jwrl:

 

evansmalley:

Larry- I think the world of you- but must disagree about that whole premise, (of not being ABLE to be responsive to customers) and say so. If I was so willing to accept such corporate BS, I just couldn't feel right

Unfortunately it isn't BS, Evan.

In the '80s there were a series of product announcements....

I think I see where the disconnect is between Avid's position and the "corporate BS" position, and it comes down to how far you want Avid to go in promising to fix things before you'll (generic "you", not anyone in particular) be satisfied with Avid's answer.  For example, Todd (BLKDOG) came on here and said they're definitely reading the forum, and are fully aware of the issues that have been raised, and are working on it.  For me, that's good enough, but for someone else it may not be, and depending on what they want to hear from Avid, they may not be satisfied with any answer Avid can give.

If Todd's answer isn't good enough, and you want to hear specific things that Avid plans to do, and when they plan to do them, John (JWRL) has given an excellent explanation of why that's not going to happen.  Aside from having someone else (Marianna, Kirk, Gary, whoever) give essentially the same answer Todd gave, I don't think there's too much else that can be said.

ciao,
Carl 

Nice synopsis, Carl

Carl the booth said avid on it in big letters  A.V.I.D . all the sales people shirts said avid  not 1 word about protools so yes i would think that there was a avid contingent there after all video is a big part of the music business.....  and gm and ford and all the rest go to car shows all over and bring there concept cars and talk about all the new features they are coming out with next year  avid is just invoking the fifth so not to have to explain there short comings...

I've made my opinions known on the Control-Key Changes thread, where I explained how those interface changes were illogical. We were promised action recently there, but it hasn't come yet.

Recently I have also noticed:

• this thread which explains how the clip color picker is broken
• this thread which explains how the segment move vertical lock changes on Mac are also illogical.

...and of course the present one. I too, am remaning at MC 4.0.5.13 and I tell this to every other editor I talk to. A year and a half ago this forum was where I came with my questions as I was learning MC 4, and I can say that if I was doing this today, at version 5 -- that is to say, if I was one of these FCP editors that Avid is hoping to convert to MC with their smart tool and AMA features, these forums would have me running back to FCP 7.  I'm disappointed because my experience of converting to MC4 convinced me of so many of Avid's superiorities over their competition, but I believe they have fumbled MC5 terribly. Moreover, their window of opportunity WRT the competition may be closing: as Apple is rumored to have an update in the works this year that could re-affirm their user base and even bring a few converts from here -- if they do it well.

Mark Job:

There were about 75 Avid users in the room I counted specifically. The Avid rep addressed us as a whole along with a technician from Avid US who was demonstrating Media Composer 5.x and the ISIS 5000 system. About ten minutes into the presentation walked a well known editor (Who lurks on this forum) who is the *star* editor for the largest commercial national television network in Canada. This editor, who I know quite well, came in and sat down with his producer, and from this point onward and including after the end of the presentation and meeting, the Avid personnel who were conducting the symposium only looked at and addressed them as if they were the only people in the room !

Mark Job:

I talked to a lot of my fellow editors at that Avid symposium, and many folks felt totally alienated, personally insulted, and were barely able to contain their personal disgust. I made a point of waiting, and waiting, and waiting to talk to Avid personnel pleading for my one little HDV support request, and they didn't want to know about it ! They just told me to send them and email and walked away !

This is very distressing to hear, because it is the interpersonal flesh and blood human communication experience (and the perceptions generated therein) at events like these that is so very critical to a company's ongoing reputation. The "word of mouth" that spreads throughout a professional community can sometimes literally make or break a company's future - any company, any business - not just media.

If high level Avid corporate personnel are indeed reading this thread, these incidents at that symposium need to be thoroughly investigated, the personnel responsible identified (internally of course, not on these Forums) and serious corrective action needs to be taken. Especially with the intense competition and volatile conditions in the current markets, Avid simply cannot afford for this type of behavior to continue and for the perceptions it can generate to spread throughout the post production communities.

I have personally conducted many training sessions on Interpersonal Communications Skills. The single most important concept is: In the final analysis, it does not matter how something is intended...it only matters how it is perceived.

 

Many of these posts lead to a firming belief that management has charted its own course with product development, those who are vocal will challenge the company associates who do choose to respond in these forums.

Avid must repair the rift that is opening between itself and the community. This can only be done with more direct conversation with the entire community. Each user must become confident that Avid is striving to fashion the interface wisely, yet maintaining the reflexive behavior that has built the product.

