Sometimes I hate my Major

[kichigaimentat]

So, I'm a Radio/TV/Film major going into his Junior year. The great state of my school has this wonderful law that makes it impossible for me to be considered a resident, so there is no way for me to get out of paying an out-of-state tuition rate. Naturally, this hurts my bottom line. It doesn't help that I'll be needing a new computer (professional editing-grade Mac), and I'm finding myself with less and less money.

Now on to the heart of what I was going to talk about: I hate how everyone encourages students to use the industry standard software, but then does NOTHING to help them acquire it legally. There is no way I can afford Adobe Design Premium CS3, a computer capable of running it, tuition, and all the other software I need. (And Adobe wonders why so many copies of Photoshop are pirated).

Granted, I can get away with using Gimp for Photoshop-based stuff, and Inkscape (which I rather dislike) for Illustrator-related stuff, but what about Premiere and After Effects? Granted, there's Cinerella and Kino, but those are Linux exclusives. AVIDub is Windows-exclusive, and, it can't even do real non-linear editing. That doesn't even cover what After Effects can do.

Now, assuming I wanted to stay legal, and I don't know about BitTorrent or other P2P technologies, how would I obtain this software for minimum cost? Or are there open-source equivalents for Premiere and After Effects for OS X that I'm not aware of?

Thanks guys!

[tokenuser]

Thats why they have academic pricing for those products. Sure, they are still more expensive than the FLOSS equivalents, but they are industry standard for a reason - ie ... the FLOSS clones suck or are lacking in the features required in an industrial environment.

You knew you what the deal was before you enrolled. Having a capable laptop should not be a surprise to you, nor should the need to have software for the course.

[Bohemian_Beauty]

You -can- get the software for free. I suggest applying for grants.

[skyz]

So, I'm a Radio/TV/Film major going into his Junior year. The great state of my school has this wonderful law that makes it impossible for me to be considered a resident, so there is no way for me to get out of paying an out-of-state tuition rate. Naturally, this hurts my bottom line. It doesn't help that I'll be needing a new computer (professional editing-grade Mac), and I'm finding myself with less and less money.

Now on to the heart of what I was going to talk about: I hate how everyone encourages students to use the industry standard software, but then does NOTHING to help them acquire it legally. There is no way I can afford Adobe Design Premium CS3, a computer capable of running it, tuition, and all the other software I need. (And Adobe wonders why so many copies of Photoshop are pirated).

Granted, I can get away with using Gimp for Photoshop-based stuff, and Inkscape (which I rather dislike) for Illustrator-related stuff, but what about Premiere and After Effects? Granted, there's Cinerella and Kino, but those are Linux exclusives. AVIDub is Windows-exclusive, and, it can't even do real non-linear editing. That doesn't even cover what After Effects can do.

Now, assuming I wanted to stay legal, and I don't know about BitTorrent or other P2P technologies, how would I obtain this software for minimum cost? Or are there open-source equivalents for Premiere and After Effects for OS X that I'm not aware of?

Thanks guys!

i was desperate for a korg keyboard so i called the company and asked to speak to their public relations department

though i did not manage to get one free they did arrange for me to purchase one at cost

i used to work for a pr firm and i found that it is not infrequent that they feel motivated to be nice

once i saw this evian ad poster i loved and i was tempted to steal it but instead i called evian got nowhere with them but got the name of their advertising company called them and they overnite fedexed me a framable quality copy of the ad

it never hurts to ask if you can do so politely and with some charm :)

after all if this is going to be your life work those people who are nice to you and/or make their products easily available to you are going to make money off of you aren't they

sometimes you have to remind them of that

[mikec]

(professional editing-grade Mac),



You mean the editors I know who use Windows boxes aren't professional?

Sorry to make it a Mac vs Windows debate.

[phatlip12]

Computer Science/ Information System students at my school can get free software through Microsoft through MSDNAA. I'm lucky in this sense as there is quite a few things I can get for free (legally).

When it comes to other stuff I'd suggest you pirate . Times are tough and your a hungry student. It's different if you're going to use the software to turn a profit but if you're only using it to learn it I think you shouldn't have to pay (or pay too much that is). Once you graduate and find yourself in a position of using the software for your job I think you should pay. If you're only using it for educational purposes the software should either have a SIGNIFICANT discount (I'm thinking 100 bucks tops) or be offered for free.

[ericjosepi]

You mean the editors I know who use Windows boxes aren't professional?

Sorry to make it a Mac vs Windows debate.

He said it was an editing-grade mac. Such boxes exist on the Windows side and are dedicated to such applications with good processor and shit ton of RAM. He was in no way implying that Windows boxes or users are unprofessional. Debate over.

Back to the topic at hand...

Dude, I know it's questionable but I don't see an issue in pirating something that costs thousands of dollars that you will one day purchase and use once you are in the industry. I'd make the "you may not even stick with it argument" but you're in your junior year so it's safe to say you're committed to this profession. The example that still holds up is this:

The most pirated 3D apps are Maya and 3DSMax. The most widely used (i.e. widely installed legitimate versions) professional 3D apps are Maya and 3DSMax. Why? People (hell, KIDS as young as 14) are learning how to use the apps because they got them for free and then, if they stick with the profession, buy the full copies for the thousands of dollars because it will benefit them in the long run.

It's sketchy as all hell, but when the makers of the apps make it so prohibitively expensive and the cracked versions are easier to install than the legal ones, there's an issue.

[ariastar]

i was desperate for a korg keyboard so i called the company and asked to speak to their public relations department

though i did not manage to get one free they did arrange for me to purchase one at cost

I am so tempted to try that. There's one item that would make my designing a thousand times easier, but costs four figures.

