No More iPhoto or iMovie Downloads

[Lancetx]

Enough

Anyone that complains about the price of the iLife suite or the iPod mini really needs to consider if they should even be using a Mac or anything from Apple at all.

As I've said before, do you see Microsoft or anyone else offering any software suite remotely similar for less than $49 whether it be for the Mac or for Windows? No. Do you see Dell, Rio or anyone else offering anything comparable to the iPod mini (tiny size and 4GB capacity) for less than $249? No. So stop the complaining already people. You can't hold Apple to such a ridiculous pricing standard when nobody else is offering those prices either, not to mention that the quality and ease of use is certain to be vastly superior to the competition.

 

[sosumi99]

Re: cry, cry, cry

Originally posted by mjtomlin
When you buy a car, do you hope that someday it'll get twice the gas mileage with a simple, free add-on? No. You buy it for it is at that moment. That's what you pay for. If it's not worth the sticker price at the time you purchase it, then don't buy it! Duh. The iLife apps WERE included with the computer when you bought it. If they sucked so bad that you NEED these new versions, well then you're pretty dumb for making the decision to buy the computer with the useless freebies.

...

Honestly, if it does turn out to be true that iPhoto and iMovie will no longer be free downloads, then I too will be saddened by it. I use iPhoto a lot and have always looked forward to the new features the upgrades provided. However, I have gotten my moneys worth from the previous versions I have been using, so I can't really complain about it. I also understand, Apple is a company and as such they need to make money and giving away all this free stuff eventually comes to an end. So when I am ready (have the money), I will more than likely buy the iLife suite.

It's fine that you don't think the price of the machine includes the price of some (I didn't say all) updates in software. Your position is reasonable. But it is equally reasonable, and not "stupid," for people to come to Apple with the expectation that some of the updates to their apps that have known performance problems will be free due to the extra price charged and due to the company's past practice.

I don't see what is wrong with complaining about Apple's business practices. They are a company and they can evaluate their trade practice based on customer response. For example, I'm not even complaining about charging for iLife per se. I don't like it, but I think I'll be happy if they would unbundle the apps and sell them separately.

 

[centauratlas]

Originally posted by ac2102
Just one question, as all the iApps were free before, what was the point in shelling out for the original iLife package?

IIRC, iDVD was never free. That alone was enough to shell out for iLife. Having everything on DVD was enough of a reason for me.

 

[QCassidy352]

Originally posted by Nebrie
Why are you whining about the price, doesnt even seem like you need it. You don't have to buy everything Apple releases.

As I said, iphoto is currently crap. I want a version that is not crap. And I don't want to pay $50 to fix problems that never should have existed in the first place. Are we clear now?

 

[latergator116]

Originally posted by canadianmacguy
Good, leave.. please. You're not wanted.

hmmm... well I think that is rather rude. The guy makes a good point.

 

[wdlove]

Re: Shut the **ck Up

Originally posted by Tommy Wasabi
My GOD! Quit your whining! It's $49 - sure it was free - but I'd rather pay the $$ than use the CRAP they have on a PC and pay more.

For all those EDU buyers - it's only $29 for iLife and $69 for the extras (for Garage Band). Pony up the cash - it's a good bargin.

You guys are probably the ones bitching about .99 for a song. Geez, the only thing in life is free is jerking off and breathing.

Pirates - all of you.

<grin>

I agree, you won't hear any complaint from me. Thought that Steve did an excellent explanation about its value compared to Windows. If I remember correctly the same software would be around $300, but with lower quality. GarageBand is quite impressive, think I might try a little arranging myself. Apple needs to recoup its R&D somehow.

 

[ITR 81]

Originally posted by Torajima
600=a few hundred. Most people I know have far more than 600 photos, and iPhoto has serious issues with these NORMAL sized collections.

And I've used various brands of DVDs, including Apples. It makes no difference... iDVD's problems have absolutely nothing to do with the medium. The fact is the software is buggy, and bug fixes should be free!

Few hundred means 200-300 Not 600+ or more.

Never had issue with mine. Worked well over last 12 months.

