RE: [XaraXtreme-dev] Ping

["Charles Moir" <CharlesM@xxxxxxxx>]

> From: Rob Kendrick
> Sent: 15 February 2007 17:08

> Perhaps it doesn't limit much in the form of new features, 
> but it does limit where it can be used.
> 
> Out of interest, I assume there's a reason for *not* 
> releasing it, in addition to your reasons for believing 
> there's no reason to release it.
> What is it?

There are a number of reasons. The most obvious is the commercial risks.
You mention above about one of the restrictions of a binary is 'where it
can be used'.  And that's a good example. Imagine that CDraw finds its
way into other products, perhaps competitive, perhaps not, but that Xara
Xtreme stagnates (as it has been recently while out focus has been
elsewhere) and progresses no further. Then the entire point and goal of
the whole project will have failed.

Remember the original goal was to cooperate with the community of
developers and that *together* we try and create the greatest graphics
product there has ever been. We've got great technology - a great
product, a lot of experience in designing, and developing and polishing
really slick commercial quality products. These are huge pluses (in
addition to the code) we can bring to the party.

But if we find that instead, a piece is taken and used elsewhere, and
that the product itself (i.e. Xara Xtreme for Linux) doesn't happen then
it will have been a failure and we would have made the wrong move.

And this focus on us releasing CDraw source implies that for some people
at least, perhaps the 'use elsewhere' is their goal and forget about the
Xara Xtreme product on Linux. That would not just be doing us a
disfavour, but also the loads of users out there that really only care
about getting a finished, reliable, slick Xara Xtreme for Linux.

> Also; does your purchase by MAGIX stagnate your involvement 
> in the project?  ie, do Xara have their blessing to continue 
> expending time and resources on Xara LX, and in the future 
> possibly releasing CDRAW under the same licence as the rest 
> of Xara LX?

That's what I can't answer just yet. It's more complicated now being
part of a larger and public listed company. But I hope to have some
answers soon.