Xara online designer, omg

[mwenz]

You are correct in saying that the Online Designer is getting more focus than the desktop version, but as mentioned before we're not dumping the desktop versions either.

The Online Designer however hasn't been created with website building in view (and has very limited web capabilities). If anything it's more targeted towards business use - i.e. letterheads, presentation, company social media but this isn't fixed.

I've spent a while talking to our CEO Matt about this and in the end we want to create something that you not only can use but also want to use. One of my (ever increasing lol) roles is gathering this requirement from our customers and getting their feedback. If the majority of our users want a tool for creating websites then we'll work more on those features. If they want more features pertaining to print and publishing then we'll work on that.

If you can let me know what sort of things you create in the desktop version and if you have used the Online Designer, what sort of features you would say are a must have I can forward this feedback straight back to the top and say 'Hey this is what are users want, can we implement something'? It does get discussed how we can do this regularly so all feedback is welcome

Thanks
Rob

OK, Rob. How about this...

I don't want an Online Designer. At all. I want efforts pushed into XDP downward into the other applications (of which there are too many).

But. But the decision was made to pursue the Online Designer and now we're all stuck with development efforts (which are stretched too thin) going into that beast. And while XDP had already been falling behind on development on many/several fronts in comparison to the competition, it is only going to slide further back.

Cannot Xara/Magix make up its mind as to what Xara will be when it grows up and pursue that?

[behzad]

Hi Rob, thank you for writing back.
I work with many clients and they are busy with running their business and do not have the time to learn or want to update their websites. Personally I do not see it helpful for what I do, not sure about other designers who also run a business. I believe the online designer is not for hobbyist but more so geared for clients doing their own updates. Also giving that much flexibility to the client to move and change the design will make me very nervous, so again I avoid clients that want to do their own updates. Again I focus on time and manpower that it takes to learn the online designer on from the clients perspective which seems to be asking too much.

[behzad]

Also the lack of meaning full updates now almost one year for webdesigner pro worries me. If Xara kept our hunger for updates happy then we would not be worried. I run a business and need to stay current to what is new and what the client demands. I believe now that business owners like myself are few in your subscribers database?

[Rob-Xar]

Unfortunately I can't control where development time is invested, nor what's included in the updates or their frequency but I can understand your frustration in the recent updates. Don't get me wrong, it's something us in support has often criticised as well but ultimately that's all we can do and forward your comments onto management and those who make the decisions :)

BUT I can provide some influence to the Online Designer in trying to get implemented what you want that would make you use it. I get that some people like you mwenz would rather have development purely focused on the desktop version and I know your not alone in that aspect but as before that's nothing I have any control over unfortunately.

I believe there is something in the pipeline to allow you to lock certain objects from being edited when passed to clients so they can only fill out content and not mess with the layout. If there is something that you would absolutely use then please let me know and we can definitely look at it. This isn't limited to a particular area either, literally anything :)

[mwenz]

Hi Rob--yes, I know. And those who do make decisions have, well, made them. It's hard to turn a ship around (even if it is headed for an iceberg...).

To be honest, I would actually need to create an account, log-in and have some good, solid play with it to offer anything of (even marginal) value. If I really retire early next year (doubtful) then pursuing such an endeavor might be of use to Xara. And, I would have to get my brain around helping a thing I see no to little advantage in real-world use. At least as regards my little world.

If Online Designer is really made more for the design-side of things (as opposed to Web per se), then I would also need to go out and find new clients that would want to make such changes. Design, layout, etc., is what they hire me for. That includes updates and changes. I am also not the type of Xara customer that can even use XDP for most of what I do...which is really to create assets that in turn get put into a layout application.

One of the few clients I kept past my heart issues a few years ago is a governmental agency that has three letters for their name. Does Xara think that Online Designer is something they would make use of? Or how about another client I retained? They are a multi-national drug manufacturer. See? For me to collaborate with clients, I would have to find clients that are, well, cheapskates.

All that said, I would be willing to take a casual look if I can figure out what I need to do to get access and play. It will be a few weekends from now in all likelihood and may not really provide you with meaningful, actionable comments/suggestions.

Mike

[ernie-f]

Hi Rob,
I'm a graphic designer from Germany and use XDP for the general use to design print and web. My focus is more to print. Tha fact that XDP needs a prof. color managemet is only on a desktop realizable. I work with calibrated stuff, the only one who false is Xara.

I either don't wnt and need an online solution.

Since I work with Xara I wait for things like color management, mor drawing futures, master pages, a better style management and so on …
Since years is the wishlist every year the same. Xara don't respond questions where does the way of XDP go.

Fortunately I am not dependent on xara because I use for my daily work a bunch of software. And Yes, Adobe is still a part of them. But I wish to see XDP where it must be according to advertising promises: PROFESSIONAL!

PLS see my Portfolio on my website to got an idea for what I use Xara.

[Koko]

While I think online design appears to be growing, I too prefer the desktop version. I get many calls as well as new clients that I have switched from WordPress, Wix and few others. Everyone of them said the same thing. I decided to create a website myself online, then within an hours have given up ( even quicker with WordPress). I currently use WDP 11 and have been undecided about upgrading to 365. I have no problem with a yearly subscription, but after reading many post, it appears the updates and features added to 365 are slowing down in frequency.

[behzad]

KoKo well said, l love you

[hoja]

If you can let me know what sort of things you create in the desktop version and if you have used the Online Designer, what sort of features
you would say are a must have I can forward this feedback straight back to the top and say 'Hey this is what are users want, can we implement
something'? It does get discussed how we can do this regularly so all feedback is welcome

Rob, any browser based software (really absolutely any – from Web-Development to CAD) performs poor for power users due to lack of hotkeys.
Some tools give you a very basic set of shortcuts, but they are way too few for serious work. The same is true for contextual menus. Users are
forced to a purely visual workflow, which is notoriously slow.

[Koko]

OK I tried the online designer, and I must say it is very nice. I made a few changes to the temp page it offered and it operates pretty smooth. It only allowed me to preview a finished website and not actually publish it with its own domain. I also didn't encounter the pop up error codes I sometimes get with the desktop version.

Questions: 1. When its out of beta, will I be able to download the web files to save on my pc and/or cloud storage of my choice?
2. Will it publish to any hosting account I choose?
3. Will slideshows be offered?
4. What kind of pricing will it be?