I am confused about what I own/.? bought v14 thru Magix>? then ProX v17 direct?

I let my upgrade service on purpose
not going to pay $150 per year
anyway - tried to install the component from the content catalog
and keep getting bounced to Magix to upgrade
do I lose install new content??????????>
????????????????????

Hi, TheeeDragon.

The 365 model that Xara/Magix adopted a few years back requires a current subscription in order to download content from the on-line catalog. If/when you resubscribe in the future, it would be wise to download all the content and store it in a directory on your hard drive so that you can access it after the year finishes if you decide to let it expire again. A lot of users don't know the policy, and even more users are unhappy with it. Good luck.

in other words
a criminal scam
it said update service - NOT access service
but what about when I paid extra for v17 pro ? thought that was to XARA?
thanks for intel

I must not be the only person in this situation
good thing I not make sites for a living

still might go after MAGIX
I am fuming

thanks again for the intel

easy now - if you had read and understood the licence agreement you would have appreciated this, and you have no redress in law if you did not, because you should have; lots don't and therefore get caught out, but that is their descision

I am not saying I approve of the way they do it, just saying it is not a scam

I appreciate your comment about remaining calm,
but I also understand deceptive practices in law
When they talks about an upgrade service, it has certain legal implications
and one of them is not that you lose access to product core features,
Every time they sent a request for extension of annual payment it was to maintain upgrades
And no time did it say you lose core features
it will be fine to bring him to their knees
And certainly nothing less than Global awareness f their deceptive practices

why would I not just pay xara direct for cloud services?

Nothing deceptive here.

You do not lose access to core features of the product when you are no longer covered by the Update Service. You lose access to the On-line Catalogue (online services) - which is not part of the program. If you had read the info and watched this forum where this has been discussed over and over and over, you would have known that you simply had to download all of the content from the On-line catalogue before the year was up. In fact, you should have done this anyways as it's much more convenient than going to the On-Line Catalogue every time that you want something. Pixabay stuff is not included, but you could have downloaded everything that you wanted before losing access. As well, I believe that you were warned that your Update Service was about to expire each time you opened Xara during the last month or so. I was.

I downloaded everything possible and I still have all of the content available in the Design Gallery, even though my update service expired on July 8, 2019 (as I am reminded of every time that I open Xara - grrrr).

Well put John, don't think I have anything to add

well - you both make my point
I too was warned about losing UPGRADES _ nothing else
and I did not scour this forum before I bought - nor did I look for comments about upgrading
as it was never my intent to do so - especially not after I bought and paid for pro x v17

see: UPGRADE - not get access to what was part of the program
my menu says content catalog = NOT ONLINE content catalog as is the reference in the update page of Magix

Attachment 129020

my comments are not negative about the forum or its members
it is by Far the BEST user support group I have ever seen in 35 years of such work
eternally grateful to all

let me then explain again in more detail:

the menu may say content catalog, but when you click on it what opens is clearly labelled Online Content Catalog - it is an external resource, not part of the program, just like the link in the help menu to online forum [here] is an external resource

when you installed the software you will have seen a screen like this:

Attachment 129022

as soon as you click on the agree and install button you have agrred to the terms under which you can use the program [because you never actually buy the program itself, only the right to use it]

I guess you did not click on the link and read it?

here is the relevant section - note the last line:

Quote:

---

D. UPDATE SERVICE

The license for updates and features delivered within the scope of the Update Service is limited to the installation(s) in place at the first anniversary of the initial registration of the Software, or at the date of last renewal if that is more recent. It will therefore terminate if you re-install the software after the Update Service has lapsed, and you will fall back to the version of the software at the date of your initial purchase and registration, or the date of last renewal if that is more recent. These limitations do not apply if you extend the Update Service beyond the initial 12-month period.

Online services included in the Software (such as the Online Content Catalog including the templates, widgets, photos etc ) may end as soon as the Update Service expires, unless the Update Service is extended.

---

If you want to read the whole thing it should be in your xara program folder a file called license [pro+ is a bit different]

Again , you make my point. The menue option says content catalog.. not on-line catalog...

If not on-line, where else could the catalogue content be such that you lose access to it?

Also, read the last line in the box about Update Service that handrawn posted. "Online services included in the Software (such as the Online Content Catalog including the templates, widgets, photos etc ) may end as soon as the Update Service expires, unless the Update Service is extended." There is no other Content Catalog than the one that is on-line.

If you can, and since Bezhad has indicated that a new version will be out in less than a month, wait until the dust has settled in August or September before renewing. Then, you should be able to get version 19 if it comes out within a year. Make sure to always download the contents of the Content Catalogue that is, obviously, on line, before the next expiry rolls around.

