IKM SampleTank 3 (ST3) Now Available

[kbaccki]

i'd sincerely love to be proved wrong, but im guessing this Sampletank 3 'Free' is not able to import/load legacy ST2.5 libraries.. ?

Come on. It's been discussed ad nauseum and made clear by IK for a very long time that there would *not* be a "free" version that would load the legacy libraries.

So what are you trying to say here... there won't be a free version w/ import?!?! I'm confused by all this talk of there not going to be a free version with import!!!

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

There is a free version now, it does not import. I hope that clears it up. If there is ever to be one that does import, I have no official knowledge of or information about that.

Get the update here: http://www.ikmultimedia.com/userarea

Get the free version also in your IK User Area as above or here: http://www.ikmultimedia.com/sampletank3

[dsan@mail.com]

I do not wish to engage in controversy; however, the fact that limitations are imposed on the "Free" version makes it, by definition, not "fully functional".

I only make note of this as this will become a highly controversial issue. We see the first evidence of this at this time and I anticipate we'll see more as time goes by.

I have no idea who the marketing people are there Peter but they really need to take note of how IKM's products are represented, in effort to avoid controversy and to show the product in best light.

FWIW, we face the very same issues where I work and customers are constantly complaining they are being mislead. They are not but due to the language used, very often I can understand why they feel the way they do.

For some reason marketing people seemed to be removed from how people interpret the written word. Or worse, some do not even care.

It makes the job of a customer service representative very difficult. I empathize with you at times Peter.

Happy Musiking!
dsan

[DarkStar]

^^^^
Please read what Peter posted:

Here is what it says in the IK User Area:

SampleTank 3 FREE is a fully functional version of SampleTank 3 whose only limitation is the preset sound set. SampleTank 3 FREE starts with an extraordinary concert grand piano and will add more sounds each week until all instrument categories are represented.

[BBFG#]

Something they taught us in 'closing school' was the fact that the customer is often wrong, but they should never be made aware of that. A big difference with how they do things now, which seems to be to always blame the customer first.
And never say anything definite enough for them to hold you to.

[dsan@mail.com]

Yes, Darkstar, I read and understand what is written.

What is missing is; the preset sounds set is not the ONLY limitation. One cannot import the legacy sounds of ST2 which is what many have been waiting to be able to do.

This limitation is not at all addressed in the marketing declaration.

Happy Musiking!
dsan

[SLiC]

Seriously, I don't know why software manufacturers make free versions of anything, people just complain- I guess its true that no good deed goes unpunished.

I have most of the legacy libraries, I was happy to pay the 99USD to upgrade a 10 year old program- Microsoft stop supporting operating systems in less time than that!

You may not have considered this, but IKM 'want' people with the old library to upgrade....that's the 'point', its business, and IK seem to have been more than fair as far as I am concerned.

[dsan@mail.com]

Something they taught us in 'closing school' was the fact that the customer is often wrong, but they should never be made aware of that. A big difference with how they do things now, which seems to be to always blame the customer first.
And never say anything definite enough for them to hold you to.

There is some truth in that philosophy BBFG#.

The customer is often wrong in what they think they have read; however, more times than not this is due to how something is written opposed to the customers' ability to understand what has been written.

It is MHO that ambiguity is the root to misunderstanding. If concepts are properly explained most reasonable people have no problems.

Happy Musiking!
dsan

[BBFG#]

Something they taught us in 'closing school' was the fact that the customer is often wrong, but they should never be made aware of that. A big difference with how they do things now, which seems to be to always blame the customer first.
And never say anything definite enough for them to hold you to.

There is some truth in that philosophy BBFG#.

The customer is often wrong in what they think they have read; however, more times than not this is due to how something is written opposed to the customers' ability to understand what has been written.

It is MHO that ambiguity is the root to misunderstanding. If concepts are properly explained most reasonable people have no problems.

