SF 2002 Report - Things are going on!

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rextilleon wrote on 12/18/2002, 6:11 PM
DAvid---remember it was the fiscal report for 2002 and that was the context in which he mentioned 'retail outlets' I would be my last dollar that Vegas and Forge are gone---to whom, I have no idea.
Paul_Holmes wrote on 12/18/2002, 6:26 PM
You know, Netscape got killed by Microsoft in a ruthless kind of way about 6 years ago, and it's still around, and it's still a great product (even though I use IE!). My point is that Vegas is too good a product to be killed, swallowed up and eviscerated by someone else. If someone buys it it'll be because it is such a great product they feel they can market it better. My only other speculation is that Sonic Foundry has put a lot of love and effort into this product. I have a hard time believing they'll just sell it off to anyone for quick cash, with no other conisderations.

I'm optimistic, but in the end I hope the great developers at Sonic Foundry are allowed to continue making this the best NLE on the market.
SHTUNOT wrote on 12/18/2002, 6:33 PM
All sofo would do if they sold their A/V line would be to postpone their inevitable doom if things don't kick in for them in the next year...They don't have anyone else to layoff anymore ;) [Rimas that means YOU next buddy!!!!...Don't muck up dude!]

If anyone were to acquire Vegas/acid/SF/CDA then I hope it will be M-Audio!!! They seem to have their heads screwed on right. A purchase like this would "well round" their product line and put them ih a position to take on avid/protools/PINNACLE or whomever else decides to step into this mess this late in the game.

ED.

A.F.U. Studios
Wondering wrote on 12/18/2002, 10:40 PM
Sad BUT reality stinks.

$$$ talks & Vegas isn't doing well in getting the $$$$$$ into SF.

And I believed all those SUB-Standard(BUT with lots of $$$$$) NLE developers are dying to get their hands on VEGAS; to tear it apart & never let it see daylight again. (Thats how competitors kill their rivals; using $$$$$$)

Well, well, aidios VV4, ...... SAD
TorS wrote on 12/19/2002, 2:45 AM
Wondering: Sad BUT reality stinks

Wondering, if you were a dog I'd instruct your owner to bring out the plastic bag and pick up the things you're leaving behind on this forum.

Tor
Spirit wrote on 12/19/2002, 7:25 AM
Emagic for PC gone; Nord Modular development ends; Pinnacle take Steinberg...

A good company to take Acid/SF/VV would be Native Instruments - they have have audio generators, but not the editors and sequencers.

But SoFo without these three products would surely mean SoFo would cease to exist. They'd be so little left that you may as well switch off the lights.
Laurence wrote on 12/19/2002, 9:11 AM
Native instruments would put a f&*%ing dongle on Vegas and Acid!!

If Sound Forge absolutely has to be aquired, I wouldn't mind seeing it go to Microsoft. They need great audio and video apps to keep competitive in the pro market with Apple's Final Cut Pro and Logic Audio series. Vegas Video is the only PC video editor that I like better than FCP. If Microsoft bought SF and kept up the development in a range of low to high end products, it would help them immensely in competing with Apple in the pro video and audio markets.

Laurence Kingston
David_Kuznicki wrote on 12/19/2002, 9:27 AM
Native instruments would put a f&*%ing dongle on Vegas and Acid!!

What's wrong with that? Hell, if that's the price I have to pay to keep Vegas and/or Acid... then I'll find an open USB port!

Seriously though-- one thing scares the hell out of me. SoFo has been completely silent on this so far. While I understand that it's in their interests not to make mention of it... something nice and cryptic like 'I wouldn't worry about Vegas going anywhere' would really reinforce my confidence.

Just my $.08 (adjusted for inflation & a possible third party software aquistion... or $.08 + $1,000 per year upgrade contract if Microsoft IS the one)

David.

David.
Hammer wrote on 12/19/2002, 9:58 AM
I think it's pretty clear it is going somewhere. Just a matter of where. Sony would be nice. Don't they already use SF software repackaged? They certainly have the cash and marketing know how to elevate VV to where it belongs.
Paul_Holmes wrote on 12/19/2002, 10:18 AM
The closest comment to something positive I've seen is something Douglas Spotted Eagle posted in the Cow forum, basically to the effect not to worry -- Vegas wasn't going away, it would only get better (sorry if that's not an exact quote -- the Cow forum's down again). I'd trust his judgement as someone who has a close relationship with the company over all these negative speculations by you melancholic creative types :) (don't worry! I understand the type. I share the temperament!)
jetdv wrote on 12/19/2002, 10:43 AM
Actually, it's NOT down right now. Here's the exact quote:

1. Vegas ain't goin' nowhere except up.
2. Everyone is speculating a bit too much. I agree SOFO needs to concentrate on tools, but even if they don't, their tools will end up in a good place. I know the 2 guys that started all this, and they'll pull it out one way or another.
3. Living in Utah, I can assure you, COREL SUCKS! I hate having them here, they are best at ruining many things, especially the local economy.
That said, Vegas ain't goin away. I don't know much, but I do know that.

