alias screws customers again

[ambient-whisper]

apple :)

link to disscussion on highend3d (http://www.highend3d.com/boards/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=thebuzz&Number=99484&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1#Post99524)

from highend3d
The Following I'm reposting from the Alias Wavefront discussion list:

Sounds to me like they're getting ready to announce their
purchase by Apple. It may sound like a conspiracy theory,
but here goes:

Alias makes an agreement (with Apple) to be the bad guy, to
essentially do their dirty-work in advance of the purchase.
First they cut the higher "US Dollar paid" staff and retreat
to Canada (Home of the Underpaid). Then they lower the price
to the consumer level (a MUST for an Apple product) they will
certainly take some heat from their loyal users that paid much
more just a short time ago. (C'est la vie!) Then comes a
convenient tradeshow (like NAB April 6-11)
http://www.nab.org/conventions/nab2002/
Then pretso-purchaso Steve Jobs announces that Apple has a new
3D product, "Final 3D Pro"! Well OK they'll probably keep the
Maya name, but who knows what evil lurks in the minds of the
marketing team. Apple will get to be the hero by stepping in
and saving the company.

Will everyone in Toronto move to Cupertino?
I dunno. Nicer winters though.
(but NOT as nice as Santa Barbara)

These ideas are my own paranoid ramblings, and in no way are
meant to reflect anyone else's reality but my own.

Best Regards
Mark Noland
http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/2002/03/28/animation.htm
>
> Pretty much says it all...
>
> Cheers,
> Paul Mikulecky
> Lost Pencil Animation Studios Inc.
> http://www.lostpencil.com

[mind]

Adam3d, you sound a bit melodramatic,... don't you? devalue code and programmers hard work???!!!
What are you talking about??? you work, you get paid A LOT...even register a couple of patents! and that's it. the rule of the game. If you don't like your job, then quit. Mark Sylvester decided that, and it's completely understandable. He didn't agree with the company's policy.
But screw the entire industry? devaluate??? (I guess you mean moraly)

c'mon

[graphiouz]

come on people ! !
ok people is getting hurt no doubt about it, but i dont think AW is trying the rip or screw anyone, if they are in serious trouble what else can they do to save it ??
alot of crap talk has been floating around forums, and im starting to believe there are a bunch of silly old ladies who has nothing to do then whine and complain and start bad rumors!
no offence but come on! lets hope this turns out o.k

.

[Malameel]

The only way Alia screwed customers if you bought Maya last week.

I do not think this move was played correctly. At the end of last year, they gave you a crappy computer (with a Quadro card at least) if you bought Maya. Then they ran a special of a free upgrade to unlimited when you bought complete, which is still running till the end of the month. Then they drop this bomb, within the special upgrade. What gives. Doesn't look good to me, especially since I was in talks with a vendor to buy Maya. Now it looks like a company try to collect as much money as possible before making a big announcment.

Wether the rumors of Apple buying is true or not, something being on the horizon is clear. The problem is that since this doesn't looked planned, then maybe it is bad news. Otherwise they should have waited tll NAB to make the announcment.

If I don't get MAYA, I am not sure if I like teh other programs. I already took classes in MAYA, I don't like lightwave anymore, Softimage is now the solo expensive one, and Max is new to me.

Oh well.

[greekdish]

Why is everyone making this out to be such a bad thing??? Since when does the hope of bringing in many more users (available to many more budgets now, including smaller studios) become a a vision of bad things to come?? Maya is still Maya, whether it costs $2000, or $7500, or they give it out. Point is, can you still make the same animations with it today that you were able to yesterday or last month or last year?? Im sure making the price point to as much as Lightwave will only seriously hurt Lightwave, not Maya. I like both programs....but I know more people think Maya as in high end, and if they can get Maya for a few hundred bucks more than Lightwave, I think they will choose Maya instead. I think the future is bright, and more power to Apple if they buyout Alias. Apple makes great software, and as long as they keep up the work on the Unix/Windows side....no one should worry about Apple and Maya. Just my thoughts on the issue.

Nick

[kfc]

well... something fishy happens here in malaysia.
the reseller is not selling me this product because they told me that they are temporary out of business.
and at the sametime, my lecturer who has got contact with the boss of this reseller. has told me that they has got some problem with policies with AW and they need time to solve b4 they can get back to business.
does this sound suspecious enuff?

