Like many of you, I’ve been losing sleep this last week trying to figure out what’s going to happen to my business after the debacle of the Final Cut Pro X launch.
I read in a blog last night that Steve Jobs has gotten involved in this mess and that “really great things will be happening really soon.”
So my first question is: “Why does Steve Jobs need to get directly involved in what is essentially a straight-forward upgrade to one of their well-established products?”
And this led me to a bigger thought: “Who’s Accountable?”
As I woke up this morning, I had a day-dream of Phil Schiller, VP of Worldwide Marketing, appearing on my podcast, the Digital Production Buzz, to answer questions from listeners.
(In reality, this will never happen. Apple stopped giving on-the-record interviews, with the exception of Mr. Jobs, many years ago.)
So, imagining that Mr. Schiller were on the program, here are the questions I would ask:
1. What was the benefit to Apple of immediately canceling Final Cut Studio (3) with the release of a brand-new and untested product; when there was no technical reason (according to Apple) to do so?
2. Why did Apple feel it was necessary to alienate one of their most passionate fan bases with this release; were professional users that expendable?
3. What responsibility does Apple have when canceling a product to companies that built businesses around those products in terms of notification and support?
4. Conversely, what does Apple require of its vendors, when a supplier to Apple decides to modify a manufacturing method?
5. What is the benefit to Apple for assuming a strict rule of silence whenever something goes wrong? (A short period for research is understandable, but not when it stretches for weeks. The number one rule of PR is communication – but, apparently, not for Apple.)
6. Conversely, what would Apple’s reaction be if one of its vendors, say FoxConn, refused to talk to Apple when something went wrong, such as an explosion?
7. Why is Apple unwilling to provide a general roadmap to those products it considers “professional”?
8. Conversely, what would Apple’s reaction be if Intel refused to tell it about new chips it was developing?
9. Trust is a very tricky thing. It takes time to create and can be destroyed in an instant. Does Apple perceive the extent to which it has breached this trust and what will Apple do to recover from it?
Not one of these questions deals with the features of a product. They deal with the moral character of a company.
As consumers, we are held accountable through license agreements, laws, and regulation.
But who holds corporations accountable?
The sad part is that no one holds corporations accountable. We will never learn these answers. And the damage that’s been done will be irreparable.
Larry
66 Responses to Who's Accountable?
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DC Reels says:
July 11, 2011 at 10:56 am
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Brittany DeLillo says:
July 11, 2011 at 11:02 am
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Andy says:
July 11, 2011 at 11:08 am
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Larry says:
July 11, 2011 at 11:13 am
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David Fell says:
July 11, 2011 at 11:20 am
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Brian FitzGerald says:
July 11, 2011 at 11:44 am
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Dennis Rosenblatt says:
July 11, 2011 at 1:00 pm
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Jeff Bernstein says:
July 11, 2011 at 1:20 pm
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Larry says:
July 11, 2011 at 1:23 pm
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Paul Edwards says:
July 11, 2011 at 1:42 pm
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Larry says:
July 11, 2011 at 2:25 pm
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Pencils 3000 says:
July 11, 2011 at 3:59 pm
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Theo Goon says:
July 11, 2011 at 5:01 pm
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Larry says:
July 11, 2011 at 5:14 pm
← Older Comments Newer Comments →To answer your question ‘But who holds corporations accountable?’ the answer is us, the buying public. The power of the purse speaks louder than bombs. And I’m taking my purse directly to Avid and Adobe.
Wonderful questions that I think everyone wishes they could ask. Honestly, the more I read and the more I stew about it the more dissatisfied I become by a company I not only believe in but also worked for at one time! I wore a lanyard everyday! I played with Apple products everyday! But most of all I told hundreds of people that Apple cared about the customer and wanted what was best for them and their needs!
Now, all of that seems a distant memory. A company that preaches “Take care of your customer” just did the exact opposite.
