Just Released: A New Version of Web Designer

[Acorn]

@katemoir - this still does not hang together.
Can you elaborate on a few User Scenarios, without asking just us to read the Guarantee?

Scenario 1
A user buys XWD365P at v12.0.0 and renews annually for three years.
After letting the Guarantee lapse, what version can the user download for a clean install?

Scenario 2
A user buys XWD365P at v12.4.0 and renews annually for two years.
After letting the Guarantee lapse, what version can the user download for a clean install?

Scenario 3
A user buys XWD365P at v12.0.0 and lets the Guarantee lapse.
There have been 27 bug fixes and 6 updates to v12.6.0. What version can the user download 3 months later for a clean install?

Scenario 4
A user buys XWD365P at v12.4.0 and lets the Guarantee lapse.
There have been 23 bug fixes and 5 updates to v13.2.0. What version can the user download 15 months later for a clean install?

Feel free to change the scenarios if you can illustrate any aspect more effectively.

Acorn

[Egg Bramhill]

All good points Acorn. I also note Xara's almost total silence re the new computer / new hard drive situation.

[digitalphaser]

In my opinion Xara has problems with the ideas and the development.

Perhaps a good idea would be a partial move to open source. 1000 developers are better than 10.
Look what was Blender 3D 10 years ago and now. Blender's Cycles render partially better than Keyshot for 2000€.
Now Xara is expensive "oldtimer" for enthusiasts.

I can understand Adobe or Hi-End rendering/3D systems that offer subscription model. These products are mostly unique. This software is almost impossible to replace.
What can Xara offer irreplaceable ? Motley packaging, attractive demo video and parallax are too few for innovative product. I doubt that Xara will be able within 5 years to reach even level of Corel Draw+PhotoPaint X7. I mean graphic editor.

Software for creating pseudo websites I do not take seriously. XWD is FrontPage of the 90s.

For me, XDP remains a favorite tool for rapid prototyping. But only as "roustabout" for a serious software. For subscription model is too weak.

[handrawn]

All good points Acorn. I also note Xara's almost total silence re the new computer / new hard drive situation.

I think that's because it's an activation issue and that's down to Magix, not Xara - see posts #13 #14 and #24] here: http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...808#post551808

so according to katemoir that needs clarifiying with magix...

[Boy]

@katemoir - this still does not hang together.
Can you elaborate on a few User Scenarios, without asking just us to read the Guarantee?

Scenario 1
A user buys XWD365P at v12.0.0 and renews annually for three years.
After letting the Guarantee lapse, what version can the user download for a clean install?

Scenario 2
A user buys XWD365P at v12.4.0 and renews annually for two years.
After letting the Guarantee lapse, what version can the user download for a clean install?

Scenario 3
A user buys XWD365P at v12.0.0 and lets the Guarantee lapse.
There have been 27 bug fixes and 6 updates to v12.6.0. What version can the user download 3 months later for a clean install?

Scenario 4
A user buys XWD365P at v12.4.0 and lets the Guarantee lapse.
There have been 23 bug fixes and 5 updates to v13.2.0. What version can the user download 15 months later for a clean install?

Feel free to change the scenarios if you can illustrate any aspect more effectively.

Acorn

Great post, Acorn, you distilled the whole issue into a set of clear and concise questions/problem statements. I too would appreciate it if we got precise, unambiguous answers from Xara.

[katemoir]

@katemoir - this still does not hang together.
Can you elaborate on a few User Scenarios, without asking just us to read the Guarantee?

Scenario 1
A user buys XWD365P at v12.0.0 and renews annually for three years.
After letting the Guarantee lapse, what version can the user download for a clean install?

Scenario 2
A user buys XWD365P at v12.4.0 and renews annually for two years.
After letting the Guarantee lapse, what version can the user download for a clean install?

Scenario 3
A user buys XWD365P at v12.0.0 and lets the Guarantee lapse.
There have been 27 bug fixes and 6 updates to v12.6.0. What version can the user download 3 months later for a clean install?

Scenario 4
A user buys XWD365P at v12.4.0 and lets the Guarantee lapse.
There have been 23 bug fixes and 5 updates to v13.2.0. What version can the user download 15 months later for a clean install?

Feel free to change the scenarios if you can illustrate any aspect more effectively.

Acorn

So after 365 days, if you don't upgrade again / renew and you install on a new computer it reverts back to the version you last purchased. If you buy it today that is 12.0 and if you don't upgrade next year then when you come to reinstall it will be 12.0 (plus as mentioned before bug fixes, if any, released for that version). If instead you buy 6 months from now and the current version at that time is, let's say, 12.4 then 12.4 is what you have a perpetual license to and 12.4 is what a re-installation would fall back to 12 months later if you didn't renew. And so on, for all your scenarios - and it doesn't make any difference if your 'last purchase' is a first time purchase or upgrade.

If you have considered the details as carefully as Acorn you will wonder how you reinstall next year, if you don't renew. The current plan is to make the download you are entitled to available in your service center (as those of you with long memories will recall we used to do prior to v6) and that download will be the version you purchased with any appropriate bug fixes, if any have been released for that version. So for example if you bought 12.0.0 you might find it called 12.0.0.1

[PhilM]

I hesitate to step into this maelstrom, but by applying Kate's answer I believe the specific answers to Acorn's questions are:

1. v15.0.0.0 + bug fixes
2. v14.4.0.0 + bug fixes
3. v12.0.0.0 + 27 bug fixes
4. v12.4.0.0 + 23 bug fixes

That's my best understanding of the system. But I may be wrong.

Phil

[mwenz]

Thanks, Phil.

Mike

[handrawn]

If you have considered the details as carefully as Acorn you will wonder how you reinstall next year, if you don't renew. The current plan is to make the download you are entitled to available in your service center (as those of you with long memories will recall we used to do prior to v6) and that download will be the version you purchased with any appropriate bug fixes, if any have been released for that version. So for example if you bought 12.0.0 you might find it called 12.0.0.1

thanks for that clarification too

[Acorn]

@katemoir & @PhilM - thank you for both responding.

I probably will renew now I have the assurance that you are major versioning every year and my renewal will ensure access to that major version and not my purchased one.

I have enough smarts to ensure that if my Registry is trashed, I can reconstruct things.
What rankles is a machine trash or re-install drops me back to my purchased / renewed version.

When out of Guarantee cover, I strongly suggest a re-install ought to retain the last update (and bug fixes) as a wonderful customer services offering.

Almost back to singing Xara's praises,
Acorn