Xara Xtreme is a complete Disappointment ...

[Bob Hahn]

I haven't gone to have something printed professionally, so this may be a dumb question.

Is there a major printing compay that Xara could work with and make that company capable of accepting xar. files for print jobs? If they say, "we accept Xara files," then they'll get some extra business. Xara can also advertise the printing company on their site.

Dumb?

-Bob.

[Daniel]

Bob, I use RCS in Retford (UK) exactly for that reason. http://www.rcs.plc.uk - they take .xar and I've never had a problem with them after dozens of jobs.

Plug over, the rest of my post is a 'me too' I'm afraid. I bought the full release of Xtreme with the manual as soon as it was available. This afternoon, though, I have reverted back to X¹ as my working release.

I don't regret buying Xtreme, to show support to Xara if nothing else, but I don't see how - for me - the Open Source idea can really do much to help. From my understanding of OSS it would be difficult to incorporate code contributed by others to Linux/Mac releases under GPL licences into commercial software - but someone could comfortably do the same with a nicely packaged and compiled OSS copy on the Windows platform, hurting Xara's ability to sell their version.

I have contributed code in the past to other opensource developments but they've been entirely opensource, not with a commercial arm so I wonder if skilled programmers will be put off by that aspect. Xara's FAQ says they hope no-one does create an OS Windows version but if they did and things really did take off and gather pace, the 'Xara' version could get behind couldn't it - if my understanding is correct that the OS coders need not agree to their code being used commercially?

At the coal face though, in the world that is here today, Xtreme has crashed on me three times since the official release (not reproducible, pointless reporting or investigating). I don't think I'll ever really use the Live Effects - I've played with them but don't think I'd do much more than play with them - but I can't remember the X¹ release last crashing on me so I don't "trust" Xtreme for day to day work yet.

Everyone has their own little wish list of two or three changes they'd like to see - mine were to default the Contour tool to 1 step instead of 4, an autosaver, and to introduce a shortcut/icon for the colour picker. None seem really big but they'd really help my own use of the software. With lots of people having lots of little requests, the majority are bound to be disappointed by a new version which seems not to address what you wanted from it. I'm sure Live Effects help someone though, so I don't deny it's a cool idea and they're probably made up this week.

For now I'll keep Xtreme installed for PDF Export and stick to using X¹, and hope that Windows development doesn't stop completely while the ports go ahead. I don't see myself ever using Linux or a Mac so I'm trying not to resent the time being spent on them because the 'big picture' goals are admirable if not heavily panned on /.

[MEB]

I think Xara is underselling its own software and making it a smaller program than it really is by not fully attending to the serious users requirements and needs sometimes.

I couldn´t say it better. After expressed my disappointment regarding the lack of new vector "core" tools for a 2.0 version, this last anouncement (Xara X become open-sorce) was the worst thing i could expect. Before anything else just want to wish the best to all Xara Team in this new "crusade".


Regarding the annoucement,I really doubt that this new approach will help to speed up Xara X development or Xara LTD. It can bring some improvements, superficial add-ons and fine-tunings here and there but i´m afraid that we will not see any new real improvements on the vector tools. Xara X already provide an excelent toolset, and the ones (tools) that may be missing and that could bring Xara X to the next level are mostly advanced tools like text/layout improvements, gradient mesh tool, improved brushes engine etc the kind of things that are really hard to code and can make all diference between a top level application and a generic one, and, that can only be developed by a dedicated and well organized team of programmers with the same goal in mind and in permanent contact. Just look to the gradient mesh tool developed by Adobe for Illustrator: it´s hardly user friendly or intuitive and it was developed by a company with lots of resources. How can Xara expect to have those kind of improvements in their drawing program trought an open source project?

It´s very hard if not impossible to organize a structure to integrate several bits of code coming from diferent programmers with diferent approaches in coding, in one piece, keeping the final code stable / optimized for speed and the tool intuitive and user friendly...

I know that there´s other open source projects that are working and producing results but i dont´think that those are the rule. They are mostly exceptions. Firefox is taking advantage of the hype around the web standards design/coding, by the fact that a lot of people dislike Microsoft monopoly and their crappy browser, and the feeling of "union" that surrounds it´s crusade against the giant Microsoft.

OpenOffice is taking advantage of the same feeling regarding Microsoft monopoly, the Sun Microsystems support who donated the source code and by the fact that it´s an office suite and so widely used by almost all type of users.

But Xara Xtreme is a vector program (or should i say was?!) with a more reduced audience. It´s intuitive fast and user-friendly for new users (and for diferent types of work) already but it doesn´t provide the advanced functionality or polishment that we could expect from a top notch vector program yet, like those we find in the professional market. Xara seems now more interested in having a popular low cost program that could bring instantly effects and eye candy to the average user, than providing the program with truly innovative tools that have made it´s history. So instead of raising the overal program´s "level" to the same of an illustrator or Freehand that will appeal to advanced users/semi-professional/professional market, they turned it in a popular all purpose package that can appeal to a wider audience.