 

[centauratlas]

Originally posted by latergator116
Earlier I said the newest version of iMove sucked.

I haven't seen a problem with it and I've used it to make about 25-30 DVDs.

But, if it sucked, why not use different software? Afterall, you got it for "free" as everyone complaining has repeatedly said, so no loss.

 

[nuckinfutz]

Originally posted by QCassidy352
As I said, iphoto is currently crap. I want a version that is not crap. And I don't want to pay $50 to fix problems that never should have existed in the first place. Are we clear now?

Then don't pay. We don't care how you spend your money or not spend your money. If you thought iPhoto could be replaced easier you'd be doing that. But instead you can't so you complain. It's obvious.

Your position is reasonable. But it is equally reasonable, and not "stupid," for people to come to Apple with the expectation that some of the updates to their apps that have known performance problems will be free due to the extra price charged and due to the company's past practice.

It is NOT equally reasonable and that is why there are 4 people complaining here on the boards and not more. Unless otherwise stipulated you purchase products "as is". Apple never guaranteed you stellar performance. You post is based on the fragile ideology that Apple somewhere told you that you'd have software updates in perpetuity. Wrong.

I don't see what is wrong with complaining about Apple's business practices. They are a company and they can evaluate their trade practice based on customer response. For example, I'm not even complaining about charging for iLife per se. I don't like it, but I think I'll be happy if they would unbundle the apps and sell them separately.

Apples Business Practices the poster above clearly stated this is the norm. You may as well complain about EVERY company. If sufficient demand for unbundled apps is made perhaps Apple will do that.

The economy does not allow Apple to subsidize the cost of this development for free anymore. If you think it's easy to program even something basic like the iLife apps go to school and learn.

 

[jouster]

Such ******** from Apple.

I really have no gripe with starting to charge, but surely it's not too much to ask that I get some kinda break if I'VE JUST SPENT $129 on the new OS?

Same for those who bought iLife last time, or have just bought a new mac. Now remember, before you accuse me of being cheap, that you're fair game if you buy hardware before an expo then moan about an expo upgrade, but this came from nowhere. Think about it - probably plenty of people bought Panther yesterday (the sort of people who have no idea there will be expos and rumors) and now they have to shell out another $49? Out of date in 24 hours?

Give me a break.

I can afford to buy them, and I'm perfectly aware that I don't have to (the absurd and obvious response of many of those defending the charge), but I strongly object to this.

This is bait and switch at its worst. It is the sort of slimy practice favored by those companies you see being exposed on early evening TV shows.

And this is without even addressing the MANY shortcomings of the programs. As someone said earlier, $49 for bug fixes?

Well, my software/OS upgrades are now tied to hardware upgrades. $129 + $49 + $99 (.mac) per year AND a hefty premium for hardware that IS NOT (G5 excepted, and only in certain circumstances) comparable to Wintel specs?

No thanks, Apple.

 

[qgrayson]

Some are definitely missing the point...

- For those who don't want to or can't shell out another 50 bucks...Apple is leaving them with applications (iMovie,iPhoto,iDVD) that perform in a substandard manner. The 'free' version of iMovie is left at 3.xx...which has some serious flaws...that seemingly are addressed in the commercial version. The same goes for iPhoto.

- In other words...if you want a 'working' version of any of these iApps...you'll have to shell out another 50 dollars. But now I understand why Apple hasn't fixed the problems with these Apps.

 

[sosumi99]

Re: Enough

Originally posted by Lancetx
Anyone that complains about the price of the iLife suite or the iPod mini really needs to consider if they should even be using a Mac or anything from Apple at all.

No. So stop the complaining already people. You can't hold Apple to such a ridiculous pricing standard when nobody else is offering those prices either, not to mention that the quality and ease of use is certain to be vastly superior to the competition.

Holding Apple to high standards is what will get them to keep on putting out good products though.

 

[latergator116]

I personally don't trust Steve Jobs comparing iLife to comaprable windows apps. He just compares iLife to the mainstream windows apps, not that small ones that are free.

