Open letter to Corel on "high-end" NLE software

[Wim Kok]

We believe that neither the Corel User Board, nor the mug-sw group
are the right places to find answers to our questions and concern
when it comes to the future of "high-end" NLE software as a successor
to MSP.
Plenty of reasons to send an open letter to the Corel management,
which letter has been sent today by mail.

Subject: the future of Corel in ¡§high-end¡¨ NLE software

Dear mr. Hastings,

In Corel¡¦s company information we found a website with the information that you are President and General Manager of the Digital Media activity within Corel. The reason why we adress this letter now especially to you, is the uncertainty of this moment and our great concern about the future of the Ulead Media StudioPro software.

I write we since I represent the Dutch Ulead-User-Group. This group exists already for more than a decade, all members are very actif in their own video-clubs, all over the country. Since we all ¡§produce¡¨ in the video world on a high quality-level, you can see us as ¡§pro-sumers¡¨, consequently working with video-editing software of Ulead that can meet the standards we need. Already for about 10 years we therefore work with MediaStudio Pro.
Our members who joined our group in the very beginning, even worked with the version MSP 2.5 where the output was still on S-VHS. All Ulead-developments have been applied since then, every group-member is working now with MSP 8 and MovieFactory 6.

So far our introduction to you but not without a special copy out of the minutes of a group-meeting we had in the fall of 2007. We all had the feeling that Corel¡¦s acquisition of Ulead could work out very beneficial for Ulead-users. For, this acquisition in our opinion, offered a substantial added value to the original Ulead-activities in the digital media market, thanks to new blood and capital available for an upgrade of Ulead-software. We also had the feeling that through this aquisition, Ulead¡¦s ¡§high-end¡¨ software like MediaStudio Pro, might come into the marketing tools of a company that has proven to be capable of marketing ¡§high-end¡¨ software. You gave prove of that idea with what you achieved in the past with Corel Draw Graphics Suite and Corel Painter and Corel Designer.

It¡¦s our impression however that Corel is concentrating now only on the consumer market for NLE software and the interests of the prosumer market seem to be neglected totally.
We come to that conclusion, looking to your flash-marketing of VideoStudio on one side and the total radio-silence on the other hand, when it comes to Media StudioPro and the uncertainty for all MSP users in the world. We are convinced that the capital investment Corel made in the aquisition of Media StudioPro, does not justify the damage to the Ulead market-share by offering ¡§prosumers¡¨ now a £á 60,- tool where the timeline is almost a replica of the timeline in the ¡§Edit-Room¡¨ of MovieFactory6 and ¡§dual-view¡¨ is impossible ! Prosumers are no longer on the ¡§Movie Maker¡¨ level, you know. It¡¦s also somewhat naive to assume that for instance a film of the International Tallship Race and Show ¡§Sail Amsterdam¡¨, the footage was taken with 20 camera¡¦s and succesfully edited in MSP, could have been produced in VideoStudio!
We wonder whether you are informed about all posts in the thread, opened by Tobie Openshaw in the Corel User to User Board, on nov 13 2007 as follows:

So gang - here's your chance:
If you were told that there was a POSSIBILITY of a super-duper "Prosumer" version of Ulead VideoStudio with a bunch of MSP features rolled into it, ... what features would you want in there, in order of priority? What are the "cannot live without" stuff, what are the "that would be nice to have" stuff? Let's hear it from the real users out there.

Best regards

Tobie Openshaw

We were told that Tobie Openshaw is your marketing manager of the former Ulead range of products now being part of Corel. The thread, he started in the Corel forum with his above mentioned suggestion, has the highest number of replies at the moment. This really indicates that there is a great and worldwide concern about the future of Media StudioPro!
We, as the D.U.U.G. as well as many other worldwide MSP-users have given full support to Tobie¡¦s question and paid our contribution, assuming that Corel¡¦s intention was serious. The actual situation however is a total radio-silence, in spite of statements of Tobie Openshaw to be back with further information on this subject.

We now put our question to you, the answer being crucial to us since we have to know whether there is a future for us in Corel/Ulead ¡§high-end¡¨ software or not, looking to the actual developments in the field of editing software we have to follow:

Are we right in the assumption that a development of MSP-like software for the prosumer market is going on at Corel but the decision about Blue Ray has delayed further market information until now, or ¡K¡K¡Kis Media StudioPro really dead and Corel decided for the incredible step to stay out of the Prosumer market of NLE software?

Your comments on ¡§the state of the art¡¨ at Corel, when it comes to the Ulead product
Media StudioPro or it¡¦s successor will be highly appreciated; please do make an end to the situation of radio silence and inform your ex-MSP customers whether Corel will be of interest to us, or is it ¡§over and out¡¨.
The MSP-world is waiting now for your answer to this letter which has been submitted to you in your Ottawa office as well as to the Corel User Board and the mug-sw Group.

Looking forward to having your comments,
respectfully yours

Wim Kok
on behalf of the D.U.U.G. den Dolder Netherlands

[m rixon]

Well said.How long do you think before a reply will be forthcoming?I would have thought no more than a week for at least an acknowledgement,then another for full answer to your questions.That leaves about 3 more days allowing for the Easter Holiday Break.WE AWAIT WITH BAITED BREATH>!!!!!!!!!

[Ron P.]

Wim Kok,

You have posted this type of message here before. Corel employees do not monitor or visit this site. It is staffed and ran by program users, not employees or representatives of Corel.

Your concerns on how Corel chooses to do business should be addressed to them, through their corporate offices. Those telephone numbers and any addresses can be found on Corel's main web site.

I'm locking this thread, as it has nothing to do with needing help with the program..