XX5 and my ire

I just paid to upgrade to XX4 in November of 2008. That's about the time I started really using Xara and coming here. The Xara 'my products' page does not tell me how much I paid or how I paid but I think it was $39 US.

Now XX5 is released, 7 months after I upgraded. To upgrade is $39 US. If I had not upgraded to XX4 first, it is only $59 to upgrade from any previous Xara version to XX5. If I want to upgrade from XX4 now, it is costing me an extra $20 than if I had waited and not upgraded to XX4 first.

In otherwords:

XX2 to XX5 = $59 US
XX2 to XX4 to XX5 = $78 US ($39 + $39)

Just seems wrong to me :(

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In otherwords:

XX2 to XX5 = $59 US
XX2 to XX4 to XX5 = $78 US ($39 + $39)

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Perhaps look at it another way.
Since you started with version 2 if you upgrade to version 5 you will have just got of all the included features and upgrades of version 3, 3.2 and 4 for just $19 and had the use of version 4 since November last year :)

Sounds reasonable to me :D

Lol, that would work if I had version 3 before. I just recently went to XX4 in Nov., so it is costing me $19 more to upgrade to XX5 because I got to use XX4 for 6 months. If you bought XX4 May 1st or after, you get free upgrade to version 5.

I really would have liked to have known that XX5 was coming out this year. I might have waited as XX4 didn't really add much from XX2, for my purposes. I already had Xara3D6, so the 3D thing could have waited for me.

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Originally Posted by Burpee

Lol, that would work if I had version 3 before. .

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Yes, what I mean't was that in version 4 you had the benefits of versions 3 and 3.2 already built-in without having to actually have those versions.
So coming from version 2 to 4 means that you also got version 3 and 3.2's extras ;)

OMG just stop your winning

Welcome to the boat! Nobody plays the upgrade game better than Xara! When they offer a real upgrade, they'll change the name and pretend it's a new product, or they'll add a suffix to it (Look for Xara Extreme Pro Super Duper in 2011 [SRP $300- Upgrade $110]). The things they've called 'upgrades' recently have just been the same program, but with one of their lesser (limited functionality) products merged into it, e.g., xara3d or Webstyle/Web Designer. I still get the upgrades because I'd rather have everything available in one workspace and it averages only about $25 per year compared to $75/year for Corel products. I figure that I will have paid about $1200 for the mature Xara by the time they actually produce it (which will be called "Xara Super Duper Ultimate Supreme Professional Extreme Designer VII) and Adobe will buy them out one or two versions after that and then you're invited to my funeral three months after that.

Oh, and ...ummm... Don't pay too much attention to sledger...ummm... He owns about half the company, so he's a little prejudiced ...and a real grump. ;) :rolleyes:

...and that poidy boy is drunk! ...why else would he not want you to Win?!

Well, I'm really impressed with the object library and that's what really has me wanting Version 5. I think it's the best improvement I've seen in a long while.

I just can't afford it at the moment, since I recently paid for the XX4 upgrade. I really need a new computer before all esle and we are saving money for the benefit for my newphew with osteosarcoma on August 22nd in Appleton, Wisconsin. The cancer just won't go away and 3 years of medical bills is taking its toll on my brother's family. We want to help out by giving them a nice size donation. Ok, so Brian doesn't know that yet but it's what I'm saving my tip money for.

Everyone is invited. info:

When: Saturday, August 22, 2009
Time: 4:00 pm – end of Rattlers Game!
Where: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Game at the…
Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium
2400 N. Casaloma Drive
PO Box 7464
Appleton, WI 54912

My brother's colleages are putting it together....silent auction, food, game ticket, door prizes...$30 per person.

Poidy, how about contributing something worthwhile instead of a condemnation?

lol this really gives me a chuckle. I'm just sittin here popping some frosties and sucking down some suds. Truthfully it all comes down to one thing the world runs on its own time and not yours. As a matter of fact it doesn't even run on my schedule either. If every person who felt justified in complaining about things not being perfect for them all jumped into the same boat, it would sink leaving only a few to hear the wailing and nashing.

you posted while i was doing my last reply. I hope you were not to offended, sorry dude. But honestly doesn't it sound like the kind of a rant by a person who thinks the the world should be oyster.

Dude I just read your post in its entirety and didn't understand the pressure you are apparently feeling. I wish I had a brother like you. My hat if off to you for all you seem too be doing for him. He will be in my prayers this evening.

Nancy, sorry to hear of your nephew's problem. I'm sure he takes comfort in having a family who so obviously cares. Good luck with your work on his behalf.

My sympathies too Nancy:)

Nancy, i'd like to pay for your nephews cancer treatment, but i'm simply not that rich (have you seen "sicko" by Michael Moore?)

email me your paypal details and i'll pay for your upgrade to XX5

poidy next time you say "OMG just stop your winning" think before you stick your oversize foot in your mouth - because one day it might be somebody elses foot

Nancy, sorry to hear of your situation. I hope things improve for the better.

I think somewhere in the thread, you worked out that not waiting a few months had effectively cost you $19 in extra upgrade costs - I don't think the price of one or two DVDs over a number of moths is really something to complain about, after all, we all choose to upgrade or not of our own free will. I think the ire is rather unwarranted.

