Blind faith, my Apple purchase, and knowing better

What the heck was I thinking?  I just ordered the the new iLife suite without a whole lot of thought.  I assumed it would be a worthwhile upgrade since the previous ones have been helpful in handling my ever increasing number of photos.

Now I find that my robotic behavior may have gotten me a ticket to controversy.

You know that reality has turned completely around when you can count on the WSJ for a gushy review of Apple products.  Was it that long ago, that they were proclaiming Apple dead?

Still I wasn't surprised to find some more interesting commentary on iMovie at AppleInsider's Apple stirs controversy with iMovie's '08 overhaul.

MacWorld had this to say.

For people who’ve used iMovie in its previous iterations, this new version may be especially frustrating. Not only does iMovie ’08 throw out the familiar iMovie interface, it’s missing some features that have been used for years.

Since my new product is sitting on the counter waiting for me to install it, I guess I will wait and see what I think.  For a long time I have believed that Steve's movie revolution involved more work than most people wanted to do.  Yet as someone willing to do the work, I have appreciated the precise tools.

Still I have been wanting to upgrade my old Sony video camera to a HD one.  Now I see Steve saying that there are problems with the format.

Well maybe they will get it sorted out before I get money saved for a new camera.  I have always been pleased with Sony providing the right connectors and connections from the previous generation to migrate my movies.

There are a few dead ends in Appleland, but they are pretty minor.

On another note, I have to give Fake Steve a pat on the back for his accuracy in conveying Apple's distrust of Microsoft in the post, My lunch with Fester.  I'll leave it to readers to figure out for themselves whom to be more afraid of Jobs or Balmer. 

There's no question in my mind, Steve would be more of a deadly enemy.  Microsoft would only want my money.  Steve would want my money and my soul.

One last thing, John Martellaro, who used to work on my federal team at Apple, has an interesting post at Hidden Dimensions, The Gaping Hole in Apple's Desktop Line.  I had some similar thoughts in a post, Priced out of an Apple Desktop.

Sometimes using Apple products is just a leap of faith.  There is no other description for the way we behave.  I bought iLife without even thinking because previous versions had been worth the money.

While it doesn't take much to get Apple fans stirred up, there is usually some fire behind the smoke so I hope this fire isn't too big because I want to be pleased with my new software.  After all, it is now well over a year since I bought a new computer.

Maybe living at the beach makes it easier to ignore computers.  Actually in the heat of August, I'll take a computer over the beach until about 7 pm.

Of course with all the photos and slide shows I have collected of the area, I am looking to Steve for real help.  Maybe he would send me one of those new 24" iMacs with a 320 gig hard drive.  I would promise to write an even better review than the WSJ.

Comments

[Tim Yu]

"That's 30 seconds of my life I'll never get back."
--Toby, from the West Wing

Maybe you should actually open the software and try it before writing about it.

[astroman]

Agree with your general drift... nice piece. But did spot one error...

"While it doesn't take much to get we Apple fans stirred up"

Hmmm... grammar checkers asleep obviously... try "us" not "we"

You'll get it right if you think about a simpler version of the sentence... of course you'd say or write

"doesn't take much to get us stirred up"

not

"doesn't take much to get we stirred up"

!!!

[ocracokewaves]

Well Tim, maybe you should read the whole post, since I did say this.

"Since my new product is sitting on the counter waiting for me to install it, I guess I will wait and see what I think."

I didn't make any real comments on the software except there is some controversy.

And to Astroman, thanks. I always appreciate someone catching an error or pointing out a better way to say something.

My editor is overworked and underpaid. :)

[Tim Yu]

Don't get me wrong. I read your post (hence 30 seconds). But your title implies that you've decided your purchase was a mistake (which is why I clicked on it -- to find out what you didn't like about it).

It's your blog, you can do what you want. But might I suggest, since you've bought it, why not go the extra step, and wait 'til you've used it before blogging about it.

[ocracokewaves]

Well I was writing about the controversy that often accompanies Apple announcements not a particular product review which would have likely been listed in the title.

I rarely do anything more than a mini-review of products since serious ones take more time than I can devote.

Once in a while something like iWeb will provoke me into more detailed reviewing.

Sorry I couldn't answer your question.

[Mart]

You may be interested to know that the new iMovie does not overwrite the old iMovie HD that came with iLife '06...

[Nick]

I haven't installed iLife 08 yet, but apparently the installation leaves iMovie 06 alone. And those just buying iLife for the first time aren't left out: you can download iMovie 06 off Apple's website.

It sounds like Apple regards the two programs as complementary - at present, anyway.

There's a rather nice run-through of the new iMovie in a "first look at iLife 08" screencast video at Screencasts Online. I does look like a pretty nifty app.

http://screencastsonline.com/sco/Shows/files/SCO0111-ilife08.html

[Neil Anderson]

Hey, thanks for the reminder of the iMovie 06 download!

[Jan]

Unfortunately, the link under "Now I see Steve saying that there are problems with the format" doesn't work anymore...

[ocracokewaves]

The original Dow Jones article seems to have been pulled.

I have replaced the link with one to another article that quotes the Dow Jones article.

I wonder if the Apple folks had it pulled?