Sad Day

[webmaster]

Returning to the question of Photo & Graphic Designer vs Designer Pro:

@ handrawn - PGD does in fact have Scribble Select, sorry if this is not mentioned in the Release Notes but it was added in an Update Service update last year.

Also sorry if I caused confusion with my comment about multi-page documents. Yes PGD does support multiple pages but it does not have many of the text handling features that might be required for creating long flowing documents, which we don't think is or is likely to be a common use case for PGD. You can see these under DTP on http://www.xara.com/designer-pro/compare/. For that sort of document you'll need Page & Layout Designer or Designer Pro.

Pantone. Our Pantone license does not cover PGD and given the eye watering cost of it I don't think it's likely that we'll add it to PGD, given that usage amongst PGD owners as a whole would be quite low. Again if you need that then the option is Designer Pro.

So in summary, if you are only using Pro for illustration, animation or graphic design / photo work where you are not going to commercial print (if you require Pantone), then you might want to consider changing to PGD.

Kate Moir

[xtom]

Fact is Designer Pro is(/has been) the flagship program and suggesting vetern Pro users who have upgraded pro year in year out to switch to cut back versions of the software is a bit insulting. These people have been using the sofware for years and I suspect they know the features they need that are only available in pro. The increased upgrade pirce might have been a less bitter pill to swallow if not for witnessing the cloud version steamrolling over the desktop apps for the past year or two.

[Acorn]

...witnessing the cloud version steamrolling over the desktop apps for the past year or two.

@Kate, talking about Steam, can we have a clarification around the Steam Store.

Steam offer Xara Designer Pro X 15 Steam Edition for £69.50 (https://store.steampowered.com/app/7...Steam_Edition/).
So I could buy this and despite its renewal and update limitations, buy it next year and continue, at a far cheaper price than your Update Service.
What I find bemusing is it is "owned" by Magix:

DEVELOPER: Magix Software GmbH
PUBLISHER: Magix Software GmbH

Acorn

[Rik]

Fact is Designer Pro is(/has been) the flagship program and suggesting vetern Pro users who have upgraded pro year in year out to switch to cut back versions of the software is a bit insulting. These people have been using the sofware for years and I suspect they know the features they need that are only available in pro. The increased upgrade pirce might have been a less bitter pill to swallow if not for witnessing the cloud version steamrolling over the desktop apps for the past year or two.

Totally agree.

[webmaster]

Hi Rik, xtom - the suggestion came from Mike #19, and is prompted by the fact that we've migrated some features from Pro to PGD, so owners have an valid reason to reconsider what's right for them. Of course we would be very happy to see you stick with Designer Pro!

@ Acorn, I don't know very much about the Steam version I'm afraid, but I can ask Magix. What was the question?

Kate Moir

[Acorn]

@ Acorn, I don't know very much about the Steam version I'm afraid, but I can ask Magix. What was the question? Kate Moir

Kate, the question is Steam users get XDPX15 at a vastly cheaper price than we do through the Update Service. Why are these prices not favourably adjusted as I believe the Steam fee for moderate sales is as much as 30%? Loyalty to Xara is squandered if Magix pockets its cut before any gets to Xara through the Update Service and Magix gets it all, seemingly, through Steam sales. The second question is how is XDPX claimed to be marketed as developed and published by Magix. Where is Xara in all this?

Acorn

[pauland]

Where is Xara in all this?

On 30 January 2007, Xara was acquired by German company MAGIX, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary.

Magix = Xara. Xara = Magix

Magix does get it all and has done for the last ten years.

[handrawn]

indeed...

perhaps someone will confirm that the newly created Xara GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of Magix [or not] .... ?

[webmaster]

Kate, the question is Steam users get XDPX15 at a vastly cheaper price than we do through the Update Service. Why are these prices not favourably adjusted as I believe the Steam fee for moderate sales is as much as 30%? Loyalty to Xara is squandered if Magix pockets its cut before any gets to Xara through the Update Service and Magix gets it all, seemingly, through Steam sales. The second question is how is XDPX claimed to be marketed as developed and published by Magix. Where is Xara in all this?

Acorn

Magix Software distribute our desktop titles (see https://www.talkgraphics.com/showthr...S-WITH-PARTNER) so don't worry, we get revenue whatever channel they sell through! I don't know much about Steam but I have been asked similar questions about Amazon special offers before, and I suspect the answer is similar - they are a law unto themselves and while the logic behind their pricing decisions isn't always obvious to us, they normally have a higher plan! In this instance it looks like a temporary special offer, and it looks like a good deal (though bear in mind that Steam versions are somewhat different - I'm told no hosting including, no Update Service and bear in mind that they don't sell upgrades, so you have to repurchase for updates).

Good spot on the developer, will ask them to change that (assuming it can be set on a product by product basis in one channel).

Kate Moir

[Acorn]

Magix Software distribute our desktop titles (see https://www.talkgraphics.com/showthr...S-WITH-PARTNER) so don't worry, we get revenue whatever channel they sell through! I don't know much about Steam but I have been asked similar questions about Amazon special offers before, and I suspect the answer is similar - they are a law unto themselves and while the logic behind their pricing decisions isn't always obvious to us, they normally have a higher plan! In this instance it looks like a temporary special offer, and it looks like a good deal (though bear in mind that Steam versions are somewhat different - I'm told no hosting including, no Update Service and bear in mind that they don't sell upgrades, so you have to repurchase for updates).

Good spot on the developer, will ask them to change that (assuming it can be set on a product by product basis in one channel).

Kate Moir

Kate, thank you. I have never enjoyed the Steam or amazon reseller approach and now we can advise the risk of no Update Service, no hosting (which would drop the price by £23.30 anyhow) and critically no bug updates.

You pay your money and take your chance.
Caveat emptor,
Acorn