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Joe Seidler Author

Level 1

86 points

iMovie '13 "dumbed down" compared to iMovie '11

It appears that Apple has decided to make the Mac versions of iLife and iWorks apps identical to the IOS versions on the iPad. This required a "dumbing down" of the Mac versions which they did in the newly released versions. I see this in iMovie '13 which among other missing old features is the ability to group Projects into folders (like Family, Vacations, etc.) which is extremely important when you have a few dozen or more projects.

In another forum, it is clear they did the same thing with iWorks:

As a dedicated user of the iWork applications I looked forward to seeing what new features Apple was going to support. I cannot tell you how disappointed I am - all three represent regressions IMHO. Read through the discussion about Pages, Keynote and Numbers, and you will see right away that people are deeply puzzled with the features that have vanished. It sure seems in an effort to make the iWork apps more like their iOS cousins that Apple has dumbed down and severely limited the OS X versions.

From missing vertical rulers and loss of merge fields in Pages to the loss of a number of transitions and actions in Keynote the lists go on and on. I am certainly glad that installing the new apps does not remove the old - as I am really forced to stay with the older versions to keep the level of features I have been used to. Those of you who value the advanced features of the previous version of iWork *please* avoid dumping the old apps until you *really* get a chance to see what isn't there in the new versions. Lots of flash and less substance!

Mac Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Oct 24, 2013 12:11 PM

81 replies

Dec 1, 2013 2:05 PM in response to Alan Cook2

Thanks for pointing this out. You have just saved my project. Need to get back to iMovie 11 with the original transitions.

Dec 1, 2013 7:51 PM in response to Matthew Morgan

I am totally confused by the iMovie version numbers being bandied about. I have iMovie version 10.0.1 and have no idea what iMovie 11 or iMovie 13 is? When I check for updates, I am running the latest version. My question is how to take my finished project and use it in iDVD to produce a DVD?

I was told to export it and then use iMovie HD (what is really version 6) and import it. Since iMovie HD has an export to iDVD command, all will be well. Before I try, is there an easier way to create a DVD from iMovie version 10.0.1?

Joe Seidler Author

Level 1

86 points

Dec 1, 2013 11:33 PM in response to Stormy LC

iMovie '11 and iMovie '13 are the version "names" (like Mavericks is the name for OS 10.9). They stand for the years each version was released:

iMovie '11 = v9

iMovie '13 = v10

It can't hurt to try the export/import suggestion. And BTW, iMovie HD was the name for v6. As you know, Apple stopped supporting iDVD (and DVDs in general) many years ago. It was one of the bad decisions Jobs made because he didn't understand the size and makeup of his customer base's use of DVDs. He belived he could see the future, but he didn't understand how long it would take to get there. So he essentially killed Apple's support for DVDs 10 years too soon.

iMovie has been one nightmare after another for those of us who use it a lot. First, Apple left us high and dry when they re-wrote it and gave us no viable way to convert our iMovie HD (v6) projects to iMovie v7 while of course v7 was missing a huge number of features that v6 had... like creating DVDs. I continued using iMovie HD for many, many years.

Now they've done it again. They re-wrote iMovie (apparently for 64 bit support) and now v10 is missing many features that v9 had. It's clear whoever is making the decisions about iMovie has no idea what their customers are doing with it. They must think that no one ever needs to update an existing project, so it doesn't matter if they release new versions with fewer features than before. I am again staying with the old version.

I wish I could stop using Apple's non-pro video editing app (iMovie), but I don't know of an alternative. Apple has really failed its iMovie customers.

Dec 2, 2013 4:18 AM in response to Stormy LC

Stormy LC,

To create a DVD using iMovie 10 and iDVD:

If you have iDVD, follow these steps:

1. Create a project in iMovie 10.0.1

2. Go to File>Share>File... and for Size choose Large 540P (960 x 540) and click Next

3. Choose a location on the hard drive to save the file to.

4. Wait for the blue circle activity indicator to finish.

5. In Finder, verify that iMovie created an MP4 file in the location specified in step 3.

6. Open iDVD and click "Create New Project."

7. Give the project a name and save it to your hard drive.

8. Drag the file you created earlier from the Finder into your iDVD project window.

(or go to File>Import>Video... and choose your video there)

9. Make any adjustments to drop zones, etc.

10. Click the burn button.

11. Insert a DVD and let it do its thing.

Enjoy!

You don't need iMovie HD anywhere in this process.

RobieZ

Level 1

4 points

Dec 2, 2013 7:10 PM in response to Joe Seidler

My question is, with all he complaints about this new upgrade in iMovie, why can't Apple just admit their mistake and re-engineer this upgrade to include the great features iMovie '11 had?

Makes no sense to continue using an app that makes things more difficult rather than helping its users be more efficient in both editing and use of time.

