[MW Forums]

Apple has begun accepting orders for its crossgrade program to upgrade pro applications to Universal Binaries. more

[cseeman]

Sending in your original disks before receiving the universal binaries is a DISASTROUS and unprofessional policy for pro apps!
If during that turnaround you have any reason that you need a full install, you're out of business!
It's bad enough that you can't back up the original disks. It's WRONG to ask pros to send in master program disks. At the very least you should be able to ship overnight and get the universal disks back overnight. That would still be a 48 to 72 hour turnaround. NOT GOOD for a business.
Clone your boot drive and pray to the computer gods!

[ndelc]

Am I crazy, or didn't they used to offer a special price on upgrading from Final Cut Express to Final Cut Pro? I thought this might be the perfect time to do it if they are then offering a $99 upgrade from FCP to FC Studio, but now I can't find anything on their site about it. Am I remembering wrong or perhaps they stopped that program knowing it was too good a deal?

[tallscot]

Not being able to buy just the individual applications sucks. Some people are just sound designers and they don't need motion graphics. Some are just motion graphics professionals and don't need DVD authoring or editing.
I wonder what the real reason is. I'm not believing the "Well, nobody is buying individual apps..."
In regards to charging for the universal version, I commend Apple for even offering it at all. The other developers are going to make us upgrade to the next full version of their applications before they give us universal. Apple could have done the same thing and timed a new version of FCPS with the announcement of the Mac Pro (Intel version of PowerMac).
I think Aperture is different because it was just announced recently and also because it's buggy (so I hear) and they don't want to push their luck and piss off their Aperture customers so much with an Adobe competitor in the wings.

[Graeme_Smith]

It's not that hard to make your own CD/DVD backups of the apps or copy them to an external drive for those few days It's not so big of a problem. The chance of even needing them isn't very big.

[cseeman]

Legally, I don't think Apple allows backup of the disks although I'd have to check the license agreement.
Sorry to SERIOUSLY disagree with you but it's WRONG to allow for that risk. I can lose more in business in two days than the entire retail Studio Suite is worth!
As someone who's been a senior editor and senior video engineer at high end post production facilities I would consider Apple's policy UNACCEPTABLE!

[cseeman]

Please send Apple feedback that this policy is unacceptable for professional post production.
http://www.apple.com...inalcutpro.html

[melgross]

I'm wondering what they mean by "recent". Since I retired last year, I don't do too much real work with FCP, so I've stuck with version 4.5 HD.
I would like to upgrade to the Intel suite version though, since I'm planning on getting the Intel version of the Quad when it comes out this year.
I wonder if that qualifies for the $199 pricing or not.

[altivec]

Give me a break... Apple is one of the few companies that doesn't even have activation. If you are so concerned, install an interim back-up copy on another computer. If you have such a catastrophic failure, you are set to go.
Option 2: Don't upgrade. These upgrade disks are for intel's. Are you telling me you have a bunch of iMacs you are switching your video business over to (because that is the only intel mac out). Apple is throwing you a fricken bone and giving you a low cost upgrade. You can always wait until the next regular upgrade and pay regular price and then you can keep your disks.
Sheesh... No matter what Apple does, the whiners always come out. What's next, Aperature users are going to get mad because the free download is too big.

[moose_n_squirrel]

In reply to:

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Legally, I don't think Apple allows backup of the disks although I'd have to check the license agreement.

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Wow. If that is true, it would make Apple a glaring exception in the industry. Just about every license agreement I've seen contains language like "You may make one copy for the purpose of backup..."

[jedi228]

I agree with all the posters here some users cannot afford to risk downtime if they have million dollar projects. I can also understand Apple's need to have a strict anti-copy policy. However, in this case Apple should allow users to rent, borrow or put down a deposit on disks until the previous disks are returned. This way there doesn't have to be a gap without disks.

[MacTechAspen]

Every time I have ever dealt with shipping and receiving things back from Apple, it has always been overnight. I just returned an iPod shuffle for repair, and they sent me a new one overnight, even before I shipped the old one back. I have had similar good experiences upgrading and repairing hardware in the past.
I have no information about Apple's plans in this case, but they have a pretty good track record to date. You may want to wait and see, before burning them in effigy.

In reply to:

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Legally, I don't think Apple allows backup of the disks although I'd have to check the license agreement.

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You may indeed want to check, there are fair use concerns. At the very least you should have the installed applications (and your entire system) backed up (and your back ups, backed up), especially considering your senior positions.
I run a passel of businesses, and I am taking this more calmly than you are. Perhaps it is because of our exceedingly good habits.

[eatapc]

It's certainly foolish -- and probably unprofessional -- to NOT make backup copies of your installation discs. Installer CDs and DVDs can get damaged and misplaced. It's not an imposition at all to send the originals back to Apple while keeping the backups.
The only professionals needing new crossgrade discs are ones with new those great new MacIntel towers that replaced the quad G5s. Oh, they're not out yet? Maybe by NAB?
I suppose there may be editors and directors who are tempted by the MacBook Pros and might want to put a "travelling" edit system on one, but I wouldn't want to be a guinea pig just yet.

[lin2log]

@ Newbie: full ACK! 99 bucks for the entire suite?? That's awesome! Besides, if you were to buy almost any TWO of the included apps by themselves you'd be paying more than for the whole suite! But then there are still the "I insist on doing what I want to do, no matter how irrational it is" people. You'll always have em.
Aside from that, if you don't have any backup copies of the installers of THE software you need to make money... hellooooo, McFlyyyyy! Puuh-leeeze, even if it WERE against the license agreement (which it ISN'T!), I make backups of EVERYTHING. I even make images of the masters before I even install the first time.
If you're not doing the same, then please don't post here acting as if you're the Mega-Pro. It's common sense, ESPECIALLY if it's your bread and butter!
cheers