This is as much a credibility problem as it is a development question.  

Tom Pearson:

the booth said avid on it in big letters  A.V.I.D . all the sales people shirts said avid

Yes, Media Composer and Protools are both made by Avid, but they have separate design teams, separate support, and even separate forums, so it would make sense (although apparently not to you) that they'd have separate sales teams.

Tom Pearson:

avid is just invoking the fifth so not to have to explain there short comings...

Well, that's one possible explanation: they're all lying.

ciao,
Carl 

Carl,

Your point of the separate nature of the Protool and Media Composer products is clear. However, if the Avid Logo is as prominently displayed as has been suggested, it would have been wise to have to have someone on hand to field or at least refer questions via cel or texting (modern devices!).

These are essentially promotional $$$ events, and why lose an opportunity $$$ to promote an associated product, especially the flagship product? At such an event, you put your best face forward.

I understand the division of products, how difficult it is for someone to possess knowledge in all aspects to the corporate portfolio, however many battles for customers can be won in unlikely places.   

As for the Avid people reading this forum, well I remember a few years back there was a thread about the biggest annoyances of Avid.  Users made their claims to the flakiest, most lacking, or hardest to use features of MC, with many chiming in with common complaints (I recall being able to change volume globally for a whole bin of clips was a biggie).  The moderator promised us that yes, this thread was being read by those up above.  To date, I don't believe one of these software issues has been addressed.

TVJohn:

Your point of the separate nature...

{sarcasm}  Yeah, you guys are right, Avid really does suck.  Why all the Protools sales people aren't knowledgeable about Media Composer is beyond me!  Why even go to a musical instrument manufacturing conference if you're not going to have experts in video editing software at your booth?  It must be because they knew Tom was going to be there asking about Media Composer, and he's not going to stand for some corporate lawyer BS about accounting practices and the legality of making empty promises that affect the share price because he knows the real reason Avid's not talking is because they're a bunch of liars, simple as that.{/sarcasm}

I'm not saying Avid doesn't have faults or doesn't make mistakes; we see evidence of both every day.  But going to a music conference and being mad about there not being a video editing expert there, or looking for the "hidden" reasons behind a bunch of legal boilerplate both strike me as pointless distractions that take focus away from the fact that Avid has some serious work to do.

Within the last few years there was a serious positive buzz about not only the way Avid was communicating directly with us, but the direction they were going with Media Composer.  In a very short time they've managed to squander that, and now it's all doom and gloom about how bad MC5 is and how nobody at Avid cares.

They've got to fix it, and I don't think having Media Composer people at the Protools booth or getting the lawyer to explain the finer points of SEC regulations is going to do it.

ciao,
Carl 

point made Carl but and i mean but for how long has the name avid been the referred  as a video editor and I repeat there was no mention of protools in there signage the booth was representing avid and as far as I know media composer is an avid product so I really dont see why you think asking questions about it  is so out of line   and I know you have been out of the country for a while but the fifth is about not incriminating ones self not lying thats purjury.... man I knew doing all those lawyer commercials would come in handy lol

adios

tomas

post script as i see we have hit a nerve Carl snide comments and all   namm is not a musical instrument manufactures show it is a trade show representing all  faucets of the music industry thats why they call it national association of music merchants and video is a big part of the music industry  and as photoshop is a part of cs 5  i would of ask there also

 

Tom, I understand your frustration, but these arguments are taking this thread seriously off topic. Please refrain from continuing this particular discussion. The topic is about likes and dislikes of MC 5 and Avid's response to that feedback. Thank you for your cooperation.

Actually Tom, sans-punctuation, is pointing out a a hurdle for Avid that it has created in the last 12 months.  There has been this concerted effort to bring in the various divisions of Avid all under the Avid brand umbrella.  So while one may be confused at a musicians trade show to see "Avid" headlining a booth, this is what Avid wanted.  Now, one would not expect to find video editing experts at this show the same way that I would not be looking for the Fender or Gibson guitar booths at NAB.  But this is what Avid wanted to do and has to get through in the future.  It just feels that this company is groping it's way around to find a "new" identity and perhaps forgetting what got it here.  Communications are actually better than they have been in the past...if you remember the old days, David Krall and before, there was hardly ANY.  And that lack of communications with it's user base allowed Avid to be way-layed by low cost, powerful editing software...and that leads us to where we are today.  How the world turns....

 

 

Larry I am not mad or frustrated  I simply stated my experiences at the show I will not bother any of you again