Surprisingly, there doesn't seem to be a topic about this yet:

The Academy® and Emmy® award-winning Lightworks is to be made available as Open Source.

Used by editors such as Chris Gill and multi Oscar-winning Thelma Schoonmaker, Lightworks offers intuitive controls, advanced real time effects, 2K native support with DPX or RED, and multi-camera editing features that remain unmatched.

Lightworks already offers capabilities far exceeding those of regular editing solutions and EditShare is working to release its full potential...

Source: EditShare - The Smart Way to Edit Together - Download (http://www.editshare.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=208)

I sent Editshare an e-mail about the release date, and they replied:
We appreciate the enthusiasm, we're just as excited for the release! We are hoping to be able to release Lightworks as a free download in the next 2 weeks. Our target date is 17th November. Obviously it is possible this could slip, but this is what we are working towards. We'll be in touch!

YouTube - IBC2010: Demo Lightworks Editing Software (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gCDFfXUcGk&feature=player_embedded)
YouTube - IBC2010: Andy Liebman über Lightworks und Editshare (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpf-ZR4X5oI&feature=player_embedded)

The initial free of charge release of Lighworks will be closed source. I was told that they're still wading through the copyright & other intellectual property issues involved with making it open source, but that they're committed to creating an open source version. Which will be good, since a lot of the features that they initially trumpeted (Mac & Linux versions, 3rd party capture cards, etc) will be deferred to the open source version.

Thanks, I've been waiting for an Editshare email update, so, hopefully, something will now be out soon.

How good is Lightworks when compared to FCP or Premiere?

It's very good.

LW has very robust offline to online workflow, very robust features for matching back to film, very robust multi-cam and now they've added stereoscopic 3D. The interface looks fairly good & shouldn't be that hard for an experienced editor to learn.

I will definitely look into this as an alternative to Premiere's crash-prone bloatware.

How does it compare to Vegas as a solution for field edits on laptops?


J.

Update: it will be available as a free download this Monday (November 29th). Windows only, no Open Source yet.

Newsletter:
Lightworks News (http://www.editshare.com/email/lightworks-nov10-online.html)


Hello again, from the Lightworks Development Team
It has been an exceptionally busy few months as we move toward the first public release of Lightworks Open Source.

Since the landmark Lightworks Open Source announcement (April 2010), we’ve had over 1700 developers and 20,000 editors sign up for the program. With many new features close to finalization, we have embarked on a comprehensive beta testing program, putting Lightworks through its paces and the feedback we have received so far has been excellent.
Lightworks for FREE ... just in time for the holidays!
It is with great pleasure that we take the first step in the roll out of Lightworks Open Source and deliver the free download to you! On November 29th, the free download will be available exclusively to those who have registered. An email will be sent to you with detailed download instructions.

Lightworks developers have been working day and night to develop a variety of enhancements for the new NLE.


Application Features

Capture and Playback

* Edit While Capture, Firewire, SD (analogue and digital), HD-SDI with optional I/O cards
* Full-screen, real-time SD, HD, and 2K preview playback on desktop display, Dual HD-SDI and DVI for Stereoscopic playback

Editing

* Resolution, format and codec independent editing
* Edit at 23.976, true 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, or 60
* Advanced multicam editing with unlimited sources

Effects

* Real-time effects in SD, HD and 2K
* Field or frame based varispeeds*
* Keyframe graphs
* Effects layers with node-based layering tool
* Multiple real time primary and secondary color correctors

Tools

* Multitrack audio mixer with full bus routing and multiple mixes
* Customization templates for Avid and FCP shortcuts
* Voiceover tool for adding narration directly to edit
* Shot sync - sync two sources for playback comparison
* Customizable BITC timecode and film footage overlays

Film

* Support for 35mm 3-perf, 35mm 4-perf, and 16mm-20 and mixed film formats
* View feet and frames in edit
* View keycode and ink number
* 24-fps EDL import, export and conversion to and from 29.97 fps
* Import ALE, FLX, and CSV files
* Cut list, change list, optical list, pull list, dupe list

3rd-Party Support

* Inscriber Titlemotion, Boris FX, Combustion, After Effects, Premiere Plug-ins, Sapphire, Digital Fusion
* Support for any application that can exchange AVI, MXF and QuickTime files

Collaboration

* Advanced Shared Projects with real-time review*

I/O Support

* QuickTime, MXF, AVI, DPX, DV, DV50, DV100, H.264, Uncompressed, OMF, AAF
* Avid DNxHD*, Apple ProRes*, RED*, AVC-Intra*, AVCHD*, XDCAM HD*, XDCAM EX*
* Stereoscopic support for independent Left and Right files*
* Telecine 29.97i to 24p pull down removal
* 30fps and 25fps import to 24fps project


