(7::39) AE error and can’t render a thing!!!!

[Whosjackburton]

I have the same issue on both of my somewhat older (non intel) G5s. Troubleshot openGL and checked my RAM settings on both. No dice. I can’t even prerender 15s of footage. Oddly, everything works fine on my year-old laptop, but it’s ridiculous to switch over my workflow to such a slow machine. Until this is resolved, I’m switching my effects work to Apple’s Motion… an inferior program, but at least it renders!

[Joel Jackson]

That’s what Apple want’s you to do. They’re killing Shake, ostracizing adobe, and Pushing motion (yes, a by far inferior program). This is not good. I’m afraid we’re going to see another Avid (moving it’s platform to PC) move from Adobe. I hope not. It would kill my post business to have to re-invest in all of my hardware…

Joel

[Ron Lindeboom]

[creative bloc] “It would kill my post business to have to re-invest in all of my hardware…”

Hi Joel,

This is almost nearly always a false assumption, Joel. Why? The cost of the hardware has dropped to where as a line item on your expense sheet, hardware is one of the smallest costs of doing business for most businesses in this industry. Want proof? HD boards are now sold for $500 to $1000 and cameras that were once the domain of deep-pocketed broadcast and film institutions are now in the reach of many. Software that once sold for $2,500 a box (with almost no plug-ins, all of which had to be bought separately) now sells as part of a complete suite for less than half the original cost. Hell, Photoshop used to sell for almost the money that many computers now do. Now, Photoshop ships as part of a bundle.

Staying married to a hardware platform, whether it’s a Mac or a PC — especially in these days when the differences grow less and less with each passing version — is not a sound business practice. Neither is jumping ship for a reason or two.

But I have MUCH more invested in the Adobe Interface than I do in Macintosh — even though I have been using Apple computers since 1983. I could accomplish my work on a PC using all Adobe tools but I couldn’t accomplish all my work on a Mac without my Adobe tools.

Apple would like its users to believe that we can’t live without them but the truth is, I could live without Apple far easier than I could live without Adobe…

To switch to a PC, I’d have to learn that my mouse has a right-mouse button and that I need to look at the bottom of my screen, not the top, to see what’s happening. But to leave Adobe behind to stay with a Mac without them, I’d have to learn a bunch of new programs, interfaces, figure out how to make non-integrated programs fit together, etc., etc. — and that’s more bother than a Mac merits at this point in time.

Your mileage may vary,

Ron Lindeboom
creativecow.net

[Joel Jackson]

Ron,

Wow, wonderful to hear from you. You’ve been an inspiration to me for many years.

I agree that sticking with Mac is not nec. the answer. However, I run a small 2 suite house which until recently was only one suite. After spending upwards of $20,000 on the second system I’m just a bit frustrated. I’m not able to spend the money again. And FCP is very important to us. I could see switching to an Adobe based editor. I’ve used it in the past and have no problem with it. However, it seems that FCP has the higest number of users, which makes finding talent easier.

Also, I have 2 Aja IOs which would become useless if we move to PC and right now I can’t afford to totally turn my ship around.

You are correct. If I had the money I’d seriously consider switching to PC. However, I’m still paying off the credit cards on the new Apple. My mistake, but it’s all I know.

Once again, great to hear from you directly. It gives me great faith that some things in this world are realy what they seem. The COW rocks and thank you for all of you hard work to create such an awesome tool for creative profs…

Joel Jackson
The Creative Bloc, Inc.

[Ron Lindeboom]

I feel your pain, Joel. Kathlyn and I have been in the same straits a time or two over the years. It is not pleasant and is often very stressful but it does pass, trust us. ;o)

Kathlyn and I have been slowly wading into the Windows end of the pool (the deep end) and it’s not as scary as some Mac users believe. I wouldn’t and don’t recommend that anyone jump ship either to or from a Mac, lightly. But we’ve begun using PCs and find that they are not The Evil Empire nor are they hard to use.

Like you, we have a lot invested in our Macs and so we continue to use them but we do see the day coming when we will likely find that Apple has closed the door on one too many of our suppliers to be comfortable staying with them any longer.

While there are distinct and marketable advantages to having one company doing the hardware and software, at a certain point it will likely become akin to the era when the European royalty was so in-bred that they became sickly and weak. That is what I see for Apple in the days ahead as they continue to chase off one company after another.

The only wild card in all of this, is that Apple swapped to the Intel chip. This will make it far easier for companies to develop for both PCs and Macs and so there is likely to continue to be “outsider incursion” into the hallowed halls of Apple’s lonely kingdom. But when you keep dogs in your yard — big ones that bite, no less — then the “neighbors” are not likely to want to party at your barbeque anytime soon…

If I were you, I’d weave a PC into your studio and begin the process of adding to your knowledge base. It will only serve you in the end and as you amortize some of the hardware/software purchases you have made, you just may find that, like us, your aversion to and fear of PCs is far less than the possibility of an Apple-only playground for the Mac.

That’s my thoughts and my apologies for biting you, Joel. I am just a little cranky after getting the magazine done and I am just simply exhausted. Again, my apologies.

Ron Lindeboom