Sad update for users of the perpetual licence of Designer Pro X19

[handrawn]

sadly expected, yes; in fact, looking at the way magix' product range is managed, expected from the moment designer pro + was released

thanks for the info, it is good to know these things so you can make sensible decisions for the furure...

[browj2]

Expected but it sucks.

Xara products have been and still are a part of Magix video products, Video Pro X, Magix Movie Studio (was renamed from Movie Edit Pro, Video Deluxe in other languages) and PhotoStory. The current version has a couple of bugs in the interface between the two products making what should be and was, at one time, a fantastic feature not available with most other video editing programs.
https://youtu.be/SDg86J-WUfA
Part of this bug has been there for several years now and my requests to fix it have fallen on deaf ears. I want these fixed, then Xara can go away - no need for further updates.

It is not clear if there will be any more updates to the desktop version from Xara itself and I am one who does not want a subscription to a program such as this and I do not like or want to use a Cloud-based program. Will Xara continue with the desktop version? If so, can I subscribe for a year every once in a while just to get the desktop version? And does the desktop version continue to work as before even if the subscription is no longer active?

Say what you want about Magix, but the Xara program always came from Xara, Magix just marketed and sold it (and used it with some of their other programs). Xara has gone in a different direction and its development no longer has any relevance to the Magix line of products. Magix is not in the web design or brochure or document making business and that is where Xara has gone. Magix makes audio-video products and the synergy is no longer there. If I was Magix, I would rebrand Xara Photo & Graphics Designer as Magix Graphics. No need for any updating except to fix bugs.

[handrawn]

magix DAW products are very good - that is where they started, and they remain excellent; the rest I have always seen, rightly or wrongly, as 'remainder' products, milking what is near, or has reached, the end of it's life, for as long as people will buy it

whether the update service will continue is a good point - the program code belongs to xara afaik, if there is no longer 'cooperation' what can actually be updated ?

I am ok, I can do all I need with ver 15.1

If I were statrting to day from scratch I would go straight to affinity...

[Acorn]

If I were statrting to day from scratch I would go straight to affinity...

If Affinity did the web...

Acorn

[handrawn]

which i don't

[Acorn]

Expected but it sucks.

Xara products have been and still are a part of Magix video products, Video Pro X, Magix Movie Studio (was renamed from Movie Edit Pro, Video Deluxe in other languages) and PhotoStory. The current version has a couple of bugs in the interface between the two products making what should be and was, at one time, a fantastic feature not available with most other video editing programs.
https://youtu.be/SDg86J-WUfA
Part of this bug has been there for several years now and my requests to fix it have fallen on deaf ears. I want these fixed, then Xara can go away - no need for further updates.

It is not clear if there will be any more updates to the desktop version from Xara itself and I am one who does not want a subscription to a program such as this and I do not like or want to use a Cloud-based program. Will Xara continue with the desktop version? If so, can I subscribe for a year every once in a while just to get the desktop version? And does the desktop version continue to work as before even if the subscription is no longer active?

Say what you want about Magix, but the Xara program always came from Xara, Magix just marketed and sold it (and used it with some of their other programs). Xara has gone in a different direction and its development no longer has any relevance to the Magix line of products. Magix is not in the web design or brochure or document making business and that is where Xara has gone. Magix makes audio-video products and the synergy is no longer there. If I was Magix, I would rebrand Xara Photo & Graphics Designer as Magix Graphics. No need for any updating except to fix bugs.

John, can you potentially "integrate" a Plus version into your Magix video products or would it require Magix intervention?

Magix, as you say, has never had the resource or ability to change the Xara codebase.

Xara have been referring to the XDAs (non Plus versions) as "Legacy" for quite a time.
Xara may well be in a position to rekindle these, away from Magix, if extant contracts permit.
If Xara does, it ought to ditch the inane Update Service and align all the desktop versions directly to the Plus (subscription) ones. Magix v19s would be uplifted to current Xara+ v23, painlessly.
Currently, the Plus versions are pure subscription and you lose all access to the desktop version when you stop. If one bought was the Update Service each year, there would be little that is different other that the subscription offers the latest version all the time and updates are quite high.

My main concern is when will Magix disconnect from its Help role, the customer licensing base, the Online Content Catalogue and hosting services?
I have licences going back to dot and I still use the free-access to v11 OCC.

Acorn