Why Xara Designer Pro+

[Acorn]

I have an email from that compares Xara Designer Pro+ with "Other Xara Desktop".


I can only assume the "Limited" is referencing the Xara Desktop applications that are not Xara Designer Pro.

What is more unsettling is the number of updates a year.
A time back, on joining as CEO, Matt Bolton addressed us with https://www.talkgraphics.com/showthr...EO-Matt-Bolton.
His "We will continue, as we always have, to release new features and performance improvements on a consistent basis." is now two times a year: the first is a major marketing release that Magix insists on. The second is a bug fix release as the first has next to little proper beta testing.

My take:

For those on the Magix Update Service, you ideally need to ensure your renewal date is after the second release to realise any real benefit.
Those a month before have potentially a buggy version for six months and a less buggy version for a further five.
In, accepting the next version, and not renewing the Update Service, you could face a buggy new version and to regress, you fall back to the buggy prior one.

Even as late as https://www.talkgraphics.com/showthr...150#post625150 in June, MB365 (Matt) neglected to advise the four updates a year he previously mentioned was now two.

Acorn

---

	Designer Pro+	Other Xara Desktop
Version	20.4	17.0
Features	All Photo, Illustration, Web, DTP	Limited
Updates	10+/year Always current	2/year Wait for update service
Distribution	Xara	Resellers like Magix
Support	Modern, real-time chat with industry leading response times	Standard
Offer	Lock in 50% discount today & future credit for update service	None
Cloud	Free	None

[handrawn]

a gradual reduction in service usually means a sidelining of the product...

updates to pro+ 10 in the year
updates to 'other' 2 a year

at that rate it is not going to be too long before pro+ is way ahead in features, and the 'other' versions trailing way behind, so far behind that they will just, well, languish in the shadows...

[ https://www.talkgraphics.com/showthr...197#post629197 ]

I do not know for sure if it was always Xara's intention to finesse a subscription model this way, but it is no real surprise is it...

[behzad]

To be honest with the updates that I have seen for the + so far, I am not going to write home about them, so the xara pro with 2 updates a year is enough as if I will use those new updates. I am not loosing sleep over this.

[Boy]

I have an email from that compares Xara Designer Pro+ with "Other Xara Desktop".

You forgot (or maybe not) to mention the sender.

Quite a bit of interesting news but also confusing because XDP has the same (albeit not as up-to-date) feature set as XDP+.

[Chris M]

To be honest with the updates that I have seen for the + so far, I am not going to write home about them, so the xara pro with 2 updates a year is enough as if I will use those new updates. I am not loosing sleep over this.

I'll second that thought process. For me personally, the price jump from Web Premium to Pro+ is a larger step than Pro to Pro+ so the extra updates have to be even more special. Also SAAS. Only sellers like that, buyers don't.

[Acorn]

You forgot (or maybe not) to mention the sender.
Quite a bit of interesting news but also confusing because XDP has the same (albeit not as up-to-date) feature set as XDP+.

Boy, i was focusing on the "new normal" comparison of Xara Designer Pro+ with the Magix Update Service version.

The sender was Ana a.k.a. info@mail.xara.com.

Here is a view of the email content. The missing icons are a small rocket:



I have not included the original as it has my email.

Acorn

[Boy]

Boy, i was focusing on the "new normal" comparison of Xara Designer Pro+ with the Magix Update Service version.

Increased update frequency sounds tempting but I wonder about the quality of these updates. Perhaps tomorrow mgmt. starts to focus on something else again.

[Promidi]

I hope we can at least see a November 2020 update for Designer Pro X that incorporates all the improvements that have been added to Designer Pro X+ (sans cloud stuff).

There is also another possibility. We have to wait until Designer Pro X 18 in 2021 for the next update.

[wizard509]

I hope we can at least see a November 2020 update for Designer Pro X that incorporates all the improvements that have been added to Designer Pro X+ (sans cloud stuff).

There is also another possibility. We have to wait until Designer Pro X 18 in 2021 for the next update.

Yeah me too.

[Initiostar]

I hope we can at least see a November 2020 update for Designer Pro X that incorporates all the improvements that have been added to Designer Pro X+ (sans cloud stuff).

There is also another possibility. We have to wait until Designer Pro X 18 in 2021 for the next update.

As regards to enhancing Designer Pro X, it may not be in Xara's commercial interests to promote a true competitive product / (alternative pricing model) though its Magix reseller channel. Pro will get upgraded at some time, but maybe not with all the new goodies (whatever they might be).

It is sadly crass marketing on behalf of Xara and naïve at best to assume the majority of its historic customer base (handed-over to Magix) are going to roll-over and sign-up to a new Xara Pro+ @ circa £100 per annum (after the 50% discount).

Personally, I see no merit in maintaining a Magix Upgrade Service at £99 per annum either, when there is no visibility/roadmap/ timescale for any upgrade.

My current ongoing Xara cost is zero – when Pro v18 (or whatever it is called) appears, maybe in March 2021, it will be worth a look. Meantime and with many thanks to TG support, I'm staying put with Pro v17.