Avoid iLife '08

I was all excited, ready to run out and buy iLife 08. Apple has taken a very consumer-savvy approach to these tools so far, incorporating some easy yet sophisticated features into the likes of iMovie and making them part of the basic package.

Apparently, if the product reviews on the Apple Store site are correct (and David Pogue), they've really blown it with 08, turning iMovie into what one reviewer calls "a bubble gum product that forces you to buy Final Cut Express." It sounds like iDVD is now defunct, too.

What the heck is Apple thinking?? The loyalty and devotion of Mac users is a well-known cultural phenomenon, but this is a serious smack in the face. Moreover, Apple has always tried to appeal to the education market, and they just made the new iMove virtually unusable. iMovie was great for the classroom because it was easy to use (I could teach the basics in 45 minutes), yet provided some powerful tools for students to create a nearly professional quality final project. Obviously, we won't be upgrading any time soon. Which is too bad, because GarageBand and iPhoto have some great new features.

So, Apple, please listen to the outrage of your customers and reinstate those great features we've all grown to love. I'd hate to start using Windows MovieMaker.