[MacDV] Re: Final Cut Express

[James Asherman]

David wrote:

> Jim:
>
> You wrote:  I resent Final Cut Express because I bought Final Cut Pro 
> for the full
>
>> price of $1300 including upgrades just 13 months ago,. Now you can buy a
>> barely cut down version for onequarter the price. This erodes my
>> Professional edge
>
>
> You professional edge is the skill and experience you bring to every 
> project. Just like when graphic design tools came to the desktop, not 
> every computer user became an expert. There are plenty of examples of 
> bad desktop publishing out there to bear this out. But there are also 
> LOTS of talented graphic designers still making a good living doing 
> what they do: providing a quality service. Making a living at the edge 
> of technology is always going to be a challenge. Trust in your talents.
>
> -DC

David I appreciate and believe all that.  But I have no illusions about 
being a talented graphic designer. I am a half-assed graphic designer. 
What I am is a First-Rate Technician and Sofware/Hardwarre wrangler, who 
has learned some graphic design to enhance my work.  Certainly over the 
course of time I have learned quite a bit of both things, and delved 
quite deeply into 3D animation too, (perhaps my true love) enough to 
make an effective program, sometimes even enough to get excited about, 
but as much as I enjoy video and editing it is more driven by my love of 
the technology than the end product that I think I can produce. 
Ultimately that is my edge.
But nuts and bolts and dollars and cents says that a dual procressor 
with FCExpress and an unmarried renter with no one to answer to can 
offer the same work for less than my FCP and single processor w/ wife 
child and mortgage.
Even at the same price I have to give away rendering time already. It's 
a constant calculation against someone's nephew.

Jim