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Leaks and reputations.
Look, I know everyone is extremely Hungry for FCP-X info.
However, in our zeal to know everything on OUR timetable and to be “first and smartest” with our insider knowledge – it’s reasonable to take a moment and ask if we’re all inadvertantly participating in something that may damage others.
On this board, someone sniffed out that there was a link to Steve Martin’s Ripple Training on the leaked screen shots. Now, there’s a “cease and desist” order linked to this matter posted to Apple Insider. I don’t know if it was these posts that caused some, or any of the ruckus. But if so, it’s worth examining our group thinking on these concepts.
I should admit right up front that I have a personal bias in all this.
I’ve known Steve Martin since the early days of FCP. I know him to be a honest and honorable person. The C&D letter notes that someone hacked a server and ripped these screen caps from a program he’s working on under contract with and WITH PERMISSION from Apple.
The point of all this is that we sometimes think it’s just a big GAME to try to be first to sniff out insider info about this stuff. But real people are underneath this with real reputations worth protecting.
I had a pretty long conversation with Steve at the NAB release of FCP-X – an event where I was allowed by Apple and my friends on the SuperGroup staff to play a role in presenting the meeting. During that entire time, Steve was ABSOLUTELY close-mouthed about ANYTHING having to do with FCP-X – even tho in hindsight, he was obviously already working with the early versions of the product.
In other words, he kept to HIS part of the ND agreements scrupulously in all his conversations with me.
Now some hack has figured that their need for momentary fame and to feel like a “big player” is more important than honoring fundamental concepts like workplace privacy and individual copyrights.
Most of us here are content creators of one fashion or another.
If someone did to you – or to me – what they’ve done to Steve, I’d be pissed.
I’m glad that the story of the hack is getting out – and that Steve’s reputation will (and should) remain solid.
For what it’s worth.
“Before speaking out ask yourself whether your words are true, whether they are respectful and whether they are needed in our civil discussions.”-Justice O’Conner
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24 Replies
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Commenting on something already in the public domain, not leaked or published by someone on this forum hardly requires a long hard look at ourselves. If people here could spot the Ripple Training info in the screengrabs, how long do you think it would take Apple?
I appreciate your concerns may be pointed at others reading or posting on these forums, but suggesting we avoid commenting on items widely posted on the Internet seems over the top. Sorry.
Edit Out Ltd
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FCP Editor/Trainer/System Consultant
EVS/VT Supervisor for live broadcast
RED camera transfer/post
Independent Director/Producerhttps://www.blackmagic-design.com/community/communitydetails/?UserStoryId=8757
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I’m sure no one here wishes Steve Martin (or Apple for that matter )any ill will. He’s good at what he does, and it provides a use service to FCP users. Plus, it’s good to see he’s got a job.
Meanwhile, leaks in modern times are an inevitable part of our society whenever secrets are being withheld. It happens everywhere; the WikiLeaks scandal being a prime example.
And, it’s also inevitable that once something is leaked, it’s going to be spread, however and wherever news and cometary are served up to the public. The Cow is no exception; it’s a primary source of news and commentary for our industry.
And, with so much pent up demand for information about Apple, it would hard, if not impossible, to prevent anything and everything that’s published from becoming instantly newsworthy, here on the Cow, as everywhere else.
With that being said, no one here on the Cow leaked a thing. And, while I’m sure all of us hope there are no bad repercussions for Steve Martin, I don’t feel as though anyone here should feel guilty for linking to those pix. They were everywhere, and it would have been impossible to restrain everyone from spreading the news that’s been so well guarded. Anyway, it all serves to benefit Apple anyway, and there’s no real loss to them in the end. Right?
In any case, that my personal point of view, and does not reflect the point of view of the Creative Cow.
David
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor/Colorist
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles
https://www.drwfilms.comPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
Creative COW contributing editor and a forum host of the Business & Marketing and Apple Final Cut Pro forums.
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For context, if it’s OK with COW management, AppleInsider posted a bit of the back story.
