[Nicholas Lindan]

Any developer will go bad if not tightly sealed. All developers risk going bad given enough time.

I don't think XTOL goes bad any faster than any other developer. The problem I have with it is that it doesn't go all brown and stinky when it oxidises. One can do a snip test before every use (and one should), but the time I forget the test is the time the developer goes off.

Although it will change color, XTOL stops working long before it turns pail yellow.

I find the benefits of XTOL do not outweigh the costs incurred in re-shooting a roll when it, like all developers, fails.

YMWV