Xara Xtreme Pro announced

[Klaus Nordby]

• Photoshop PSD import and export
• PDF/X support and many PDF export improvements
• Color Separations
• Pantone spot and process colors
• Short-cut key configuration utility

WOW! Very welcome PRO additions indeed!

Brief Question: Xara's info webpage for XXPro lists "alpha channel, 16-bit color" for PSD. But on opening even the simplest 16-bit color PSD I only get the error "16-bit not supported". So is 16-bit planned but not implemented yet? Also "round-tripping" of layer alpha channels doesn't really work -- when the XXPro exported PSD is opened again in PS, the alpha channel has been applied and thus erases parts of its layer. Still, just to be able to export a complex, layered PSD from XXPro -- instead of a heap of PNGs! -- is a great, great workflow improvement!

Someone here griped about the $199 price being too high -- that's ridiculous! XXPro is now very close to being a real "pro" product -- and the $199 price is a great, great bargain to any working pro.

[minstrel]

Greetings,

Yes, I am very excited with Xara 'Xtreme's' developments, but I also have issues regarding the upgrade price.

The quoted upgrade price is more than reasonable for those who jumped onboard with a fresh purchase of Xara 'Xtreme'.

I originally purchased Xara X1 in July 2004 @ €137.00 [approx $164] and of course as upgraded [downgraded?-loss of pantone support] to Xara "Xtreme" in November 2005 @ €29.00 [approx. $38].

Basic math reflecting the new upgrade to Xara Xtreme 'PRO' @ [$120] equals a total investment of $322.00!

Yes, Xara is a wonderful program and continues to improve, yet the upgrade price for original X1 owners is too steep.

Till later,

minstrel

[pauland]

Minstrel,

I think Charles should be ashamed of himself for forcing you to buy the software.

I'll never understand why people seem to regard software as some kind of cumulative investment. If someone buys software it should be because of what it can do. We all decide if we need an upgrade on the basis of what it can do, not as some kind of investment into the bank of software. If you stop buying upgrades, your software doesn't stop working, nor do the features you considered worthwile purchasing evaporate. If Xtreme Pro isn't worth $120 to you, then don't buy it.

Think of it another way if you like: if you are a hobbyist, how much pleasure have you had from using Xara software since you've bought it? Does that have no value to you?

If you are a professional: How much money have you earned by using Xara software since you've bought it?

You could have spent all that money on cigarrettes, with nothing to show for it save a bad cough, bad breath and smelly clothes..

Xara: for the moment $120 is expensive for me too, but when I pick up my next freelance job, I'll almost certainly buy it. It is a smart move to actually move more upmarket with this product and anyone who really needs the feature set will understand that $120 is still great value.

Paul

[ankhor]

Minstrel,
I'll never understand why people seem to regard software as some kind of cumulative investment. If someone buys software it should be because of what it can do. We all decide if we need an upgrade on the basis of what it can do, not as some kind of investment into the bank of software. If you stop buying upgrades, your software doesn't stop working,

Nope, but if your OS changes it will, and in time you will have a new OS.
But that is not in this case for Xreme and Xreme pro will be kept
seperate and will be developed further.

And I would have liked a modular approach, where I could purchase
SOME of the upgrades from pro. Although $120 might be too high
for me, a lower price with some of the features of pro might be affordable
and you just get the upgrades you want and/or need. Certainly as an amateur, I just have a Jpeg or a Gif output, I don`t need to print or
printshop compatablility industry standards.

nor do the features you considered worthwile purchasing evaporate. If Xtreme Pro isn't worth $120 to you, then don't buy it.

Indeed, and feel bad because some of the features and improvements
you would have liked.

Think of it another way if you like: if you are a hobbyist, how much pleasure have you had from using Xara software since you've bought it? Does that have no value to you?

That has nothing to do with it, and it ccertainly has value to me, but
I can't see what this argument has anythiing to do with it?
But, that can be just me, being stupid or something

If you are a professional: How much money have you earned by using Xara software since you've bought it?

If you are a professional, you could write it of as an investment from
your taxes, atleast here you can.

You could have spent all that money on cigarrettes, with nothing to show for it save a bad cough, bad breath and smelly clothes..

Or I could stop donating to good causes, which I did after smoking,
well I already did, also when I smoked, but now a bit more.

Xara: for the moment $120 is expensive for me too, but when I pick up my next freelance job, I'll almost certainly buy it. It is a smart move to actually move more upmarket with this product and anyone who really needs the feature set will understand that $120 is still great value.

Paul

Yep to anyone who truelly needs the upgrades it has to be worth it
and for a proffesional it should be a must have, so the choice would be different.

Plenty of times I had to buy tools for my trade which I actually
couldn`t afford at the moment but had to have, and eventually
it payed for itself, but I won`t take a loan to buy something for my hobby.

But I might win the lottery someday, and I will certainly buy it then.

[ankhor]

Someone here griped about the $199 price being too high -- that's ridiculous! XXPro is now very close to being a real "pro" product -- and the $199 price is a great, great bargain to any working pro.

