So far away

[JokeArtist]

I feel Xara is so far away from what design actually means or how it works that they would decide to implement an interface on their new products which hinder design. There is a reason why art galleries have white walls and not black or dark grey walls.

Xara Pro 4 - FOR THE WINNER!!!!
(At least for professional designers).

[gwpriester]

There is a poll posted in the Xtreme, Designer Gallery for background color/interface preference and the last time I looked it was about 2 to 1 in favor of the new interface. But you are certainly not alone in your reaction.

[jon404]

The light gray interface was better. Easier to read and find controls, fast.
Do Ctrl-Alt-Shift-S to get it back.
As to art galleries' white walls, there is a continual need to 'perfume a pig' in that business, and perhaps the white walls give some sort of authenticity to the **** that often adorns them.
For screen art -- via transmitted light rather than reflected -- I think a medium gray works best as a background, to set off the brilliance of any light or white colors in the artwork. It will be interesting to see if galleries pick this up in future, as more and more digital transmitted-light works are offered for sale (sssh! it's NOT just a slideshow, Mabel!).

[steve.ledger]

There is a reason why art galleries have white walls and not black or dark grey walls.

Are designs created in galleries?

[handrawn]

no

but that misses the point ...:

photographers and media guys will want one interface

artists another

that is why we need choice

sorry - sometimes you just have to shout out the obvious


perfume a pig ?

I know the advertising design business:
**** for idiots most of whom are too clued up to be taken in anyway - jobs for the boys/gals

[steve.ledger]

Ah, photographers can't be artists - got it

[handrawn]

you know what I mean steve

[w00dy]

To survive you have to evolve and Xara Xtreme/Designer... call it what you want has to meet the needs of the masses and sadly for the purists, their graphic design tool of choice has become a streetwise, web-enabled superstar... that still is a superb graphic design tool for the majority of its userbase. If XXP4, does the business for the "professionals" that's fine, if not the "industry standard" package will doubtless take them to the next level and make a sizeable hole in their bank balance in doing so!

As an aside, what I cannot understand is people griping at an upgrade price of £80/$100... any "professional" designer is going to reign that back in 2-3 hours of design work. For the enthusiast like myself, I can't even buy a new putter for that or pay a green fee at a decent course! Compare the price of a Xara upgrade to the "industry standard" package, I'd get a full set of clubs for that.

[Josè Campoy.]

Yes, the standard*-*Which means Illustrator*-* is focused in vector tools, and xara upgrades are focuses in Web Design and Photo tools, now whe have the straight line tool, and this tool should be avaiable since V -1.0 this toos is basic for every vector software.

I use the Pen tool a lot and is the same since v 2.0, I use the corel pen tool and its great, even better than illustrator.

So I undestand to Joke Artist, he is not talking about the money to upgrade, just its pointless an upgrade for him. since he will be using the very same tools, and he doesn´t find a really good reason to upgrade, for example i can use the V 2.0 of Xara Xtreme an for sure I can work with this version, and do the same artwork.

[rpc9943]

Absolutely unbelievable! I find all this ridiculous. The new wysiwyg drawing is so far beyond anything before it. What extra vector tools do you speak of, by the way?