It is a never ending cycle.
...
Maybe better: it is a circular process where people repeatedly steps on the same rake.
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Dmitry that is a very good analogy.........also a bit of "slapstick" humour ;)
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Ahh, so this is why progress has been so slow, seems to me that its Xara that isn't coming to the party regarding Xara LX being open source, the fact that it isn't being open sourced in its entirety will repel many people who would otherwise work on it.
I hope this project using Cairo instead succeeds, because otherwise Xara LX probably wont get very far.
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Quote:
I hope this project using Cairo instead succeeds, because otherwise Xara LX probably wont get very far.
Any news about this?
I'm really excited to try this version of xara, sure that will get a powerful help from the commuinty ;)
I read that the fork is hosted on Magix servers
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
The only news are, that there is no progress with Xara Xtreme for Linux. It's also not the goal to create a fork. Instead, the work should go into the current code base and Charles said, that Xara Ltd. is willing to support this (the server is the good old www.xaraxtreme.org server). The only problem is, that there are no developers known, who are working on this project.
Regards,
Remi
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Quote:
Originally Posted by
remi
The only news are, that there is no progress with Xara Xtreme for Linux. It's also not the goal to create a fork. Instead, the work should go into the current code base and Charles said, that Xara Ltd. is willing to support this (the server is the good old
www.xaraxtreme.org server). The only problem is, that there are no developers known, who are working on this project.
Regards,
Remi
Unfortunately, I think the Xara developers sealed the fate of this project when they allowed it to stagnate, supposedly to focus on the commercial Windows version. Also, their unwillingness or inability to take advantages of tools/formats available in to Linux users/developers has ruined what could have been an truly awesome open source application.
They could have easily enabled SVG export (Yes, SVG is very important in the OSS world, like it or not.) and they could have made use of gimp plug-ins in the Linux version just like they allow the use of Adobe PS plug-ins on the Windows version. Instead they voluntarily chose to keep this project restrained. I suspect they were worried it could quickly become better than their commercial software if they didn't restrain it. You can't expect developers to volunteer their time and effort on a project that is deliberately being restrained.
In my honest opinion it's not worth it for OSS developers to bother with trying to contribute to this project at this point. There are much more worthy projects to contribute to, like Inkscape, that are actually moving forward and are not being needlessly restrained. At the rate that Inkscape and many other open source projects are developing, I suspect that in a very short period of time, Xara Linux users will have long forgotten about this software and moved on the much greener pastures.
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jbus
You can't expect developers to volunteer their time and effort on a project that is deliberately being restrained.
I donīt think this is true. As far as i know there isnīt any kind of restrictions except the cdraw being distributed as binary. And thatīs something i understand. As things stand now it would be a risk for a commercial software opensource their biggest tecnhologie advantage. But thatīs already an old history.
An alternative has been sugested and discussed (the Cairo engine) that will help to overcome the cdraw lib problem. Xara offered their help and server to
support the Cairo integration... So where are the restrictions? Are you expecting that they integrate the new engine do all the code work and then make it available for anyone to use freely, spending their time and resources, when they could be working on their commercial version for wich they receive money?
Why havenīt the community picked the project and help coding the integration of the Cairo engine, and then develop the program from there?
The biggest problem i see here is the license system. Seems that everyone contributing must sign a licence allowing Xara to use the code in their commercial version. But isnīt this the same case as Sun Microsystems and the OpenOffice.org suite?
As far as i know Sun provided the source code that was used by OpenOffice.org as the base for their actual version. And Sun is taking advantage of the developments being made by the open-sorce community to improve their own commercial version of the suite called StarOffice.
Whereīs the diference regarding Xara?
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Last news from Charles:
--------------------------------------------------------------
Charles Moir wrote on Monday, April 09, 2007 10:51 PM:
Right now with no active development of the Xara LX open source base going on, I think talk about cooperation or merging Inkscape / Xara is premature. The lack of active open source development is partly because Xara staff can't, because we're focussed on commercial releases right now, and partly that it needs someone to work on interfacing Cairo in place of CDraw.
We've said we'd help anyone willing to do the Cairo interfacing work and would host the resulting project. We would like to see active development return to the product. But I get the feeling the demand / interest for the Linux version is not great enough to attract open source developers willing to put time into it.
So we're now considering a commercial release, as has been discussed here. This might be a way in which we can pay the developers to spend time continuing on the product.
Charles
--------------------------------------------------------------
source: XaraXtreme Developer Mailing-List
Both, Xara Ltd. and "the Community" learned some lessons from this project and in my eyes, it's a wise decision to stop it now.
Regards,
Remi
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Quote:
Originally Posted by
remi
We've said we'd help anyone willing to do the Cairo interfacing work and would host the resulting project. We would like to see active development return to the product. But I get the feeling the demand / interest for the Linux version is not great enough to attract open source developers willing to put time into it.
The problem is that a Cairo implementation is going to be somewhat slower. Cairo doesn't yet have the speed optimizations that would allow it to complete with CDraw. QT would probably be a much better alternative and would likely rival CDraw in speed because of all the optimizations that QT developers have made.
Also, it would be in the interest of whoever decides to fork this project, to just take it and run with it. Forget about allowing Xara to host the project and most definitely rename it to show the community that the developers behind the fork are serious about the success of the project and no longer tied to the company that allowed it to stagnate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
remi
So we're now considering a commercial release, as has been discussed here. This might be a way in which we can pay the developers to spend time continuing on the product.
This would be interesting provided they can produce a stable genuine Linux version (Not running under WINE) that affords users the use of plug-ins, has the ability to export SVG and is released soon enough that other projects such as the quickly evolving inkscape and whatever forks of Xara LX may arise, don't offer us a much better GPL alternative.
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jbus
Forget about allowing Xara to host the project and most definitely rename it to show the community that the developers behind the fork are serious about the success of the project and no longer tied to the company that allowed it to stagnate.
I don't understand, about which developers you're talking. There are no developers... :confused:
Remi
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Quote:
Originally Posted by
remi
I don't understand, about which developers you're talking. There are no developers... :confused:
Remi
Yes, that is true at the moment. That has to do with the fact that Xara never really attracted a large number of Linux users/developers, this is in part due to the CDraw issue. But, that doesn't mean that someone won't organize a project based on Xara LX. The Cairo "fork" seems to be more of a proof of concept rather than anything else at this point and I suspect that the main developer of Cairo will have better things to do than to try to fix Xara LX into what it should have been.
Hopefully though, at some point some developer(s) will recognize that Xara LX's interface and work flow had something good going and they will replace CDraw with QT or Cairo (Preferably the faster QT) and enable Gimp plug-ins. If this happens we will have a GPL application that rivals and likely exceeds the performance and capabilities of the commercial version.
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Re: Update and news from Charles Moir
Ok, I understand: You think positively. But is it more attractive to create a fork and build up a own developing team, instead of being able to ask the Xara developers for some help/hints with the porting to Cairo, QT or whatever?
One of the lessons learned from this project is: Never ever publish your source code under an open license, if you need this code for earning money.
Remi