in the continuing series of things read on art of the guillotine..

[Simon Ubsdell]

[Chris Kenny] ” products where coordination with external companies makes secrecy impossible”

Hmmm, yes, well, since you raise the point, you could if you wanted to be a Devil’s Advocate argue that Apple could have done everyone a favour by involving third parties vendors (Blackmagic, AJA, not to mention plug-in developers) this time around – some considerable measure of panic has been created because of this. This would not have been entirely at odds with industry practice.

The point stands however that the “sneak peak” was way too showbusiness – distinctly too little business. And after all, most of us are trying to run businesses and don’t appreciate being condescended to, no matter who is doing the condescending.

Simon Ubsdell
Director/Editor/Writer
http://www.tokyo-uk.com

[Craig Seeman]

[Simon Ubsdell] “The point stands however that the “sneak peak” was way too showbusiness – distinctly too little business. And after all, most of us are trying to run businesses and don’t appreciate being condescended to, no matter who is doing the condescending.”

Please describe what they should have done and shown given the bounds that developers can’t reveal certain things. The showed what they felt was safe for them to show and said what the felt was safe for them to say given that developers can’t say certain things about unfinished products.

Sorry but if they can’t reveal things because they are unfinished then they can’t. I’ve posted elsewhere why developers can’t say certain things.
https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/335/860

The alternative was to remain completely silent which is typical developer policy and certainly how Apple has done things in the past.

[Simon Ubsdell] “involving third parties vendors (Blackmagic, AJA, “

When the Thunderbolt MacBookPros came out, both the above promised products yet, at the time, refuse to mention anything about those products. It was only at NAB that they actually showed the products since they are now in their final state being manufactured for shipping.

That Apple showed something before its final state is actually very forthcoming.

[Aindreas Gallagher]

the point you’re trying to make about developers and limited information unfinished features etc doesn’t apply – its basic information we’re talking about here – core functionality that exists in 7 and was never referenced with X. If you’re trying to imply that they’re “coding” say the XML export ten weeks before launch and that’s why they can’t talk about it – I’m going to say you’re wrong.

besides – what are these mystical ‘bounds’ and things that ‘developers cannot say’ what does that even mean? – we’re talking about some basic data points about the App – not how its encoding the linear float space – we’re talking about the ability to invoke a clip viewer and export an OMF – making grand vague points about the mysteries of development and what is “safe for them to say” (?) doesn’t answer the question at all.

http://www.ogallchoir.net
promo producer/editor.grading/motion graphics

[Craig Seeman]

[Aindreas Gallagher] “If you’re trying to imply that they’re “coding” say the XML export ten weeks before launch and that’s why they can’t talk about it – I’m going to say you’re wrong.”

They may be having problems or it may be incomplete. Keep in mind they may have complex issues given their new trackless system. It could mean complex metadata issues such as how does one assign video and audio out to discrete tracks if one is to work in other environments like ProTools or a high end finishing tool where certain types of video need to be on separate tracks.

The very thing about the trackless timeline that’s a concern for some of us, may be a real tangle for the developers as well. So XML and OMF may be quite specifically one of those things that they’re still working on since they no longer have overt track assignments.

[Aindreas Gallagher] “‘developers cannot say’ what does that even mean? – we’re talking about some basic data points”

I’m not saying people shouldn’t be concerned about these things. It’s that the very things that concern us may still be something that they’re working on. It’s not “basic data points” at all. Just because you think it should be done doesn’t make it so. I’ll repeat again, I’ve worked with developers and some things certainly may be worked on up to the last minute. Some things may not make it in until the next version. For that very reason that don’t want to say anything about such things at this point.

Even if you don’t like it, if they can’t talk about something, they’re taking that position for a practical reason (for them) and it’s not simply to be antagonistic or hostile to the Post community dependent on their software. To reduce it to that, that somehow they’re just being “rude and inconsiderate” is to ignore the real and very standard reasons why developers don’t like talking about such things in advance and why “sneak peeks” are rare especially for Apple.

[Dan Hayes]

[Craig Seeman] “They’ve never done a sneak peek for any product before that I know of. Apple’s marketing strategy has been changing every since Jobs started responding to emails from the public, as far as I can tell. This is new territory for them.”

They revealed the first iPhone five and a half month before it shipped.

[Craig Seeman]

[Dan Hayes] “They revealed the first iPhone five and a half month before it shipped.”

Product announcement or sneak peek? Big difference as far as marketing is concerned.

[Craig Seeman]

This is?
Jobs keynote.
https://www.engadget.com/2007/01/09/live-from-macworld-2007-steve-jobs-keynote/
Not the same thing then. Official announcement is not a sneak peek at all.
Official is when Apple has everything locked down as far as what they announce.

[Dan Stewart]

Corporate game playing is all very well for the next automagical consumer trinket, but this is a serious issue for many here.

It may be that all of FCP7’s abilities and interfaces are retained and the shiny imovie-esque layer is just optional fluff.

BUT

1)Not saying so is worrying to those who will HAVE to figure this stuff out at very short notice (ie, production co: “we got the new FCP, BTW can we see a cut by mid-afternoon?”) and

2)The choice of amateur imovie whizbangs to present, as opposed to serious functionality (even the momentary mention of critical functions being retained) is VERY WORRYING to anyone who may find themselves in the situation above in the near future.

Apple have always wavered between serious pro gear and flogging magic beans to fat fingered consumers. If they mean this to be serious gear they should have said so, not having done so is worrying because

A)They didn’t and
B) They didn’t know they should have.

Should we take them seriously and trust them? The discussion will go on until they realise they need to act like pros to deal with pros or they dump a broken housewife-grade toy on us in June.

What fun!

Dan