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

Promidi wrote on 6/5/2023, 3:20 AM

Hi Folks.

I recently wrote to Magix asking when the next version of Designer Pro (X20) will be available.

Sadly, on 5th June 2023, I got the following reply from Magix support, and I quote.

“we have ended the cooperation with XARA and will therefore not offer any new products from this provider. You are welcome to purchase the new versions directly from XARA”

So that means Xara is now subscription only, unless Xara gives us an option to buy a perpetual licence of Designer Pro.

Comments

SP. wrote on 6/5/2023, 4:01 AM

@Promidi I also think that the desktop version of Xara Designer is more or less dead. If I understood it correctly they primarily update their web based editing platform in the last couple of years. So there isn't really anything new to release for Magix since all published products for photo and web design are based on the desktop version of Xara Designer.

Currently everything is still available, so Xara Designer desktop isn't just subscription only for now, but will likey not get much new except for bug fixes or content catalogue updates.

For vector and graphics design it's probably a good alternative to switch to Affinity. And creating web sites is much more accessible today than it was years ago by using available templates from web hosters. So there is not much need for that either.

browj2 wrote on 6/5/2023, 7:03 AM

Expected but it sucks.

Xara products have been and still are a part of Magix video products, Video Pro X, Magix Movie Studio 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.

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.

The Xara program always came from Xara, Magix just marketed and sold it. Xara has gone in a different direction and, as far as I can see, 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. And, I would change the old PhotoDesigner 7 for what was Xara, at least for VPX, and fix the aforementioned bugs.

John CB

Crazywabbit wrote on 6/8/2023, 5:05 AM

Last time I opened a discussion about this topic, the admin here locked it. All the best to Magix and Xara. It would have been good to have heard this from the horses mouth but no! we had to wait over a year for an upgrade and learn of this from a user. Magix should stop selling this product right away.

SP. wrote on 6/8/2023, 5:49 AM

@Crazywabbit The product still works mostly fine, even without updates. Other companies also sell software that hasn't been updated in over a decade.

Crazywabbit wrote on 6/8/2023, 5:58 AM

That is good for some but not for my needs. Regardless Magix should write on the product page that this is the final version. New users assume there will be updates and after Magix gets its money the user is left stranded.

SP. wrote on 6/8/2023, 7:19 AM

@Crazywabbit The last update was in February. There are usually just one or two updates per year plus changes to the content catalogue. So not much has changed.

apbliv wrote on 6/12/2023, 10:25 AM

I just updated from v18 to v19, before reading this discussion, and find that the incremental update will not install - and my one year of updates is not likely to amount to much even if the updates will download and install. I think I will see if I can get my money back.

SP. wrote on 6/12/2023, 10:50 AM

@apbliv You need to download and install version 19 from scratch. You cannot update version 18 to 19. After that make sure you make a backup of the complete content catalogue, so you'll have it forever even after your version 19 update plan runs out.

apbliv wrote on 6/12/2023, 12:55 PM

@SP thanks for the reply. I did that because I have a new laptop, and after installing 18 on it discovered I could not update it to 18.x, so I paid for an update to 19, which I downloaded and installed. 19 tells me there is an update, but it will not download and install it. Various online content catalogue widgets in 19 tell me I need to update to WD+ or WD Pro. I've used Xara WD for over 10 years, but that is it now. I have got my WordPress system out and will convert to that.

SP. wrote on 6/12/2023, 6:19 PM

@apbliv This sounds like your firewall or antivirus deletes the update as soon as it has been downloaded.

A fast solution could be to disable the firewall or antivirus software temporarily. Then try to download the update again. Re-enable the firewall or antivirus software after you're done.

Crazywabbit wrote on 6/19/2023, 8:43 PM

My question is, why Magix selling v19 when there will never be updates available?

SP. wrote on 6/20/2023, 2:00 PM

@Crazywabbit Why not? It still working and functional. Magix also still sells MP3 Deluxe 19 which wasn't updated since 2016 if I remember it correctly.

Crazywabbit wrote on 6/20/2023, 2:04 PM

Then they should take out the part that says (* One full year of access to the Online Content Catalog. ** With the Update Service you will receive one full year of new features and updates for free

SP. wrote on 6/20/2023, 2:34 PM

@Crazywabbit The last update was in February 2023. There are usually one or two updates per year, so the claim is still valid, at least until February 2024.

SP. wrote on 6/30/2023, 9:04 AM

Everything is gone:

https://www.magix.com/int/support/magix-discontinues-xara-distribution/

Crazywabbit wrote on 7/7/2023, 11:09 AM

LOL, told you guys so. 😂

JOE-MATTIOLI wrote on 3/5/2024, 2:09 PM

I can't open my web designer premium 19, I click the Icon on my desktop and nothing happens

browj2 wrote on 3/5/2024, 3:30 PM

@JOE-MATTIOLI

Hi,

Did you try opening it from the Windows programs menu?

John CB

JOE-MATTIOLI wrote on 3/5/2024, 6:51 PM

My anti-virus software was blocking it, Resolved thanks