Future of SoundDesigner II

[Montie]

I have founded/co-founded two companies and consulted with many others and the only rationalization that I can find for Digidesign not selling you the DINR 1.11 software without the "forced" upgrade is GREED.

They should be happy to sell you ANYTHING they produce. It is not their place to tell you what system/hardware you should own. If your software/hardware configuration is capable of running their software application then they should make it clear that it does not perform with more recent software/hardware configurations and that they will no longer be supporting past software/hardware. At that time, they should ask you how you would like to make payment.

It is another of Digidesign's "lead them around by the nose and get their credit card number" sales policies. I like to call it forced upgrade.

I spoke with regional Digidesign rep's and dealers who have expressed, privately, their disgust with these policies. Apparently, word has gotten out and its is cutting into once strongs sales and erroding confidence in Digidesign. With so many other options out there, now, selling these overpriced systems is becoming more difficult for them and Digidesign corporate management is not helping.

Once upon a time there were great dinosaurs. They ruled all that they could see.
Until....

[marcello]

I think that Digidesign does care about what we have to say. I am sure that most of the tech support people use SDII themselves.

I wonder if the management and $$$ people read these posts.

It would be GOOD BUSINESS to bring back SDII. Maybe we need to get in touch with the AVID people?

respectfully,
marcello

[mcseeley]

yeh
How this company could abandon their most popular sw baffles me. It's like Victoria Secret dropping the Wonder Bra.
Maybe the only real solution, if Avid/Digidesign (or whatever they are this week), don't want to support SD II is simply license it out to someone else. I'm sure there are plenty of programmers who could update the sucker, and get rid of that damn copy-protection too.Sounds like an easy market, by the looks of all the posts in here! How about it, Digi?

[marcello]

Montie...

Why would the people at Digidesign risk loosing their jobs if they acted on the whole SDII issue, in addition to dealers & reps loosing their authorized retailer status? Is it that sticky an issue at Digidesign / Avid? Is this just an exaggeration or true?

Have either Digidesign or Avid released a press release establishing where they stand on the entire SDII issue?

Maybe we should buy the rights to the program and sell them to Bias or Aboretum, this way they could put out the program!

-marcello

[Montie]

This is the last time I am going to post to this thread as the topic is starting to broaden outside SDII and into everything Digidesign. Which is where the topic of the future of SDII belongs, because SDII is tied to Digidesign's current ill state.

I do not believe Digidesign will resurrect SDII under current management. Selling SDII code and trademarks to a third party is a great idea. I am not so sure that it will be sold. Digidesign will want a great deal of money for their intellectual property. If I had a software company I would buy the rights to the trademarks, salvage what code I could and start from line one, again.

Frankly, I am becoming disgusted with Digidesign. I no longer recommend their products to my clients. I wish it could be another way, but it just isn't so, not now.

[marcello]

Is there any way all of us can help Digidesign / Avid facilitate a new version of SDII?

Maybe working with them on this one? I do not know how. Maybe if anyone and everyone that really wants this program posts to this message board or we start one of those lists on the internet.

The market potential for releasing a new version of SDII should be an incentive enough.

What sort of public response Digidesign / Avid would release is not known to me, but a bunch of users having to come together asking a company to release a new version of a program does seem pathetic......

I still don't see any public statement by Digidesign / Avid establishing where they stand on the whole issue.

I am seriously reconsidering buying that Pro Tools Project II card. Not to be mean or cruel or trying to hurt Digidesign, but why would I want to support a company that "seems" to ignore such a legitimate and needed NEED of it's users.

I know that there must be people at DIgi / Avid tha agrees with all of us.... If this is in fact some upper management problem, then the people at Digidesign / Avid are our only hope.

At least I hope that what I write ignites a spark in someone within the establishment to do something....

Wouldn't it be ironic if the seemingly apathetic attitude towards all of the SDII users is the very root of Digidesign's fall. Rome didn't fall in a day you know.

Help us "someone at Digi that can make a difference," you are our only hope....

respectively,
marcello

[Matthias Allgayer]

In my opinion manufacturer of any products (software products too, of course) should first listen to the wishes of their customers to find out what they want and then give them what they want. I think this is one of the most important rule of making buisness.
I hope the people at Digidesign read the opinions of this topic carefully and learn what their customers need ...

Matthias

[marcello]

What is the current feeling at Digidesign/Avid regarding this topic?

respectfully,
marcello

[David Wright]

I can only agree with so much that's been said in this thread. I've posted a number of messages here in the past on this subject but I'm glad to add my 2c worth again. Like Jeff I will not be upgrading my 8100/PTIII system in the foreseeable future as I would lose vital functionality. I also have a Sonic Solutions, and this and SDII are the only stereo editors I've found to be any good for critical classical work. Even Sonic have now abandoned the stereo user altogether - the entry level is 16 tracks!
OK there are all sorts of Mickey Mouse stereo editors about now, but this doesn't mean there is no need for a really good professional stereo editing package.
I'd be glad to see SDII and MLCD combined into one package, and I could suggest a number of new features which could be readily incorporated.
I like to think that if enough of us keep hammering away at this, maybe Digi will get the message ...

[marcello]

David,

Your idea of incorporating MLCD with SDII is a great one.

You should definitely suggest your other ideas for new features which could be readily incorporated into SDII.

I too agree that if we keep hammering away at this Digi will probably get the message.

I believe that all of us have support somewhere within the Digi / Avid superstructure...