Is there any way to still upgrade from final cut 5 to final cut 7 using my original serial number?

Question

Hi there,
I had my macbook pro 15inch(2010 model) stolen a week ago. I was running on Snow Leopard, and I used Final Cut 5.
I am a bit out of touch with how much the technology and upgrades have changed (don't chastise me for it!), and have discovered that any new laptop I buy will come with the Mavericks operating system, which obviously won't allow my FCP5 to run.
I have also been told that I can't simply upgrade to a newer version of FCP, but that I would have to purchase the entire suite again, and that would mean purchasing FCPX, which I would prefer not to buy because of all the changes that it brought to the program.
First of all, is it standard procedure to have to purchase entire suites all over again once each new version is brought out? I was under the impression that once purchased, you could upgrade, seeing as you had made the commitment of spending the money in the first place. Apologies if this is a terribly daft question, but I would appreciate the assistance!
Secondly, if I don't want to upgrade to FCPX, does anyone know if there is a way to still upgrade to FCP7, either by purchasing it or updating it using my serial number details from FCP5? I bought it legitimately and I'm trying to find out if there is a way to avoid spending thousands all over again!
Your help would be appreciated:)

Answer 1

It been a while, but I believe you just need the serial number of FC 5 for the FCS 3 installer. If I were you, I would verify that over at the Final Cut Studio forum before purchasing the update disks.
I just checked Amazon and there is a $600 difference in the update and full versions; they list (one) unopened upgrade boxed set at $795 while an unopened set of the full version currently is proced at $1295 (a $300 premium over the price Apple used to charge!).
Something you might want to ponder: the question of how much to invest in a suite of software that is no longer being supported by Apple. Even though I'm able to run FCP 7 and its related  apps largely without issues on Mavericks, who knows how long or well that will work in the future?
Also, if you're at all curious about whether the changes you mentioned in FCP X are value-added or not, you can always download the trial version and find out first hand. If you do, invest a little time with some of a few tutoirals offered by by a variety of highly regarded FCP X intructors. You might be pleasantly surprised.
Good luck.
Russ