Giving up on Xara! It's not commercial software...

[RickX]

RickX and Masque:
It's perfectly possible to give the UI a styling makeover just to make it contemporary without alienating existing users.

Exactly, just like the new C4D version, icons are the same but with a modern, restyle, the new layout is default, but you can change to the old layout if you like.

I always try hard never to get fashion and functionality mixed up.

You should stop trying unless your output is paper only, combining fashion and functionality is the key to create attractive interactivity.

And about those designers, they also pay XX% more for a macbook pro with less specs as a HP pro notebook.. because of OSX? oh no, because they want that shiny backlit apple logo on the back of their notebook and all are using a mac.

[pauland]

sure Paul we all do it from time to time, but I wouldn't buy a house or a car or a horse or anything I value like that, I would look all the available options, and I would look carefully

It's not about not looking in depth, it's about getting someone's attention in the first place. People decide to look further into things (or not) on their initial impression. Having something that looks like yesterdays technology , doesn't encourage people to look in more depth. They'll just move on.

Handrawn, if you think you aren't influenced by first looks and appearance you are wrong.

Paul

[RickX]

The attention xara need is when opening a ComputerArts magazine, seeing a new (OSX) version of xara, new fresh UI design, some eye catching features like use 3d vector text (they have the engine) and 3D objects, get again that 4.5/5 star rating and have a trial version included on the CD!

Releasing a new version of an aged looking app with bug fixes and some new regular features may satisfy existing users, but is not expanding your user base.

[handrawn]

It's not about not looking in depth, it's about getting someone's attention in the first place. People decide to look further into things (or not) on their initial impression. Having something that looks like yesterdays technology , doesn't encourage people to look in more depth. They'll just move on.

Handrawn, if you think you aren't influenced by first looks and appearance you are wrong.

Paul

At first glance that looks like horsemanure

Sorry now I look a bit closer I see that you are making a valid point.
As with all other temptations in life you can overcome shallowness of first impressions if you try.
Helps to have marketers as friends - boy do they open up your eyes

[Nuno]

There are some limitations for the custom size. Try creating a 40x40 pixels page.
Of course there are turnarounds, and that's what I'm doing

I love Xara, and can't stop repeating that. I learned a lot about design since I start using it.

The only thing I would like to see were improved import filters for .eps , .ai , .psd and .cdr so that we could open files with effects created in more recent versions of those programs.

[handrawn]

The attention xara need is when opening a ComputerArts magazine, seeing a new (OSX) version of xara, new fresh UI design, some eye catching features like use 3d vector text (they have the engine) and 3D objects, get again that 4.5/5 star rating and have a trial version included on the CD!

Releasing a new version of an aged looking app with bug fixes and some new regular features may satisfy existing users, but is not expanding your user base.

Go for it - they may give you a marketing job, you never know

Change the UI and I'll spend even more time with inkscape.
We are all different.

[Soquili]

And about those designers, they also pay XX% more for a macbook pro with less specs as a HP pro notebook.. because of OSX? oh no, because they want that shiny backlit apple logo on the back of their notebook and all are using a mac.

That is only because they know everyone knows they paid XX% more and so they 'must' be making more money than those that bought the HP Pro notebook. Nothing to do with the style, only the impression of being paid more.

In the ancient past (a couple of decades at least ) that was known as "keeping up with the Jones's".

[RickX]

Go for it - they may give you a marketing job, you never know

Will be cool , if they offer jobs working remote (Netherlands)....

Change the UI and I'll spend even more time with inkscape.

Utilities -> Options -> Tab UI -> Choose from Dropdown: 'Classic UI' -> Save settings now.. you're happy?

[pauland]

Go for it - they may give you a marketing job, you never know

Change the UI and I'll spend even more time with inkscape.
We are all different.

LOL

Someone needs to be doing a marketing job.. ..harsh I know. What is scary is that the marketing of Xtreme to the general public probably damages the Xara brand to professionals. After all, if you're a professional, how can you possibly use software that uncle Joe has just bought for $60 to retouch his photos with. It may well be (and often is) that Xtreme will do as good a job as the $$$$ rival software, but it is an uphill struggle to convince someone who's used to spending big bucks for software that this cheap application (sold to joe public for photo album retouching) is anywhere in the same league as that nifty Adobe software all his peers use.

Saying that any changes to a UI will be detrimental to you is a pretty bizarre statement. How can you say that something is better or worse before you've even seen it?

Paul

[handrawn]

Utilities -> Options -> Tab UI -> Choose from Dropdown: 'Classic UI' -> Save settings now.. you're happy?

Sounds like something I could live with

Oh and 'mixed up' in the idiomatic sense I used it means mistaking one thing for the other - different meaning to 'combining'. No probs.