To any working pro it is ofcourse, atleast when I read the messages
it seems so. But not everyone is a professional.
If a DIY person, who redoes his home, sees what I pay for my tools
he would think it was ridiculous, but I need the good quality tools
for my trade, put for the DIY person it would be too much.

I guess it is the same here, although some amateurs would like
some of the pro features, but for those features they would like, the
upgrade price would be too high.

[minstrel]

Greeting Paul,

The real shame of the matter lies in marketing strategy that took Xara X1 [in effect, the original PRO addition] and reduced it to a low cost 'consumer' version via the Xara 'Xtreme' upgrade. Then the strategy continues and introduces [re-introduces] a PRO version which has an upgrade cost nearly equal to that of the original purchase of Xara X1. We would need to be blinded by the 'glitter' to overlook this.

Of course, I also will purchase the upgrade to the new 'PRO' version when funds permit, yet one can not but feel a bit 'taken' by such a strategy.

Till later,

minstrel

[stlewis]

On pricing...

I guess this debate confirms that view that if you price low, it is hard to increase your price later. Every business coach will tell you that!

I would summarise this as:

1. average 'home user' - don't buy
2. serious or more wealthy 'home user' - buy
3. professional (of almost any level) - buy
4. anyone who wants to help Xara with cashflow because you respect their products/strategy/fight against Adobe et al - buy

For any pro, just one of the major new features will save the cost over a month or two. Unless you are on a silly daily rate!

(I will buy as I fall into categories 2, 3 and 4.)

[Availor]

anyone who wants to help Xara with cashflow because you respect their products/strategy/fight against Adobe et al - buy

Now that's totally irrelevant, I don't think you can make a business out of charity purposes

If it was open source with a donate button then yes. Surprisingly, more people are willing to donate more than if the software was paid a price for, so it seems.

[MarkMyWords]

As a professional myself I think there are no 'must have' software packages.

I'm serious, there are plenty of free or very reasonably priced programs and services available that will do the job, perhaps not as efficiently or intuitively as some more expensive commercial products, but they are there.

Buying specific software for 'professional' use is really a matter of convenience.

Photoshop isn't the industry standard because it is the best, it has had the best marketing and early on included features that allowed users to exchange ideas and techniques.

This built a massive resource for all potential users - just try Googling Photoshop tutorials, Actions, brushes, styles, etc.

What tends to happen is that when users invest time and money into a piece of software they search out others who do the same and become part of a 'community', the price of which is often having the latest version of that software. I see it all over the net, there are little tribes of software users all over the place each fiercely loyal and commited to their choice.

I'm on a constant search for the best software for my particular needs, but I know I'm not going to find one perfect program, at least until some company goes with the idea of a 'modular' program (as mentioned by another poster).

So that each user buys and 'plugs in' the various componants they need and want (before any puts me straight - I don't want an explaination of why that 'can't be done').

Until then, I don't do brand loyalty, if they want my hard earned cash then they will have to earn it too.

Keep an open mind, it isn't the software that is the most important ingredient in your work (amateur or professional) it is your attitude.

[ankhor]

As a professional myself I think there are no 'must have' software packages.

Well, that is your opinion, and you are entitled to it.

I'm serious, there are plenty of free or very reasonably priced programs and services available that will do the job, perhaps not as efficiently or intuitively as some more expensive commercial products, but they are there.

Yep and if you run a business you want those things, I guess,
because we hear nothing else all day from the "managers".
efficiency is the hype word nowadays, and time is money,
so if you can do the job faster, it pays.
You have to set the cost against the gain ofcourse.

Buying specific software for 'professional' use is really a matter of convenience.

Or timesaving.

Photoshop isn't the industry standard because it is the best, it has had the best marketing and early on included features that allowed users to exchange ideas and techniques.

This built a massive resource for all potential users - just try Googling Photoshop tutorials, Actions, brushes, styles, etc.

What tends to happen is that when users invest time and money into a piece of software they search out others who do the same and become part of a 'community', the price of which is often having the latest version of that software. I see it all over the net, there are little tribes of software users all over the place each fiercely loyal and commited to their choice.

Indeed, so it was in the beginning too, between computer formats.
But communities show you the possibbilities of the program and if
you see a feature you could use or like the result you would want that too.
By yourself you probably wouldn`t have known or discovered that feature.

I'm on a constant search for the best software for my particular needs, but I know I'm not going to find one perfect program, at least until some company goes with the idea of a 'modular' program (as mentioned by another poster).

So that each user buys and 'plugs in' the various componants they need and want (before any puts me straight - I don't want an explaination of why that 'can't be done').

Until then, I don't do brand loyalty, if they want my hard earned cash then they will have to earn it too.

Keep an open mind, it isn't the software that is the most important ingredient in your work (amateur or professional) it is your attitude.

Well, maybe for computing, but tools are very important in my trade.
And they make cerain things possible and offordable.