xara.com getting even further from the Xara DEsigner products?

**slavelle** · 11 June 2018, 02:50 PM

It seems to get more and more desperate and silly as the days go by. The offer for update has been extended again. They are pushing the same stuff on the Web Designer side as well. And while I know that is a m,ore "consumer/non-pro" application than Designer Pro, I find it odd that they are including "Fastcut 2" and "PC Check & Tuning 2017". Whatever.

The Designer Pro UPGRADE is $129 on this special sale, yet the non-subscription and constantly updated with Professional features Affinity Designer is $49. I literally get my team of 3 Affinity for almost the same price as just upgrading one of our licenses to Designer Pro. SMH.

**Acorn** · 11 June 2018, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by slavelle

The Designer Pro UPGRADE is $129 on this special sale

The Sale date is all that is changing: 31 May, 07 June, 14 June.

What this is saying is Xara is trying to pressure you into upgrading as the sale price might go up. It is already over 40% of list price so this is a game of Chicken.

Why will anyone seeing these tactics even bother to upgrade if they can get by with not having on-line access? Xara needs to deliver something worth the price and remove the negativity of marketing and control it is espousing.

What annoys the most is on-line delivery is cheap. The Website M offer (value £23) is good for hobbyists but designers wouldn't use that for a client other than for demonstration of very simple sites. I suspect its uptake is low so little cost to Xara. Business website templates are one-offs so could be sold on-demand. What is not right or fair is to consider the Components and Widgets that allow DESIGN should be wrapped up in the same delivery model. It genuinely cripples a deft product for no logical or business reason. Why would you remove the ability to search for content?

Acorn

**maksimon** · 11 June 2018, 09:52 PM

This is a Magix`s tactics ). Ugly, stupid, but apparently working tactics. Not for everyone, but working with Magix for many years. Called the "Perpetual sale")).
Only this is lowered Xara to a third-rate product

After all that happened ... Dig yourself deeper and deeper. I don't even know what to do Xara to look beautiful in my eyes. Because what is happening is disgusting. XDP currently periactine of two to three times at least. There is no increment of product features. I don`t see reason to do the upgrade. Well, at least not for this price! Not for templates(Yes, they can be completely thrown out!) and online widget catalog!

300$ for good soft? Ok, this is normal!
100$ for Whistles and bells? NO, this is not normal!

**iamtheblues** · 12 June 2018, 08:14 AM

"Sharp practice is a pejorative phrase to describe sneaky or cunning behavior that is technically within the rules of the law but borders on being unethical." - Wikipedia.

What else is there to be said?

Bob.

**DanFelix** · 13 June 2018, 02:36 PM

Well my renewal date has now started to pop up. I have Ver 15, and it operates just fine. If I refrain from paying the up date, do I still have access to the program and only lose access to the online library? The program seems to work just fine when I am not connected to the internet so I think I only lose the online library. Do I understand this correctly?

**iamtheblues** · 13 June 2018, 02:45 PM

As I understand it, Dan you will lose whatever enhancements (such as they are since you last paid for V.15) will be lost, which I imagine will amount to an extremely small hill of beans.
But, what do I know? I'm as confused as every other bugger around here.
Bob.

**mwenz** · 13 June 2018, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by iamtheblues

As I understand it, Dan you will lose whatever enhancements (such as they are since you last paid for V.15) will be lost, which I imagine will amount to an extremely small hill of beans.
But, what do I know? I'm as confused as every other bugger around here.
Bob.

The bug fixes and enhancements since the purchase date will only be lost upon re-installation. If one never needs to re-install, then they remain. (Which, concerning the bug fixes anyway, is dumber than a rock. I would also argue that seeing how I am paying in advance, any enhancements should also remain. The application should be restored to application + everything that has been fixed/added during my subscription period.)

The content catalog (or whatever) can be downloaded. Once downloaded, find where it is on your system and make a backup to one or more thumb-drives or other media/hard drive or whatever. This is because if you ever do need to re-install, the downloaded content will be wiped out. But you can copy it all back from your backup copy.

Mike

**Promidi** · 15 June 2018, 02:08 AM

Originally Posted by DanFelix

Well my renewal date has now started to pop up. I have Ver 15, and it operates just fine. If I refrain from paying the up date, do I still have access to the program and only lose access to the online library? The program seems to work just fine when I am not connected to the internet so I think I only lose the online library. Do I understand this correctly?

This popup as appeared on my DPX15.1 as well. I am still debating whether the cost of the upgrade is actually worth it at this stage.

Look on your "documents" folder for a folder called "\MAGIX downloads\Installationsmanager" you may find the installers for whatever Xara products and updates you have installed. On my machine, the installer for the original DPX15 as well as the DPX15.1 is located there.

As far as your content is concerned, what you want to do is open up Designer Pro 15 and head to "local Deisgns Gallery". Then on right click each category and select download all. This is take a while. When this is complete, the catalogue files should appear in the following folder:

On my machine, this folder occupies 1.78 gig and is included in my daily backup.

%userprofile%\AppData\Local\Xara\XtremePro\15\Cach e\designs\eng

**Pixelpusher** · 15 June 2018, 02:20 PM

I got my Xara renewal notice today... $129.00. I made a decision instead to pay $49.99 for Affinity Designer... OH MY! Have you guys seriously looked at this program? It is amazing! I have supported Xara products for years, but today I jumped ship. I am no longer going to spend over a hundred dollars a year to keep using this product.

**DanFelix** · 15 June 2018, 02:22 PM

Thanks. I emailed Magix in the US and learned that my update will cost the $129 and that price will not expire, even after my renewal date of July 4th. I think my last renewal cost was $99. An annual payment with minimal to no product changes functionally converts the purchase to a lease. I have 20+ years of files in .xar. The decision becomes less about new features and more about a payment (Danegeld?) to continue to have workable access to past files, including commercial websites. The websites are the bigger hurdle to any decision to change programs. This is beginning to feel like WordStar.