Academic Software Upgradability

[Freg3000]

I have searched the forums (perhaps not too well though), and have found some info on this subject, but no definitive answer. So here is my question:

If I buy FCP 4 for $499 with the educational discount, will I be eligible to upgrade to FCP 5 (or whatever the next version is), whether it be the academic or retail?

Academic FCP 4 ----> Retail FCP 5?
Academic FCP 4 ----> Academic FCP 5?

I doubt the first is true, but I am unsure about the second one.

When you buy an academic version of a piece of software, do you shut yourself out from future upgrades?

Thanks.

 

[teabgs]

I think you can get the updates.

I bought FCP 3 after 4 was released for 299 and then got the $50 upgrade.

since the $50 up-to-date program is only from Apple, when it got sent to me it wasn't the academic version, even though I bought FCP 3 Academic.

as long as you get the update from somewhere other than your institution it's fine. the only thing that matters with the updates is that you have the previous version's serial number.

 

[Doctor Q]

I had the opposite impression, that these versions were not eligible for upgrades. I have FCP4 Academic and wish I could get FCP5 Academic. (No, I don't want Final Cut Express instead.)

 

[LimeLite]

Originally posted by Doctor Q
I had the opposite impression, that these versions were not eligible for upgrades. I have FCP4 Academic and wish I could get FCP5 Academic. (No, I don't want Final Cut Express instead.)

Are your numbers a bit off? Because FCP4 was only recently released, FCP5 has not been announced at all, and probably won't for a significant amount of time.

It is my belief that there is no difference in the two than the price. I believe you'd be able to upgrade, whether academically or regularly, from your academic version.

 

[Doctor Q]

Oops! Yup. My brain is only in half gear today. I have FCP3, want FCP4.

 

[LethalWolfe]

There is no academic FCP 4 upgrade from FCP 3. There is only a full version of FCP 4 academic (there is no upgrade version).


Lethal

 

[Freg3000]

Originally posted by LimeLite

It is my belief that there is no difference in the two than the price. I believe you'd be able to upgrade, whether academically or regularly, from your academic version.

I also believe that there is no difference between the two other than price. The problem is that I need to know whether you can or not. I was under the impression that you cannot. However you seem to think differently )). But I need to find out for sure before I buy.

 

[LethalWolfe]

Originally posted by Freg3000
I also believe that there is no difference between the two other than price. The problem is that I need to know whether you can or not. I was under the impression that you cannot. However you seem to think differently )). But I need to find out for sure before I buy.

AFAIK people have been able upgrade from academic FCP 3 to retail 4 using the retail upgrade. But this is not a "supported" upgrade path so if you call and ask Apple they will "no you can't do it, there is no upgrade path from the academic version of FCP 3." Also, sense it's not a supported upgrade Apple might find a way to prevent it so YMMV.


Lethal

 

[teabgs]

is everyone just NOT reading my post?

I did it. I bought FCP3 Academic and got the FCP 4 Upgrade and it works fine. In fact I was just using FCP 4 20 seconds ago, and will use it some more later tonight.

they wont tell you it works, they'll say it doesn't, but it does....and you can keep buying upgrades until a better program comes out, or you dont need it any more.

 

[LimeLite]

Right, you can't upgrade from FCP3 Academic to FCP4 Academic, but you can upgrade from FCP3 Academic to FCP4. The software itself is exactly the same, academic or not.

It'd only be $100 less than buying the full academic version, but it's not like they're going to give it away for free!