Cycling ’74 Officially Releases Max/MSP 5
Cycling ’74 has upgraded Max/MSP to version 5.0. Cycling ’74 announced the upcoming version at last Fall’s AES show in NYC, and gave us a demonstration of all the new attributes.
Cycling ’74 declares that version 5 represents a new era of Max programming, with a completely redesigned multi-processing kernel and a streamlined development environment built on a platform-independent foundation. With a new patcher interface, searchable database of objects and examples, integrated documentation and new tutorials, the new Max user will find a smoother learning curve while experienced users will see improved productivity. Streamlining the front end to be more user friendly was an obvious enhancement and is part of an industry trend to make complicated applications with steep learning curves more accessible to new users.
In addition to a modern infrastructure designed to support today’s multi-core processors and tomorrow’s operating systems, Max 5 features a stylized UI intended to aid in the expression and understanding of complex ideas. Each graphical element has a unique look that informs the user of its function, and the new presentation mode allows performance layouts that do not affect the programmer’s view of the patch. This new system provides a more efficient workflow, and offers a richer experience for both programmer and educator.
Cycling ’74’s Max 5 is available now for $495, the Max/MSP/Jitter bundle is $699, and the Max 5 Upgrade is $199. Discounts for student and educational institutions are also available. Customers who purchased Max/MSP or Max/MSP/Jitter after October 1, 2007 are eligible for a free upgrade. More information on Cycling ’74 Max/MSP 5.
