Imovie 7 - What is this app? Who is it for?

Question

Hello
I am an editor with over 20 years experience in almost all the computer based systems available & have been a great fan of imovie, a concise and efficient edit app. That was until I got involved with Imovie 7. This very sexy, spectacular piece of soft, is just about the worst edit app I have ever seen. It's cutting window system is highly imprecise or is quite unusable with all the frames lined up, the timeline is really only useful if I was doing animation, trimming is still a mystery etc... There is no timecode window to knwo where you are in the sequence or rushes, no export to IDVD that I can get my head round. A limited amount of codecs for QT export. Why did they change an app that was seriously good for something that I would call an iphoto for moving images. So you say, use FCP. I say, imovie is easier and more logical for alot of what can be cut. Now I have a great JVC HD7 camera that only works with Imovie7, so I'm stuck with an app that I am having real trouble cutting with, getting stuff out of in a decent def. Lastly, having the project stuck in the movie folder and having to copy media onto disk to keep proxy connections is a real step backwards. So please mr. Apple, please bring back the app interface that worked so well and allowed me to cut properly, not dump images in boxes.

Answer 1

iMovie 08/09 were primarily designed for SIMPLE editing.
iMovie 08/09 are wonderful programs assuming that you're using it for what it was designed to do, assemble simple videos to share on the Internet.
It is not what I would expect from the apple.
When iLife 08/09 is installed, all of the old applications are automatically deleted EXCEPT iMovie 06.
Apple did this knowing that iMovie 08 was not a replacment for iMovie 06, but rather an additional program that proved very handy for some applications.
Apple had found that many iLife users were not using iMovie, some would argue that iMovie 06 became "too good". Others will say that many of the features of iMovie 06 made it hard for beginners to learn, so iMovie 08/09 is usually easier for the absolute beginner.
I use both iMovie 09 and iMovie 06. I generally like to use iMovie 09 with short, simple projects. For longer projects or when I want to make a DVD, I prefer iMovie 06. I think it is common for people to use both. Also, iMovie 06 works seamlessly with the newest iDVD (and this is no accident).
If you like iMovie 06 better, as many do, you can continue to use it. I find that it works perfectly with my Mac Pro, iDVD 08/09 and the latest Mac OS.