Ableton Roadmap

Angstrom · Post by **Angstrom** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 1:08 pm

I wish for a public roadmap outlining what may be coming in future versions and at what date.

Some companies go this route such as Fruity
http://www.fruityloops.com/documents/SUB_103.html

or Intel - http://www.intel.com/products/roadmap/

Obviously a company likeAbleton wouldnt spell out it's top new secret ideas, but rough indicators of new functions and when they are coming in Live.

Something like this :

2005 - second quarter : Live 4.5 released.
Features : Show/ hide track groups, movable FX return tracks

2005 - 4th quarter: Live 5
Features : Multi session loading in the new 'sessionpane' , Altivec support, new timestretching / pitch engine 'Elomynde'

2006 - 1st quarter .
nothing left to add, retire.

Ah, my happy fantasies

elemental · Post by **elemental** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 5:00 pm

Coming from the standpoint of a coder / developer, this would prob not be wise, as they would be in effect promising customers certain features/upgrades etc and would create expectations which they may not be able to meet - developing software involves a lot of unforseeable problems/issues so, although it would be nice for us, I dont think it would bgood for the Abes .

groov_in · Post by **groov_in** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 2:35 am

Great idea... They don’t need to commit to dates or releases just let us know which idea's they have taken onboard.....like on the fruity loops site. Its good customer service.

Angstrom · Post by **Angstrom** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 3:22 am

I just think we could save a few pixels on pleading

imagine if they are working on EG : Altivec support . Projected completion 2006.

Would stating that put any more pressure on Ableton than the current amount of pressure via these forums on this issue, which I imagine is about as strong as the user community could make it.

Same for contentious issues (such as MP3 / OGG support).
A long run up between announcement of intent and release would take some heat out of the eventual release inclusion.

Ableton might even learn something from listening to the response from their wider public on issues currently under consideration. Lets face it we are their customers. I built & ran a whole load of sites for EMI/Virgin and one atom of sense I beat into them over time was to listen to the damn user community concensus - it pays big money & also helps avoid costly flops.

12micsn1 · Post by **12micsn1** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 4:57 am

This could leave to alot of hype an a greater let down if Abes can not come through as schedule. A backlash something similiar to what happend with the introduction of Operator.

Angstrom · Post by **Angstrom** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 12:52 pm

Nope, exactly the opposite.Roadmaps aren't cast in iron. As a date aproaches and a software team feels they can't meet the deadline - the datepoint is moved. This is generally an incremental process.

EG: if Altivec dev. wasnt going too well, they might shift if from 'quarter 3 2006' to 'quarter 4 2006'.

12micsn1: ... A backlash something similiar to what happend with the introduction of Operator.

That initial backlash happened because they DIDNT tell their customers what they were releasing!

A lot of the fuss was due to a perception of Ableton not focusing on whatever area of concern was formost in peoples minds.
What happened there was- everyone imagined their favourite thing they wanted in Live .. and Operator was none of them!
Unless someone was wishing for an integrated 4-op FM synth ?

if the roadmap for 2005 lookedlike this from 6 months ago, would there have been as much fuss?

2005: Q2
New softsynth : Operator
Live version 4.2 : upgrade to 'missing sample' search
: audio encoding upgrades
: upgrade to session track visibility
: 'Project notes' function

it's nebulous enough to still provide hype on release, but reasuring enough that people dont feel that company resources are focussed in the wrong areas. If Operator was seen from 6 months ago as a softsynth rather than a "Great new mystery feature coming soon to Live!!! "

The anger would have been much much less.

AdamJay · Post by **AdamJay** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 5:54 pm

nah, that takes all the excitement out of it.

you'd lose that 2 weeks of fury filled forum fodder.... "what is operator", "operator sucks", and lastly "i'm so sorry, i love operator"

i loved that.

re: Intel's roadmap. That thing is the second most useless roadmap in the market, right behind MS's Longhorn roadmap.

Angstrom · Post by **Angstrom** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 6:31 pm

well - the roadmap is nowhere near the top of my wishlist, just an idea. So I hearby give Ableton permission to not have one.

re: Longhorn roadmap

I'll see you and raise ...

Duke Nukem Forever

louZ · Post by **louZ** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 6:41 pm

a roadmap would be great!
they wouldn't even have to name dates or reveal all new stuff.
just the announcement that certain features will be included in the next major update would be enough.

it would retain the anticipation, since we won't know exactly when to expect it. but it would keep some of us from switching back to their old sequencing apps.

tylast · Post by **tylast** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 4:39 pm

How about something like the pic below? That is copied from my blog host.

ryansupak · Post by **ryansupak** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 6:21 pm

this soft.developer, for one, would like to see a roadmap.

i don't know though -- would that impede their larger corporate strategy? would be nice if abletons participated a little more in the forums, since i've become accustomed to not expecting an authoritative answer from them on the forums.

rs

hoffman2k · Post by **hoffman2k** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 6:43 pm

I can give you 1 simple explanation why Ableton doesn't participate in the forum more often.
They just don't have the time. Those guys and girls are working really hard.

They don't tell you on what, because if they cant finish it in time.... People get nasty and disappointed.

People can post the same request a 100 times. But that wont make the development go any faster.
If i where Ableton. I wouldn't reveal a roadmap. Because people would just copy their ideas. Live is a unique piece of software. So every aspect of the application has to be well thought of.

Roadmaps of intel? I don't need to see one to tell you that they are working on chips.
Duke nukem? What are they working on now? A ray-gun that turns people into banana's?
In a world full of corporate spy's. It would be stupid to post you plans on a website....To be googled by anybody.

Just my 0.02€

kent_sandvik · Post by **kent_sandvik** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 8:16 pm

Also, if you look at this with your marketing glasses on, if you state what the new features are, the competition will pick it up, maybe even relase some of the good ideas before your product. Then your product is not selling that well, less money, less budget to hire more engineers to do cool stuff... --Kent

Benshik · Post by **Benshik** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 11:25 am

Roadmap... hehe, I love Business English, the poetic language of the corporate bureaucracy.

randyh · Post by **randyh** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 4:19 pm

Benshik wrote:Roadmap... hehe, I love Business English, the poetic language of the corporate bureaucracy.

lol. Funny that I didn't even flinch at this. I've been brainwashed!!! I suppose the word "plan" just isn't good enough.