Ripple Training issues a cease and desist (apparently with Apple’s demand) and the files have apparently been removed from Twitter at this point.
https://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/06/14/cease_and_desist_threats_authenticate_recent_final_cut_pro_x_screenshots.htmlIn these modern times it seems no one is really “leak proof.” Apple itself may need to look at its marketing timelines. If they wait too long to start the orchestra, someone inevitably ends up stealing the conductor’s baton.
It reminds me of those horror movies where the monster is pounding at the door and the people inside (Apple) keep moving furniture in front of it. Eventually the monster gets in. In the long run, throwing obstacles in front of the door just doesn’t work. If Apple had been putting out bits an pieces under controlled circumstances it would have been a safety valve.
Just as Apple took the Music industry distribution methods on, Apple needs to seriously examine their own information distribution. They ultimately can’t control leaks any more than the music industry’s attempt to control file sharing. Apple came up with the 99¢ song so between this and previous leaks, they need to be equally innovative with the use of controlled viral marketing.
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Hopefully this will encourage more transparency in Apple’s future developments. I’m not saying hacking is right, but I have absolutely HATED being kept in the dark about the future of these programs. Especially because it influences my own future so much. I feel like it’s disrespectful to customers. If it were some dumb goofy thing like the next iPod, that’s one thing–but when it’s my livelihood, that’s another.
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I agree with Dane. Apple could learn a lot from Adobes marketing and communication skills.
Tom Daigon
Avid DS / FCP / After Effects Editor
http://www.hdshotsandcuts.com -
MortGoldman2 = Julian Assange
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Really?
You equate someone releasing emails specifically about on-going purely taxpayer funded government operations with someone hacking into a private business server in order to rip off and pre-release clearly copyrighted private business communications?
The sense of “entitlement” exhibited here is pretty breathtaking.
Essentially I hear many people saying:
“This company has NO RIGHT to be able to run their business as they see fit and protect their intellectual property in any fashion they choose – not if it’s going to make ME feel “left out of the loop.”
Most people here create content.
I bet if the shoe were on the other foot and someone was leaking YOUR copyright content into the big universal internet stream before YOU said it was ready – you’d be yelping like a cranky 2 year old.
And lots of people are – essentially arguing that since it’s important to YOU, therefore you have a right to know about it ASAP.
But you know what? You don’t.
Neither do I.
The OWNERS of the property have the right to release their IP as they see fit. The same way all of US do when we create something.
It might make you feel better to know more sooner. But the injured party here is Steve M.. EVEN if it does nothing but promote his product – that ENTIRELY misses the point. Someone who is NOT the author of this work co-opted a decision that rightfully belongs TO the author of the work. That’s the ONLY thing that matters here. At least if we all also want to protect our rights to control OUR content as authors in the future.
Simple as that.
“Before speaking out ask yourself whether your words are true, whether they are respectful and whether they are needed in our civil discussions.”-Justice O’Conner
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Not a bad idea. But a quick check of my portfolio leads me to believe Apple won’t be following any of your advice. 🙂
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The fact that the Ripple watermark is clearly visible in one of the leaked screenshots was all over the Internet before it was mentioned here. The leak made it obvious that Ripple was working on training — and that was the extent of the commentary here. No one here suggested (and I can’t imagine that anyone here would even believe for a second) that Steve had done anything inappropriate. I can’t begin to imagine how he must have felt to see his material spreading like wildfire across the Internet with no idea how it got out.
Bill, I participated in the conversation you’re referring to, and I certainly didn’t mean to offend Steve or you. My sincere apologies if I have.
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
[Bill Davis] “You equate someone releasing emails specifically about on-going purely taxpayer funded government operations with someone hacking into a private business server in order to rip off and pre-release clearly copyrighted private business communications?”
Bill,
I never equated those things. You’re obviously just trying to pick fight because people don’t feel contrite enough for your taste. But, you won’t get me to bite.
As I said before, no one here leaked a thing, and no one here wants anything bad to happen to Steve Martin or Apple.
Some people, and it most certainly wasn’t me, passed along links from a news server. The pictures have been taken down from those links and nobody here is passing them around or republishing them. Right?
Seems like arguing about it now is moot. Am I wrong to feel that way?
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor/Colorist
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles
https://www.drwfilms.comPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
Creative COW contributing editor and a forum host of the Business & Marketing and Apple Final Cut Pro forums.
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