What's the cheapest way to got a HiDPI version of Xara Designer? (Cloud not needed)

[handrawn]

that's good to know, both summary [acorn] and clarification [eva]

[shiphen]

TBH, my head is swimming with all this. To get clear, are we saying that:

1. Customers can only buy a standalone copy of Xara from the [German] company Magix?

2. And that if a customer buys from xara.com (which presumably is the [UK] company that wrote the original versions of Xara) then the customer is compelled to buy something that comes with Cloud. In fact you can't truly "buy" anything all you can do is rent it via a subscription?

3. That there is a Covid-induced sale running that gives customers 50% off.

4. What about those of us who participated in the HiDPI Beta Testing...?


Let me declare my hand a little.

A) I am a very long-term fan of Xara (since Xara Studio in 1994!)

B) I even helped test Pro+

C) But as an entrepreneur/sole trader I am only a sporadic user of Xara Designer. I tend to use it very intensively for short periods and then sometimes not at all for many months.

D) For this reason I personally HATE the subscription model with a passion. I do NOT want to suddenly find that I can't edit my own files if I'm running low on money. I am more than happy to not upgrade my software if business conditions don't justify paying of the upgrade.

Look, subscriptions may work well for large stable companies and yes they may also make finance directors in software houses feel pleased with themselves, but they are the absolute death of small, nimble, entrepreneurial companies and sole traders.

So partly as a point of principle, I refuse point-blank to pay for my software by subscription.

Why is all this so darned complicated? I really don't have time for this.

OK for now I shall just sit this out.

J

UPDATE: Right on queue, Xara Team <info@mail.xara.com> just sent me an email saying "We are preparing for something BIG".
So I shall wait for Something Big.

[Acorn]

TBH, my head is swimming with all this. To get clear, are we saying that:

1. Customers can only buy a standalone copy of Xara from the [German] company Magix? YES
2. And that if a customer buys from xara.com (which presumably is the [UK] company that wrote the original versions of Xara) then the customer is compelled to buy something that comes with Cloud. In fact you can't truly "buy" anything all you can do is rent it via a subscription? YES
3. That there is a Covid-induced sale running that gives customers 50% off. YES
4. What about those of us who participated in the HiDPI Beta Testing...? I might have thought there would have been some reward...

Let me declare my hand a little.
A) I am a very long-term fan of Xara (since Xara Studio in 1994!) Many beat you
B) I even helped test Pro+ YES
C) But as an entrepreneur/sole trader I am only a sporadic user of Xara Designer. I tend to use it very intensively for short periods and then sometimes not at all for many months. Then use XDPX and wait for HiDPI or buy in sporadically
D) For this reason I personally HATE the subscription model with a passion. I do NOT want to suddenly find that I can't edit my own files if I'm running low on money. I am more than happy to not upgrade my software if business conditions don't justify paying of the upgrade. Your files are still editable; I always back-check to an earlier version automatically

Look, subscriptions may work well for large stable companies and yes they may also make finance directors in software houses feel pleased with themselves, but they are the absolute death of small, nimble, entrepreneurial companies and sole traders. No - I manage by subscribing only if I need it and use freeware (or build my own as I have the capability)

So partly as a point of principle, I refuse point-blank to pay for my software by subscription. You did ask
Why is all this so darned complicated? I really don't have time for this.
OK for now I shall just sit this out.
J

shipen, if you have followed my total detest of the Update Service in it present form, you will realise I do not roll over.

I used to pay a fortune for Adobe products and then got wise. I might drop Xara Designer Pro+ in due course but I can actual see it has got merit. If you build and support a couple of websites a year professionally then it will pay for itself.

You have fall-back licences to Xara Studio and most still cut the mustard.
If a later version has a feature you haven't then ask in TG.

You don't want Cloud+ and I am sure Xara will be weighing this up but at present it has to promote Xara Cloud as it has burnt through a lot of start-up money and needs to deliver a robust revenue stream.

Hypothetically, I could form a loose grouping of Xara Desktop application designers. I might call it Team TG. I then set up a Team+ account and provided I can convince more than two others to "join" then I could bill each £132/y, so my use of Xara's bundle would drop from £17/m to £11/m, as would the others. I have added a mark-up of 10% for admin and and other handling costs.

The gain is Team TG would be able to share assets through Cloud+ for no extra charge and the members would no longer be alone.
If we got to a membership of say 50+, I would actually raise the charge to £12.50/m each to pay for time to collate material into an XDA Knowledge Base (XKB).
The XKB would become a tangible asset that could be sold separately to any corporate entity, say Xara, at an equitable price. Let's try £250/m.
All members of Team TG would be partners and though AGMs we could allocate revenues fairly, with the usual posturing and arguments that such meetings engender! Those who want to leave would lose their share but could negotiate for another to buy their place so they could recoup remaining fees.

Those who don't want to use the Cloud+ and the XKB declare this at the AGM and are rebated back to £11/m.

@All - PM me if you want to partake and I will put my head to it and speak to Xara about its viability.

Acorn

[Jonopen]

Hehe, sometimes I think I've accidentally signed into the wrong forum!

[behzad]

I feel dizzy

[MB365]

I feel dizzy

Start using Xara Designer Pro+ with HiDPI support to solve your dizziness. Have to keep the humor around here sometimes.

Happy early Friday to all,
Matt

[Acorn]

Start using Xara Designer Pro+ with HiDPI support to solve your dizziness. Have to keep the humor around here sometimes.
Happy early Friday to all,
Matt

Come on Matt, even a "We're not thinking about separating Cloud+ from Pro+ at the moment, but ..." would have been kinder to those who cannot see the benefit of Cloud+ or a subscription model.

Look at it as a business opportunity.
You seem to value the bundle at £200/y with Pro+ only £50/y.
After year 1 at your current £100 offer, allow that who do not really want or need Cloud+ an ongoing rate of £125/y for access to Pro+, with limited Cloud functionality (Sign in, Web Preview, PDF Export, no Editing).
Everyone gains.

Acorn

[shiphen]

Anyone know if "Something Big" has happened yet?

[Acorn]

Anyone know if "Something Big" has happened yet?

Just the Patch release and:

• https://docs.xara.com/en/articles/40...-11th-may-2020
• https://docs.xara.com/en/articles/41...-4th-june-2020
• https://docs.xara.com/en/articles/41...17th-june-2020

We had a fanfare email with this image:

Attention: in the next days we will make a special release that we are sure you will love.

This is the release you've been waiting for! We can’t share details, but watch this space!

It came out on 04 June.

Had it been 04 May, we might have had:

This is the not release you've been waiting for!

I sort of guess it was the Cloud+ & Pro+ Bundle.

Acorn

[wizard509]

I feel dizzy

If it's physical try MECUZINE.