[greekdish]

Ive heard enough from resellers from other software to know that they arent usually in the loop as far as the company is involved, so I would take all that with a grain of salt. I seriously doubt Alias is out of business. Resellers are reknown the world over for spreading rumors...they like to assume all the time. Lets not get hasty and start making/believing rumors....lets be a little patient, and keep creating 3D art....and let things happen. None of which, even if the rumors are true, are bad things (except for being out of business, which I highly doubt).

[sigma]

blahblahblah. How do rumours get started.....by jealous people.
Stop playing the political side and use the software. None of us know what really goes on behind A|W doors and personally I dont need to know. A|W runs a business. I am an artists. Maya is the tool I use. If your not happy with a certain tool then move on to the next one.

:scream:

[Lyr]

Right on Sigma. I have been hearing rumors of a Apple buyout of A|W for YEARS! and guess what? NOTHING ever comes of it. No press release, no offical announcement, no buyout.

[graphiouz]

yes rumors rumors rumors! Apple & adobe,,?? who knows?

But if.,,?
[ i´d rather see adobe as the buyer,
imagine playing with layered PSD texture files inside maya, with full control of the layers.. ] :p

.

[Lyr]

Originally posted by graphiouz
yes rumors rumors rumors! Apple & adobe,,?? who knows?

But if.,,?
[ i´d rather see adobe as the buyer,
imagine playing with layered PSD texture files inside maya, with full control of the layers.. ] :p

.

You can set this up yourself, gotta know MEL though.

[Malameel]

The reason that the talk of buyout is getting more press time now is because Alias is now acting funny. I would not spend $6999 for software of a dead company. I buy software so that it can take me somewhere now and in the future. Why start a package when teh future maybe with say lightwave or Max or Softimage.

We do not know what this pricecut means except what they let us know. What we do know is funny. If you bought Maya last month, your price may not seem to be as great since they change their pricing. Why wouldn't Alia make this announcemnet at NAB were most announcments are made (tradeshows, conventions...) When rumors are already floating around, wouldn't you try and at least not add fuel to the fire by rushing out new prices, in the middle of a sale. Also, with Alias closing the US department, isn't rash decisions making it look like financal problems are immenate and that they need as much money as they can get before... bad stuff happens...

Whatever it is, they could have handled it better. I for one who was actually about to buy the software pulled out me order untill I feel my investment has a future.

[SUN]

I believe that no MAYA user should worry about the future of the software or the company itself.

MAYA has proven itself to be the best program in the market (ex. Lord of the Rings, Final Fantasy, etc.), preferred by the largest FX Studios.

The price cuts that occured, is simply a change in the company policy (that in my opinion is a great move since the previous price of $25,000 was out of reach from 95% of people who entered the field). Now Alias will bring a lot more users towards MAYA, and making things a lot better for everyone.

And let us not forget that Alias has developed new educational services('Taste of MAYA').

All that, shows that the company is trying to bring in more people and develope even more, not to get sold out but to establish itself even more as the number one 3D program in the worldwide market.:thumbsup:

[Lyr]

Malameel AW closed thier US offices so they could afford to do the price cut. If they did not close offices and made the price cut I would be worried. And why wait till NAB? what would be the point of that? If you are ready to make a move you make it.

[Malameel]

Originally posted by Lyr
Malameel AW closed thier US offices so they could afford to do the price cut. If they did not close offices and made the price cut I would be worried. And why wait till NAB? what would be the point of that? If you are ready to make a move you make it.

This isn't chess. The stability of a company is most important. With NAB only a week away, they could anounce then where other companies tend to make their big announcemnets. Companies do not close offices to make price cuts. Companies close offices because they do not have the ability to keep it open. Why close the US office and cut out all those resources? When a company isn't making money what do they do, cut over head, drop the price, and even give the illusion that they are making rash decision so quickly that they do not even realize what the rest of the company is doing.

Till the end of March, if you buy Maya Complete, you get a free upgrade to Maya Unlimited. Yet next month Maya Unlimited cost the same as Maya Complete. What is the point of the sale? What is teh point of announcing price drops during a sale? Do they not what to sell Unlimited this week?

