why cant we get a pro tools and not have to keep upgrading

[TCM]

Originally Posted by zedhed

If software companies knew then what they know now, and Know now what they will in the future, there would be no need to upgrade.

If there is a human in this world working for any company who can do that, he's a god.

...sheesh, get a grip man.

Unfortunately, there are software companies out there which consciously put upgrades into their strategic plan, i.e. the future. They actually know what is needed for the customers right now but prefer to postpone features to make them buy an expensive upgrade. I am not talking about Avid, I am talking about a big software company I worked for... and I know others do/did that as well.

[zedhed]

Originally Posted by TCM

Unfortunately, there are software companies out there which consciously put upgrades into their strategic plan, i.e. the future. They actually know what is needed for the customers right now but prefer to postpone features to make them buy an expensive upgrade. I am not talking about Avid, I am talking about a big software company I worked for... and I know others do/did that as well.

I can't argue with that.

But at the end of the day you either get on the bus or walk.

[lexaudio]

Originally Posted by albee1952

Another culprit that is much worse than Avid..................Apple

Well the biggest worry so far is that Apple will drop their Mac Pros. Which means we'll all be buy the last remains of any MP desktop we can find and start learning to like Windows.

Apple will always sell out their MP's. They always have. But, if they want to support an iLife kind of style, and end Logic and FCP, ending the MP certainly makes a case for that.

If Apple goes the way of consumer toys, then maybe they are considering opening the OS to 3rd party hard way.
Wait. did I just say that>? LOL. Will never happen.

OSX will end up as iOS and Apple will be a phone company, tablet company. The desktop is dead.
Which kills us.

t

[DigiTechSupt]

moving this to the general discussion forums.

Thanks

[hooksound]

Companies makes roadmaps for the next e.g. 5 years. Some of the features in the roadmap could easily be implemented already today, but they are distributed strategically over the roadmap, where the marketing dept. thinks it makes most sense.

Companies does this in very different ways. If you look at a company like Steinberg, they have a tradition of making Cubase x.5 releases with new features and a couple of new plugs. Except for the last one (Cubase 6.5), these are free updates. Cubase 6.5 cost a little if you don't hit the (rather wide) grace period. This provides a good customer experience and Steinberg pertains the image that they care, and that you can count on them (which you can in every respect, I must say).

If you look at Pro Tools 8 and 9, they ended on x.0.5 and x.0.6 respectively, thus providing error corrections only. No freebies at all. If you move one step down segment wise you hit Pro Tools MP. IMHO the step from M-powered 8 to MP9 is the thinnest update of a piece of software, that I have ever seen. And you had to pay $199 for it.

avid is in a special situation. They can't afford to let to many core features ripple from HD/HDX down to middle and entry level Pro Tools versions. They also have to make strict limitations to track count, number of simultaneous I/Os etc. Therefore avid ought to concentrate on their core Pro Tools business area = HD/HDX and leave the mid and entry level segment to Steinberg and the others.

[lexaudio]

Originally Posted by albee1952

Another culprit that is much worse than Avid..................Apple

Well the biggest worry so far is that Apple will drop their Mac Pros. Which means we'll all be buy the last remains of any MP desktop we can find and start learning to like Windows.

Apple will always sell out their MP's. They always have. But, if they want to support an iLife kind of style, and end Logic and FCP, ending the MP certainly makes a case for that.

If Apple goes the way of consumer toys, then maybe they are considering opening the OS to 3rd party hard way.
Wait. did I just say that>? LOL. Will never happen.

OSX will end up as iOS and Apple will be a phone company, tablet company. The desktop is dead.
Which kills us.

THX Apple

[hooksound]

If we didn't honour the companies with some money from time to time, we wouldn't feed the development of new stuff. One branch away from this statement is that we don't need new stuff. Period. At least I need new stuff in the way of better sound quality, better performance, better work flow, better affordability. To gain this, we must all contribute with input and money. Then we can make some output and maybe even some money.

avids problem right now is that they have squashed the lemon to hard. Release frequency is to high, prices increasing and value for money decreasing. In this context it is OK - also for avid - to compare with other companies. I don't care about HD/HDX because I will never buy it. I'm more interested in Pro Tools or Pro Tools MP. They are in a segment with more competition and therefore prices are not 2-3 times higher than they ought to be. I'm just waiting with my VISA out of the wallet, but the wow effect has stayed away for the last couple of releases of Pro Tools and Pro Tools MP. Spring is nearly here and so is MP10 probably. If that does not provide something useful, then I don't know what to do.

[bonzerboy]

some one mentioned waves.. I have an update plan so it is taken care of, I do not mind forking over some money but make it reasonable, make it work and lets not make it obsolete in a year after you plunk down c=some big money

[Dism]

Originally Posted by bonzerboy

some one mentioned waves.. I have an update plan so it is taken care of, I do not mind forking over some money but make it reasonable, make it work and lets not make it obsolete in a year after you plunk down c=some big money

That's really the opposite of what you said before... but I understand the sentiment.

It is the nature of the computer world, however. Moore's Law and all that. Software and hardware continue to evolve, and the companies who make it need to make a profit to stay in business.

At the same time... no one is forcing you to upgrade. You can stick with a Mix system on a G4 if you like... but expecting support for it 10 years later is a bit silly. If you are a hobbiest, you probably don't need the latest and greatest, and if you are a professional, the cost of an upgrade is merely an expense of the business. Even still, plenty of high end facilities using old gear. It's been nearly 5 months since PT10 arrived... being sore about it at this point is getting old. Get it, or don't.

As I will continue to repeat:

Use what works, not what is new.

[M-ManLA]

How often do you change phones? Ask that question to yourself and understand how everything works. You can stay with your old system, but don't wait too long to be left behind. Once that system finally breaks, you'll be hard pressed to find somewhere to get it fixed. Technology in general evolves fast. Avid isn't doing anything no one else is doing.