I’m still a relatively new editor and throughout college there was a huge emphasis on the program over person. “Are you cutting in Final Cut Pro or Avid? You use Premiere? Shame on you!” Despite how much the industry is shifting and transitioning, it’s a wonderful example of a fundamental lesson that may get lost from time to time. It’s not the hardware or software that makes an editor but the ability/passion to tell stories. Choose the platform that is right for you because it helps you be a better storyteller.
Thank you Larry for being consistent in that ethos and thanks for asking the tough questions, even though Apple won’t respond. Letting them sit in the air unanswered is equally as telling…
Does Apple, or any corporation, really have an obligation or responsibility to us or our businesses? We choose their products and can freely choose other products instead. Their only obligation is to shareholders and their only responsibility is to stay in business–something they seem to be very good at doing.
I would argue yes, they do have an obligation. However, they also need to balance that obligation with the higher priority of staying in business.
Larry
I agree you won’t get an Apple VP to explain themselves on your podcast, but they haven’t completely stopped doing non-Steve interviews: Scott Forstall, VP of iOS Software was on the newscast I work on last year, live in studio.
I have been an Apple Evangelist since before the term was coined and a “Power User” since before that moniker came and went… (1985)
Years ago Apple was quirky but very concerned about customers particularly in the realm of Tech Support. They also wisely supported the fanatical Macintosh User Groups (MUGs) that spontaneously sprung up across the globe. They maintained a staff of “real people” who spoke English and actually knew what they were talking about. Then one day a switch was flipped and they cast us into the endless sea of blind people leading blind people – my take on these ubiquitous, crappy “Communities” where you can waste HOURS trying find someone who actually might know what they are talking about.
At the same time, Apple’s substitute for Community Hell is their paid Tech Support with these so-called “Geniuses” who are mostly reading scripts and have no history with the Mac. Most are self absorbed little kids who can’t fix your problem and take a lot of time on hold to do it.
Over these past 25+ years of staying loyal to Apple I have had them reward me by allowing me to pay typically no less than 3 times more for hardware than my Windows buddies. Granted I have always had an arguably better interface and (since OSX) a more stable system. I used to upgrade my hardware every 18 months like clockwork but about 3 machines back I noticed that the “real life” gains in speed in no way matched the hype I was being fed by the “captive computer press” and on Apple’s website. I noticed the other day I am still on the same MacPro I bought almost 5 years ago but when I investigate upgrading I do not see any convincing evidence I should do so. Also, after years of getting more and more power for the same or less money in the last 5 years Apple got real pricey again. All this on top of the fact that the Mac seems to be a forgotten part of the “Apple Conquers The World” mindset over at Cupertino. iPhone, iPad, iPod, iScrewdriver: Mission Creep.
I have thought many times about your sentiments above regarding Apple’s Corporate responsibility to the thousands of businesses that have built themselves around Apple products but I hate the idea of Socialist Class Action Lawsuits. Frankly, though, it would serve them right to be treated to a Socialist Lawsuit From Hell after all these years of being treated to their lame “save the whales” sentiments. This coming from a corporation that has basically made Billions off Oriental Slave Labor while at the same time promoting all sorts of Socialist Groupthink in its home base (America). Sometimes it is hard to take.
Basically I’m kind of bummed about FCPX at the moment and Apple’s Attitude toward Pros in general and have taken a lot of time to say it. After 25+ years with Apple I sum up their problem with this word:
Arrogance.
Thanks Larry. For me the big question is…. why take the time to learn workarounds in an attempt to make FCPX functional? After careful consideration, the answer is that there is no reason. Apple has proven too unreliable and capable of exercising exceptionally poor judgement as it relates to pro editing. For the benefit of others grappling with the same issue…. here’s what i found. As you may already know, Avid Media Composer 5.5 is available for under $1k. What you may not know, is that it includes Boris Continuum complete, and Sorenson Squeeze. The inclusion of those two alone make the cross grade very attractive. While it will take some time to transition, at least I’m making the change to something that’s solid and i don’t have to worry about Avid dumbing down it’s software to please imovie users.
While I agree, that it is not the software and hardware that is doing the editing, it is still a required tool for performing the storytelling, let alone, editing. If a carpenter was missing his hammer and nails, would he be able to make a strong sturdy house? Perhaps, but what is he going to use (don’t say nailgun)?
