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The Icon Bar: News and features: Impression DTP - the return
 

Impression DTP - the return

Posted by Richard Goodwin on 11:37, 4/10/2003 | ,
 
Not that I'm usually given to copying huge chunks directly from a press release, but this one pretty writes itself: X-Ample Technology of The Netherlands are proud to announce today, that they've taken over Impression from it's former developers Computer Concepts. This means that Impression will be available again to existing users of 26-bit RISC OS machines within a few weeks. Work on a native 32-bit version of Impression has already started and we hope make announcements on this subject with the next few months.

Impression-X will feature all the good stuff from Publisher Plus, like named colours. New features are promised after 32bit-ness and bug squashing have been finished. Pricing and availability have yet to be determinded, but there will certainly be an upgrade path for existing users, it also says.

All sounds very hopeful. Head on over to http://www.xat.nl/impression/ for more info.
 

  Impression DTP - the return
  (12:45 4/10/2003)
  ad (14:45 4/10/2003)
    [mentat] (13:28 6/10/2003)
      moss (18:27 6/10/2003)
        andypoole (19:34 6/10/2003)
          arenaman_plinft (19:50 6/10/2003)
            moss (20:17 6/10/2003)
              arenaman_plinft (15:35 7/10/2003)
                davidb (18:05 7/10/2003)
                  Mark Wiggin (22:08 17/10/2003)
 
The Doctor Message #92487, posted at 12:45, 4/10/2003
Unregistered user Typical! I step out of the house for a few hours and a press release comes in.
Well done for getting it up so quick Rich.
Cheers!
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Andrew Duffell Message #92488, posted by ad at 14:45, 4/10/2003, in reply to message #92487

Posts: 3262
Even beat Drobe :) Nice one ;)
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I don't have tourettes you're just a cun Message #92489, posted by [mentat] at 13:28, 6/10/2003, in reply to message #92488
[mentat]Fear is the mind-killer
Posts: 6266
"Well done for getting it up so quick Rich"

Erm....

Allusions to ludeness aside, this is nice :)

  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
John Hoare Message #92490, posted by moss at 18:27, 6/10/2003, in reply to message #92489

Posts: 9348
I still don't see the excitement; much as I used to adore Impression, Ovation Pro won my heart quite a while ago...
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Andrew Poole Message #92491, posted by andypoole at 19:34, 6/10/2003, in reply to message #92490
andypoole
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Posts: 5558
I can honestly say that I much prefer Impression Publisher to the others, mainly because I haven't played with the others /that much/, but I still prefer it after a play with the others. If you see what I mean ;)
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arenaman_plinft Message #92492, posted at 19:50, 6/10/2003, in reply to message #92491
Unregistered user Surely this is a good thing. Some people were bleating on Drobe that this development should be aimed at Ovation Pro... well since it is a different developer working on Impression, this is development effort well spent. Two good DTP applications being developed is good for the market for many reasons:

1) User choice
2) Competition drives down prices
3) Competition drives development of new features
4) Competition provides a fall-back if one developer discontinues development of the product (ie. you can use the other one).

  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
John Hoare Message #92493, posted by moss at 20:17, 6/10/2003, in reply to message #92492

Posts: 9348
Well, I was the one "bleating on" - I think that it's pretty pathetic to use such a term to put down the other point-of-view. You either agree with me or you don't, but don't resort to petty sniping. At this stage, anyway ;-)

As for your four points - competition is good in an environment where there are enough resources. There aren't enough resources in RISC OS land at the moment - the effort would be better spent in another area. The fact that it's two different developers is completely irrelevant.

However, I do concede that you have a point with your fourth reason.

  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
arenaman_plinft Message #92494, posted at 15:35, 7/10/2003, in reply to message #92493
Unregistered user The fact that everytime someone does something like this there are people who see fit to complain is what is pathetic.

It's that that drives users and developers away from the market.

Clearly there are people who would like to keep using Impression and would like it to be developed further. That therefore justifies developing Impression.

It's no different than Adobe releasing InDesign when there is already QuarkXPress. Choice is good for everyone, even the developers - forced to protect their customer base through innovation and value ie. not lose customers due to resting on their laurels.

The market is plenty big enough for competition. How many copies of RISC OS 4 have been sold... about 4000. OK, then. Let's say 1000 people would buy Impression X and 1000 Ovation Pro - both brand new versions with new features. If they flogged each for £100, that's £100,000 per developer. Those figures are not so unrealistic. Continious development and chargeable upgrades keeps money coming in after that and new products obvious brings in another chunk of cash.

I rest my case.

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David Boddie Message #92495, posted by davidb at 18:05, 7/10/2003, in reply to message #92494
Member
Posts: 147
The market is plenty big enough for competition. How many copies of RISC OS 4 have been sold... about 4000. OK, then. Let's say 1000 people would buy Impression X and 1000 Ovation Pro - both brand new versions with new features. If they flogged each for £100, that's £100,000 per developer. Those figures are not so unrealistic.

Given recent comments about the supposed price of the Impression Publisher license on www.archez.co.uk , £100k may not even cover the costs of making it 32 bit clean, let alone fund further development.

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Mark Wiggin Message #92496, posted at 22:08, 17/10/2003, in reply to message #92495
Unregistered user I think it's great news. I've used Impression since version 0.7, and I much prefer its User Interface to that of Ovation Pro
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The Icon Bar: News and features: Impression DTP - the return