cloud.xara discussion thread

[angelize]

When it comes to selling advertising you go out to sell or you don't survive. I am hoping that in time I'll be able to use cloud xara as an on the go sales tool. Currently I make up ads for potential clients on speculation. It's basically a starting point for the sales pitch. With CX it will replace a brief case full of papers and a heavy lap top with a small tablet. (Because CX can run on android) I will be able go into the business and no public Internet? No problem I just pull out my cell phone which is paired to my tablet via blue tooth and l have a mobile connection. Then I hope to be able to open the spec ad in CX and edit it to suit the client's needs as we talk. And I could set up a text area on the page for notes for edits that can't be done online.

[jon404]

Yes, I think for selling newspaper ads it might be very useful... but you could do the same thing on a lightweight Surface Pro, or a small laptop. Anyway, it will be interesting to see how this evolves.

Apologies for getting confused by these other Xara Cloud websites! A rose by any other name...

A mild disagreement with Mike W ... in my experience, highest profits come from situations where the customer has a poor understanding of what the product is actually worth. Where they cannot price-compare. As a freelancer, I believe you have to differentiate yourself as much as possible ... so that the customer cannot easily shop you against others ... and, maybe it is just instinctive, but I would NEVER let a customer access my workfiles. Too confusing!

But to be fair, one could say that I'm missing the whole point of how the internet opens up creative collaboration across time and space. And that's true. In a global environment, I may be mistaken to focus on the least work for the most money for me personally ... when I should be more concerned with the social benefits of working with others at whatever price points seem to be fair to all.

Anyway, it will be interesting to see Xara Cloud evolve. It's off to a good start!

[jon404]

@ Angelize -- you know, it just might let you change the newspaper paradigm. Right now, if you want to pick up a syndicated column, you have to pay somebody to get the material. This could reverse that, where a columnist would pay you for a given space, and then be able to write whatever subject to your editorial oversight. For instance, there probably is someone at every local garden club who likes to write, and take pix of their flowers.

Also with customers. Selling ads for our small local papers is HARD. And the merchants always wanting the paper to run a story along with their little ad. But now, the paper could sell them space -- again to do with what they want, ad, column, etc... and reduce the paper's graphic-art makeready cost?

Thanks for putting up with my vague thoughts about this. But I'm sensing that there could be some definite business-model changes coming, as this ability to web-edit matures beyond the collaborative Dept of Defense PowerPoint level.

[BobH]

Hi Angelize-

I do a lot of political ad work and was looking for a way to get all of the mailers, handouts, ads etc. etc. and provide
the candidate a way to not only see but also leave comments etc. etc.

It's working nicely but have a question you might be able to answer.

Let say I make a new page for a DIFFERENT candidate. Will the other candidate and visa-vie
be able to see the other pages? I know I can sign in and simply click on specific pages etc.

Is there a way to make each page private?

Any thoughts appreciated....

[Acorn]

Hi Angelize-
I do a lot of political ad work and was looking for a way to get all of the mailers, handouts, ads etc. etc. and provide
the candidate a way to not only see but also leave comments etc. etc.
It's working nicely but have a question you might be able to answer.
Let say I make a new page for a DIFFERENT candidate. Will the other candidate and visa-vie
be able to see the other pages? I know I can sign in and simply click on specific pages etc.
Is there a way to make each page private?
Any thoughts appreciated....

Make a different SITE for each CANDIDATE.
Much safer all round,
Acorn

[behzad]

From my past experience with clients, I no longer let the client change their site. They can focus on their business and that is why they hired me to work on their website.

[angelize]

You could set up a shared dropbox (or other cloud storage option that works with the online designer) for each client. that way each client will only have access to the files in their own folder and other clients files will remain private. You just need to be sure to place only client A's files in client A's folder.

[BobH]

Hi and thanks for your collective thoughts!

First, Behzad: Yes, I agree 100% of your "that's why they hired me" comment. In this case however, it's not a website per se but merely a viewing/interaction portal for work I complete for them. The idea is to enable
them to see all work or drafts of upcoming tasks, all in one place, and in turn be able have them leave comments.

Acorn/Angelize: I appreciate your suggestions but am still trying to get my head around the way this works so please forgive as I
try to explain where I'm at, at this stage...

1. I made a folder on my drop box account called Gene_Bob Cloud.

2. I used that to sync? with Xara Online Designer

3. I made a page called MEDIA PLANS in DPX(whatever) and saved that .xar file in the Gene_Bob Cloud Folder on Drop Box

4. I can go to http://cloud.ixara.com and sign in with "Xara." I see the start up instruction file but can then click DOCUMENTS, open and I see my file MEDIA PLANS. (Okay, cool)

5. I'm able to edit and do whatever like adding more image files, text boxes etc. If I need to edit in Xara, I've learned to SAVE what I've done online and then re-open the saved file from Drop Box in XaraDP.


NOW FOR SENDING TO CANDIDATE:


6. Back online, I had clicked the Share (with editing) and entered the candidate's email address. I told him he could sign in using his DropBox credentials. (Haven't heard back as of yet if he was successful)

7. THIS IS WHERE I'm lost....

Am I right in saying to him that if he clicks the DropBox option and then simply enters his Dropbox User Name & Password, he will be taken to this cloud page I have?
OR do I ALSO have to invite him to THAT Gene_Bob CLOUD DropBox Folder that has the "media plans" .xar file as well???

8. Once that's cleared up...what to do with subsequent candidates to insure privacy on all? (That can wait)

Like I said, I personally can click DOCUMENTS/open files and see other things. I just don't want them to be able to see other work for other candidates.


AGAIN..........Please forgive my ineptitude with what's most likely cut and dry simple.


MANY THANKS for your help!

Bob

[STS]

Hello:

I'm keen about the cloud.xara development. I've tested it out and I can see that it will be useful. I have a couple of clients that would like to be able to edit their website and post "specials" - text and pictures. One of them is a big Facebook user and I keep trying to tell them that "specials" need to be on their business website too. What I'd like is to be able to design a page for them that they could edit, without giving them access to all the pages on the site. XT-CMS can handle this, but there are problems with installing the CMS on some shared servers.

The client would need more ability than just replacing text and pictures. They'd need to be able to add both as well and leave existing content intact - like a blog for instance.
Is there a way to grant access to just one page, or to just a section of a page in cloud.xara? Thanks.

STS

[Egg Bramhill]

If you create a single page website that looks the same as the main site and publish it to a subfolder, this should do the trick.