[tokenuser]

I am so tempted to try that. There's one item that would make my designing a thousand times easier, but costs four figures.
A size 4, size 8, size 12, and size 16?

[ariastar]

Dude, I know it's questionable but I don't see an issue in pirating something that costs thousands of dollars that you will one day purchase and use once you are in the industry.

I don't consider it questionable. It's legally outright illegal, but ethically I think it's clear. At least in my opinion. They won't get the money at this exact second, but they will within a few years. If he goes and uses a free or lower-priced equivalent, there's a good chance they will retain his business simply because, well, he got his start there and may have some built-up subconscious resentment at other companies charging so much more than they need to charge to make a profit. Better for them for him to pirate now and keep with it.

[forthekids85]

Just like everyone said, you have to pirate. I'm in a similar major to you (graduating in a month, woo.) and it's simply unavoidable. Most professors will tell you to find the software wherever possible with a wink.

You cannot be expected to become highly skilled by only using an application a few times a week for an hour or two.

And when you make the big bucks, then you can pay back those companies.

There's a reason that companies give out trial copies so easily. It's one of those "they know and i know, but no one will actually admit to it" situations.

Good luck.

[phatlip12]

[quote=forthekids85;341059]Most professors will tell you to find the software wherever possible with a wink.

/quote]

My professor has a private FTP server that he lets us "share notes" on.

;)

[rabidbadger]

[quote=forthekids85;341059]Most professors will tell you to find the software wherever possible with a wink.

/quote]

My professor has a private FTP server that he lets us "share notes" on.

;)

sweet.

[rabidbadger]

friendware ftw! my philosopy on the matter is, yeah. find it anywhere as a student. buy it as a pro. and get tax breaks for it later. absurd that student versions aren't free. absolutely nuts... most folks want to do the right thing but can't. and the companies lose potential later sales.

[kichigaimentat]

Just FYI: I knew going into this that it wasn't going to be cheap. I knew I was going to need a fairly powerful computer (hell, I'd want one anyway). I knew I was going to have to be using these expensive tools, but that doesn't mean I can't complain about the costs of these software tools. Or how bad education discounts are. Actually, education discounts seem like a crock these days. It's $600 for a copy of CS3. That's an entire semester's budget for books. OS X 10.5 is $113 with an education discount (I could spend that extra $16 on... three meals? If I'm lucky. Actually, the school's book store managed to give me a steeper discount, bringing the total price to $70). Plus, in some cases, Education Discounts only apply to a limited number of products (Apple only lets me buy two software titles with my Education Discount, which only gets me CS3 and iWork).

I could see spending $300 on CS3, but $600 is way too much. Or they could at least make the individual components cheaper. I don't care much about GoLive, InDesign, VersionCue, Flash, DreamWeaver, or Fireworks. I need Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, AfterEffects and Audition (if only the actually released Audition for OS X :( ). Ala carte purchasing sucks, though, with prices as high as $199 in many cases (http://store.apple.com/AppleStore/WebObjects/EducationIndividualCustom.woa/91224005/wa/PSLID?find=cs3&wosid=gl73fkQPexfv2TNbT4jvaGnjfnS). These prices are rather crippling if I wanted to start dabbling in Final Cut or Pro Tools.

As far as the "Editing-Grade Mac" comment, that's the machine I'm looking at, as opposed to an "entry-level Mac" or a "Gaming-quality PC," not to say editing-grade PCs don't exist (I work with them frequently), not to say that they suck (well, put Vista on 'em and they will), it's just not the computer I'm going to buy, and I've got my reasons, but I don't want to start a PC vs. Mac (vs. Linux) flame war.

FOSS software, in some cases, doesn't quite peer up with their closed source equivalents, and I'm sure Cinerella and Kino fall into this category. However, GIMP and Inkscape are on the same level, in my opinion, with Photoshop and Illustrator. What I was asking for was if anyone knew of FOSS Premiere-equivalent that I could use for personal projects (until I have the money to pay for CS3... or a computer that could run CS3).

[tokenuser]

Actually, education discounts seem like a crock these days. It's $600 for a copy of CS3. How about $389 for CS3 (http://www.gradware.com/product/view/798223)? Yes, the site is legit.

[ariastar]

A size 4, size 8, size 12, and size 16?

LOL, no, an embroidery machine. Easily a couple thousand for a decent entry-level machine.

[ariastar]

Just FYI: I knew going into this that it wasn't going to be cheap. I knew I was going to need a fairly powerful computer (hell, I'd want one anyway). I knew I was going to have to be using these expensive tools, but that doesn't mean I can't complain about the costs of these software tools. Or how bad education discounts are.

I think the real valid part of this complaint is that the steep cost of education makes it a luxury you can afford out of pocket if wealthy, or via a load of grants if you're very-low income. If you're in the middle, good luck getting those loans. I couldn't afford college out of high school, and my parents were neck-deep in debt from medical bills not covered by our insurance (Blue Cross is forever on my shit list for their willingness to let me die - were it not for loans, my parents couldn't afford the treatments I needed and I'd be dead). And trying to get back into school full-time later is damned near impossible. Maybe a class at a time while working. I tried. Had it planned to do it all in three years, but it'll realistically take so long that the earlier credits will be invalid at the end.

School itself is a full-time job. How are you supposed to live and eat? College students shouldn't be starving half the time. So many people I know absolutely couldn't go to school because they had to pay rent and didn't qualify for loans to pay it while they studied.

And then with the cost of books being so incredibly high and software and supplies needed for certain majors...I don't know how the average person is expected to do it. Someone's got to support you, either parents or the bank via loans. What if you've got neither?