How do you feel about the 365 Program?

[haakoo]

By now xara is nothing more than abandonware owned by a company that's only interested in selling licensed content.
Like an all-you-can-eat restaurant.
It doesn't have to be a five-star restaurant but being at least something more then your local MacDonalds should be doable.

They better had gone up the M1 to Nottingham,from there came news that excited me to buy instantly.
Not by the slick marketing but they interact with and are engaged by and for their customers.
They are not there yet but started from scratch on their new products.

Last thing to add is:

Pride doesn't pay the bills.

Hans

[Boy]

I purchased Xara Designer Pro X 365 when it came out in July 2016. Since then there were a few bug-fix updates and, in November, one upgrade with new or improved features. Because I wanted to have a clear overview of what was added to the app, I copied (from the "What's New" page) & pasted these features below. I'm not sure what to think of the list (or this new 365-scheme) or what to expect from a next upgrade. This is especially so because it's very unclear where Xara wants to take XDP and its spinoffs. I find it unfortunate that the company is not more forthcoming in this area but, then again, Xara, even though well-intentioned, has never been known for its communication skills. So, my answer to Gary’s question is a shrug and a wait-and-see stance.

Web Design:
• An easy to use Link to heading option (no anchor names required) NEW - November 2016
• Improved web page transition animations (smoother and more consistent across different browsers and devices) NEW - November 2016

Photo & Graphic Design:
• UPDATED - November 2016: Now as you drag the handles [of photos in the Photo Tool] to adjust an image, a feint copy of the full uncropped image is shown behind.
• NEW November 2016 - we've added 50 new photo filters, now 75 in total! We've also categorised the filters to make it easier to find just the right filter to achieve the effect or ambience you're looking for!
• UPDATED - November 2016: Feathering settings preserved and region naming improvements in the Photo Effect Painter

Text Handling:
• NEW - NOVEMBER 2016 Table of Contents. You can now build a Table of Contents automatically and insert it at the caret position, a massive time saver for anyone creating a long document.
• An extended List Properties dialog for easier list editing NEW - November 2016
• Ability to align text vertically NEW - November 2016
• Delete Style option added NEW - November 2016
• The Style Properties dialog now includes the option to set the outline level of a heading style NEW - November 2016

Content:
• Online Content Catalog: UPDATED - November 2016 (can now download higher than HD resolution photos for print docs)
• Google Forms widget added to the Content Catalog. You can create your own custom forms but Google also offers templates for the most popular forms including surveys, questionnaires and contact forms. Plus there's an easy to use editor, reliable data storage, presentation and analysis. NEW - October 2016
• New Chevron & Arrow SmartShape NEW - November 2016

Other Enhancements:
• Styles updated in blank templates in File > New (eg adding 'Keep with Next' to heading styles of print templates) NEW - November 2016
• Option to keep Content Catalog open after selecting an item NEW - November 2016
• Improved Word import and export UPDATED - November 2016
• Improved PDF import UPDATED - November 2016

[IanB]

As a fan of this software since Artworks by Computer Concepts I have been a loyal customer who upgraded regularly. I did baulk at the change of direction when the 365 payment model came out and did not take it up straight away. After a few months something made be upgrade (can't remember what - perhaps the fear of losing out on something) but I have been disappointed since - both in the lack of improvements and the bugs which have caused me problems. [With which members on this forum have been more help than Xara at solving].

Over the last few years there was always something that persuaded me that upgrading would be worthwhile - though in reality the extras often were of little use to me or disappointing. Like others in this thread I am now somewhat disillusioned and will need some persuading to continue upgrading.

There is software I paid £15-£20 for a decade ago and which has given me free upgrades ever since. Now I realise that this is not a model many firms could follow but between that and the other extreme of fleecing loyal customers with large annual expense for very little, there should be some reasonable middle ground option.

[haakoo]

By now xara is nothing more than abandonware owned by a company that's only interested in selling licensed content.
Like an all-you-can-eat restaurant.
It doesn't have to be a five-star restaurant but being at least something more then your local MacDonalds should be doable.

They better had gone up the M1 to Nottingham,from there came news that excited me to buy instantly.
Not by the slick marketing but they interact with and are engaged by and for their customers.
They are not there yet but started from scratch on their new products.

Last thing to add is:

Pride doesn't pay the bills.

Even this forum which should be the main communication-channel is dead in the water.
Lurking here since I stepped out shows no engagement,no real new members only threads by moderators to keep some flow here.

Only this thread made me show-up.

So thanks Gary,for your question,questioning the future of xara.

Hans

[gwpriester]

I appreciate the candor of the comments here and I want to hear from other members of the forum. Your comments are important. So if you have a comment, positive or otherwise speak out.

I only ask that you be respectful.

Boy - Thank you for posting that list. I had forgotten a lot of those features.

[Ron Duke]

Not commenting on the "new features" or "capabilities" themselves, I don't like the program of having to have access to the internet for certain features. I doesn't make sense to the end user at all, IMHO.

[Boy]

Boy - Thank you for posting that list. I had forgotten a lot of those features.

[Acorn]

Looks like Xara decided to build a wall and we're paying for it.
It only took us 300 days to find out.

Acorn

[wfcentral]

I have not purchased 365 and do not plan on it. I think with version X11 I didn't see any really new features that I needed. So, going up to 365 didn't seem worth the expense. If I did use Xara for web design - maybe I would appreciate getting "two new swishes" or "three new transitions" - but, since I only use it for graphics... did not really need to upgrade. I have bought EVERY UPGRADE since version 2.0 - this is the first time I did not upgrade.

Two features that would make me think about upgrading and use Xara as a website tool

1. make dynamic content work better
2. give me a way to create Wordpress themes in Xara

[Jimi King]

I bet that any new features will be released in July, around about the time that the subscriptions that the faithful took out will be due for renewal.