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

**hseiken** · 27 June 2018, 03:17 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLwsKtZDwFs

I think this opinion expressed in this video about games is relevant to the discussion.

As for updates are unnecessary, it's not to say new versions cannot come out, it's that updates aren't updates, they're publicly beta testing stuff on the public and then if you happen to buy that version on a disc, and lose access to the bug fix 'updates' which is what I'm arguing should be unnecessary, then you're screwed. You bought buggy software. Xara/Magix goes out of business, you have worthless software.

**handrawn** · 27 June 2018, 07:44 AM

bug fixes or no bug fixes, beta-testing or no beta-testing, if magix/xara go out of business and you cannot re-activate your software online on restore, you are screwed anyway... unless you can resort to sandboxing a trial version, which would only be a desperate last resort

must confess I haven't watched the video... all I would say is that right back, way before the 365 update model, new versions came out with bugs in them... that is not just limited to 'updates'.. that is not just limited to xara

I do not like the update model; I do not like not getting bug fixes; but it was always that way if you did not buy the latest version

I can use version 12 for all I need; I can use verion 11, it only lacks a couple of conveniencies from my point of view, I would like the bug fixes, but the lack of them is more a point of principle to me than practicality, maybe I am lucky

and as I said before - you cannot expect to iron out all bugs for sure before release - which is not to say some companies are not more efficient than others

**JJJayhawk** · 05 July 2018, 07:53 PM

I'm a noob compared to you all and new here too, but honestly, I went to Xara because I just need tools that work the way I do.

Xara works for me, so does Affinity Designer. I have Illustrator CS6 and it's fine -- but as far as I'm concerned, it's the end of life of Adobe unless I want to be on the hook for eternity and rent forever. That just doesn't jive with me.

I thought Xara was upfront about its pricing and I bought it on sale at $200 last year. It has definitely given me more than $200 worth of use. I don't feel bad about upgrading via Steam for $99 for another year. That said, if I don't see improvements to the toolset, I'm not going to upgrade again until I see them.

What I don't need is that tool to magically lose its capabilities at the end of a year's time. I think that's what really bothers a lot of people (including me) with losing the updates we paid for over the course of the year. Steam should counteract that because it packages applications differently. And Steam retains the licensure if Xara is dropped by the wayside.

**ss-kalm** · 09 July 2018, 12:08 AM

Originally Posted by JJJayhawk

... What I don't need is that tool to magically lose its capabilities at the end of a year's time ...

Just to make it clear, as far as I'm aware, you won't lose anything (except access to the ONLINE CATALOGUE, and you can download that prior to the expiry) at the end of the year, Xara will remain as it was, the day your subscription expires UNLESS you have to reinstall. If you need to reinstall, what you'll get is the program as it was when you bought it ... without updates.

**Egg Bramhill** · 09 July 2018, 12:28 AM

Or bug fixes.

**Acorn** · 09 July 2018, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by ss-kalm

Just to make it clear, as far as I'm aware, you won't lose anything (except access to the ONLINE CATALOGUE, and you can download that prior to the expiry) at the end of the year, Xara will remain as it was, the day your subscription expires UNLESS you have to reinstall. If you need to reinstall, what you'll get is the program as it was when you bought it ... without updates.

You do lose the capability to Search for any of the items in the Local Designs gallery. You do lose a secure means of retaining bug fixes in the year's cover. You do lose the ability to secure the Desktop application version you used to build your websites and other design material. By secure, I mean if you have to re-install for any reason, you revert to your purchase version [caveat: you might be lucky to actually be one update ahead as Xara has realised zapping bug fixes is probably not pukka]. You do lose the edit and create capability for the Xara Slideshow Widget. You do lose access to Xara Cloud (Xara Vapour, 'ware!)

It is also possible that as Xara plods on, you might start seeing the bleed off of your downloaded content. I am looking at ways of securing this possibly by preventing the Xara Desktop application calling home or just locking the Cache.

Acorn

**ss-kalm** · 09 July 2018, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by Acorn

You do lose the capability to Search for any of the items in the Local Designs gallery ...

I use XP&GD15 ... You can't search the Local Designs Gallery anyway. In earlier version there was a search, but as time went on that was more unreliable ... now it just doesn't exist.

**Acorn** · 09 July 2018, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by ss-kalm

I use XP&GD15 ... You can't search the Local Designs Gallery anyway. In earlier version there was a search, but as time went on that was more unreliable ... now it just doesn't exist.

It was never unreliable, Xara simply failing to add the correct metadata labels and descriptions. In losing the online content access, you lose the only available search for content that used to be part of the Designs gallery, More > Find.

Acorn

**webmaster** · 09 July 2018, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by ss-kalm

Just to make it clear, as far as I'm aware, you won't lose anything (except access to the ONLINE CATALOGUE, and you can download that prior to the expiry) at the end of the year, Xara will remain as it was, the day your subscription expires UNLESS you have to reinstall. If you need to reinstall, what you'll get is the program as it was when you bought it ... without updates.

Spot on ss-kalm. Just to clarify (following Acorn's post) an expired Update Service has no impact on search in the Local Designs Gallery (which doesn't work, before or after), Xara slideshow or Xara Cloud.

**Acorn** · 09 July 2018, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by webmaster

Spot on ss-kalm. Just to clarify (following Acorn's post) an expired Update Service has no impact on search in the Local Designs Gallery (which doesn't work, before or after), Xara slideshow or Xara Cloud.

If the Online Content catalogue is not available to out-of-cover users then the Xara Slideshow Widget is not available. If you have an existing design that uses the Xara Slideshow widget, it is not available for editing either. The Xara Slideshow Widget is part of the on-line part of your EULA that is stopped when Update Support stops. The Xara Slideshow Widget is not available to those in cover with version 12.

I was pointing out that after version 11, Xara chose to remove the search function from the Desktop application, leaving it to be on-line search only. This requires Internet connectivity and now, the Update Service.

I stand corrected over Xara Cloud access.

Acorn