Final Cut Pro expert Larry Jordan spoke about the upcoming release of Final Cut Pro X in April at the London SuperMeet LAFCPUG, a Final Cut Pro usergroup meeting. FCP.co has the video and transcripts. He had a lot to say, and if you're a Final Cut Pro user it's well worth watching.

Larry Jordan
One part in particular caught our eye, however. Larry claims Final Cut Pro X won't be ready "for professional use" upon release. What's he mean? Is the next version of Final Cut bad? Missing features? Nope.

It might be "common knowledge" among Apple fanatics that revision A products are to be avoided. But not everyone knows this. Final Cut Pro X has been rewritten from the ground up. Not a single line of code made the transition.

Whenever you've got something which is that big a re-write, stuff gets changed, stuff gets left out, stuff gets added later because they can't get it all re-written and I guarantee you that on day one when the dot zero release ships it will not be ready for professional use.

Apple has a very poor track record of perfect dot zero releases. So for those of you saying: "this is without a question the second coming, I'm going to bet the ranch, I'm buying this the day it's released and God help me I'm plunging forward whether it's ready or not" -- I want your clients.

I think there is only one company on the planet that could rethink non-linear editing like this. I think it's Apple. It's not ready for prime time. First it's not ready because it isn't shipping, then when it is shipping it's time for us to experiment.

Good advice for anyone, referring to any software. The first release is always an adventure.

UPDATE: As commenter Duane Martin points out, these comments were made at a LA Final Cut Pro User Group conference in April, not the London SuperMeet, which is next week. Additionally, Larry tried to walk back some of his statements in a blog posting today.

Top Rated Comments

nagromme Avatar
183 months ago
Better include Google and it's perpetual Beta, IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, Sun, Linux, Sybase, SGI, Autodesk, Corel, etc.

Exactly. It IS good advice. For Final Cut, Lion, iOS 5.... and every NON-Apple product too. It’s true of every software release. Or hardware. Or non-computing industries, like car models... It just makes sense: things improve over time, and mass real-world usage is always a larger and betetr test than any internal testing could ever be. Therefore, every revision will be better than the last. Therefore, the first will be the worst! So let other be the guinea pigs.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
longofest Avatar
183 months ago
Better include Google and it's perpetual Beta, IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, Sun, Linux, Sybase, SGI, Autodesk, Corel, etc.

Some of us still remember Apple's horrible 10.3.0 release and the mess it made of firewire (https://www.macrumors.com/2003/10/30/apple-addresses-panther-firewire-issues/).
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bb426 Avatar
183 months ago
Exactly. It IS good advice. For Final Cut, Lion, iOS 5.... and every NON-Apple product too. It’s true of every software release. Or hardware. Or non-computing industries, like car models... It just makes sense: things improve over time, and mass real-world usage is always a larger and betetr test than any internal testing could ever be. Therefore, every revision will be better than the last. Therefore, the first will be the worst! So let other be the guinea pigs.

Gospel truth dude.

Still, I like being the guinea pig. Good experience. Helps you identify and understand the failures and thus improve.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xStep Avatar
183 months ago
"I want your clients"?

I don't care if he's a god at whatever he does...that's pretty damn arrogant.
Besides...who has a perfect track record for software releases? No one. If no one took the chance...to step forward and get the product...then the imperfections would never manifest, and no one would get to refine the product.


(hypothetical conversation with this jerk)
"I want your clients."
You can pry them from my cold, dead fingers.

That was simply another way for Larry to remind professional editors that relying on brand new product without first learning it & it's limits could be costly if it causes them to mess up a job. He wasn't being a jerk or arrogant, he was being very pragmatic.

As for your hypothetical conversation. The point Larry was making is that he and other sensible people won't have to pry your clients from your cold dead fingers if you fail to deliver. The clients will search out a more reliable supplier.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
res1233 Avatar
183 months ago
Do you mean that Apple is just as crappy as Google, Microsoft...etc?
i thought everything Apple did was better than all those companies:confused:


Radicals are very insecure people.

No. This just means that no company in existence has been successful in releasing a .0 update after a major revision without breaking a few things. In this case, it's a complete rewrite. You'd have to be completely ignorant to not expect a few problems, no matter who's doing the rewrite.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mattie Num Nums Avatar
183 months ago
Better include Google and it's perpetual Beta, IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, Sun, Linux, Sybase, SGI, Autodesk, Corel, etc.
I love it when the die hards do this.

This article has nothing to do with any of those companies. He is talking specifically about FCP.


[Apple has a very poor track record of perfect dot zero releases.]

Apple does a great job for the most part.

Who in the industry has a track record of perfect or close to perfect dot zero releases?
Nobody but Apple also carries around the attitude that their stuff is always perfect. Thats the issue. Perception.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Monday June 30, 2025 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
A18 Pro Chip

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options that include silver, blue, pink, and yellow. MacRumors...
iPhone Car Key WWDC 2025

Apple Announces 13 Automakers Planning to Offer iPhone Car Keys

Friday June 27, 2025 11:42 am PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. During its WWDC 2025 keynote, Apple said that 13...
maxresdefault

Five Features Coming to AirPods Pro 3

Friday June 27, 2025 10:52 am PDT by
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. We're counting on a new model this year, and we've seen several hints of new AirPods tucked away in Apple's code. Rumors suggest that Apple has some exciting new features planned that will make it worthwhile to upgrade to the latest model. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Heal...
macbook air spacegray purple

Apple Planning to Launch Low-Cost MacBook Powered By iPhone Chip

Monday June 30, 2025 3:20 am PDT by
Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In an article published on X, Kuo explained that the device will feature a 13-inch display and the A18 Pro chip, making it the first Mac powered by an iPhone chip. The A18 Pro chip debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last year. To date, all Apple silicon Macs have contained M-series...
anker power bank recall

PSA: Anker Recalls Multiple Power Banks Due to Fire Risk

Friday June 27, 2025 4:16 pm PDT by
Popular accessory maker Anker this month launched two separate recalls for its power banks, some of which may be a fire risk. The first recall affects Anker PowerCore 10000 Power Banks sold between June 1, 2016 and December 31, 2022 in the United States. Anker says that these power banks have a "potential issue" with the battery inside, which can lead to overheating, melting of plastic...
Chase Sapphire Reserve Apple Perk Feature

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Introduces New Perk for Apple Customers

Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Chase this week announced a series of new perks for its premium Sapphire Reserve credit card, and one of them is for a pair of Apple services. Specifically, the credit card now offers complimentary annual subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music, a value of up to $250 per year. If you are already paying for Apple TV+ and/or Apple Music directly through Apple, those subscriptions will...
replay all time playlist apple music

Apple Music Debuts All-New Personalized Playlist

Monday June 30, 2025 7:16 am PDT by
As part of its 10-year celebrations of Apple Music, Apple today released an all-new personalized playlist that collates your entire listening history. The playlist, called "Replay All Time," expands on Apple Music's existing Replay features. Previously, users could only see their top songs for each individual calendar year that they've been subscribed to Apple Music, but now, Replay All...