Kinetica has made a very kind gesture indeed.

Thank you for the prayers and sympthay from all...he can use them.

Paul, I was indeed unhappy but it had more to do with the unfortunate timing. I think my thread heading is too bold for the message.

Kinetic, you are a special person. I was not fishing for cash but I truly appreciate the offer. I can not accept your offer as I could find the extra money somewhere to upgrade but I am not upgrading at the moment. I really am saving all my money to donate at the benefit. I intend to buy a few of those silent auction items for a lot of money :) Thanks for being such a sweetheart, though.

****Background on Daniel's disease:

Right after Dan's 17th birthday they finally diagnosed his osteosarcoma. He had the femur removed from his right forearm and a metal rod put in. The cancer came back in his lungs. Then it came back around his aorta. Then it was in his lungs again. In January of 2008 they told Dan he had 3 months to live.

Roger (my brother) and Dawn took Dan to Houston to M.D.Anderson clinic for experimental drugs. Dan is still alive but he's had constant reoccurances of cancer in his lungs and chest and recently it's back at the original sight in his right forearm. He looks so healthy for being so sick.

This is a very rare disease (so they say) but there are 29 other kids within a 50 mile radius of Appleton, Wisconsin who have this disease. Extremely suspicious, but no one can find a link between them. We pray for all of them.

Hopefully this benefit will raise enough money for Roger and Dawn to continue taking Dan to M.D.Anderson. It's been 3 years since the diagnosis and I think that it's just a matter of time and the disease will take my nephew but we will fight for him until it does. Thank you for your prayers.

Nancy, My heart and my prayers goes out to you and your family. Losing someone you love is never easy and when it is a child the hurt is even deeper. You have one precious gift though, time. Time to say good bye, time to say I love you. Make the most of the time he has left. On January 2, 2007 my niece was killed when she was hit by a truck while crossing a busy road. There were so many what ifs, what if I'd said this, what if I'd done that. God will see you through.

You are so right Angelize, we have time to spend with Daniel, to tease with, laugh with and love with. He is such a loving and wonderful boy. You lost someone dear and close and never got to say that final good-bye. How that must ache in your heart. You have my deepest sympathies too.

[edit] Nancy, sorry i somehow missed that (with my tunnel vision).... my condolences....

P.S. I don't think poidy was deliberately insensitive...(i missed that myself so its not really fair to be too hard on him)...
Ie its very easy for the brain to skim read and ignore parts of posts that don't apply to ones current train of thought without even realizing the exact nature of the parts of the post you are skipping.

And i didn't realize something was up until i later saw all the condolence posts myself and so added this. [/edit]

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Originally Posted by Zupdude

Welcome to the boat! Nobody plays the upgrade game better than Xara! When they offer a real upgrade, they'll change the name and pretend it's a new product

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Its business i guess... I understand it but i don't have to like it.
Its a process I believe that sacrifices the strongest product development streams in an on going "tack-on and patch up" process that (with each upgrade) only serves to further cement the application (with respect to its core functionality) into a "bottle neck" position where by any fundamental change becomes progressively more difficult over time.

It is for this reason that I believe that integrating the web application is a monumental blunder as it "burns" many of the bridges to advanced future developments (by way of bloating the app needlessly) to simply service and cement the existing functionality with "fluff".

i.e its a fundamental mindset that offends me as a vector purist because it is a burn the future to fuel the present philosophy.
Ie like clear felling the amazon to make hamburger paddies and chopsticks only then to find the soil is useless for cropping or grazing cattle in the long term... its mindless...
But if you only want to make money right NOW (understandable from this very limited perspective).

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Originally Posted by Zupdude

Oh, and ...ummm... Don't pay too much attention to sledger...ummm... He owns about half the company, so he's a little prejudiced ...and a real grump. ;) :rolleyes:

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Are you being literal here? or should you have put that in quotation marks?
i.e does sledger really own a significant portion of the company?

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Originally Posted by morphonius_821

Are you being literal here? or should you have put that in quotation marks?
i.e does sledger really own a significant portion of the company?

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Yes, he does... I'm typing this from Charle's old offices... Steve bought it all yesterday! Egg and Gary are skinny dipping in the pool right now (not to worry, they are only talking vector bevels).

LogoVend (James) came by a few ours ago and painted a huge mural of Einstein on the front facade -- it looked amazing! Covoxer pointed out that it wasn’t all “vector” – and it was subsequently covered with a huge banner of an Aston Martin.

Ross just landed on the lawn in one of the Xaracopter… He brought some moose heads… Not the beer… but actual moose heads – and marshmallows! Hooray!

JR came by to take pictures of the British moon (but it’s a cloudy night).

Someone found the code for the Xara mesh tool! It’s amazing, and they have had if for at least 8 years. It seems they kept it from us… just to bug us!

Forgot to check… This is the off-topic forum, right? ;) :p

Risto

Hold your horses! :eek:

Soquili just walked in, with a C64, duct-taped to the side of his head… I think he is talking binary but I think it's good news... Xhris is translating it to me in Klingon math right now… Hold on… (I suck at Klingon AND math).

