Re: On being rude to Randy Ubillos

[John Chay] "I'm having a hard time grasping what you are saying. I think comparing editing to a spread sheet is weird. "

. . . and that may be the problem people are having grasping why FCPX is the way it is. It is a relational database. No other NLE is based on that.

[John Chay] "I'm not sure how working in a "relational database" creates a better work environment when in the end all I'm trying to do is create a story that is compelling and makes sense."

... and I remember linear editors not being able to grasp why one would want to digitize tapes when one could simply put up the 1" reel or the betacam tapes and start editing . . . linearly.

Superficially the story may be linear but the parts are all relational especially when you get into compositing or even tying b-roll, cutaways, fx, titles, layers of sound. You now have both vertical and horizontal relationships. Sometimes relationships are one to one and/or linear and sometimes not.

Each Connected clip is a relationship to a clip below it. Each Secondary Storyline are clips related to each other but with a single connection to the Primary or Secondary Storylline below it. The metadata tagging and collections are each designed to make doing a Query in the database possible. Such query is a bit more complex than a simple "find" even though superficially it can be that simple. The query has the potential to be complex.

In a spreadsheet the rows are independent except to the extent one is doing a formula for specific cells. Use a spreadsheet and use a relational database and it becomes apparent why relational databases are far more powerful.

FCPX itself has barely tapped that potential because what we're seeing is just the foundation. Eventually this will get hooked into a server based system but Apple seems aways away from that.

Even a database can end in a simple report superficially but the ability to generate a wide variety of reports limited only by your ability to build relationships and queries, etc.

If you've read some of the people who are metadata geeks and those looking at AV Foundation, they have used terminology that alludes to the database nature of FCPX. Philip Hodgetts is one but there are others.

Sorry I can't explain any better but in exploring FCPX from both the media handling and the Storyline handling, the relational database becomes more clear to me. What they have is very skeletal at the moment but I think the designers know what they're doing and where it can go. Whether they can get it there in a way that has both an easy to use front end without crippling the power, is the challenge and there's no guarantee of success. I do think they're taking a daring step though and whether people like it or not, at least appreciate it.