Thus, a tool is needed and a tool that makes you efficient and helps you be creative in the process is most desired. If you care about your work, then you also desire quality in your finished product. If we use these non-technical bars of entry, you quickly find that while FCP-X has potential, it isn’t there today. For those who say, “Just keep using FCP7”, the problem is if you need more seats or perhaps a company had poor cash flow and is still using Final Cut Studio 2 and now wants to upgrade. To what? Not FCP-X.
For those who think, “At least we have our Mac hardware!” What happens when Apple retires the Mac Pro this year and they remove all those PCI Express slots because Thunderbolt is so wonderful (which it is not)? How many people want to throw out their treasure trove of PCI cards?
If you think the arrogance from Apple is bad now, just you wait! What are Resolve on Mac users going to do, as a prime example?
Jeff: I am not willing to believe that Apple will retire the MacPro. You are welcome to disagree, but for me, I’m willing to wait and see. I don’t think the situation is as dire as you paint it.
Larry
Like the rest of you, I’m reading this blog because I’m a long-time Larry fan. I’ve learned a huge amount from his newsletter and several of his excellent books. But I hesitated for a long time before getting into this conversation. My relationship to the whole “Whither FCP?” controversy is way different from that of most of you.
I’m different from most of you because of how I usually use edited video. I am not what many of Larry’s readers would call a “video professional.” I’m an audio-visual designer for theater productions, and I teach university students to do the kind of work I do. The video output I design has to be sophisticated and look good, but it is distinctly “low end” compared to output intended for broadcast or film. My workflow is this: audio / video / photo editor output into a program called “QLab,” which outputs (as a playlist of theater cues) to theater sound systems and an assortment of aging 4×3 video projectors.
So I had to laugh at Brittany DeLillo’s characterization of the typical conversation among editing gearheads: “Are you cutting in Final Cut Pro or Avid? You use Premiere? Shame on you!” I learned on Premiere back in the old days (late 1990s) before crossing over to FCP, and (like some of your contributors) am thinking about going back. Premiere Pro likes to talk to After Effects (which I’ve started using again) and, imho, a learner program like Premiere Elements has more to do with Premiere Pro than iMovie has to do with FCP.
What’s my goal? I’m training lots of students who have very little money, and some kind of laptop–but lots of passion and great ideas. They’re not training to be broadcast or film tech professionals. They’re training to be theater people. When they graduate, they’re probably going to be doing a/v designs for passionate, scrappy little theaters operating out of Chicago storefronts and church halls, and using their own low-end equipment.
And so I have to cheer when Brittany writes, “It’s not the hardware or software that makes an editor but the ability/passion to tell stories. Choose the platform that is right for you because it helps you be a better storyteller.” This comment is preaching to the choir. I’m trying to teach my students to think cheap, work quick, and tell better stories–with whatever machines they happen to have. Part of me wants them to think like bandits.
I’m not going to tell my students to go out and buy what I use (which is “middle” and not “high-end”). I currently use an 18-month-old Intel tower (2.66 Quad-Core Intel Xeon with 16 GB memory) and have access to a similar machine at school. I edit on ProTools (with M-Powered hardware), FCP 7.0.3 (academic) and associated “Studio” programs, and full Photoshop for still image prep. But I’m not going to ask my _students_ to go out and buy all this stuff. Since they’re already plunking down $200 for a “QLab” Pro Video license (academic), I’m teaching them two-channel audio recording and editing on a good freebie editor called “Audacity” and _at most_ asking them to plunk down for the Premiere Elements and Photoshop Elements bundle (and if they’re already happy with iMovie and iPhoto, or whatever they’re already using, more power to them). I like the Premiere Elements bundle, oddly limited as those programs are, because it’s cross-platform (once again) and my typical class has students with a combination of Mac and PC laptops.
And my point is this: if they can’t “think in sound and images” on these programs, they’re going to be totally at sea in ProTools and FCPX. If they _can_ think in these programs, and use them to tell better stories, they will find their way up the ladder (at their own pace and in their own time) to more expensive, more complicated programs that do fancier things.
