Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 6
Xara Photo & Graphic Designer:Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 6 (formerly Xtreme) is quite simply the best value and fastest all-in-one graphics package you'll find. For drawings or photo work, for print or web graphics, it's the perfect choice. |
|
| Find out more | Retail: $89 |
Why I chose Xara Photo & Graphic Designer 6 (formerly Xara Xtreme):
Compared to my late Father I have minimal talent for Drawing, or Graphics Design, so I needed an
application that was easy to use, would allow me to make the best of what limited talent I do
have and could assist me in both my Aviation Systems Consultancy and Web Design activities.
I already had some tools, but these were either very limited, or complex to use, or in some case both!
So I sat down and went through the available packages and read countless reviews and eventually decided on
Xara Xtreme v4.0. This promised to all the basics in terms of graphics, but with a whole raft of
clever features and the ability to do Flash Animations, albeit not of the most sophisticated kind.
Despite the good, to excellent reviews, I was surprised that it was not more expensive, so I was pleased
that Xara provided a Trial Version, so that I could see for myself. So this was downloaded and although
some features were not available in this version, I was very impressed, incredibly fast, feature rich
whilst still be simple to use (the Analysts and Programmers must be top draw).
So I bought it and discovered one of the additional applications that came with full version was a
branded version of MAGIX Photo Designer. Initially I didn't have much interest in this as I had
licensed photo editing tools. But them discovered that MAGIX Photo Designer is a good very tool
and was soon using it on a regular basis.
Although Xara are right, Xtreme it is easy to use, it is also feature rich, and this meant because
I wasn't using it every working day, I was progressing up the learning curve of making best use of
the features much more slowly than if I had spent a few days concentrating on the Application.
I had just got 'comfortable' with all the tools and features, when Xtreme 5 was released, with
100 enhancements and some interface changes..Oh!
But I bit the bullet and upgraded and I am glad I did. This time around I did a 'learning period'
getting used to the new way things worked and the enhancements, which have my work easier and I
even started do things I would not have previously attempted, and more importantly I am once again
comfortable with the application.
So I am extremely happy with Xara Extreme, but there is one feature I hardly use and that is Web Design:
It produces valid HTML, JavaScript and uses CSS, but whilst I have used it to prototype a couple of
Pages, it is not in the same league as a dedicated application such as Dreamweaver. But then it is not
designed to be a competitor for that type of Application and as this is the only major feature in an application packed with features, that I will not be using on a regular basis, I
feel churlish mentioning it, especially as for the hobbyist it is a very useable tool.
Other Xara Products of Interest
Xara Designer Pro:Xara Designer Pro (formerly Xtreme Pro) is our top of the range product and includes all the features and templates of Web Designer and Photo & Graphic Designer. Plus it adds extra features that Pro designers need including support for PDF/X, PANTONE® and color separations, multi-core processor support for extra speed, enhanced import/export filters, a pro version of the photo panorama tool and more. |
|
| Find out more | Retail: $299 |
|
|
|
Xara Menu Maker:A dedicated tool for creating top quality graphical NavBars with DHTML menus. Simply choose from the collection of professionally designed NavBars, then customize the wording and font, the color and size to exactly suit your site. Add rollovers and DHTML menus with easy one click actions - all the JavaScript and HTML is automatically created for you and optimized for export to the Web. Integrates directly with Macromedia Dreamweaver and Microsoft FrontPage. |
|
| Find out more |
Download: $24.99 CD: $29 |
|
|
|
Xara3D 6:Create stunning still and animated 3D headings, logos, animations and even 3D screensavers in seconds. Ideal for adding impact to your web pages and presentations, optimized for top on-screen quality. Avoids all the usual scary complexities of 3D software! |
|
| Find out more |
CD: $29 Retail: $49 |
|
|
|
Xara ScreenMaker 3D:A 3D screensaver maker that's fast, fun and easy to use. Create animated 3D text message screensavers with your own personalized message. Or put any images of your choice onto the sides of a 3D, tumbling cubes . It's the perfect way to share messages or images with friends, family or colleagues - from family photo screensavers to business screensavers with corporate logos. |
|
| Find out more | Download: $14.95 |
|
|
|