Re: [Avid-L2] Follow Up on Avid Download Center changes

Hey John,

In point of fact you should maintain a database of your own legacy versions.  It's not that AVID doesn't "feel like" keeping it...They are contractually required to take down any versions that have the legacy licensed code that is contained in all their previous versions, for PhraseFind and ScriptSync.  They can no longer legally distribute it in any form after September 29th.

The same thing happened quite a while back when they ended the licensing relationship with the makers of their installer code.  They wiped out all versions with that licensed code, and it was a legal contractual requirement, not a space saving measure or move to push people to new versions.

The situation is that they can't stop you from keeping copies of legacy versions and running them if you have a Perpetual license (as I do).  They just cannot distribute it, or they will likely face legal action and fines.

Dave Hogan

Burbank, CA

On Sep 9, 2023, at 12:48 AM, John Moore <bigfish@pacbell.net> wrote:

I found this just now on the Avid Media Composer Users   a FaceBook group:

From Chris Bove:

"By September 29th, 2023, we will be removing all legacy versions of Media Composer from our Download Center that contain the Nexidia code, and we will soon be updating the currently supported Long Term Maintenance (LTM) versions; 2022.12.x and 2021.12.x. These, and all future versions of Media Composer, will only contain the new development for ScriptSync AI and PhraseFind AI.

If you are running a legacy version of Media Composer and wish to continue doing so, it will continue to function for the length of your subscription term. Perpetual licenses will also continue to function with legacy versions. However, it is important that you visit the Download Center prior to September 29th to download any version installer that you have a license for and may need access to in the future. Be sure to store it in a safe location in case you ever need it. Then, at your earliest convenience, please upgrade to one of the officially supported versions.

Note: Running the latest LTM version guarantees the smoothest and most reliable operation, with regular updates and bug fixes – for more information on supported software versions, click here: https://avid.secure.force.com/.../Avid-Supported-Software..."

If I read this correctly this seems different to me from the banner on the Download Center that says everything prior to 2023.8 will be gone.  I guess I'm confused as I thought script sync wasn't part of the MC code since way back in version 4 days and I can't remember if that was after they started renumbering the versions.  I'm guessing that script sync etc... code is embedded in the software and it just gets activated with a license.  So my previous thought that Avid wanted to reduce the clutter on the download site seems incorrect and that it's a code licensing thing A.K.A. a money thing because they are breaking their ties with the various entities that they acquired script sync phonetic search code from.  I have no idea what it would take to remove the problematic code from legacy versions.