Douglas Spotted Eagle
Sundance Media Group, home of veg file sharing, VASST, and free tutorials.
Sundance Media Group Tutorials
Bill Ravens wrote on 12/19/2002, 10:43 AM
I'm thinking that Sony or M-audio would be nice. If anyone like Adobe or Pinnacle buys the rights to VV3, the product line will die....mostly due to downright poor programming, rather than neglect.
HPV wrote on 12/19/2002, 11:01 AM
Oh well, I tried. Since we have so many brains going 1000MPH here, I'll give you all something to put in your pipes to smoke. We call it a "safety meeting" up on the slopes.
Go to the top of this page, place your cursor on the "solutions" icon. See all the stuff you weren't even thinking about. Example:
The MediaCollective™
The MediaCenter™
MediaQC™
The MediaTaxi™
and tons more

Ahhh, now maybe we can STOP SPECULATING. Can we? If you really like Vegas, don't you think a little RESPECT to the owners is appropriate. I'm not saying SF is perfect and that this might not get ugly, but we won't be changing a damn thing from this forum.

Craig H.
rross wrote on 12/19/2002, 11:50 AM
Since speculation is high I'll drop in Macromedia. One, Acid and the related audio products are used by many Flash developers and Macromedia seems to be positioning themselves in the key spaces of web/multi-media development. Two, Flash video, video for the Internet and multimedia. Vegas would be a nice fit.

But hopefully all the products stay put, and if not, hopefully the interface and programming do not suffer.

cheers,
rr
BrianStanding wrote on 12/19/2002, 12:42 PM
Lots of good RT video hardware; no NLE to call their own....

(Hey, if you can't engage in idle speculation on the internet, where CAN you?)
Paradox wrote on 12/19/2002, 1:17 PM
My guess is there is limited growth potential in a product like Vegas, especially at the skill level and price point it addresses. In Sonic's viewpoint, Vegas has probably reached its peak in being able to really bring in new dollars via ongoing sales. Therefore, if a willing buyer can use Vegas to leverage other product lines, that will be where it ends up. Vegas is already a revolutionary product. The best we can probably hope for is a company that makes incremental improvements and provides good support, while keeping the upgrade cost reasonable.

BigT
doormill wrote on 12/19/2002, 2:33 PM
Good code comes and goes but great code will find a home. There are some positives that can come out of this if the right company gets this as well.

We'll know pretty soon.

Have a Great Holiday Season everyone.
JLK wrote on 12/19/2002, 4:42 PM
Speculation is fun. I speculate that Vegas, Video Factory, Acid, Siren, and Sound Forge will be, or already have been sold to Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment Inc.

For a clue, try this link:
http://www.screenblast.com/screenblast2/index.idml?identifier=sw_main_root&idmltype=ui

By the way, isn't Macromedia owned by Adobe?
nolonemo wrote on 12/19/2002, 5:57 PM
Not very much for sale on Sonic Foundry's online store any more.

I wonder what's going to happen with the high-end versions of the apps on the Sony site (and VV)
Spirit wrote on 12/19/2002, 6:25 PM
Is it possible to license these apps to Sony, then sell the full rights to someone else ? Anyone familar with standard contract agreements in this situation ?
rextilleon wrote on 12/19/2002, 7:14 PM
Of course it is---there is probably an agreement between Sony and Sonic that the new owner will have to honor---that's standard operating procedure. In fact, that becomes part of the negotiations-----the buyer analyzes existing agreements and decides if it's worth it.

MKS wrote on 12/20/2002, 2:48 AM
Matrox??? Now there's a thought. If Sofo does sell Vegas Video:

If Matrox buys Vegas Video, the RT.X100 will bury the Storm2.
If Canopus buys Vegas Video, the Storm2 will bury the RT.X100.

Either way, we win.
Tap, tap..... may I hear the higher bid please.
BillyBoy wrote on 12/20/2002, 9:14 AM
File under wishful thinking. Hardware companies rarely buy software companies.
Chienworks wrote on 12/20/2002, 9:48 AM
I don't think it makes any sense for the real-time hardware folks to be interested in Vegas. Vegas doesn't need real-time hardware. On today's 1.5GHz and faster computers, Vegas already outperforms dedicated hardware in lots of areas. With the 3GHz and faster machines, real-time hardware can become a waste of money. Why would a real-time hardware manufacturer want to support software that could put it's hardware line out of business?