 

[greenstork]

Originally posted by sosumi99
Wow, what a self-satisfied and smug attitude.

Try to think about things from the perspective of people who recently got their machines. These people paid a premium for their Macs precisely because the iLife apps were included in the price of the machine, and they were led to believe that the premium would get them free updates for a while, as other Mac users had been getting them.

If they bought their Macs just a few months ago, they should be extremely angry at Apple's bait-and-switch tactics and they are right. They are not going to recommend Macs to their friends and they won't buy a new one in a year or so.

Seriously, that smugness in calling people who complain about this "whiners" without thinking about their position is embarrassing. The iLife package is not FREE -- it was paid for by the premium charged by Apple on their machines, and which everyone paid for.

I'm sorry but cry me a river. those folks who paid a premium for their computers got exactly what they paid for, and it INCLUDED iLife. Innovation cost money.

That said, I think paid upgrades suck when many of them were once free but I don't buy the argument of the poor whiny person who just bought their computer and now has to pay for an upgrade. that person still has a nice iLife suite on their computer already.

 

[SWC]

Originally posted by latergator116
I don't think you understand that not everyone wants to pay for ALL the apps when they only need one or two.

It doesn't matter if you need 1 app 2 apps or all 5 apps, $50 is a good deal no matter which way you look at it. hell ANYONE can get the $29 edu price, apple does no verification at all to see wether or not you are enrolled.

As for those who bought panther...they didn't promise you any kind of new and exciting versions of iLife apps sow ahts there to be pissed at? boo hoo they released newer software. I have customer that bought Jaguar 3 months before panther came out. It happens, it's life, no major software vendor gives free upgrades between major point releases. So what who cares if they were free and now they aren't. Keep using the free version if you dont like the price of the new one. but $50 for any single one of these apps is well worth it when compared to the competition either on the mac or the pc much less $50 for all 5. If you only want one app than its $50 for one app and not still a great deal.

And to buy an apple because it comes with $50 of free software at a few hundred dollar premium, you guys are idiots, I mean who the hell buys a computer for for $500 over the competition because it comes with iPhoto. You pay a premium for reliability, stability, ease of use and all that the other add-ons are just bonuses.

 

[ITR 81]

Originally posted by QCassidy352
As I said, iphoto is currently crap. I want a version that is not crap. And I don't want to pay $50 to fix problems that never should have existed in the first place. Are we clear now?

Aren't you a pissy one.
Cry all you might, it won't change the fact that it still costs $49 bucks.

For me thats only $29 bucks.

Thats with my gov. or edu. discount.

 

[centauratlas]

Originally posted by elmimmo
However I find that Apple was getting too close to Microsoft's strategy of "I'll bundle for free what you competitors try to charge customers for, so beat that" that has got the Big Bro into so many legal problems. Apple somewhat frees itself of the see-it-coming consequences off that strategy by taking this step.

Obviously, I'd love to see it free, but the alternative is to bundle the development costs into the costs of new Macs. Would you prefer that Apple charge $200-$300 more per new Mac in order to subsidize current Mac owners? The obvious answer is that they can't do that if they want to be price competitive with the Windows world.

There is no free lunch, someone has to pick up the costs for Apple, and why shouldn't it be the people that *want* the new features?


A couple of points:
1. I'd prefer it bundled with a new Mac or to pay $49 for software that works together (and well, at least for me) instead of having to go out, find whatever apps will work etc.

2. If competitors are bundling, then they have to respond to some extent.

 

[mullmann]

Re: iLife for Windows?

Originally posted by JoeRadar
But if Apple wants to make money from iLife, will Apple move iLife to Windows?

Why not the rest of iLife?

Because it wouldn't be iLife. Windows just can't yet do the graphics-intensive quartz extreme/OpenGL stuff that the Mac OS and associated hardware can do.

 

[mainemike]

Originally posted by jeffff
I can't imagine why anyone would complain about having to pay 10 bucks apiece for five of the greatest apps that ever came down the pike. Come on!

I agree -

The free ride was nice while it lasted, but $49 really isn't that bad at all. It's good software, too!