New Features

* New and intuitive user interface
* Basic wizard for user orientation
* Avid and FCP keyboard shortcut preferences
* Integrated help with indexed Lightworks User Guide
* New style ‘bins’
* On screen console controls
* Full screen video on single or secondary displays
* Advanced EditShare Project Sharing*
* Native support for Apple ProRes, Avid DNxHD and AVC-Intra*
* Native support for RED R3D files and RED Rocket cards*
* 10bit and 16bit DPX support
* H.264 and AVCHD support for DSLR cameras
* Stereoscopic import and editorial support*
* Stereoscopic output through SDI and DVI (dual stream, side by side, anaglyph)**
* Native 2K resolution support
* Output through DVI in different resolutions up to 2K
* New project browser
* Windows 7 support (32bit and 64bit)

*Options available through the Lightworks Store
**SDI Output requires optional I/O hardware

Platform Support
We are still receiving questions regarding OS support for Lightworks. Currently, Lightworks runs on Windows 7 32-bit and 64-bit, and Windows XP 32-bit. We are looking to port it to Linux and OSX, but this won’t happen until late 2011.


Minimum Specifications
These are the minimum recommended specifications for running Lightworks optimally:

* A PC computer with Intel Core Duo, Intel Xeon, or AMD processor
* 2 GB of RAM (3GB recommended)
* A PCI Express graphics card with 256MB memory or higher
* A display with 1024 x 768 resolution or higher (1440 x 900 or higher recommended)
* Windows XP Professional SP2 or Windows 7 (32 bit or 64bit)
* QuickTime 7.6.6 or later
* 100 MB of disk space required to install Lightworks
* Dedicated media hard drive (7200rpm or higher)

Open source is not the same as freeware. Am I understanding correctly, that Lightworks will be freeware as well as open source software? How will it be licensed? (BSD or MIT perhaps?)

Here's a download.

Lightworks (http://www.lightworksbeta.com/)

Has anyone started using this yet? I'm sure no-one's using it anger but has anyone started messing around with it?

Does the Beta preview rely on the hardware controller or is it software based?

I've downloaded it but don't have a Windows PC to try it out.

I've messed about with it a bit. The beta does not rely on the controller.

When I found Lightworks as a free download, I freaked. And downloaded it. And realized that I knew nothing about how to use it.
I also downloaded Avidemux... same cost, why not... and I have to say, I am looking at learning curves that appear to be radically different.
My needs for the foreseeable future involve frame-accurate editing; transitions that are 99% straight cuts; easy scrolling titles, and excellent sound/music. Now, Lightworks is... incredible, yes? But Avidemux is going to be much easier and faster to learn.
So, the question.
Will the apparently overwhelming virtues of Lightworks give me results that will justify the learning curve with which I will have to struggle, in the face of the easier and faster to learn, but potentially limited (in comparison) abilities of Avidemux?

It really depends what your ambitions are. Simple editing jobs are a good way to learn how to use a NLE and from my playing a bit with the Lightworks, it's a good jumping off point even you decide to go to another NLE. The principles are quite similar to other software. However, the Lightworks beta may not inject the formats you want to use.

From having a quick look at Avidemux, it's not really going to help you get into using more advanced editing software. I'm not sure how good it is for precise frame accurate editing, some of these programs are frustrating to use and slow for that type of work, but since it's for free you can test it and see.

For anyone interested in checking out the Lightworks beta, they've now packaged the general introduction videos and basic tutorial videos at the one location..

Shaunthesheep's General Introduction to Lightworks (http://www.lightworksbeta.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=26&id=13921&Itemid=269)

Lightworks will have a major announcement September 8

The Lightworks announcement is up.

Announcement (http://www.lightworksbeta.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=122&Itemid=263)

There is a membership scheme that allows you access to the full professional version.

Lightworks Free Membership: Free
Lightworks Educational Membership: £20 (€25, $30) per year
Lightworks Professional Membership: £40 (€50, $60) per year

You will also be able to buy the popular Lightworks console and also a keyboard

Plus a beta version for Linux and Mac OSX with a planned release in December.

There has been a delay in Lightworks releasing the new verrsion announced in Sept:

Announcement (http://www.lightworksbeta.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=122&Itemid=263)

They're still looking for people interested in being alpha testers for the mac version

Anyone using lightworks in their work flow?

I use Lightworks.

A new beta was released today Downloads - Lightworks (http://www.lightworksbeta.com/index.php?option=com_jdownloads&view=viewcategory&catid=3&Itemid=214)

I use Lightworks.