Yes, it has been confirmed! The next version of Xtreme will have customizable brushes! No, wait! Bill, guarantees it (he will do it personally!) if people could just keep irrational and pointless whining at TG to a minimum!

Damnit… There go the brushes! :rolleyes:

Risto

And as Landlord I should remind you lot the rent's due Thursday...:D

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Originally Posted by morphonius_821

It is for this reason that I believe that integrating the web application is a monumental blunder as it "burns" many of the bridges to advanced future developments (by way of bloating the app needlessly) to simply service and cement the existing functionality with "fluff".

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I shall disappoint you - your belief is false. There is a "cementing" factor as you calling it. The more core functionality is added the harder it becomes to change anything including adding new functionality. Like you say, it's a bottleneck situation. But this is true only for the core features (those that can influence entire program functionality). Some of the vector functionality asked (not all) is a core feature thus implementing it we would push project further into the bottleneck.
But the WEB functionality is not a core feature by any means. And the only WEB oriented thing actually implemented within the Xtreme is the improved web properties dialog (it was always there but was called "Web Address..." and had less options), which is an interface thing implying no restrictions on the further Xtreme development. All the rest of the WEB specific functionality is implemented within the HTML export filter. It is a standalone DLL which doesn't even share a common codebase with Xtreme, so eventually, Xtreme is developed absolutely independently of it. You can even get rid of this bulk on your own simply deleting this dll. ;)
So no - no bridges were burnt with web functionality.

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Originally Posted by Risto

Someone found the code for the Xara mesh tool! It’s amazing, and they have had if for at least 8 years. It seems they kept it from us… just to bug us!

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Yeeeeesssssss..... We have all the wishlist implemented some 25 years ago, long before you have even imagined you might want it. Even before the first Xara Studio release.... :p :D

Watch out for that thin ice John!

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Originally Posted by morphonius_821

does sledger really own a significant portion of the company?

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No. (though on reflection, the pictures and back-story he's posted could all be a ruse..)

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Originally Posted by pauland

Watch out for that thin ice John!

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Oh yes, I shoud add: "In our dreams". :o:D
Now who can believe it anyway? :)

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Originally Posted by covoxer

Oh yes, I shoud add: "In our dreams". :o:D
Now who can believe it anyway? :)

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LOL those who think it should have been done already.. ;-)

The more I think about it, Steve could well be the "Mr Big" behind Xara. His plan is world domination through the dissemination of low-cost software. His henchman, Gary, is testing out the software that will render the human race subservient to Steves will by issuing "sterograms" that will interfere with the brains behaviour making people see things that aren't really there. The other henchman, John, is spreading FUD about the development of Xara and will announce at some future time the mega Xtreme upgrade that will include the complete wishlist on "Dear Xara", PLUS the killer "Sterogram creator" that will turn our minds to mush.

We have no chance.

;-)

Aaarrrrrrr!!! :eek:

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Originally Posted by Burpee

Now XX5 is released, 7 months after I upgraded. To upgrade is $39 US. If I had not upgraded to XX4 first, it is only $59 to upgrade from any previous Xara version to XX5. If I want to upgrade from XX4 now, it is costing me an extra $20 than if I had waited and not upgraded to XX4 first.

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So what you're saying is that you got to use Xtreme v4 for 7 months and it only cost you $20. That sounds like a real bargain to me.

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I really would have liked to have known that XX5 was coming out this year.

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There are legal implications for any company that restricts their ability to do stuff like that. Once they announce a new version, they are obliged to upgrade anyone who purchases the product between the announcement and the release for free. If there are delays caused by problems with bugs or the death of a programmer or a flood or whatever, it could send a company broke. So they only give announcements within a few weeks of release, once they are sure they can deliver on time. 7 months out they wouldn't even have known what features they would be in a position to include.

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Originally Posted by Zupdude

Nobody plays the upgrade game better than Xara! When they offer a real upgrade, they'll change the name and pretend it's a new product, or they'll add a suffix to it (Look for Xara Extreme Pro Super Duper in 2011 [SRP $300- Upgrade $110]). The things they've called 'upgrades' recently have just been the same program, but with one of their lesser (limited functionality) products merged into it, e.g., xara3d or Webstyle/Web Designer.

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Those kinds of rolled in features are just a part of the upgrade. Xara are better than absolutely everyone at making improvements to the core application, especially in terms of performance/speed. Then there are all the little things that they could hang a release on. That they choose to cram so much into new versions is a testament to their desire to provide value for money, if you ask me.

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Originally Posted by morphonius_821

Its business i guess... I understand it but i don't have to like it.
Its a process I believe that sacrifices the strongest product development streams in an on going "tack-on and patch up" process that (with each upgrade) only serves to further cement the application (with respect to its core functionality) into a "bottle neck" position where by any fundamental change becomes progressively more difficult over time.

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Which other company puts so much effort into the core speed of their graphics engine? Even when it doesn't get a mention, like in the new version, every version gets faster.

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i.e its a fundamental mindset that offends me as a vector purist

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That is one of the saddest things I have ever read here.