Happy Musiking!
dsan

+1
Is it any wonder that what gets created by this ambiguity is litigious cynicism and endless cross examinations? Some of these developers bring it on themselves and make it just as hard for the developers that have the integrity to try and be clear and upfront.
Once you buy 'a pig in a poke' and find out you only got a 'sick cat', you tend to want to open every bag before the purchase.

[dsan@mail.com]

Can't say I am litigious but certainly admit to being cynical.

Still, I try to remain open minded as much as possible.

Happy Musiking!
dsan

[chroma]

Yes, Darkstar, I read and understand what is written.

What is missing is; the preset sounds set is not the ONLY limitation. One cannot import the legacy sounds of ST2 which is what many have been waiting to be able to do.

not exactly... 'it is limited to the preset sound set' implies that you can't import legacy ST2 sounds, as they aren't part of the preset sound set. not explicit, but certainly not hidden. not sure how this is enforced... if someone did convert an ST2 lib to ST3, would that then load into ST-free? does the third-party esoundz ST3 lib load into ST3?

[kbaccki]

Depends on what the definition of "preset" is.

[basslinemaster]

Seriously, I don't know why software manufacturers make free versions of anything, people just complain- I guess its true that no good deed goes unpunished.

I have most of the legacy libraries, I was happy to pay the 99USD to upgrade a 10 year old program- Microsoft stop supporting operating systems in less time than that!

You may not have considered this, but IKM 'want' people with the old library to upgrade....that's the 'point', its business, and IK seem to have been more than fair as far as I am concerned.

Well, you're a fool then. "people just complain". They complain because IK won't give them what they want - a free 64 bit upgrade to 32 bit Sampletank. That's all most people want. They don't want the new sounds with ST3 because they aren't any improvement over the sounds we already have with ST 2.5.

IKM simply aren't interested in what their customers want - because it would mean SOMEBODY at IKM having to admit they are wrong - and they would rather go bust than do that. Who would want to do business with a company with an attitude like that? It's astounding.

Why on Earth do they have to release the extra sounds over the coming weeks? How bizarre. Truly bizarre. What are they doing to them before they release them? Surely the sounds are exactly the same as the ones that come with the full version of ST3, and it's only the VST itself that is different?

Still, this is coming from the team of programmers who couldn't upgrade ST 2.5 to 64 bit because 'it might introduce bugs' - LOL. Almost every other VST developer seems to have managed it, and I'm sure many of their VSTs are much more complex than ST 2.5...

[basslinemaster]

ps wait until ST3 goes up to 299 Euros, or however much the full retail price is going to be... who is going to pay that much just to load up their old ST 2.5 sounds? (In that I include all libraries that are compatible with ST 2.5).

I bet ST3 stays at 99 Euros, or if they do put it up to 299 Euros, it quickly goes back down to 99 Euros - for good.

[dsan@mail.com]

Yes, Darkstar, I read and understand what is written.

What is missing is; the preset sounds set is not the ONLY limitation. One cannot import the legacy sounds of ST2 which is what many have been waiting to be able to do.

not exactly... 'it is limited to the preset sound set' implies that you can't import legacy ST2 sounds, as they aren't part of the preset sound set. not explicit, but certainly not hidden. not sure how this is enforced... if someone did convert an ST2 lib to ST3, would that then load into ST-free? does the third-party esoundz ST3 lib load into ST3?

I suppose chroma, I am obtuse in that way as I don't tend to "read into" but rather absorb what is written.

You are correct of course that one may interpret the statement, as ambiguous as it is, the way you have, and I am confident many will.

A result of "reading into" the ambiguous is the risk of hearing "Well, we told you" should anything go awry.

I think we can assume the answer to your questions as we have assumed the "preset sound set" issue....there is a limitation of the free version that will only load the presets designed for the free version.

Regarding loading eSoundz instruments and presets, I can verify they do import into the full, paid for, version of ST3. At least those that I own do.

Happy Musiking!
dsan