At least give us a kiss(goodbye)

[mhjgkane]

+ .5

My feeling, and I have expressed this to Xara, is that the program has gotten old and new features are added as patches because every new feature has to work with the existing code, which as I just said is getting a bit long in the tooth.

I think Xara needs to look seriously at the feature requests, and then do some serious thinking about where to go from here.

Features have been added year after year that once added are forgotten. A good example is the Bitmap Tracer. When was the last time you saw any change there. Or the Bevel Tool, the 3D Extrude, the Mold Tool, etc. To be fair some tools have been improved but many have just been forgotten.

My hope is that Xara will do some serious analysis on this venerable application, and come up with a concept for what the ideal program for the next 10 years and then start from scratch and design a program that will lead the pack as they have done in the past. This will take time and is not something that can be done overnight. But it is a place to start.

The subscription method is something that is being done in the industry, not just Xara Magix so we can't blame Xara Magix for that. What I would like to see is two powerhouse programs that work together but are separate applications, Designer X and Web Designer.

Hit the nail right on the head.

The vector tool is being compromised for the sake of feature rich, which is not a good goal. I recently purchased the Affinity pairing as they do work together and provide a solid alternative while maintaining clear functional specifications. Xara Designer Pro was a brilliant application but this thing they have turned it into is bloated with features I never use and some that I would use if they weren't so terrible to access.

[gwpriester]

People, please keep this discussion civil and your comments productive and focused. Thanks.

[csehz]

Or else shutdown TG, if you think it's just full of people with to much time on their hands and complaining a lot.

They are going to, as it happened with XaraXone.

+1 that increasing the price is a dirty marketing tactic, which is a shame that Xara applies.

Anyway I like (got my money again so love) Xara Designer Pro, confirming that comparing to other companies the above mentioned "hey Xara wasn't so bad after all" is true

[iamtheblues]

tยгภς๏คt!

[Panchdara]

Haakoo, +1. What I will be p!$$ed off about is if the current version "calls home" and is deactivated. Or if you deactivate your "non-subscribed" version and can't reactivate on either the same pc or another. I certainly don't feel that I received "what I paid for" on 365. All I want is vector graphics - DONE RIGHT - without the unnecessary web crap. Oh well....

[strettonbull]

I have downgraded to P&GD because I haven't once used the Web Design part of the program, due to there being a host of better website software out there.

Furthermore, P&GD is only £25 per year to continue getting the updates versus £99 for DP.

I would love Xara to bring out a cut down program that just concentrates on the vector and drawing side of things.

Their pricing structure will only encourage people to use cracked versions of the software. It's not difficult to find them online.

I have been a user since Xtreme 3 and am disappointed with the way it has gone.

[haakoo]

So far as the pricing goes, the cost of all Designer Pro upgrades was increased last September, 2016, after discussions with Magix. Before that the price had indeed been the same for many years, and therein lies the problem - since the cost of producing continuous updates to features and content, in multiple languages and more frequently than before, has not remained the same. So the price for renewing your Update Service after expiry is the same as upgrades to 365 since last September, although there is a discount for upgrades before expiry. You can see details for pre-expiry here http://www.xara.com/expiring/designer-pro/ and post-expiry here http://www.xara.com/expired/designer-pro/. Update Service renewals for Photo & Graphic Designer and Web Designer Premium currently remain the same cost as upgrades at the launch of 365 last year.

I don't have an issue with the perpetual license persé.
You should have been honest, upfront ,with the "new" renewal pricing.
It's a simple business rule;
Any provider wether for my phone or internet or gas or electra will do this, why didn't you??
They wil explain why this is and what I will get for it.
And they also inform you if there are any changes in the conditions,
like you changed the update model from 30 days after the introduction of a new version to a two week upgrade period at discount pricing before renewal date.
Others would make me aware of this by adressing me personnally or on any platform they own and not with a popup which only stated " don't forget to renew"
That's how real businesses operate and communicate.
The problem with Xara is,it cannot communicate,
Besides plastic fantastic marketing techniques.

We did communicate,but got no answers, in the dear Xara or the many other threads.

You simply didn't communi"kate"

Hans

[handrawn]

Well if you're coming from a pure artist/drawing point of view I could understand...

I'm thinking that applies to most who have contributed to this thread so far..?

Gary made good points

...and if you want to look at drawing progams that fit the bill and have been rewritten from the ground up, look at Serif Affinity Designer and Photo - no they won't do everything xara designer does, but they are sensibly priced, roadmapped, and will of course do some things xara designer can't; grass is never greener, just a different shade; I never do all my shopping in just one store, I never do all my drawing in just one program...

[Stewart]

+1 and a few more

Couldn't agree more, and I've been using Xara products, and upgraded virtually all every year, since Corel Xara in the 90's. I have just upgraded this version, but ONLY because I have invested a bit of time recently in a few webs on the platform. Next time it won't be happening...I expect patches and fixes to happen as a matter of course, not to be paid for anyway, and if I'm to pay a full 33% more than the last few upgrades, and not sure it is even this yet as my receipt said £139 but the offer was £99.

When even the sainted ;-) G W Preister complains and agrees, then SOMETHING is wrong!

[iamtheblues]

"grass is never greener, just a different shade" - nice, Steve.