Of course Xtreme should not try to compete directly with Illy, for all the reasons given and also that if we wanted illustrator we would use that. I'm sure many use both.

On the same basis Xtreme should be wary of extending bitmap tools too much. Direct competition with Photoshop would be just as suicidal. Besides, Xtreme can emulate airbrushes, with various modes, similar to multiply, screen, desaturate/saturate, etc. Actual bitmap brushes would be a retrograde step.

The problem, for me, is that Xtreme is marketed as vector illustration software, look at the galleries and the movies. The web/design stuff is tacked on in the promotional material, not sold as the core purpose of the program.

This keeps my hopes alive, seemingly false hopes, that the focus will return to vector tools. Xtreme seems to be focusing more and more on design, especially web design. Which would be fine, if that was what it was marketed as.

From my point of view, I am not interested in "design" tools per se, I rarely, if ever use shadow, bevel, contour, extrude(3D), live effects, animation, web or bitmap tools. It doesn't bother me that they are there, I can easily ignore them, but, as an illustrator, my heart falls each time there is an upgrade and it avoids any new thinking on the vector functions. Sure, I appreciate workflow improvements like the object gallery (or a macro function) but, from my point of view, as an illustrator, Xtreme has barely changed for many years.

That is not to say this is a terrible thing, just that I, personally, see little point in upgrading when I get little or no benefit. I run a business, I try to only buy what I need, and I don't need any of the new "features" Xtreme has offered for some time.

Then again, I may be part of a very small and shrinking niche market.