In the current tornado of FCPX commentary, my problem with Apple is this. Apple no longer imagines a “middle” FCP user like me or my students. It imagines iMovie editors (who are making good-looking home movies) and it imagines high-end professionals and hobbyists (who will invest in FCPX and associated third-party hardware and the latest, greatest Mac on the market).
But what should I be telling my students to buy? For a long time, it was Final Cut Express, with the notion of stepping up eventually to full FCP. But I’m at a crossroads now, since I’m probably not going to be directing them down the FCP road anymore. Committing to _any_ software brand has long-range implications for me, since I develop teaching modules that I like to keep using for a while, and not have to change every term.
Anybody out there in the same boat? Caught in that user limbo between the iMovie user and the FCPX user? What’s the entry-level software we should be using, with an eye toward the brand’s higher-end products?
Paul:
I would definitely recommend a wait and see approach. FCP X leads in the direction you want to take your students. Give it a bit of time to grow, then reevaluate.
Larry
When I hear that IMovie users are having trouble transitioning to FCP and that the designers need to address this issue by making FCP more like IMovie it makes my stomach turn. Why should IMovie users need to move to FCP? I need a car to get to work, after learning to drive I didn’t need to get into a NASCAR because my car wasn’t getting me to work. The irony is that about 5 years ago IMovie did look like a weaker version of FCP, though the last time I looked at IMovie I didn’t recognize her at all.
Given how fast digital media is evolving right now for us users to have to wait 3 years for an update was ridiculous, but then instead of updating there was just a total re-vamp. That’s disrespectful. I’m sure I’m not the only person who cuts differently with each platform, but to have to completely rethink/learn a tool which has more or less been reliable for the past 10 years, wow. I’m not interested. I mean I’m sure I’ll eventually get around to trying it out, and clearly I’ll be able to understand/use it, but that’s really not the problem. It’s an issue of trust and Apple has lost mine. It’s clear to me that Apple is chasing the IPhone and IPad cash, and that’s fine, this is capitalism, the money IS the god. However, it’s just like you pointed out Larry, when you build your business on a certain product and then you find out that you can’t depend on that product, then it’s time to re-evaluate your relationship and find one which can.
The irony to all this is that they could have released this product as the new Final Cut Express, sat back and listened to the same complaints they’re hearing now(more or less) and assured us FCP users that the forthcoming update of FCP was going to include some of these new features, but was going to more or less be the same product we have come to love. All this could have been avoided, really.
From Larry’s Original Post:
__________
9. Trust is a very tricky thing. It takes time to create and can be destroyed in an instant. Does Apple perceive the extent to which it has breached this trust and what will Apple do to recover from it?
__________
Trust is important all the way down the consumer value chain, including the trusted opinions of the still surprisingly small coterie of FCP experts out there, many of whom I feel are still reluctant to say what they REALLY think.
I feel that we (the Joe Soap customers and non-blogging professional users) have been somewhat let down too by many of the people (Larry included) who write and blog about FCP. The advance reaction was far too positive, from too many opinion leaders. The kool-aid was consumed, but then, when the masses saw the emperor’s nudity, the opinion leaders, by and large, have backtracked. Now the consensus seems to be something like “hey, I was right initially, then wrong when Apple leaned on me, but now that everyone agrees with my initial assesment, I’m right again).
I would never accuse Larry of being a fan with a typewriter, but it’s time for everyone involved with Apple (and competing companies, while we’re at it) to reflect on how they can be coopted into bigging up bad products. And it’s not enough to say, hey, it’ll be fine when they fix it. The real point is, if it’s crap now, don’t even think of supporting it. It’s not like there’s no alternative.
D
Theo:
I have no objection to being taking to task for what I write. Your opinions are valuable to me – even when we disagree. However, let me also state that we can only write about what we know. As we learn more, if we are smart, our opinions become better informed. Had I known then what I know now, I would have written things differently. But I didn’t.
Larry