Hey I've spent $49 on crappy shareware before; iLife '04 is a bargain.

 

[QCassidy352]

Re: Enough

Originally posted by Lancetx
Anyone that complains about the price of the iLife suite or the iPod mini really needs to consider if they should even be using a Mac or anything from Apple at all.

As I've said before, do you see Microsoft or anyone else offering any software suite remotely similar for less than $49 whether it be for the Mac or for Windows? No. Do you see Dell, Rio or anyone else offering anything comparable to the iPod mini (tiny size and 4GB capacity) for less than $249? No. So stop the complaining already people. You can't hold Apple to such a ridiculous pricing standard when nobody else is offering those prices either, not to mention that the quality and ease of use is certain to be vastly superior to the competition.

I use macs because they are superior to the competition. And I pay a premium for doing so. Pointing out that a Mac is NO WORSE than the competition is not much of an argument. I know that Rio/ MS/ Dell etc. suck. If Apple is going to be the same way, why would I pay more to own one?

 

[latergator116]

Originally posted by SWC
It doesn't matter if you need 1 app 2 apps or all 5 apps, $50 is a good deal no matter which way you look at it. hell ANYONE can get the $29 edu price, apple does no verification at all to see wether or not you are enrolled.

upgrading to a good version of iMove should not cost $50

Sorry, but if you abuse apple's edu system then they will probably take it away..

 

[ITR 81]

Originally posted by jouster
Such Bullsh1t from Apple.

I really have no gripe with starting to charge, but surely it's not too much to ask that I get some kinda break if I'VE JUST SPENT $129 on the new OS?

Same for those who bought iLife last time, or have just bought a new mac. Now remember, before you accuse me of being cheap, that you're fair game if you buy hardware before an expo then moan about an expo upgrade, but this came from nowhere. Think about it - probably plenty of people bought Panther yesterday (the sort of people who have no idea there will be expos and rumors) and now they have to shell out another $49? Out of date in 24 hours?

Give me a break.

I can afford to buy them, and I'm perfectly aware that I don't have to (the absurd and obvious response of many of those defending the charge), but I strongly object to this.

This is bait and switch at its worst. It is the sort of slimy practice favored by those companies you see being exposed on early evening TV shows.

And this is without even addressing the MANY shortcomings of the programs. As someone said earlier, $49 for bug fixes?

Well, my software/OS upgrades are now tied to hardware upgrades. $129 + $49 + $99 (.mac) per year AND a hefty premium for hardware that IS NOT (G5 excepted, and only in certain circumstances) comparable to Wintel specs?

No thanks, Apple.

What you want something cheaper??? Go Linux then. Or you can always go Windows which means a OS upgrade will cost you around $200+ or more and $300 for what you get in iLife.

People are not thankful for what we have.
This just shows the world is turning to **** when people want take everything for free and give nothing back in return.

 

[bdkennedy1]

Originally posted by latergator116
I don't think you understand that not everyone wants to pay for ALL the apps when they only need one or two.

So I only use Microsoft Word and have no use for Excel, PowerPoint or Entourage but I still have to buy the whole Office suite.

 

[centauratlas]

Originally posted by jouster
Think about it - probably plenty of people bought Panther yesterday (the sort of people who have no idea there will be expos and rumors) and now they have to shell out another $49? Out of date in 24 hours?

So, if I go out and buy a new TV today and a new model is released tomorrow at the electronics expo (Bill Gates is speaking etc), what?

No matter what the cut-off, someone, somewhere will have bought in the previous 24 hours. At some point they need to that off.

 

[Ling]

Originally posted by Torajima
600=a few hundred. Most people I know have far more than 600 photos, and iPhoto has serious issues with these NORMAL sized collections.

iPhoto is cripples my iBook with a mere 500 photos in the library. I need this update...free or not.

Suggestion: Instead of crying to the forum that you don't want to shell out $50 for one program, why not write to Apple and ask for an answer, since nobody actually knows if iPhoto is going to be free or not. Then, if Apple says you have to shell out the cash, you can proceed to blast Apple