Xtreme Pro 4 way too big!

[BONES]

As sad as it is, only Gary understood what I meant. What's wrong with an installer that'll give the users a choice of the installed components?

Because it might mean some other new feature doesn't get done. You think its trivial but there is no way to know as installers are often tied to licensing systems, which will be different for 32-bit and 64-bit, etc, etc. I understand your point completely, I just wouldn't consider it worth starting a thread about, let alone devoting very precious resources to implementing.

I really give a damn on what you think about the code or if the storage space is just a cent or less per MB - all I want is to be able to have it MY WAY.

And you do. You have Xara when you could have chosen any one of dozens of other applications instead. You installed it exactly where you wanted it installed [if you bother with stuff like that] and, as a percentage of you overall storage capacity, I imagine it takes up far less room than the first version you ever installed. In effect, Xara already takes up far less space than it once did, yet you want to be able to configure it in ways you were not able to previously.

I think there are far more pressing issues around installation. I still have to go through and re-do all of my preferences every time we get an update. I used to complain about it here but nobody else seemed to mind so I never pushed it. Now I just do it and don't let it get to me, but I still see it as a more pressing issue than an insignificantly small amount of potentially useful extra data that I might never use being copied to my HDD during installation.

[ankhor]

I'm not in the 'anti-amateur' camp at all but there are significant differences in the *amount* of money people spend on hobby software and the amount they're prepared to spend in business. I agree it's the same kind of money, but the size of the pile does differ.

Depends on how many amateur users you have.
I am an amateur and I spend the same amount as you do because
I also bought the PRO version, because of the extra possibilities.
And yes, expenses for your business are tax deductable and you can bill
them to your customers, eventually.

But I can understand you as a businessman want a pure business version.
But some other (small) businesses find the extra stuff usefull?

Nobody running any kind of credible business in Western Europe or the USA would even pause to think about spending a couple of hundred dollars on a decent bit of software (except possibly to wonder if its low price was a bad sign). I don't think everyone on this forum can spend their own money like that, though.

All the sane people around here are aware that Xara's progress is terribly constrained by resources (developers/money). I suppose some of us in the "would buy a hundred dollar upgrade just get the basic drawing improved" camp feel a bit sad that we've been passed over in the allocation of these scares resources in favour of the "would like to try an different panorama program to the one which came for free with my camera" camp.

Of course, if there are twenty times as many 10 dollar hobbyists as there are 100 dollar commercial users, then Xara know exactly what they're doing. That's entirely plausible...

I don`t know what they are aiming for, I know Magix, and they aim
the 'amateurs' and professionals too. Just depends on the package you buy.
And if I had more money I would buy more software, but I don`t, so I stick to Xtreme, affordable with a lot of features.
You might have the money to diversify in your software, but I need bang for my buck .(Untill I win the lottery ofcourse )

[jens g.r. benthien]

Paul, sorry, but to modify an installer is like editing a batch script, for a good coder it'll take half an hour max. including the compilation into a msi file.

I don't talk about the code or what could be done to it, just the OPTION during the installation. So hard to understand?

In contrast to most of the other users here I'm solution oriented. I'm not requesting actions that require large funds or investments. I'm not talking about modifications of the core code or the executable.

Just the plain and simple modification of several lines in the installer.

I'm not a professional coder, but if I would be able to extract the installation routing I'd modify it myself for my specific purpose.

That's kids stuff or child play, really.

[pauland]

Paul, sorry, but to modify an installer is like editing a batch script, for a good coder it'll take half an hour max. including the compilation into a msi file.

Editing a batch script is one thing. Testing and re-testing it works as expected is another, as is having all the little features you want to select or deselect in separate files so they don't get installed.

I don't talk about the code or what could be done to it, just the OPTION during the installation. So hard to understand?

Jens, you confuse non-compliance with your requests as failure to understand. That's certainly not the case.

In contrast to most of the other users here I'm solution oriented. I'm not requesting actions that require large funds or investments. I'm not talking about modifications of the core code or the executable.

They still have costs and effort involved with them and they would be incurred for something that has very, very little demand.

Just the plain and simple modification of several lines in the installer.

There's a lot more to it than that.

I'm not a professional coder, but if I would be able to extract the installation routing I'd modify it myself for my specific purpose.

It's interesting how you value your time compared to the cost of hard disc storage.

That's kids stuff or child play, really.

Err.. No.

Paul

[pauland]

if I had more money I would buy more software, but I don`t, so I stick to Xtreme, affordable with a lot of features.
You might have the money to diversify in your software, but I need bang for my buck

You'll still use Xtreme no matter what's installed on your hard-drive.

Paul

[handrawn]

Quote:
Originally Posted by handrawn http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/buttons/viewpost.gif
there is away to avoid even the error message - but I forget


Its easy - don't double-click an image. I think that might have happened to me once or twice, ever. I blame my own ineptness for those occasions, not Xara.

It is only too easy to do by accident for those of us who are less clever or agile or whatever - that is the point - it should have been optional.

It is a common complaint - however as xpe is on the way out - not a problem for much longer

Only trying to be helpful - I don't remember blaming anyone - it's just a pain for us ordinary 'less able' mortals

Like right click duplicate copy - should also be optional

Maybe what we really need is a mouse click program like we have for keyboard shortcuts in pro ?

[pauland]

I actually prefer XPE to the integrated version..

[StevenWWinters]

I would be very happy again if I could deselect the installation of the movie player, the 3D option, the web function, the two photo editors!

I actually tend to agree with Jens that a little granularity in the installer would be a good thing and not that difficult to implement; but only for items that are not tightly integrated with the core product.

Externals such as photo editors (XPE, Magix), movie players, the 3rd party panoramic editor, etc would seem to be relatively obvious choices. The new 3D option would seem to be more tightly integrated with the guts of Xtreme and not so easy to exclude, IMO.

However, it would be interesting to know how much drive space would actually be saved by such options, if drive space is the real issue. I could be wrong, but I can't believe that the HTML export filter (for example) consumes much in the way of resources...

[gwpriester]

Heh, heh. You made quite a reappearance, Jens. We have not had such a spirited conversation since Klaus Nordby left the conferences in a huff many years ago.

I think every Xara has a different opinion. It is human nature.

Many don't think web page creation is a useful addition. But I have received dozens of e-mail messages from new users who want to learn how to create a WYSIWYG website. And about 1/2 of these people upgraded or bought Xtreme for the first time.

But to Jen's point, having the option when you install to do a Typical or Custom install is a good thing. And that was the real point of the thread.


Sorry to interrupt. Carry on with the thrash.

Gary

[pauland]

I'm about to go away for a couple of days, so I'm going to miss it.. :-(