Xara Xtreme Pro announced

[Hein]

Will try the beta for a bit, hopefully it will be more stable than XXtreme which I stopped using after a few months because of constant crashing.
The $120 isn't too disastrous, compared to the $340 I paid 10++ years ago for CorelXara 1.1 and the wasted $30 for the dgrade to XXtreme from X1.

[ivan louette]

That's fantastic !!! I am amazed !!!!!

So much thanks !!!

ivan

[zee]

You'll be glad to know that pdf import is in development and we hope to ship it with Pro, but that current Betas do not have this filter. (My internal version does and loads that file fine). Secondly it does load that eps file as well, as demonstrated earlier (although not by drag and drop - we can look at that).

And yes we do regard file interchange a priority and are doing what we can - and the answer to your question is yes, we will load both eps and pdf files.

Great news Charles.
Congratulations to everyone who worked on Xtreme Pro.
Zee

[jedfrechette]

Ok, I'll might as well quite while I still haven't called a war upon myself from all the Xara users in this forum as I see I'm in a non beneficial minority here

Don't worry you aren't the only one who doesn't see much value in the announced "Major" new features. Yeah, Flash animation that's exactly what the world needs more of. I guess it all depends on what we are using Xtreme for as there are clearly plenty of people here who are excited about the new features.

Of course, if the hinted at PDF import actually works I might have to change my position. :-)

[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]

Don't worry you aren't the only one who doesn't see much value in the announced "Major" new features. Yeah, Flash animation that's exactly what the world needs more of. I guess it all depends on what we are using Xtreme for as there are clearly plenty of people here who are excited about the new features.

Of course, if the hinted at PDF import actually works I might have to change my position. :-)

I have no idear what the new updates would do for me?
But I also know if I stick around long enough here in the forum,
I will see what the advantage would be of the new pro version
(or not?).
And like it said, it`s for the professional users, and they care much about exporting their work, which makes sense, for them.
But like I said, I just watch the forum and I will see soon enough,
it`s a lively forum.

[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