I find it all very strange. What professional goes out and buys a totally new rewrite of software on the first day of release? Then expects a refund? Stupid.
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Apple Issuing Refunds for Final Cut Pro X Upon Request
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Trial period
With the App Store and DRM, Apple ought to be able to offer trial periods. Before laying down $300 (+$50 for Motion + $50 for Compressor) on a product which is getting a lot of negative reviews, it would be awfully nice to be able to try before I buy. I'm coming from Final Cut Express rather than Pro, so I might not notice anything "missing" but it is such a drastically new interface and might not even work with my existing media files.
With the App Store and DRM, Apple ought to be able to offer trial periods. Before laying down $300 (+$50 for Motion + $50 for Compressor) on a product which is getting a lot of negative reviews, it would be awfully nice to be able to try before I buy. I'm coming from Final Cut Express rather than Pro, so I might not notice anything "missing" but it is such a drastically new interface and might not even work with my existing media files.
It was a joke. Thats how he started a famous tantrum about Mobile Me. When someone finally said what it was advertised to do he wanted to know they the F it didnt do that... it got a little heated.
The software is in it's infancy. I believe that Apple has a road map and tricks up their sleeves and soon everyone will realize and be on board. Either way, if you're an editor, it's good to have and know how to use...sometimes its the clients calling the shots.
I'm not in A/V production, but I just don't get some of these people. Sure it's incomplete, but it's a total rewrite. Large companies that have been using FCS7 shouldn't be jumping onto this right away anyway. I think John Gruber nailed it when he said that Apple should have introduced this as the new Final Cut Express. And I also agree with everyone who said that Apple should keep selling FCS7 (even if it was phone sales only). Then when FCPX was more updated and had some more support, transition FCS to the new platform.
I agree, I think the app is wonderful, I cannot believe how smoothly it handles my un-transcoded 5D Mark 2 footage. Even though I am still rather baffled by a lot of it, I was able to do a quick edit in no time. All that background rendering and analysis it does whilst you are working is a thing of real beauty. I think many pros will buy it as a toy for quick edits and then once the features they need are added back in, they won't be able to resist moving over completely. That is what I would do if my main job was editing anyway. I'd actually be so impatient I'd be searching for 3rd party solutions to all the missing features already.
This is idiotic.
It's not like Apple was hiding the fact that a lot of professional functionality had not yet been implemented.
They completely changed the video editing paradigm.
So, the attitudes SHOULD break down as such:
"Neato! A new Final Cut Pro. It's missing a lot of the stuff that I need, but I'll throw down $300 to try it out while continuing to use the old version for my professional work. I can't wait until they bring it up to par with the features of the old one."
OR
"Hmm, a new Final Cut Pro. Looks like it's not quite ready for prime time yet, so I'll continue using the old version while keeping an eye on update releases. Once they add in such and such, then I'll switch over."
Anything else is just stupid/short-sighted/etc.
I haven't used the program yet myself, but my girlfriend does editing in Final Cut Pro 7 all the time. The fact that rendering happens in the background and import/sequence settings don't have to be futzed with (she works with a LOT of found footage) is literally life changing. Yes, LITERALLY.
It's not like Apple was hiding the fact that a lot of professional functionality had not yet been implemented.
They completely changed the video editing paradigm.
So, the attitudes SHOULD break down as such:
"Neato! A new Final Cut Pro. It's missing a lot of the stuff that I need, but I'll throw down $300 to try it out while continuing to use the old version for my professional work. I can't wait until they bring it up to par with the features of the old one."
OR
"Hmm, a new Final Cut Pro. Looks like it's not quite ready for prime time yet, so I'll continue using the old version while keeping an eye on update releases. Once they add in such and such, then I'll switch over."
Anything else is just stupid/short-sighted/etc.
I haven't used the program yet myself, but my girlfriend does editing in Final Cut Pro 7 all the time. The fact that rendering happens in the background and import/sequence settings don't have to be futzed with (she works with a LOT of found footage) is literally life changing. Yes, LITERALLY.
