I think anyone who was honest would freely admit the way FCP dealt with titles/text was confusing, difficult to work with and out of date. The basic functionality of the timeline and making edits was fine and the fact that it didn't crash and supported many formats and had good codecs like ProRes pacified people. Their answer to titles was use another program. I also thought it had to do with their laziness to avoid anything that would require a re-write of the code. Add features or complimentary applications? yes! Re-write the code? Nope.

The relationship between your NLE maker of choice and you the editor can seem personal. But you cannot get to the point where it seems to me as "blind" worship. While I'm not saying that anyone has done this recently, I must say that about 3 or 4 years ago I almost got tarred and feathered on this very FCP forum for asking some questions about why you cannot edit/revise a title easily in the timeline. It was like "hey old man" Avid editor, this software rocks. That was an actual response. Revising titles was and still is something I do with a large amount of frequency. I was just learning FCP, but i had been editing on Avid for a decade so i wasn't a novice. This is one very basic function that I cannot believe isn't there yet. I wasn't attacking anyone FCP editor personally. Just asking why you can't do it. Instead they acted like I was calling them bad editors? They're great editors, but calling out "holes" in software is important feedback. So I thought!

It was like some guys thought FCP was the best editor ever without asking or challenging the Apple progrmmers to improve the whole experience. At one time, Avid became arrogant from its success, but we called them to task. Management did listen and they changed. But, we "yelled" and told them to lower prices and make the whole experience faster. And they did.

In all honesty, I think there are some amazing FCP editors out there. But once you stop holding the three A's accountable, then you get complacency and even arrogance from them. They're your tools. Tell them what you want. Don't just say, well we will get there someday. Tell them now,,or tell them now by switching to another app. That will get their attention. Just like Avid editors moving to FCP got Avid's attention.

Don't fall in love with them or worship them. Peace.

AMEN!

I, also, have seen many Apple fanatics, and it kind of deters me from wanting to join their 'club'. However, at least some people have woken up due to the FCPX scandal.

Slightly off-topic, but I've seen format fanatics on the Windows side, too. For years, Apple was derided as closed off, you can't share Windows files and Mac files, etc. To this day, I have friends who begrudgingly admit their wives' iPhone is better than their Android, but still tell me how Mac OS X is still an iffy OS. Right, 10 years and iffy.

And don't get me started on my Linux friends... (grin)

It's all over the place, and I try to tune it out and just focus on what works for me. That happens to be Mac, and I've used Apple as my primary computer since I started college in 1994, but when I left I was on both a Mac and Windows box. But I mostly stayed with Mac while using Windows here and there (NT workstations for networked writing in a TV news environment, etc.). Mac works for me just like Windows works for someone else.

heath

Just a thought here....

With Apple's interest in selling iThings, might it be the case that the Mac Pro line and the OS get dumbed down over time? Apple have already shown they have no loyalty to professional users with FCPX so can be expect Apple to push everyone towards iPad like devices?

I'm already very wary of the forthcoming Lion update in case it breaks anything to do with Quicktime or FCP7.

[...] I'm already very wary of the forthcoming Lion update in case it breaks anything to do with Quicktime or FCP7.

Apple has reassured us in their FAQ (and have also told strategic end-users in briefings) that Final Cut Pro 7 will continue to run under Lion. So we have one more OS release in which we can happily continue editing with ye olde Final Cut Pro Classic and take our time crafting a transition plan for our existing workflows. Who knows, in the meantime Final Cut Pro X may grow up fast and surprise us.

take our time crafting a transition plan for our existing workflows

It's looking like Adobe are doing that for us. Every time I look at the list of software that comes in their suite I start salivating. It's a very attractive package. Yes FCP 7 is marginally better as an editor, but the packages you get with the Adobe suite are really looking attractive to me and the 50% off makes it all look merely overpriced rather than the usual extortionate pricing that swayed me towards FCP to begin with.

Apple may fix FCPX but long term I have no confidence in them not to pull these stunts again as they simply have no interest in us as a userbase. If they did they wouldn't have released such an incomplete package.

Love the blog David, btw,

Geoff

It's looking like Adobe are doing that for us. Every time I look at the list of software that comes in their suite I start salivating. It's a very attractive package. Yes FCP 7 is marginally better as an editor, but the packages you get with the Adobe suite are really looking attractive to me and the 50% off makes it all look merely overpriced rather than the usual extortionate pricing that swayed me towards FCP to begin with.

