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Final Cut Pro X versus Premiere Pro CS6 by Oliver Peters
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[Craig Seeman] “Avid ceased physical discs in 2011?”
No, they’ve been optional for a while at initial purchase. Preferred purchase method has been download. Updates between versions are download.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
PS: From the current Media Composer product page at the Avid Store:
“Note: Media Composer 6.5 is available for purchase as a download only.”
– Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
[Oliver Peters] “”Note: Media Composer 6.5 is available for purchase as a download only.””
Yes, that’s significant. Once moving to download only, it can free a company to make changes in how it handles upgrades as well as feature release schedules.
It may be interesting to see if Avid goes the route Apple has and Adobe says they’re going to do.
I don’t know if Avid has announced anything like that but please do tell if they have. -
[Craig Seeman] “Mind you I’m not talking offering both, I’m talking about file based as an only option.”
Hey, I’m not going to repeat the above argument you are having with David. I agree with him. Yes, there were disks available after 2011, but it was very clear at the time that that was an ancillary delivery system, kept alive as a courtesy. Even when you bought through 3rd parties, you were directed to an Online download. When I bought the Symphony cross-grade, I don’t think discs were even an option from the vendor I purchased from. And, if I remember correctly, when I upgraded my 5.5 MC seat to 6.0 from Avid, it was also download only. Four years ago, I would have agreed with you, but I think that, right now, you are pushing the whole disc thing a little too hard.
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Given the move Apple and now Adobe has made I see a clear change in feature introduction. Whether cause or correlate the push to frequent feature upgrades (Something Avid is not yet doing or announced) have happened along with the end of disc distribution.
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[Craig Seeman] “the push to frequent feature upgrades”
I will be very surprised if Apple keeps this pace up. It seems to me that it was partially to make amends, but also reflects the kind of changes that occur around a radical release, like at the the time FCP HD (4.5). I’m betting things will slow down soon, if they haven’t already. It’s been 5 months since the last feature release, right?
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[Chris Harlan] “It’s been 5 months since the last feature release, right?”
Yes. Some are expecting a nice feature update just before NAB. My guess would be April 2nd. We’ll certainly know soon. My own guess is that Apple will sustain for at least the rest of this year. I’m guessing two major feature update releases a year for the time being. I’d also guess Adobe will be doing at least one a year. Actually if Avid has 7 they actually would be in the same ballgame considering when 6.5 was released.
Again this is not something I think will be unique to FCPX.
Adobe has said they well make features available to subscribers before purchasers.
Avid hasn’t really said anything yet though.I do think feature upgrade releases are going to be more frequent than 18-24 months even if it drops to once a year.
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Dave’s original post was concerning “losing” an internet connection – the point was you can still keep working until connection is back. I think the days of purposely keeping your editing system offline are long passed… plus Adobe does frequent updates to various components of the suite so it’s good to be connected all the time anyways.
Lance Bachelder
Writer, Editor, Director
Downtown Long Beach, California
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1680680/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 -
[Craig Seeman] “I do think feature upgrade releases are going to be more frequent than 18-24 months even if it drops to once a year.
“Agreed!
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Craig –
Avid has been doing major releases (.0 to .5, paid upgrades) on a 9 – 12 month schedule for a couple of years now, with minor point releases (free) scattered between .5 releases. In addition, they consistently patch and add/fix functionality in previous releases (they just released a patch for v6.0.3.2). As far as discs go – when they still shipped DVDs that version was rarely the most recent. It was common practice to get the installer and install the latest patch on top, or just buy the software, download the latest version, install it and shelf the DVD when it arrived.
While many .0.x releases from Avid are bug fixes, they’ve occasionally included new features, but often new features are saved for bigger, paid upgrades. The pricing of which has often been a point of contention with their customers. Apple has bucked that trend and isn’t charging for any updates with X, but is that because they’re being generous or are reinventing software development, or have they been playing catch-up by adding in features like multicam, which was available in 7 but not X? I imagine they’ll eventually charge for an update – I wonder how much it will be too, since the app store doesn’t allow it (yet).
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Michael Hancock
Editor
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