Add platform, it's done before...

[Michael]

Way back (around 1999) Computer Concepts tried to port Xara to Linux. The Xara LX package is still to be found in repositories .

I have been using Linux, out of curiosity, on a regular base. Xara ( tested up to v 18) runs under Wine, albeit starting the program takes considerable time. Xara LX can be added to the OS if one knows how to find the proper libraries.

Considering the direction Microsoft moves with Windows and the tribulations one has to make to make it work ( GPT-partioning, TPM-modules activated, UEFI-boot sequence) I expect a lot of people will jump the wagon and switch operating system/environment.

Would it be a good idea to revive Xara LX? Or could the folks at Gaddesden Place try to port the program to Linux? I certainly would be interested and knowing that the competition is sparse on Linux (only Inkscape on that territory) I believe that there lies a opportunity.

What are your thoughts?

[handrawn]

xara cloud is platform independant - I would not be surprised if xara gmbh's direction would be to put an online version of xara designer in place which would be platform independant; but of course, subscription based as pro+ is; this is not going to happen in the near future though

there is I think zero chance of it being ported to any other platform as a desktop program, not the way the company is moving

[pauland]

I don't see the market share for Linux being enticing for Xara and if they were to revive a platform based on market share it would probably be Mac.

Generally I think handrawn has the correct answer to your question.

Xara doesn't seem to have the resources to make another platform-specific port or the will to do so.

[bwood]

I’d kiss the ground if they made for Mac. The Mac platform is sadly lacking a program like Xara. There’s always Dreamweaver but that’s a heated discussion.

[Acorn]

Xara Cloud is an instance of Xara's Pro+ desktop application on Xara's servers (or Cloud).
It is a long way off being fit for creating rich websites that Pro+ is brilliantly capable of.
Xara have positioned Xara Cloud into a business-centric niche where branding is king.
Webbie stuff has taken a back seat.

The iteration cycle of making a design change in "previewing" is way too long.
Xara needs to be able to switch mode on a click.

What fun when Office 365 goes into the Cloud and we are running Windows through a browser on a Mac to then run our XDA through a browser.

Acorn

[Michael]

I'm quiet suprised by some of the answers.

I use Xara since its incarnation for what it was designed for in the first place: Drawing!.

And in that area it's unsurpassed. The fluidity and shear ease of (vector) drawing tools is what make Xara Designer stand out with the likes of Illustrator, Inkscape and can even hold it's own with Krita. Combined with its fast bitmap rendering and intricate use of Fx it's a illustrator's dream.

And, yes, it's capable of DTP and even can make web pages but first of all an illustrator's and drawing tool. And there is simply no other program as fast and fun to use. Considering the core program was made for the Acorn in the 90's I personally believe that a port would be feasable. (That was not a question)

[wizard509]

I have thought about it but stay with windows because of Xara.