I'm guessing this is not quite the same type of excitement Apple was expecting from FCPX...
Looks like a really nice start, they just should have waited. Honestly, Apple should know better. Professional artists (including editors) are some of their most loyal and hard core users, it's not wise to piss them off, and Apple should have foreseen that a lot of missing functionality that puts them at a competitive disadvantage would do just that. I know, they can still use FCP7, but that's not how they sold it.
Looks like a really nice start, they just should have waited. Honestly, Apple should know better. Professional artists (including editors) are some of their most loyal and hard core users, it's not wise to piss them off, and Apple should have foreseen that a lot of missing functionality that puts them at a competitive disadvantage would do just that. I know, they can still use FCP7, but that's not how they sold it.
I don't agree with this assessment. I don't believe they have shown a recent pattern of consistancy with releasing software not ready for prime time.
Clearly there have been some misteps with how theyh have handled FCP here. Not disputing that.
Concerning the hardware quality control, my feeling would be that you seem to be exaggerating the present and minimizing past, without adjusting for the increase in number of devices that apple produces now as opposed to say, 10 years ago.
As far as constantly pulling people from one team to another, as I understand it that is 100% by design, and one they'd been following for quite some time.
I can't comment on Lion, but I don't even know why you mentioned it in the first place, given it is not released.
Dooms day keyboard jockies going nuts in this thread.
Let's step back into reality. Did apple mess up? yes. does this spell the end for apple? no
will they rebound in a future update? yes
Let's step back into reality. Did apple mess up? yes. does this spell the end for apple? no
will they rebound in a future update? yes
The new Final Cut Pro looks like an amazing app. However, Apple released this the wrong way. Let's face it.... the new version of Final Cut Pro will open up video editing to a large number of people, but it should have been released in one of the following ways:
1) As a "beta" or "preview" release
--> Then pro users would feel like they are getting an early hands on, but would have a bit more reassurance that the final version would have all the features they know and love (including import capability from FCP7).
2) Branded as Final Cut Studio X (not Pro)
--> This may have been a bit tough since some features in FCPX are clearly pro features, but so many things the pros need are still missing. I prefer option (1) here.
3) With the ability to import the FCP7 files.
--> The biggest scare factor is not being able to import your old files. Eventually Apple will abandon FCP7 which will eventually mean it won't run on the latest version of Mac OSX. I think the FCP X release should have at least included the ability to import the old projects WITHOUT modifying the old projects (i.e.: leave the old projects so that they will still work in FCP-7, but let users try them out in FCP-X).
This is a case of great leap in software that is suffering from some resistance to change and from some gaping holes that are left to be filled. Its like a new eight-lane freeway, but with potholes and some exits closed.
If it was simply labeled "Preview" or "Beta", Apple could have avoided much of the backlash they are seeing.
1) As a "beta" or "preview" release
--> Then pro users would feel like they are getting an early hands on, but would have a bit more reassurance that the final version would have all the features they know and love (including import capability from FCP7).
2) Branded as Final Cut Studio X (not Pro)
--> This may have been a bit tough since some features in FCPX are clearly pro features, but so many things the pros need are still missing. I prefer option (1) here.
3) With the ability to import the FCP7 files.
--> The biggest scare factor is not being able to import your old files. Eventually Apple will abandon FCP7 which will eventually mean it won't run on the latest version of Mac OSX. I think the FCP X release should have at least included the ability to import the old projects WITHOUT modifying the old projects (i.e.: leave the old projects so that they will still work in FCP-7, but let users try them out in FCP-X).
This is a case of great leap in software that is suffering from some resistance to change and from some gaping holes that are left to be filled. Its like a new eight-lane freeway, but with potholes and some exits closed.
If it was simply labeled "Preview" or "Beta", Apple could have avoided much of the backlash they are seeing.
