Re: How do you feel about the 365 Program?
I guess that I showed up as indifferent or negative on Bob's list. I tried my best to explain the realities and I thank Kate for jumping and doing a better job of it.
So, put me down as a positive for the 365.
Plus number 1, the way it was before was that you got the version that you paid for at the time of purchase, which was the one that was issued, even if you bought that upgrade (or new) 8 months after the version was issued (you had an 8 month old product with no new interim features). Now, whatever is in the version, including recently added features are what you are paying for.
Plus number 2, you get an advance look at and use of any new features as they become available and you can keep them even if you don't pay for them after 1 year (renew, that is), unless you have to reinstall. Sounds like a very good deal to me. If you do find new features that come out after you bought in or renewed that are indispensable to you, keep in mind that you have not yet paid for them, so if you want to keep them in case you have to reinstall after the year is up, it is only fair that you pay (renew).
Plus number 3, any new features that are content, you can download and keep and they will work even if you don't renew. Sounds good to me.
As for the M hosting, that is independent of renewal of the 365 program. I used the coupon to get the M package about 6 months after purchasing the previous version, X11. My renewal is in January. I purchased the 365 version (X12) in July, and received a coupon for the M package. I used that coupon to renew in January of this year. M package is a subscription, always was. The domain name registration is a subscription. So, do not confuse the 365 period for Xara DPX with the M package. The M package would be a subscription whether or not the 365 scheme existed. This is the same everywhere; if you don't pay for your domain renewal, you lose access. However, as Kate points out your M hosting reverts to the free package, so maybe that should be Plus number 4.
My only complaint is that there are a couple of bugs that have not been addressed and for these, it seems, that it is up to Magix to get them fixed in Xara. But that has nothing to do with the 365 program.
As it stands, Xara DPX(12) already does much more than I really need or use, so the value to me of getting more is questionable. However, like it is with my other Magix products, there are usually a couple of new features that I didn't even think of but that I really like and want to use, so I end up getting the new version or renewing. If I want to use new features, I am willing to pay for them.
Just thought of a plus 5 but it may be questionable, upgrading without installing a new version means not having to set up everything in the new version. This has always been annoying for me and I prefer the new scheme. However, it seems that one upgrade patch required redoing the settings, so maybe this gets half a point.
And maybe plus 6, something that we missed, a lot of content, particularly web templates, that used to be additional cost now come with the program.
I still have one outstanding question that Kate was not able to answer except to say that it was not yet sorted out with Magix. If one does not renew and has to re-install, how is the bug patching handled? Right now, there is no separation between a bug repair patch and one with new features. I have the same question for Magix for my other Magix products.
Lastly, a couple of comments on Xara/Magix about some of the comments that I have seen:
1. Magix/Xara allow you to download the program that you purchased indefinitely; the download link is in your account. I just had to reinstall everything on my computer and there were a few non-Xara, non-Magix programs for which I had not kept the install program and had trouble getting, not so with Magix/Xara;
2. Magix/Xara give you 1 year on-line support and always have. Compare that to others, like Corel (1 month), and it seems that Magix still gives some support, even beyond 1 year;
3. Xara employees, like Kate, Phil and Ben, often jump in to address some technical and commercial questions in TG. It is rare to find that in user forums with other software. Yes there are some, but not many.
4. Support personnel are there to take care of installation, bugs that get reported, and help out where they can with some problems (usually for new users who don't bother reading the manual). They are not people who spend their day using the product, so don't expect them to be able to reply to intricate and difficult questions about using the product. That is where the users' forum comes in. I really dont think that software developers should be spending their time replying to user questions and comments on a forum; they should be spending their time developing the software. The support team can send forward problems and requests much more efficiently, and that is how I understand it is done.
John CB
Xara DPX(19.0.1.65946)
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Originally Posted by katemoir
Acorn - installed Xara software: Cloud+/Pro+ and most others back through time (to CC's Artworks). Contact for technical remediation/consultancy for your web designs.
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