Quote:

---

If you can, and since Bezhad has indicated that a new version will be out in less than a month, wait until the dust has settled in August or September before renewing. Then, you should be able to get version 19 if it comes out within a year. Make sure to always download the contents of the Content Catalogue that is, obviously, on line, before the next expiry rolls around.

---

noted and thanks to all
btw - my catalog does not say online - it says content catalog :P

that may be, but it is completely beside the point; you and others refer to xara when it should be xara gmbh if the company, or xara designer pro [for example] if a program; you are just being pedantic, you cannot have it both ways

good advice from john ;)

TheeeDragon, I sympathize with you and I think you make a good point that you were not properly advised that without extending your renewal service you'd not only miss out on any future upgrades but also lose access to the online content catalog.

Most of who have posted in this thread go a long way back with Xara and participated in or at least experienced the often acrimonious discussions that took place after the company announced its new subscription/renewal service model years back. The overall verdict was that the new model was confusing and unfair. Some bit the bullet (for a few years) and decided to pay the annual fee, others just left altogether. You were just confronted with this business model and feel duped.

Yet, there's some logic to the content catalog being online as the contents gets updated when new program features are introduced and so warrant. This is especially true for the web design contents.

Perhaps you were a little naïve, though, in assuming that the content catalog was yours to keep indefinitely. You could have done some further research when you started to receive Xara's renewal reminders but all that is water under the bridge now. Hopefully, Magix will improve their marketing pitch to avoid others to fall into the same 'trap'.

Meanwhile, Browj2's advice might be something to pursue. I'm still using XDP 15 (but downloaded the content catalog) and might take this path if I consider future upgrades worth it.

the issue really is that a lot of people, I am tempted to say most but that might be hyperbole, do not read what it is they are signing up for

yes I too have sympathy with threedragon and others, but it is a lesson there that has to be learned

what xara/magix could do, as some other companies do, is make sure you cannot press the accept button until you have at least accessed the link and scrolled down to the bottom - they still cannot make you read it, but at least then they have covered themselves from users who are unfamiliar with the way these things work coming back and saying they were unaware of this

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by handrawn

yes I too have sympathy with threedragon and others, but it is a lesson there that has to be learned

---

A little compassion in such a situation goes a long way, hd; harsh words are not necessary, as TheeeDragon's experience of not getting what he expected is already the lesson. Perhaps later he'll discover that when reinstalling the program it will be an older(buggier) version than he is using now. Are we going to lecture him again? What about Xara/Magix being a bit clearer?

the words are not harsh, they are matter of fact;

and did I not cover the way in which I thought Xara/Magix could be clearer ?

No harshness that I can detect in Handrawn's post. The harshness (if indeed there is any) is in magiXara's attitude towards its customers.
And if it is of any consolation to Theeedragon, in my opinion, the online catalogue is no great shakes.
I downloaded it some time ago, wasn't impressed and deleted it. Perhaps I'm in a minority, here...

for the record (ie just MY thoughts)
1. No one was harsh (well maybe a teenie bit at times)
2. been buying software since the 70's (yes - Pre-PC) (duh, yes - I am 70)
3. for 20 years, I read every word of every license I fetched (bought)
4. got to pretty redundant after a while
5. re: subscription models, I may have been 1 of the first to sell them?
who really knows for sure - but it was $10 per month with $5 per month going back to the agent that sold it
(often churches/schools) as an incentive for them to push the product - but the cost was CLEAR - pay every month or access stops
6. Subscription models are now all the rage - *smart on part of seller - make WAY MORE PROFITS
(especially with people like me that wait years before upgrading - as my motto was (is) if the software does what I needed it to do
why but new versions??? (only did so if some newer feature was offered that I deemed the value)

As has become clear from my comments (gripe with MAGIX ie not XARA directly) was the subterfuge (IMHO)
I have not seen (not saying does not exist) that you can buy a product that has PARTS of it expire
sure - many programs have different models and you get what you pay for - but the model differences are clearly noted in the website

with ref to this topic being around for 'years'
guess also proves my point (not that I am trying to prove anything - just venting)

in summary
thanks to all for replies to my query
as always, VERY informative
and posters are very generous with their time to explain things to me

BTW
I have tried at least 30 web developing programs since early 90's
(I made my first few sites by hand-coding every HTML character in the entire page)
and beta for a few
other than NetObjects *which became my favorite (sadly ZERO corporate support after a while)
XARA is by FAR the BEST I have ever found
sure some parts remain confusing (to me) and is not really responsive
but wow - great program -
made even more great by the gents (oops - and gals) in this forum

again
MANY MANY THANKS

you are most welcome

that is a venerable history... :D