Apple may fix FCPX but long term I have no confidence in them not to pull these stunts again as they simply have no interest in us as a userbase. If they did they wouldn't have released such an incomplete package.

I agree.

If you look at all of Adobe's creative suite programs, you should see that they really don't need to push Premiere because so many people already buy the Production suite for Photoshop, Illustrator and/or After Effects. The fact that Adobe has invested so many resources over the last couple versions should show that Adobe is probably more committed to the 'Pro' market (anyone earning their living from video) than any other NLE maker.

When I first decided to begin a career in video, I tested Media Composer and FCP on a friends computer, Edius, Vegas and Premiere Pro on my computer. I found Vegas to be too consumer-ish with too many templates and presets. I like to have control over everything which is why I don't use very many plug-ins like stuff from the Magic Bullet suite (I use Cameratracker, Particular, Optical Flares, NeatVideo and a few other small ones). I didn't like how both Avid and FCP required everything to be transcoded before you can start working. I liked how Edius and Premiere could handle formats natively, but the deciding factor was the integration of the entire Adobe suite and After Effects. It also helped that I already owned the design/web CS2 suite.

To those who make excuses for Apple and all of the missing features and bugs in FCP X by saying that it is a complete rewrite so these issues are to be expected - hopefully, you will 'see' the light and writing on the wall. Just look at Adobe who rewrote Premiere Pro CS5, AE CS5, Encore CS5, Media Encoder CS5 and Photoshop CS4-CS5 making them 64bit on BOTH Mac & Windows in 18 months. That was after changing Premiere and AE CS4 to be 64bit 'compatible' where they could use more than 3GB of ram but were not 64bit native. Also, 'X' has the iMovie interface which was released back in 2008 so FCP X has been worked on since then; thus, Apple has had plenty of time.

Just to bring this up because someone posted the question again earlier today, there's no pressure to swap to PC at the moment as I believe with Adobe you can "crossgrade" at any time.

So you can stick with your current Mac for now but if Apple do abandon proper computers for tablets then you can switch with ease.

That's the theory anyway. I certainly don't want to abandon my current hardware but in 2 or 3 years time then if Apple have lost all interest in full computers then so be it.

Actually, we had problems with crossgrading with Adobe, ie. we were told that it is not possible to update a suite to a version on a different operating system (from Mac to PC), and that we have to buy a new full version. It was about 2 years ago, and in Poland, so the policies could have changed, especially if Mac Pro gets abandoned, but still it was kind of disappointing.

Actually, we had problems with crossgrading with Adobe, ie. we were told that it is not possible to update a suite to a version on a different operating system (from Mac to PC), and that we have to buy a new full version. It was about 2 years ago, and in Poland, so the policies could have changed, especially if Mac Pro gets abandoned, but still it was kind of disappointing.

From reading online, it appears to be possible to do it now. Obviously your Mac copies have to be deactivated and you will need to pay for the PC media.

Can anyone vouch for this?

Marcus,

I don't think Apple will abandon computers for many, many years to come.

Heath

Marcus,

I don't think Apple will abandon computers for many, many years to come.

Heath

I'm afraid I don't have your faith. In terms of their professional software, Apple have either axed packages or dumbed them down. The server line has gone, ports have gone missing from lower end Mac Pro's and E-SATA has not been embraced (Thunderbolt is all very well and good but SATA is useful and cheap because it talks directly to the drive interface).

All these things indicate to me that just like FCP-X, the hardware line will be further dumbed down over time. Even Lion is supposed to be closer to iOS.

If you'll pardon the pun, a leopard doesn't change its spots.

The server market was too niche for Apple, not enough customers to justify it. They still offer the software, and I believe another company is going to provide the hardware. Apple still makes a lot of money selling MacBook Pros, iMacs and MacBook Airs.

Q3: There Are Very High MacBook Pro, Expected iPad 2 and iPhone 4 Sales Figures | iPhone iPad iPod dot com (http://iphoneipadipod.com/iphone/q3-there-are-very-high-macbook-pro-expected-ipad-2-and-iphone-4-sales-figures.html)

AppleInsider | Apple expected to post strong $24B+ quarter in face of 'heightened expectations' (http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/07/15/apple_expected_to_post_strong_24b_quarter_in_face_of_heightened_expectations.html)

Heath