In the graphics industry it is extremely mission critical for people to be able to use and re-use the assets they created in those graphics programs. If a developer wants to cop an attitude and make a new version of its software cut off file open/import operation to older files then the developer deserves 100% of the wrath they will incur from their customers.
That is mission critical no matter what industry you are talking about. But here is the problem, things get cut out all of the time and people have to deal with it, even functionality that exists in those older versions (Flash users were not happy about the how Adobe handle updating after the Dolby incident as the newer versions did not have functions that their older files had from previous versions of Flash, but yet they were forced to update to newer versions), it happens all the time. This isn't a new thing. Some functionality (like with Dolby) could be based on 3rd party licensed code (or services such as "NetFonts") that could go bye bye at short notice. This also may have been functionality that has existed for quite a few iterations that is now just all of a sudden pulled.
Now, did Corel really cop an attitude and castrate functionality, or was it because how they implemented something that they had to castrate functionality? Those are 2 significantly different scenarios. I'm not up on that, could you link to something where they were flat out shining on the customers?
It would be only freakishly stupid for anyone who develops graphics software to expect users to essentially throw away their project files and create everything new from scratch.
How do you handle it when functionality that you were once dependent on for files that was eventually pulled? This stuff happens all the time that may cause files to partially or totally be redone. It happens, to think that it would never happen is, in my mind, a dangerous mentality to have.
As a user and paying customer I really don't care about legacy API calls or whatever for a program to be able to open or import a legacy art file.
You should, I know I do as a user and paying customer (yes even though my main current platform is free, that doesn't mean I only run free software on it, even software that may also be open source and erroneously thought of as always being free as in beer does still cost). Let's forget about the security implications of such apathy. What happens if Windows (or any platform really) decides to pull those APIs or even change those APIs and how things are handled, the UX goes to hell. Functionality and stability goes right out the window. This is what happened to sound on Windows from Vista on and that affected DAWs and hardware as well, because sound no longer had direct access to the kernel, no matter how good your hardware/software was/is you still had that layer between. DAW and hardware vendors had to change their code to match this new way of doing things on the Windows platform.
Corel needs to step up and match what their competition is doing.
They have every right to do what they want to do and how they want to do it. Just like you have every right to go somewhere else if you don't like the direction that they are going in (very much easier said then done, I know this more then most that would just say that).
If you truly believe that Corel needs to do exactly what their competition is doing, then they need to match not only feature for feature, but how the workflow for said feature is. I mean, where does it stop. Are we all supposed to match exactly what our competition is doing as well?
They either survive or they don't. The downside if they go away, you are having to start over from scratch no matter what if you need those files that are from that particular software. Just like Dolby is no longer integrated into Adobe, have to get it from somewhere else and more then likely with a different workflow.
This is why I do not like being tied to a particular vendor and I'll cut loose of my current platform and software if need be as well down the line. That's really where users need to be at as well, because you know what, if vendors realize that customers are willing to cut and run (regardless of how easy it is for them to do so), that's probably going to help keep them more on task of what their users want. But if they still believe in the power of vendor lockin and one is still paying for that latest version regardless if they are complaining about it, I don't think they are going to listen too well, at least not for awhile.
The movie industry will turn into a mere shadow of its former self if commercial movie theaters disappear.
It's been on the decline for a long while. A lot more recently within the last 5-6 yrs, but it's not what it used to be. I actually even have problems with Netflix for editing my childhood classics.
If movie theaters disappear their loss will affect more than just the movie industry. Movie theaters are a cornerstone part of the "out of home" life style in the US. Going to dinner and a movie is an American pastime. Movie theaters are often anchor tenants in retail, dining and entertainment developments. Even the sign industry relies on these businesses. We rely on brick and mortar businesses for our income. We don't sell signs to businesses who do all their commerce online.
Change in generation attitudes have started that ball rolling for quite awhile. Dinner and a movie? Most of the younger generation, it's fast casual dinner and movie, just pick it up and go. I stopped going to the traditional eateries when they tried to capture that younger crowd, but ended up having a confused menu. That's going to be the plight of quite a few people that are of a different generation then the one that is the target audience. It happens. Movies have changed their attitudes to fit with that younger generation as well, chasing those younger dollars. I've pulled out of going to those (and we used to go to the movies 2-3 times a week), we used to eat out damn near 6 days a week.
I think most of us depend on brick and mortar businesses for income. There are still some brick and mortar business that will be around, but even then, one has to change with the times in order to survive. Either change with the times or the times change you.
I started doing what I'm doing young, I was 14 at the time. 3rd generation, I will do this, in whole or in part, as long as it appears that I can support my family with it, but with all that's going on, changes in attitudes (no changes in latitudes I'm afraid), I'm working on other stuff though. I don't know if I'll try to steer my kids in this direction. I had enjoyed the idea of them being the 4th generation earlier on, but I don't think that would be a good call. Always have a plan B and plan C just to make sure.
