I might add that I will donate $1000 to keep it going.  Anyone else?  How much can we raise here.  I will consider more $$.
 

Wow, Happy thanksgiving, I am gratefull for the years of service cake walk has led the industry and now do we have to surrender to the dark force?\

sharke
With regards to everyone who paid for lifetime updates, is there any grounds for a class action lawsuit against Gibson? 

It may be possible but there is likely a loophole in the agreements.
 
Plus, as the old saying goes, you can't squeeze blood from a turnip.
 
Unfortunately, the lifetime updates may also serve as a poison pill deterring anyone wanting to purchase Cakewalk. sigh
 
P.S. Sorry and a heartfelt good luck to all the CW employees that are getting hosed by this development.

Voda La Void
 
 
So...what do we do about 20+ years worth of songs recorded in Sonar that we would like to finish, revisit, rework, update and all that?  Do other DAW's read Cakewalk work files?  Bundle files?  

I can tell you that it's no problem to import sonar files into Reaper. I'm pretty sure it's possible with most, if not all DAWS.

Well, Noel, Thanks for everything. You are indeed a prince of a man.
 

The Best DAW out there is no longer out there... what a crappy turn of events.  seems a waste of money on Gibson's part to buy it and then kill it.    I was gonna buy a les paul but now I have to funnel my money into choosing another DAW... I think I'm gonna boycott Gibson... very disappointed Gibson!@! 

Big shame. I started with Cakewalk 5 and stuck with Cakewalk, then Sonar until I switched to Mac in 2010. Then for various reasons I switched back to PC last year and decided to return to the latest version of Sonar. I was so pleased with how it had developed! I will stick with Sonar, but without updates there'll come a day when I'll be forced to find (and learn) something new  

There should be a big post on the Cake store...."btw we're closing up Cakewalk".

Another repeat statement....Gibson is dead to me.

bitman
Who owns rights to the code base?
Can't whoever that it is take it home and get re-going on it?

That's a good point.

Wow, what a way to start a day.
 
Like others, my heart goes out to all the Bakers. I hope everyone gets a nice severance and takes some well-earned time off before finding great opportunities elsewhere!!
 
I've been using Cakewalk since, uh, I think I got on-board right before audio was added to the mix, so that's Cakewalk 4.0 I think. Man, that's a long time, and I know SONAR pretty well, I'm not excited about learning another DAW (or purchasing it).
 

I am shocked reading this announcement and still cannot believe it is not kind of 1 April joke...
 
Sonar has a really great potential to be main DAW at the market. POINT.
 
Just needed some work about polishing (bugs) and improvements to reach point when other DAW user would migrate to it... 
 
It is at such level that decision to abandon cannot be concerned differently than - to be nice and polite for people - serious mistake...
 
So this is what is Gibson now... I think other companies which could ever consider to be sold would try to avod such buyer at all cost...

I feel very sorry for Cakewalk staff... But also I have no doubt they have plenty of offers from competitors whoa are now very thankful to Gibson to create opportunity to gain high skilled and experienced people... Knowledge is the biggest value. They will be pity of it...
 
It is unbelievable somebody could make decision to close such company which has so long tradition and history...

As a longtime Cakewalk user. update myself up to Platinum then Lifetime updates you take my money and take the high road... 
Gibson you shafted dedicated Cakewalk fans. 

HelRazor
Sounds like a great time to look deeper into Ableton.  Or FL Studio.

Imho those choices would be lower among the tiers if sonar replacements. Fine products but workflow for both is so different than sonar that it woukd be awkward. Even most people who use ( unless they are strictly hip-hop) these programs tend to use morw traditional DAWs too. FL and Ableton arw superior for beat making but clunky to the new user, particularly the acoustic musician, for mixing.