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

**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

**webmaster** · 09 July 2018, 08:22 PM

Yes, the Online Content Catalog is unavailable after expiry of the Update Service. But no, this doesn't stop you editing an existing slideshow, if you already have one in your document.

Kate Moir

**Acorn** · 09 July 2018, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by webmaster

Yes, the Online Content Catalog is unavailable after expiry of the Update Service. But no, this doesn't stop you editing an existing slideshow, if you already have one in your document.
Kate Moir

Kate, thank you as this is new to me and leaves me baffled as I have tried several times before without any success. Has there been a widget revision?

I am also now able to access the complete functionality of the widget so I can create a brand new slideshow, all from version 12 despite being out of update support and no access to the Online Content Catalogue.

Good news.

Acorn

**webmaster** · 10 July 2018, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by Acorn

Kate, thank you as this is new to me and leaves me baffled as I have tried several times before without any success. Has there been a widget revision?

I am also now able to access the complete functionality of the widget so I can create a brand new slideshow, all from version 12 despite being out of update support and no access to the Online Content Catalogue.

Good news.

Acorn

OK, glad it's sorted. No, we haven't changed anything in the widget.

Kate

**Acorn** · 10 July 2018, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by webmaster

OK, glad it's sorted. No, we haven't changed anything in the widget. Kate

That is actually very good to know.

Thank you,
Acorn

**David Strover** · 12 July 2018, 04:06 PM

Affinity Designer and Affinity Photo software are now on a 33% discount including bonus UI kits for free (user manuals are also on a 33% discount). After not subscribing to Xara this year that's enough to persuade me, after all I still have the Xara desktop version to use if I find something to difficult to do in Affinity.

What with my age and virtually no design tool updates on Xara this is the start of a long goodbye to the company and I've used Xara for a long, long time.