iMac bump

[Tim Wilson]

Help an old, out of touch brother out here. ????

In olden times, I could always count on a thread about a new Apple release to provide all sorts of insights into what kind of work people are doing, what they need and want from Apple, and a whole lot of things that go far beyond the specs.

Some of the relative quietude of such threads in recent years is that the adrenaline here has gone way down, which I think is generally a good thing.

But I wonder if there’s something larger going on, and that’s where I need your help.

There’s no question that the Trash Can and its timing sent some previous “Mac or Die” folks to the door. Maybe not for their entire computing profile, but it made them realize that they can live a happy life without Apple coming through for them, and all it took was adding a Windows (or something else) machine or two into the mix.

I’m thinking that something of the same happened for the folks who stayed too, though. A realization that there’s no point in talking about what they want to see from Apple, because there’s no chance in Apple actually doing it. It’s like, all you need to do is say it out loud to make SURE that Apple never does it.

Along with that, though, is that realization I just mentioned that some folks might have had, that Apple’s stuff is good enough, because a) it just is, and/or b) it HAS to be, because anything else would necessitate some degree of having some non-Apple computers in one’s life, and that just ain’t gonna happen, no matter what Apple does or doesn’t do.

Because that’s certainly the flipside of this story. That instead of either buying Apple’s new thing OR going to Windows, a large number of you carried on with your “still good enough” five or eight or more year old machines. Maybe it’s that the juicy goodness of the software (including FCPX) and “the Apple experience” makes it inconceivable that changing platforms will ever become a consideration.

I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking.

So what’s the story this time? Is this specific release just not enough to get either excited or upset about? Have we moved into a zen state of equilibrium, free from the pain of desire, fully embracing what IS as neither good nor bad, but simply IS.

Or what?

[Andrew Kimery]

[Tim Wilson] “So what’s the story this time? Is this specific release just not enough to get either excited or upset about?”

It’s just a spec bump. Nothing to really write home about.

[Oliver Peters]

[Tim Wilson] “I’m thinking that something of the same happened for the folks who stayed too, though. A realization that there’s no point in talking about what they want to see from Apple, because there’s no chance in Apple actually doing it. It’s like, all you need to do is say it out loud to make SURE that Apple never does it. “

Well… I think Andrew is right. This is just a speed bump. But it could also be that Apple is making some adjustments based on the supply chain. Or they need to make tweaks to keep people happy, since the Mac Pro probably won’t ship until the end of the year.

In general, computers have gotten better and our workflows and associated hardware requirements have become streamlined. Most of us don’t need all the gozintas and gozoutas that we used to require. Edit suites are more compact than in the past. The horsepower on an decked out iMac/iMac Pro or even trash can Mac Pro is more than enough for most needs. Even the new Mac mini with an eGPU.

I bought a late-2009 cheeesegrater Mac Pro, which I still have. In these years, I’ve upgraded RAM, swapped out GPUs a couple of times, added USB3/eSATA cards, and swapped out/upgraded drives. Yes, it was nice to be able to do that. But when I factor in the total cost of all those upgrades, I’m not sure that I wouldn’t have been better off upgrading the total machine a couple of times during that same period. Today, it sits powered off unless I need to burn a DVD. Most of my work (when not on a f/l gig at a facility) is done with my MacBook Pro.

Even though you can upgrade hardware on a tower-style machine, the other components are locked into the design and specs of the era in which it was manufactured. For example, that MP tower can’t do any flavor of Thunderbolt.

In the case of Apple, I think they’ve hit a point when their product options cover 99% of the needs of even the power users. So while people deride them for not having another cheesegrater design in the lineup (yet?), a lot of this is just standard internet/social media faux outrage. In the end, most of us just want a great working machine, not a science project ☺

– Oliver

Oliver Peters – oliverpeters.com

[Herb Sevush]

A couple of factors are in play, says I.

First, this is a minor upgrade. I will expect more interest when/if the next Mac Pro gets released.

Next, I think the industry has matured to the extent that you can do what you want with whatever you have. All of the big time NLE’s are great, they can be used on anything from a laptop to a multi-screen workstation, utilizing either Mac or Windows. The differences are very nuanced, the NLE’s are customizable, the computer’s are available and cheap – there just isn’t that much to complain about. Not that that’s ever stopped us before.

Finally, the thread about the renaming of this forum has sent some of our former contributors away. Debate leads to passion leads to volatility leads to bad behavior – and when that is not being tolerated, the ecosystem changes. Less passion, less interest.

Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions
—————————
nothin\’ attached to nothin\’
\”Deciding the spine is the process of editing\” F. Bieberkopf

[Andrew Kimery]

When Apple first released the iMac Pro there was a lot of talk. When Apple releases the next MP there will be a lot of talk. This is just a small spec bump (something Apple used to do as a matter of course) which is why there isn’t a lot of talk.

