OK, getting much much clearer now for me. Trying to feel out a bit more-

On the example you showed, Bill, shows essentially your entire image on a single layer. Is there an advantage to doing it that way versus say having separate layers for everything?

If I'm reading it new features correctly for example, if you make a change to a text in one layer, doesn't that now get changed throughout using inheritance everywhere that same text appears? Does the same thing apply to a copied image, so you could have a blending or beveling tool on an image in separate layer from the original image? Giving you granualted controls over imagery even in the non-pro version, albeit more clunkily than the pro version (which is as it should be I suppose)?

I think the new pro interface is great-and nothing makes up for the loss of groups (soft and otherwise) in the Xtreme versus Pro comparison table...

I'm someone that's only ever dabbled in the vector arts, being a frustrated artist (meaning I can't draw a straight line WITH a ruler, lol). My skillset in Photoshop has gotten much much better over the past year, even with outdated tools-but I'm just now approaching the chasm between beginner and intermediate even there, I'm afraid.

And I've tried both Illustrator and Corel's Draw programs, very unsuccessfully to date-I just don't "get it" there like I do in Photoshop. I love what I see so far in xara, and I'm hoping I can use Xara Xtreme 5 to make that leap.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to get me a bit more up to speed as I make my way through the maze of choices herein...