Last month, we began shipping Easy-Scout Professional 2.71. We expect this will be the final release that adds features or functionality until after the coming (2009) football season.
Version 2.71 adds two features to Version 2.7, both significant. Version 2.71 is available as a free update to registered Easy-Scout Pro users of any version equal to, or greater than 2.6, which was released in November 2008. This is consistent with our policy of providing updates based on the “football season”, as opposed to on a calendar-year basis.
Intelligent Default Wizard
Of the two new capabilities in Version 2.71, the one most noticeable is the new Intelligent Default “wizard”. The name was chosen for the “intelligence” that it extends to the scouting data and video editing screens.
Intelligent Defaults TM have been part of all Easy-Scout products for over 20 years, and have been included in Easy-Scout Professional since it was first released in 2006. Until Version 2.71, however, the time-saving, and accuracy-checking benefits of Intelligent Defaults TM were available only when using Easy-Scout’s special “ADD MODE”, which saves video and play information, increments the Play Number, and creates a new play with Intelligent Defaults TM .
In short, the Intelligent Default TM wizard has the ability to adjust the values of the Down, Distance and Field Position for any play, at any time, based on the results of the Previous Play. This is particularly useful in what we call “2 pass editing”, when a game is first “cut” into ODK, and then later, revisited to record additional data for each play – either to produce tendency reports or to expand the “search” criteria that can be used for video analysis and producing cutups.
Combined with the new Quick Cut editor screen added in Version 2.6, the Export Video module added in Version 2.65, and the Split Game Utility added in Version 2.7, the Intelligent Default wizard completes a new set of functions that collectively represent significant improvement in the Video Editing, Video Analysis and Tendency Reporting capabilities of the program when compared to last season’s version (2.5).
Time based Registration module with License Transfer support
Another significant, but less obvious improvement that has been implemented in Version 2.71 is an optional Registration Module that supports “time-based” licensing. In short, the new registration module can be configured either for “license purchase” customers – which have historically represented 95 percent of Easy-Scout Professional users, or existing (grandfathered) Season Pass subscription customers.
Season Pass was a program we offered as a pilot program last season and discontinued due to insufficient interest (due largely, we believe, to the highly affordable price and low cost of ownership for Easy-Scout Pro when compared with other video editing software for football coaching). With the improvements in Version 2.71, we are considering a reintroduction of a “new and improved” Season Pass program for next season.
For existing users (the 95 percent that purchase an Easy-Scout Pro license), the license transfer option in Version 2.71 adds a low cost, and in some cases, no-cost way to add license portability in a way that can mean significant cost savings. In short, the License Transfer option in Version 2.71 makes it possible to avoid having to purchase an additional license when a computer is replaced with a new one. Additional details about the License Transfer option is available by contacting a Technical Support representative.
Version 2.71 availability
Users of Easy-Scout Professional will be contacted with information about updating (free) or upgrading (reduced cost) their Easy-Scout Professional software to Version 2.71. Full details are available also by visiting the CompuSports web site at www.compusports.com
