xara.com getting even further from the Xara DEsigner products?

[David Strover]

I do the majority of my web design in XDP X15 as well as general graphic design. I've now started looking elsewhere for a replacement product(s) as I'm really worried about the future of the desktop product because (1) it seems to be disappearing from the Internet before my eyes, (2) none of the promised regular feature releases have happened, and (3) the response from Xara themselves is silence.

I've seen this happen before with other companies/products and the end result has not been good.

I really hope I'm wrong but I'm preparing the lifeboat.

Me too Steve. I find the whole situation concerning and I think it is deliberate too.

May I ask what you are looking at? I've downloaded Inkscape and have started doing their tutorials, my big problem is I found Xara very easy to use very quickly whereas as Adobe style products, my wife has Photoshop for instance, I just don't find intuitive.

I'd appreciate anyone's advice.

[iamtheblues]

Affinity Designer is probably what you are looking for. Affinity Photo too, if you work in vector and bitmaps.

LINK For Designer (Windows and Mac) €55 each ~ no subscription, regular updates!

[David Strover]

Affinity Designer is probably what you are looking for. Affinity Photo too, if you work in vector and bitmaps.

LINK For Designer (Windows and Mac) €55 each ~ no subscription, regular updates!

I have looked at Affinity Designer but the problem I have is it seems very Adobe-centric and it's probably only me but I have a real problem with the controls of Adobe - it is the way my brain is wired I do realise but it can be very frustrating when something doesn't follow the way my logic works

[stevegill]

May I ask what you are looking at? I've downloaded Inkscape and have started doing their tutorials, my big problem is I found Xara very easy to use very quickly whereas as Adobe style products, my wife has Photoshop for instance, I just don't find intuitive.

I haven't really found anything suitable yet. For websites I have looked at the Coffee Cup products and WYSIWYG WebBuilder. For general graphic design work I haven't found anything I like so far.

[slavelle]

Well, based on the responses thus far, it looks like I am far from alone.

And here we are several days later and no response from Xara and not from the new ceo specifically.

I am looking at Affinity like many here, but honestly, the learning curve is there to deal with and it would have to knock it completely out to get my money.

We don't really use a lot of web features in Xara except for two things... 1 design mockups with some live parts that are just better than a flat jpg and 2. Splash pages, which are really easy and fast. It may stay around for the second option, but I really don't want to support Xara with things going SO far away from the desktop, even when the core of that part of the program has been begging for years for new and improved drawing tools and what we get is more and more dumbed down, cloud based, least common denominator desktop software... With no new drawing tools and a complete lack of respect for the very users who made Xara even possible to look at professionally. But they seem to want to give that all away for the entry level masses, even at the pro versions... Provided you can find them. SMH.

[onlye]

I haven't really found anything suitable yet. For websites I have looked at the Coffee Cup products and WYSIWYG WebBuilder. For general graphic design work I haven't found anything I like so far.

stevegill,

please share your exploration of website replacement software. i am also taking a look at Coffee Cup responsive designer and have downloaded WYSIWYG WebBuilder.
thanks,
eric

[David Strover]

stevegill,

please share your exploration of website replacement software. i am also taking a look at Coffee Cup responsive designer and have downloaded WYSIWYG WebBuilder.
thanks,
eric

Not sure what Mobirise is like but apparently it is free and gets good reviews.

[webmaster]

Guys, calm yourselves, please, there is no impending doom! Remember we have just released an update, and it had at least 2 features that have been much requested (tables and text in shapes). I thought you'd be pleased with those!! I know it was delayed, and that was bad for you and us, but remember it was still the third update in the last 12 months.

The Xara website has changed because Magix are now responsible for the marketing, we are focusing our marketing efforts on Xara Cloud, as we announced at the time. The Magix site gets MUCH more traffic than xara.com, so you shouldn't see that as an ominous thing for the future of Xara. The information is there on magix.com, and what's more much of it is still on xara.com for now (probably best to bookmark xara.com/products).

I know our CEO Matt has answered quite a few emails from TG members, and he has responded to some individual posts, plus there is a link to his Open Letter at the top of this page (which includes his email address). I don't think I can add any valuable extra info to what he says there, but I am trying to answer any new questions as they come up, and Rob from Xara support is also still visible here in the forums. We may not be doing the marketing any more, but desktop is still very much part of our lives!

Kate

[csehz]

desktop is still very much part of our lives!

Thank you that is good to read.

Not envying your role in these days, respect that you stand tall, although can not agree that 'tables and text in shapes' are big changes. Some new tools or developments in the existing ones in the core part of the program, those would deserve to be named as real developments

[haakoo]

Guys, calm yourselves, please, there is no impending doom! Remember we have just released an update, and it had at least 2 features that have been much requested (tables and text in shapes). I thought you'd be pleased with those!! I know it was delayed, and that was bad for you and us, but remember it was still the third update in the last 12 months.

The Xara website has changed because Magix are now responsible for the marketing, we are focusing our marketing efforts on Xara Cloud, as we announced at the time. The Magix site gets MUCH more traffic than xara.com, so you shouldn't see that as an ominous thing for the future of Xara. The information is there on magix.com, and what's more much of it is still on xara.com for now (probably best to bookmark xara.com/products).

I know our CEO Matt has answered quite a few emails from TG members, and he has responded to some individual posts, plus there is a link to his Open Letter at the top of this page (which includes his email address). I don't think I can add any valuable extra info to what he says there, but I am trying to answer any new questions as they come up, and Rob from Xara support is also still visible here in the forums. We may not be doing the marketing any more, but desktop is still very much part of our lives!

Kate

Sorry but this isn't what was promised;"we will make updates on a more regular basis instead of one new version a year", when will you start with that?

New features or tools are simply not there,only what you think should be.
Fixing a selfmade fault is not an update.
Javascript object is not an update
pre-designed content is not an update

It's very condescending to give a diplomatic answer once again,don't you think?
It's like a mommy telling its kids "because I said so"

Why don't you come forward with a roadmap to put our minds at ease,
just to make sure you're really working on it.

Don't give us that petty excuse that it is confidential,your competitor from Nottingham has no issues with it.
Having a business is taking chances and you would gain by doing so,
because if you read the posts very good,you have a lot to lose.

Amaze us with real engagement and put your money where your mouth is.

If you are not entitled to do so,rattle the cage in Berlin