Why I may abandon Xara

[Nathan Brazil]

Under another name, Xara is product that I helped to develop, via the original beta program, long before you sold it to Corel, then got it back again. I always thought it was an absolutely brilliant idea, and have stuck with it from then to now.

However, I am so disappointed with the path taken concerning the on-line version, that I am seriously considering jumping ship. The reason for this is the subscription model. Please don’t tell me I can use the freebie version, as something that forces me to advertise your product is not free at all. I would happily buy a mobile/ iPad version of Xara Web Designer and/or other products for a one-off fixed fee, and might upgrade periodically, if what was offered looked useful to me. But I will not ‘rent’ software at any price, for the simple reasons that 1) if I don’t use it for a couple of months, I am still paying for that time, and 2) Web-based products are entirely at the discretion of the company, and obviously out of reach in the event of an outage.

I would, therefore, ask you to reconsider offering iPad friendly versions, at one time prices. If not, then regretfully, I will be looking elsewhere. For example, Wolf Website Designer 2, which offers a lot for a reasonable price.

Nathan Brazil

[gwpriester]

There has been many similar comments. Xara appears to be at a crossroads at the moment and nobody is quite sure which way they plan to go.

I've been on board starting from when Corel "agreed" to market Xara. I too hope they find their focus and that focus is on the product.

[Nathan Brazil]

There has been many similar comments. Xara appears to be at a crossroads at the moment and nobody is quite sure which way they plan to go..

I see no good reason why Xara can’t offer a stand alone, one time payment iPad version of products, perhaps with IAP extras, but full functionality included, and a pay-as-you go version of the same for those who like that kind of thing.

If there is an iPad version, then Xara should recognise the market, and price it at a similar level to other highly competent graphics apps already available, such a Affinity. Trying to squeeze desktop prices from IOS is another recipe for disaster. Indeed, there is a case for offering a significant discount to existing customers who have bought desktop versions of Xara products.

[gwpriester]

As you probably know, there was at one time some development of a Unix and Mac OS version of the product. But the economies were not there and development never went any farther.

I just don't think there is any interest there.

Does the online version of Xara work with the iPad?

[Nathan Brazil]

It is strange to think such a good product was not considered viable in a Mac OSX version, given that it was and to a large extent still is the preferred platform for designers.

As for the on-line version of Xara working on an iPad. Presumably it does, but to be honest I have zero interest in trying something that brands whatever I do, unless I pay a subscription fee!

As the mighty Slade sang “Nothing can change the shape of things to come.” Perhaps the future of web design for those of us who object to renting software, is not with Xara. Their choice whether to alienate people who have been supportive for many years, or be reasonable.

[handrawn]

as you may know having been around a long time, because of decisions made very early on and therefore the way the xara code is written it would need a major rewrite to port to mac - there may well not be available resource for that at this time

xara is a business, they will do what they think is best, and take what opportunities they see, for their business to survive in a changing market

unless we are inside the loop that is difficult to argue against from a commercial point of view, even if on a personal level we find it not to our liking...

to be brutally honest I reckon if losing old customers is out-weighed by gaining a lot of new ones, then the business heads in magix/xara will lose no sleep; that is par for the course in commerce...