VERY DISAPPOINTING: New Web Theme Templates

[tmw775]

The 20 new web theme templates are a huge disappointment and does not demonstrate a commitment to subscribers for high-quality, thoughtful content.

The templates appear to have been put together by a newbie rather than a person who is skilled with the software and understands effective presentation and/or basic SEO principals.

Generally, the entire collection of web themes updated as "Creative Websites" are disappointing. However, let's take just one example - the "SPA" website template:
a) It's a simple template reminiscent of designs from 15 years ago.
b) There are very few technical features (which Xara boasts about) used in its design.
c) Google web crawlers would be quick to recognize a variety of problems with the design. Unreadable/difficult-to-read font is just a start.

We (the subscribers) have been waiting a LONG time for new website designs from Xara. We were hopeful that the new designs would be (at least) competitive with some modern Wordpress designs, or thoughtful, beyond comparison, to some of the xaratemplates.com designs. However, what we got was a collection of more representative of kindergarten work product than graduate school work product.

Xara boasts about the 100's new feature/usability sets in their software. So, why did Xara feel it was not necessary to demonstrate the dazzling and innovative design features in the web theme template release?

Xara - please offer a completely new set of website templates that are respectful to your company and your subscribers. We are thirsting for innovation - not humdrum.

I am a huge supporter of Xara, and have been for many years. PLEASE - PLEASE - use your engineering prowess and experience to design and re-invigorate your website template offerings in the Content Catalog! PLEASE. If your in-house staff cannot do it or do not have the time, please hire an outside party to do it.

[Acorn]

@tmw775, a man after my own heart.

I looked at the SPA design and noticed:

• Five simple pages that were fairly low payloads - better therefore as a Scrolling Website.
  
  • Of course, SEO takes a dive for a Scrolling website.
  • The "jump" from page to page was very noticeable, especially with adding an unnecessary Fade in for the blocks.
  • The Logo Fade in up Reveal animation fires on every page change. A total distraction. The animation fades under a static Logo on all but the Home page, making it look weird.
  • No concept of "above the fold" with a large hero image wasting useful space.
  
  
• A Main and a Variant that were 960 & 480px but failed to address larger monitor resolutions but not having Scale to fit width enabled.
  
  • 13pt Arial as Default across both is appalling.
  • Amethysta with Arial do not mesh at all. Cinzel is "unusual".
  • Using Times New Roman for the Variant Hamburger is out there.
  
  
• The use of Text Lines bizarre; difficult to align - see the About page.
  
  • The lack of a Guides layer...
  
  
• A Xara NavBar with no sub-menu. Simple buttons/text would be better.
  
  • The roll-over triangles do not distinguish from the rollover action and the current page.
  
  
• A whole two Theme colours. Using Palette from Photo offers five and 21 Themed colours altogether.
  
  • The overall contrast was poor. Text (#817a74) against a Background (#e7dfd7) is asking for it.
  
  
• Images with White edges as part of the bitmap.
  
  • For a "spa" website, no image corner rounding or feathering to soften the presentation. [Hint: Convert to editable shapes to get the Rounding Blue control]
  • No balance of image to adjacent text blocks.

As always no explanation for why random Names are invokedor what Effects are being used.
The need for <style> .front { z-index: 99999;} .hide { visibility: hidden;} </style> still has me stumped.

I build my own as I can control my mistakes and far prefer XaraTemplates.com.

Acorn

[behzad]

I agree with both of you. Xara needs the community to build its brand. Xaratemplates.com is one of the bigger contributions plus a few others like acorn that Xara depends for its glory. Xara is not the leading software of neither illustration like work or web design, their main focus is now on the cloud, however that is also being challenged by many other companies. I do not think Xara is trying to impress anyone, they just keep to the basics and keep the user base they acquired years ago.

[Boy]

I agree with both of you. Xara needs the community to build its brand. Xaratemplates.com is one of the bigger contributions plus a few others like acorn that Xara depends for its glory.

... and like Xtom with XT-CMS.