The right move only works if it is implemeted correctly. I hope Alias is fine, because I have said before, I was about to buy Maya this week untill this happened. Now I want to wait and see why Alias doesn't have all their polygons in a row.

[sigma]

I was about to buy Maya this week untill this happened
MmmmK. :wip:
Thats funny, I know others who are doing the exact opposite.
Malameel I really dont understand your logic. If your that worried about Maya's future than move on to one of the other packages. Judging by the work on your web site Im sure any 3D package will meet your needs.

[mind]

Originally posted by sigma
blahblahblah. How do rumours get started.....by jealous people.
Stop playing the political side and use the software. None of us know what really goes on behind A|W doors and personally I dont need to know. A|W runs a business. I am an artists. Maya is the tool I use. If your not happy with a certain tool then move on to the next one.

:scream:

That's right!!!!

Hey malamel, everything you've said is senceless and not true. What are you talking about? Never mind, continue with your... beer? :cool:


ps: I know this was childish but you gave me the chance, hehehehe, unresistible:wip:

[Malameel]

Originally posted by mind


That's right!!!!

Hey malamel, everything you've said is senceless and not true. What are you talking about? Never mind, continue with your... beer? :cool:


ps: I know this was childish but you gave me the chance, hehehehe, unresistible:wip:

To insult is easy and pointless. If you think my arguements are unfounded, then state which and why. If you do not know what I am talking about, maybe you do not have all the facts?

[Malameel]

Originally posted by sigma

MmmmK. :wip:
Thats funny, I know others who are doing the exact opposite.
Malameel I really dont understand your logic. If your that worried about Maya's future than move on to one of the other packages. Judging by the work on your web site Im sure any 3D package will meet your needs.

My website is for my personal drawings. Anyway, I have taken classes in Maya and prefer that program. I do not like Lightwave, nor do I use Max, and Softimage is overcomplicated compared to Maya.

I just stating that it is worth waiting to see what is going on. In teh end, it is still &6999 for Unlimited.

[mind]

I haven't insulted you...I just said beer...beer is good, don't you like it? and yes I don't know what-you-are-talking-about because I know the facts,...so what do you think? I should shut up, right?

Sigma, his site is not an issue, I don't even have one, but I have lot's of demoreels and soon I'll have a new one showing only animation tests and images, rendered with maya 4.5beta2. I will post some of those images soon.

Malameel, I suggest you to stylize your site a bit if you have web design skills or ask for someone to do it for you as I will eventually. This is not an insult and it's a complete honest opinion (even when you didn't asked for it): you should change some of the contents of you site, they are not very appealing (personal opinion) and if you dare to reply that it's not my busisness, well, then don't post your site. It's just an contructive opinion and I hope it helps. :)

no war, there's enough of it.

[Malameel]

Originally posted by mind
I haven't insulted you ( old quote: Hey malamel, everything you've said is senceless and not true.) ...I just said beer...beer is good, don't you like it? and yes I don't know what-you-are-talking-about because I know the facts,...so what do you think? I should shut up, right?

Sigma, his site is not an issue, I don't even have one, but I have lot's of demoreels and soon I'll have a new one showing only animation tests and images, rendered with maya 4.5beta2. I will post some of those images soon.

Malameel, I suggest you to stylize your site a bit if you have web design skills or ask for someone to do it for you as I will eventually. This is not an insult and it's a complete honest opinion (even when you didn't asked for it): you should change some of the contents of you site, they are not very appealing (personal opinion) and if you dare to reply that it's not my busisness, well, then don't post your site. It's just an contructive opinion and I hope it helps. :)

no war, there's enough of it.


First, I do not like beer. I do not need a liquid to make enjoy an evening. However, I do not make fun of those that do.

I welcome all suggestions if they make a point. Saying it is just stupid doesn't help and makes the reviewer seem childish and unarticulate. I never said to shut up, but that you still haven't made a point except that my website need more stylization, which I do agree and last night I already started slashing it apart. It will be a couple of weeks before I get it with the right content.

Anyway, what part do you not know? Everything I stated is comon knowledge. There is a sale right now, the third in 4 months. Alias surprised everybody with drastic pricecuts. Timing could be better is my aguement. Nuff said.

[Grooveholmes]

Malameel.:rolleyes:

[Malameel]

Yes Grooveholmes.

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