I will totally respect Apple more for being open enough to admitting their error.

Calling Apple!

Dec 2, 2013 7:23 PM in response to RobieZ

The big changes to the new version of iMovie is under the hood stuff (64 bit compatabity beign one) and not forward facing user features. They'll get added back with time.

In the meantime, why not continue to use your previous version of iMovie?

That said, is there something you're tyring to do that you can't?

Matt

Joe Seidler Author

Level 1

86 points

Dec 2, 2013 7:29 PM in response to RobieZ

The iWork and iLife Suites of apps are not the most important products to Apple; certainly not in the same league as the iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, etc. The software development teams were told to re-write the iWork and iLife apps to support 64-bit, and they were given a fixed amount of time to do it. The result... new versions with fewer features.

There is no one at the helm of Apple (at least Apple apps) who feels personally responsible for the users of their apps. So missing features are just a minor inconvenience to Apple employees. No one at Apple has their job depend on using iMovie or any of their apps. This is not new. Apple did the same thing when they re-wrote iMovie 5 years ago and let users of iMovie HD hang in the wind.

Dec 2, 2013 7:31 PM in response to Joe Seidler

Joe Seidler wrote:

This is not new. Apple did the same thing when they re-wrote iMovie 5 years ago and let users of iMovie HD hang in the wind.

What do you mean? iMovie HD still runs on my computer with Mavericks.

Matt

Joe Seidler Author

Level 1

86 points

Dec 2, 2013 7:44 PM in response to Matthew Morgan

Yes it does, and I'm thankful. But it was frozen as an app and someday it will no longer run on a future OS. With no way to convert iMovieHD projects into iMovie '11 or '13, we are left with the decision of do we continue to use iMovieHD when we need to update an existing project knowing that it faces a known death, just not knowing when.

I now have a large number of iMovieHD projects that I maintain and update as well as iMovie '11 (v9) projects that I maintain. If iMovie '13 (v10) never is updated to include every feature iMovie '11 has (and it is unlikely it will ever have every single feature), then will we be forced to then maintain 3 different versions of iMovie in the future?

Dec 2, 2013 7:58 PM in response to Joe Seidler

Fair enough. I hear you.

As hardware capabilities change, the software must as well to take full advantage.

That may mean a bit of extra work. But if you've kept your original source elements it can be done.

I also think that you'll be able to maintain you iMovie HD projects for quite some time to come.

Matt

Dec 2, 2013 9:52 PM in response to Joe Seidler

Thank you, I will use use your method to create my DVD from iMovie ver 10.0.1. Though not absolutely necessary for my present project, I'd sure like to be able to hand off the movie to iDVD with chapter markers so that jump to points will self install. I have been unable to find anything on chapter markers in iMovie version 10.0.1. Any ideas?

Dec 16, 2013 6:37 PM in response to Joe Seidler

Like many other posts. I am going back to iMovie '11. This release is almost unusable. I have used iMovie for 10 years and liked where iMovie '11 was headed. I work on family movies a year at a time so organizing videos for formatting is nice. Another feature that I found confusing was pulling in iPhoto videos. The clips didn't display the dates so I had to view in finder to know what date I was looking at. Lame, Lame, Lame. I have never had to revert back to a prior version before. I feel dirty and like I am stuck in my old ways. I love change when it is for the better. This is is not one of those cases!!!! What's next, will they take away my DVD drive from my iMac!!!!

DaGeWa77

Level 1

0 points

Jan 11, 2014 3:56 AM in response to Joe Seidler

The equalizer for audio is gone. I would hardly call this an upgrade when they take features away. Sure, the it really fast, much faster than the old version. But to remove the equalizer is unacceptable, I will have to open the old version of iMovie to finish a clip I was working on.

Jan 13, 2014 8:46 AM in response to Karsten Schlüter

@Karsten: Did you already perform your "single-field processing of interlaced material" check on iMovie 10? Can you confirm that that limitation has been solved in iMovie 10? I used your approach to determine that, and I concluded it has been solved. But it would be nice to have that verified/acknowledged by you. :-)

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5488241?answerId=24479481022#24479481022

Jan 20, 2014 4:12 AM in response to Joe Seidler

I would say that this imovie 13 is horrendously bad! They made a complete mess out of imovie. The bar was set very high with imovie 11, but I cannot stand the changed features such as the adjust button, lack of inspector, dragging the ends of videos to change time. The export options in 11 are wonderful. Apple seems to have a common theme of simplifying things... but when simplifying, things get dumbed down! I will not use imovie 13, and I want nothing to do with it. I plan to use 11, and I am glad I still get to use it by using the applications folder. Shame on apple for forcing us into a horrible product. I demand a new version like 11!

iMovie '13 "dumbed down" compared to iMovie '11