I have no ideia how can this help or please existing users that already know and use the program. I really hope i´m completely wrong on this subject. I don´t want bring down Xara or it´s products (i´m a registered user of Xara X - need i say anything else?). If i´m saying all this and what i´m affraid of it´s because i really care about what´s going on and the future of the program, as a vector drawing application.

[brianlj]

With each new Xara, I turn off the scrollbars, save the template, click New, hit NumPad-8, hit NumPad-8 again and... ah.

The scrollbars have turned back on again.

Yep. The bug's still there.

[masque]

Don't hit num pad 8 then.
With me it cycles between full screen, no scoll bars and normal with scoll bars.
I must admit I didn't know it did that, you learn something everyday.

[brianlj]

Don't hit num pad 8 then.

"Doctor, it hurts when I lift my arm up here."

"Well, don't lift your arm up there then."

With me it cycles between full screen, no scoll bars and normal with scoll bars.

It's supposed to switch between full-screen and normal windowed. It's not supposed to reset the scrollbars. It doesn't turn the rulers on and off. If you've got an undocked palette in full-screen, it doesn't keep it as undocked in normal.

No, each mode has its own settings -- except for scrollbars. They turn back on again when you enter normal mode. They shouldn't, but they do.

[Nichod]

I'm a relatively new user to Xara. So perhaps I can share my perspective on Extreme. Having used Photoshop, Illustrator, etc for many years in production work I will say that I find many of the photo-vector abilities in Xara refreshing. Xara is lightyears ahead of Illustrator and other vector programs in its speed and functionality. So in some ways it makes sense that they are attempting to branch into photo editing and broaden their market. The issues I see with the photo editing is that it should intergrated, opening up a seperate window is annoying and there is a lack of control that limits its functionality. That said this is a step into another market, and I'm sure further progress will be made in future upgrades. It also opens up the ability to add functionality via external plugins. And really at the cost of Xara how can anyone complain. Advise and suggest but complaining is just childish and unprofessional.

With that said. I would like to see a more advanced brush system..something akin to acrylic.

[Arlen_Albert]

Disappointment???!!!
No no no nooo! Much worse...
I just sob... Does anyone have a hanky?

Ok! Snivel away!

I've been using Xara products since CorelXara v.1.0
I hoped then it would grow up into some illustration gem. So, it did. It did, didn't it? did, did?, didn't?, didn't!, did...

I hope Xara crew loves people, professional people. If so, I feel their sloooooooooooow slow slow lazy love spreading across us. 10 years? 2.0 version? Thanks. What changes happened to it to simplify my life - many of them! Many? Xara's slowness forces many people to find other ways to embody their creativity and they get into the way... many people are ready pay their money.

Xara WebStyler? MenuMaker? Xara3D? Are they for professionals? Never used them, seriously. Sorry. I hate templates which kill originality. Everything I'm doing by my hands. Are that applets maden for the sake of money? Oh, I see. If garther all eagerness for supplying that applets and put them into the XaraExtreme researching it would be a miracle.

I love Xara. This love is strong and seems to me for ever.
Now cover your ears. I want to cry something like:

WHERE IS LENSES? I'm tired and sick to imitate them. Magnifying... Inverting... Plug-ins? Hah! Ok!

MULTIPAGE? Plug-ins? Plug-ins!

GOOD TEXT HANDLING? Plug-ins?.. Oh NO!...

IMPORT & EXPORT in illustration monsters' file formats? Plug-ins? pluuuuuug-ings of course! Right? Guessed? I'm smart

PS & EPS support? Oooooohhhhhhhhhh....

... I'm tired to write all the same... everyone in this forum thread is talking right despite antagonisms! Xara listen to us, please.

--------------------------------

The only XaraX forced me to stay MS Windows user. Thank you ever so much for XaraExtreme. I like Linux, I like MacOSX. I plan to change my working MS Windows OS for MacOSX in March 2006 when Apple will allow their x86(Intel) version of MacOSX to buy. And I'm ready to pay enough money for the best OS of all ages.

I feel the battle has begun. I wish Xara to thrash Adobe and "Micro micro micro and soft soft soft" (Minisoft) . I think Xara has all to win the game! But I think they hesitate in vain. If Xara will need any support from me I'll do my best! "The Good will wins! It will bring the Evil to its knees and will kill the Evil brutally"

Love you all.

[rajah]

WHEN will be corrected this stupid bug (I am sorry, but this is VERY annoying) with diacritical letters, which I get with dead key?
All programs type correctly, only Xara not!

[spyro70]

...bad step for Xara. I 'll don't upgrade my version...