[Oliver Peters] “I bought a late-2009 cheeesegrater Mac Pro, which I still have. In these years, I’ve upgraded RAM, swapped out GPUs a couple of times, added USB3/eSATA cards, and swapped out/upgraded drives. Yes, it was nice to be able to do that. But when I factor in the total cost of all those upgrades, I’m not sure that I wouldn’t have been better off upgrading the total machine a couple of times during that same period.”

I have the same era machine and performed the same kinds of upgrades on it. For me the upgrades have certainly been way more costive effective than buying a new desktop machine (or two) over the same time frame.

With that being said, I’m torturing myself currently by waiting for the nMP just to see if it’s something I’d be interested it. I doubt it will be. Unless the nMP blows me away I’ll end up with either an iMac Pro or a Hackintosh by years end.

[Oliver Peters] “Even though you can upgrade hardware on a tower-style machine, the other components are locked into the design and specs of the era in which it was manufactured. For example, that MP tower can’t do any flavor of Thunderbolt.”

But the tower can be upgraded to USB 3, eSATA, HDMI, HD-SDI, Fiber, 10gig ethernet etc., ThB, due to its architecture, is a bit of an outlier when it comes to I/O upgradeability.

[Oliver Peters]

[Andrew Kimery] “But the tower can be upgraded to USB 3, eSATA, HDMI, HD-SDI, Fiber, 10gig ethernet etc., ThB, due to its architecture, is a bit of an outlier when it comes to I/O upgradeability.”

I think for large storage amounts (shared or local) 10Gig seems to be winning out. Video i/o seems to still be best with TB2/3. If you need it at all. Or even HDMI.

– Oliver

Oliver Peters – oliverpeters.com

[Bill Davis]

This is probably just me, but the days of “longing” for a system that works both reliably and as fast as I need it to — are simply a thing of the past.

I spent the last two weeks designing and building out one of the most complex storylines of my past few years. It’s the video equivalent of a “brand book” for a large financial client with many divisions, all of which their many agencies need to keep the “look and feel” of all their public facing communications consistent.

To achieve that, the team of content experts and designers I’m working with are constantly revising and replacing on screen design elements, precision type specs, graphics and live video elements.

The final work will be Between 30 min and an hour long – and I’ll likely have 50,000 edits, transitions and builds in the darn thing. So it’s pretty complex.

My point is that I barely have to think about X at all while I’m in a work session. And that includes the sessions where I’m huddled with the art director, producer and client hovering over my shoulder.

Everything just works, smoothly and easily. No waiting, no struggles, and I think I had ONE crash on a day a couple of weeks back where I was changing and re-changing type a bunch – and like always X rebooted, post hang up, without my losing a single keystroke

And this is all on a 2016 MacBook Pro.

So essentially, the big change for me is that somewhere along the line, I was able to STOP chasing “hardware and software fast enough to drive more friction out of getting my work done efficiently” and just focus on the work itself.

I only moderately care about all those things I spent years chasing so hard after. Processor specs, graphic cards, extra GPUs, waiting for “the next software speed up” those are not such a big deal for me now.

Sure I’ll keep upgrading my hardware, but it’s not to escape challenges any more. It’s just normal equipment upgrade cycles to keep up and get the benefits of industry progress.

When revs like 10.4.5 come out and something like workflow extensions arrive, the new capabilities are great, but not because they FIX stoppers. Just because they offer even more bang for the same bucks I paid back in 2011.

Do the game has simply changed for me. I don’t NEED a better engine at the core of my business to compete.

I feel like I already have that, and have for a few years now.

FWIW.

Creator of XinTwo – https://www.xintwo.com
The shortest path to FCP X mastery.

[Greg Janza]

Finally, the thread about the renaming of this forum has sent some of our former contributors away. Debate leads to passion leads to volatility leads to bad behavior – and when that is not being tolerated, the ecosystem changes. Less passion, less interest.

I’d add that there’s also been an exodus here because the Facebook forums are much more active and dynamic. There’s a wealth of dialogue happening on Facebook that makes the cow look like a ghost town. No disrespect to the great community that’s been established here but I find the Facebook forums are more dynamic overall.

I’ll add too that the now ancient and thoroughly boring debate of FCPX vs Premiere or Apple vs. The World has taken a back seat to practical advice.

tallmanproductions.net

[Oliver Peters]

[greg janza] “because the Facebook forums are much more active and dynamic”

Aside from the issue of monetizing your data – Facebook is a horrible format to try and follow any sort of threaded discussion.

Oliver

Oliver Peters – oliverpeters.com

[Steve Connor]

[greg janza] “community that’s been established here but I find the Facebook forums are more dynamic overall.”

Care to share which ones? All the FCPX ones I subscribe too are full of beginners questions and “where can I download FCPX for free” questions