Just curious. Are you one of the traditional users, with the much loved console or started with the beta that Editshare have been working on?

No, a new user, I was using Vegas but find LW can better handle cineform files and is less crash prone than Vegas version 11 . Rather a steep learning curve but seems to be more precise and faster.I think the new keyboard will add a lot to my eding experence.

I've got Vegas, but only use it for light stuff rather than production editing. From my slight playing with Lightworks I find it much more fun for actual story telling editing than Vegas.

An editor friend was trying to get his old Lightworks console to work with the beta, but so far without success, although some people seem manage it. Yes, the keyboard would be a good in between for those not needing or can't afford the full console for what they're doing.

Here's an introduction by the main players at EditShare (given at talk by editor Tariq Anwar), in which they talk about their company and their plans for Lightworks

EditShare Presents From the Cutting Room: Tariq Anwar - EditShare Introduction on Vimeo

Did I miss something? I couldn't find anything about their plans for Lightworks (except that it is open source and cross platform) and could not find anything on their Vimeo site either.

I have been watching the Lightworks Beta web site since September. However, there has been very little in the way of news posted there. Absolutely no information for those of us wanting to try Lightworks on Linux.

I don't think you'd find anything in the video that you wouldn't find in more detail in their roadmap on the Lightworks web site. Roadmap (http://www.lightworksbeta.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=112&Itemid=246)

Perhaps the video gives you more about the background of the people behind Editshare, than detail of the software itself. Although, getting an impression of the people does help in knowing their possible approach to Lightworks in the future.

Absolutely no information for those of us wanting to try Lightworks on Linux.

The Linux version currently seems to be a work in progress.

Announcement (http://www.lightworksbeta.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=122&Itemid=263)

If looking at RED is anything to go, these things tend to take longer than the developers hope. Hmm... sounds like developing scripts as well.

Editshare seem to be announcing the latest version of lightworks in the coming months, but it doesn't appear to be that far off. They've held off giving a hard date because these things tend to slip, but they say there'll be quite a few improvements.

Here's an on line video showing the differences for FCP people who might be considering a change when the mac version of Lightworks comes out.

link=broken

man down!

Try this link:

Learning Lightworks: Basic Editing (http://lightworks4fcp.blogspot.com/2011/07/basic-editing.html)

It seems to be working

Lightworks have announced that the new version will be out soon for Windows, then they'll be putting resources to porting on the mac and Linux .

Some information about the next release of Lightworks (http://www.lightworksbeta.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=19&id=19649&Itemid=269#19649)

For anyone using Lightworks beta, there's an update that allows you to continue using it. I assume they weren't planning for the delay on the release version.

The Lightworks people seem to be putting a lot of work in trying to ensure that their new web site and the system for downloading and licensing is fully functional and up to the possible demand.

The release date has been announced 28th May.

Details are in the news section: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/digital-video-industry-news/506964-lightworks-release-date.html#post1727367

Since this thread has the open source aspect in the title, the current situation on that matter seems to be:

LINUX SUPPORT (http://lightworksbeta.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=21&id=17909&limit=6&limitstart=306&Itemid=269)

Lightworks Windows has been released and there's a thread in the news section.

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/digital-video-industry-news/508117-release-lightworks-nle-available.html#post1735496

A link to the new Lightworks web site: Lightworks (http://www.lwks.com/)

The alpha release of Lightworks on Linux is 30.10.2012.
It's still not open source yet, but this would be step 2 in making the application available across 3 OSs - only mac after this.

The Linux alpha testers have already been selected and there are people keen to to be involved in the beta testing.

When the time comes I expect there'll be some hot discussion about the open source stage.

Having taken the decision to abandon the Mac world since Apple appears to be moving in a consumer direction, we're eager to move to Lightworks on Linux. We presently have a Windows version installed on a Intel Mac and like it a lot. (Originally, we used the FAST edit systems on WindowsNT, then switched to FCP when they were gobbled up)

Hopefully Lightworks on Linux will be available soon.

Here's an article on Lightworks becoming available on Linux
The implications of LightWorks coming to Linux | TechRepublic (http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/opensource/the-implications-of-lightworks-coming-to-linux/3922)

Here's a video of two Lightworks Linux alpha users explaining their discoveries almost as they go along.

Lightworks for Linux Preview | LAS | s24e04 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=V9R0Mxvr-0Q#)!

Signed up for the Linux beta. Super keen to try this out, just waiting on my new notebook.

I don't know if it'll help you, but the Eyeframe converter is being used on Wine.

Thanks for that, I'm not sure if I'd need it but I'll get it just in case.