Pro Tools 9 Announced Today

[adamqlw]

Originally Posted by brianiac5150

I think it's a tremendous shame that we consumers have allowed the marketplace to lessen the value of our dollars, euros, rupees, yen, or whatever. A dollar is still a dollar; however, consumers have shown the industry leaders that we're happy to spend our money on half-cocked ideas and provide FREE R&D to them. Not sure who the mental giants were that first figured this out: Bill Gates? Steve Jobs? Henry Ford? I don't know... But what a shame that we will keep right on going.

I'm the proud owner of a Mac PowerPC G5 and 002R that still function as well as the day they were purchased; however, Avid and many other software manufacturers have found it fit to develop perfectly functioning hardware into the grave. I certainly can't afford a new computer and/or hardware to run the latest software versions and can't figure out where people are constantly coming up with the more "money" to do so. Maybe that's why credit card companies are doing so well and all of the "in debt" people of the world are crying about the economies being so bad? Oh no...don't get me going on that...

Looks like my decision to add the Eleven Rack to my studio is going to leave me out in the cold, as well. So sad...so sad...

A dollar is only a dollar to someone who values it as such. I digress...

Don't get me wrong. I like free stuff. I LOVE free stuff. And I am not one of those people who have oodles of cash to throw around...

But make no mistake. Releasing a new product does not, I believe, lessen the value of your SPENT dollar. I paid for my Eleven Rack (and the accompanying Pro Tools 8), and that's exactly what I got. Information about compatibility etc. was publicly available. The day before Pro Tools 9 came out, everything was working fine.. and the day after, NOTHING changed. Everything still worked fine.

In what way has Pro Tools 9 made you no longer a "proud owner" of perfectly functioning hardware? The only difference is that something new and improved has been released. It has no impact whatsoever on the INTRINSIC value/quality of what you have, only it's relative value has gone down. As it most certainly will over time if a new product is released by ANY company, including those that aren't Avid.

If I had bought an 11R or Pro Tools that didn't function as advertised, and then at a later date Avid released a "12R" that was basically everything the 11R promised it would be but wasn't, then yes, I would agree with you. Just because something new and improved comes out doesn't mean your dollar has been cheapened.

[Sean Halley]

Originally Posted by brianiac5150

Well...I'm gonna throw my two cents in here so I can have those who come across money easier than some of us ridicule further...HOWEVER...

I'm the proud owner of a Mac PowerPC G5 and 002R that still function as well as the day they were purchased; however, Avid and many other software manufacturers have found it fit to develop perfectly functioning hardware into the grave.

I'm certainly not into ridicule at all (unless VSA is giving me flack for my hair - what can a brother do when he has tons of cowlicks?), and I imagine that some of the above statement can be chalked up to an emotional response, as opposed to a 100% rational one.

If developing "perfectly functioning hardware into the grave" was not happening on an hourly basis worldwide, you wouldn't have that cell phone in your pocket, the PS3 under your tv, the microwave in your kitchen, or the air conditioning in your car. Your statement has to completely ignore the fact that unleaded gasoline, anti-lock brakes, FM radio, cable tv, MRI scanning machines, prosthetic limbs, and hair dryers (and have mercy! - Chick Fil A nuggets...) would not exist without that paradigm as well.

The truth is that only aboriginal cultures operate in the way you're describing as an ideal, but not too many others (and I'm not denying the purity and sensibility of that lifestyle, just the "grass-is-greener" part). The strive to improve, to widen and strengthen - to evolve - is the basis behind modern technological society.

You can use your G5 and your 002R on the Panther install they were shipped with basically forever. Treated like a tape deck or microphone (no updates), that rig will run as intended until the components fail.

However, just as you can't use an original brick cell phone on modern wireless networks, or put unleaded gas into a Model T, at some point the interaction of your rig with the modern world will necessitate you upgrading it, if you require that interaction. Plain and simple, you can't communicate if you don't know the words.

I honestly empathize with your situation (perhaps a Mac Mini, or used Macpro?), but to blame Avid and companies like it for this century's speed of technology feels disingenuous to me. The fact of the matter is that consumers flat out demand it to be so.

My 2 shillings,

S.

[crashhak]

Wow! Seriously, I'm so amazed. Best thing happend in pro tools history. Avid rocks!

[brianiac5150]

adamqlw - I certainly do not expect hard work and development to be disseminated free of charge and am willing to pay a fair price for new software development. I won’t fan the flames with further comment on this issue. To this point, I am very happy with the Eleven Rack, it did and does currently function as advertised and I certainly appreciate your and all other perspectives regarding this matter.

and you…Mr. Sean Halley…as a balding man myself, I may walk the line with VSA.
Seriously though…I do see your perspective, as well…can’t say I’m 100% on board, but (again) won’t fan the flames. I certainly am for progressive development and appreciate Avid and those who are leading the way. Having said that…in the event that I may still have your attention…and hopefully not to dishonor further the original post…THANK YOU for your work, information and continued input.

That’ll be my last few chetrums.

[cessnapilot]

I suppose all we can really ask for is that the vendor support their product. I don't particularly care if the vendor thinks it's feasible or not. I'm the guy who shelled out mega coin a few months ago for this orange box and the software that came with it.

The MBox came out in 2002, right? and the support sunset was late '08 or thereabouts? That seems reasonable to me given Moore's law, etc. It does seem to me that Digi-cum-Avid have really fallen behind the power curve on this whole 64-bit thing, seemingly in the same way the CIA didn't seen't the fall of soviet communism happening right under their nose.

The only problem is that it gets harder and harder to keep older comps running as time goes on.