I’m not a regular Apple user but this is quite disappointing news that I picked up from arstechnica.

Basically, you can no longer download the 2006 version of iMovie from Apple. New Apple users have to use their 09 version of the software.

In itself the 09 version is fine but speaking as someone who teaches digital video, it isn’t a great teaching tool.

It’s a radically different way of thinking about video to the traditional timeline-based editors (as iMovie 06 was) so it makes teaching visual literacy through editing less straightforward and much less transferrable to other types of software or operating systems.

Now, if you want to run a left-to-right non-linear editor on a Mac you have to purchase one like Final Cut Express. Not cheap. It’s a shame that Apple have gone down a route that diverges from the needs of education when schools, colleges and universities is where a lot of people get their first exposure to the Apple brand.

I’m not sure if iMovie HD 06 is available elsewhere. If you know post a comment and I can share it round.