Confused

[mentorman]

Hi folks, I in my dotage have become somewhat confused. For some time now a pop up encouraging me to take up the time limited offer on xara designer pro x18 for £74. As I have signed up to the annual renewal ( which I think is due in September) should I not have received the "updates" quoted in the advert as a matter of my subscription anyway. Or is this yet another xara offspring? Being of a feeble minded generation have I been confused by yet another carefully worded enticing representation of another Xara programme which I am being conned into buying. Have searched through everything without enlightenment.
My version is Xara Xara Designer Pro X 18.0.0.61642 DL x64 Mar 18 2021.
Can anyone help an old man with his confusion please?

Ken

[Boy]

This popup is apparently sent to many, if not all XDP 18 users, even to those who renewed their update service recently. I consider it to be a Magix glitch and ignore it (i.e., click it away).

However, as the renewal date for your update service is next month, you might want to consider the offer. What I don't know is, whether Magix will add a year's service as of the expiry date in September. You might want to contact them: https://www.magix.info/us/support/ar...ate-service--4.

[mentorman]

Thanks Boy, it is rather remiss of them to allow such confusion which is why I intimated a marketing ploy and these days par for the course with a lot of companies but not very fair to loyal customers. Still doesn't explain why these "new" features are NOT included in updates to those who already have the subscription which apparently covers such improvements automatically, and it seems that you only get them if you take up the offer. Not what I signed up for. Will see what response or enlightenment I can get from Magix and report my findings if any
Ken

[Boy]

With your current subscription, you have the latest version of XDP. So, you're not missing out on anything. Until September -- i.e., the date of expiry of your update service -- you will receive all updates to the program, free of charge, if there are any. In such cases, when you open the program, a notification will appear prompting you to update. You can always do your own check for updates by going to Help/Check for updates....

[mentorman]

Thanks Boy, but still confused. Have checked my renewal which isn't due until end October this year. I assume that the 9th August which is the date for this upgrade is also shown on the programme details stored at Magix. All being equal I cannot find out whether the upgrade begins on the date when you take the offer up or from the renewal date of the 365 account. It is a saving of around £20 which is not due until the renewal date.
The point I am trying to make is that the " new features" offered to someone taking up the discount offer are NOT included in any updates for my version of X18. If they are available and being sold why are they not issued to existing 365 users as per the contract.
Perhaps someone from Magix could clarify here please perhaps by having a better description of which xara product they are referring to?

[Acorn]

If you chose to "upgrade" now the year is added to the end of your current subscription.
Only do this if the Magix "offer" of a free product is what you actually want, and I mean want.
The date of your renewal and activation becomes the roll back point for you. So if you were silly enough to do so now you would potentially lose of of the updates all the way back to v18.0.
As you have time in hand, hold off to v18.1 where all the promised updates will then be under your belt.

Remember Magix's Update Service is a con as you are paying for features you will possibly lose should you be out of cover and have to re-install. Use the features, roll back to an earlier version and you have lost the edit capability of them.

Acorn

[Boy]

I assume that the 9th August which is the date for this upgrade is also shown on the programme details stored at Magix.

No, August 9 is just the final date of the discounted upgrade price. At least, that's what Magix says. Quite often the offer is extended, sometimes indefinitely.

All being equal I cannot find out whether the upgrade begins on the date when you take the offer up or from the renewal date of the 365 account. It is a saving of around £20 which is not due until the renewal date.

Read Acorn's first two sentences for an answer. But also the third sentence of his reply has interesting information (that I didn't know). So, better wait till October when your update service is about to expire to make your final decision.

The point I am trying to make is that the " new features" offered to someone taking up the discount offer are NOT included in any updates for my version of X18. If they are available and being sold why are they not issued to existing 365 users as per the contract.
Perhaps someone from Magix could clarify here please perhaps by having a better description of which xara product they are referring to?

As I said earlier, you have the latest version of XDP 18, so you will not receive any new features following up on the upgrade offer. Like I said, I believe it's a Magix glitch.

[handrawn]

my two penny'th

magix want you to update early - more money in the bank for them

as others have said. ignore it; wait until your update service is due to expire; you will lose nothing meantime; anything that is updated up to that point you will still get

[mentorman]

Thanks guys for the usual sage advice. As I suspected a confusing marketing ploy to "liberate" our wallets. Cannot see why companies who had a winning programme did not develop it to make it world class. If they put as much effort into development as they do into snake oil salesmanship they would be top of the heap ( but of course less wealthy)

Hey ho! welcome to the world of 21st C commercialism
Ken ( certified dinosaur)