After 20 years of use, Cycling '74 Max is getting a virtual makeover - or more like a cocoon emergence - into Max 5. If this is already life changing news for you, I'd recommend clicking here for more in depth detail straight from the keyboard of Cycling '74's David Zicarelli.

For the uninitiated, Max is a graphical development environment for both music and multimedia that has been actively used for over fifteen years by computer adept composers and performers as well as researchers, software designers, teachers, and students for creating interactive software. Imagine Native Instruments' Reaktor on something akin to digital steroids or maybe more accurately, some kind of serum that breathes superhuman powers into regular humans in the Spiderman movies.

However you want to view it, Max 5 is going to bring about some big changes for current Max users. Max, for the past twenty years, has been based off of the way computer users were operating in 1987. Since so much has changed, Max 5 is bringing Max current. This means that Max 5 isn't going to be loaded with a bunch of new features and plug-ins. Instead, it's a more streamlined and up to date Max, engineered for efficiency. To summarize David Zicarelli's statement, here's what's new, what's changing, and more:

What's Changed

Max 5's main goal is being easier overall. This goes for learning as well as usage, and Cycling '74 aims to make sure to take out all the tedious parts Max users had to deal with before. Cycling '74 has concentrated a lot of time into creating a modern GUI that's interactive in real-time.

David lists a number of bullet points on why Max 5 is easier to use:

• Multiple undo is available.
• Objects interact with time in ways that are more meaningful than milliseconds.
• The patcher is variable resolution and can be zoomed in and out
• A simplified and more consistent interface, identical on Mac and Windows
• A new object palette (with nice big resizable icons!) works as a visual catalog.

...Easier to learn:

• The documentation is completely integrated into the user interface.
• A searchable database of objects, media, examples, and documentation integrates all of the provided material.
• Introductory tutorials have been completely rewritten, and include integrated patches.
• New interactive debugging tools make figuring out what your patch is doing (almost) fun.
• Third-party object developers can now use all of our documentation tools for their products.

...And easier to deal with

• The interface can easily be localized and customized.
• A new file format is more readable, extensible and reliable.
• Support for Unicode text and filenames.
• A new interface layer -- "Presentation Mode" – provides a new way to build user interfaces without cluttering your patch.
• The installation and authorization experience is vastly improved.

Make sure to check back here and also at Cycling '74's official site for more updates on Max 5 from both Gearwire and David Zicarelli