Got it running on the same partition right now. Only limitation is that they cannot run simultaneously. Not a big deal, though, since I've shelved FCPX for a couple months until I have time to pour into it and learn to at least try it the way it was meant to be used.
I'm sure Apple will be quite successful with the average consumer that FCPX is targeting. However, the pros will see it differently -- they have seen that at any given time, Apple can pull the plug on an already established product, with no warning.
Apple has shown its true colors, with big flashy neon signs. If I were a pro who is depending on one of their products right now (say Logic Pro), I'd be very concerned about when/if Apple is going to pull the rug from under my feet.
LOL.
Very few "average consumers" will be purchasing $300 video editors.
VERY few. Can promise you that much.
Yup. All of a sudden. Just like that. For no apparent reason.
Yeah because Apple issuing refunds on a product that people are unhappy about qualifies as "no apparent reason"
And Jobs should then apologize for poor leadership.
Apple presented FCPX as a replacement for FCP7, and clearly it isn't according to the people who use the software day in and day out. Apple have discontinued FCP7, which is another irritation for the Pros ( companies can buy no more 'seats' ).
I've bought FCPX and think its rather good - I'm just a hobbyist. This initial release is clearly aimed at the pro-consumer at the most. Apple should have communicated this beforehand and issued a public roadmap for its continued development, and finally, kept FCP for sale.
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Guys!! Come on! It's not the end of the World!!!
I use Final Cut Pro 7 every day, it's my job and Apple didn't wrote a letter telling us that we got to change our version of Final Cut immediately! Do you even know how many people in the World still using Windows XP?! Jeez!! I know too that Apple products are highly desirable but let's wait for the updates.
I'm not trying to invert this Apple big fail. Apple needs to fix this quickly!
I use Final Cut Pro 7 every day, it's my job and Apple didn't wrote a letter telling us that we got to change our version of Final Cut immediately! Do you even know how many people in the World still using Windows XP?! Jeez!! I know too that Apple products are highly desirable but let's wait for the updates.
I'm not trying to invert this Apple big fail. Apple needs to fix this quickly!
I did. Several times over.
Back in the early 2000's I started with some Pinnacle "hold your hand" package like Video Studio or something, on my PC. It was a complete "edit video on your PC" kit including the Firewire PCI card to plug into your computer. It cost maybe $125 in total.
I think within about a month I had already outgrown it and wanted to buy something a little more powerful. I ended up buying Ulead Media Studio Pro, for something in the range of $300.
Fast forward a few years later -- I had a nice new PowerBook, I liked iMovie, but felt there were things I wanted to do that it couldn't, so I bought Final Cut Express and loved it.
I'm not a "video editor" by trade (although perhaps by hobby), for the most part an average guy looking to make a nice video or two.
And that was years before YouTube and Facebook and the ubiquity of digital cameras and cell phones made it fashionable for everyone and his kid to shoot, edit and share their own videos. I'd argue that there are even more people now willing to pay a reasonable amount of money for a reasonably powerful, but not quite pro-level, video editing package.
Even using "prosumers" or whatever you want to call them, it isn't priced correctly for that IMO.
Those that want to start evaluation and certification processes in order to start planning internal migrations of systems since the older version was also announced as EOL/EOS'ed. Basically, anyone who wanted to retain support for their professional level product and didn't want to be left unsupported.
Was that stupid ? Usually vendors will offer evaluation licenses to customers that want to do this, I know we've had HP/VMware/Microsoft issue us free licenses to multi-thousand $ software packages for months to evaluate and plan implementations.
The only stupid thing here is the people that want to stop the pros from voicing their concerns, concerns it seems Apple is taking very seriously if they are issuing refunds.
Sounds like when Apple presented the Mac Pro Server as a replacement for the Xserve...
Seriously, Apple wants to be in the consumer market, they don't think there's money to be made on the high-end "profesional" sector. It's more and more apparent every day.