Steve
I would rather buy from Cakewalk,that way we should get
a good deal if the Dollar / Pound rate is good.

Edirol would charge £99,even though it is $99.
Totally unfair,but we will wait and see.

Thanks

Alan

ORIGINAL: vicsant

This is one of the most confusing, frustrating forum threads ever!
Are there any lawyers in the house?

What exactly are you confused about Viscant, maybe I can help?

Check what Carl wrote in Post #143 - it's pretty clear.

And, as to what it will be called... he said, "As far as what the upgrade will be called, exactly when it will be available, and what features it will include, the only thing I can definitively tell you today is that full version of Rapture will not be included as part of this upgrade. For the rest, you can speculate all you want, but you’ll need to wait for our official announcement to get the full scoop."

I don't think there's any more news forthcoming until the day of the release.

Today's clarification adds some useful details, including pricing, but that's about it. It's been pretty clear what the offer is for since it first when out, if you actually read the offer and gave it any thought.

The *original* confusion was mostly because the words 'upgrade' and 'update', which conventionally mean different things, were used interchangeably in the offer as emailed. But there was reason to think that this was due to a typo-like mistake and bad proofreading.

However, today's clarification totally removes all difference between an 'update' and 'upgrade', which are now effectively synonymous in Sonarspeak. But the offer doesn't really hinge on that difference.

Depending on how you look at it, and what you presently own, this next release (a relatively unambiguous term) is either a bigger-than-usual update, or a smaller-than-usual (and thus less expensive) upgrade.

Because it's neither one or the other, perhaps we should refer to it as an 'upgate'. The terms of the offer don't seem to recognize any Studio/Producer.

What it ends up being called (I can imagine that hasn't been decided yet) won't change what the release actually is, but it will affect how it's seen and received.

If it's 8.something, it will most likely be seen (by users) as a big update, especially by those who get it for free. Those who have to pay for it may will feel like they're paying for a category of release that is usually free, although I'm sure there'll be enough new stuff to dampen that argument.

If it's called Sonar 9, it will be seen as a small upgrade; in that case, those who take the offer might feel even better about it (even though nothing's materially different.) Those pre-July buyers who choose to pay for it will see it as a cheap upgrade, assuming they like what's in it. If it contains bug fixes or other optimizations, of the kind that are usually released as mid- or late-cycle hotfixes, and these are available only by purchasing the upgate... I imagine there'll be some disillusioned campers among the fold.

What's clear, although it hasn't been said in so many words, is that the Sonar/CW-flagship development-marketing-release cycle has changed from the expected annual rhythm. That is actually good and necessary for Cakewalk as a business. But it's also good for some user confusion. Combine it with the interchangeability of upgrade and update, and it adds muddying reverb to the mix. Add in that this interchangeability is/was (now) apparently intentional, and the overtones start to darken.

I'm kind of impressed with how this is all unfolding, in a rubbernecking and morbid kind of way.

ORIGINAL: Marketing [Cakewalk]

As far as what the upgrade will be called....

How about Sonar Coda.

Or Swan Song.

(Where's that confounded bridge?)

Hi Carl

So based on your note, can you please confirm if my understanding is correct - please respond / confirm / correct the following:-


- putting aside the semantics over upgrade / update, the next " version " of Sonar will be 8.X and it is coming out later this year and it will cost US$99 for those who bought Sonar before July ?

- this new " 8.X version " will be downloadable [ for no extra cost ] but also available on DVD at a small extra cost ?

- if someone moves up to Sonar 8 [ from a pre-Sonar 8 version ] after July, they get this " next version " [ downloadable version ] for free ?

- if someone buys Sonar 8 from scratch [ at an approved US retailer ] after July, they get this " next version " [ downloadable version ] for free plus they get a $100US rebate ?

- the " next version " - being 8.X - will not include the full version of Rapture ?


As I said before, no matter what - I will be paying for 8.X and I will stick with and pay for whatever comes after 8.X - I'll do this because ( a ) I can and ( b ) I am committed to Sonar - despite my recent " grumpiness " about the " VS " gear, I aint going anywhere, so I am not someone you need to convince - I am already " locked-in ".

For many others though, 8.X is going to have to be one-hell-of-an " improvement " given that ( i ) the full Rapture is not included and ( ii ) you are going to charge US$99 for a dot-point upgrade which is something TT systems has never, ever done since it began.

I look forward to seeing what my US$99 will provide in terms of " significant new features " - they had better be pretty darn " significant " Carl, otherwise many existing S8 owners will simply skip the $99 " 8.X version " and save their $$$$ and pony-it-up for the next " full version " after 8.X, whether it be S9 or some new DAW Rol/CW are currently " baking ".

Tim

For the overseas customers,could you please say if alternative payment
methods will be available?

I don't have a credit card,nor do I want one.

Thanks

Alan

Alan / Steve...

just get yaself off to barclays and open an account with a debit card.. it's visa. thats the only reason I have one..

you don't need net / telephone banking on it.. basically just put a required amount into the account before buying.. and have say like £5 in the account..

no charge for it either, just be careful you have money in the account before ordering as it has a £150 over draft.. which alas you can't NOT have *sigh*

As long as $99 does not equate to £99,all wil be well.

I remember the hassle last year regarding the difference in
UK and US pricing.

Being a download, there shouldn't be any difference,or so I thought.

A quick visit to the Shop soon proved me wrong.

We will see.

Alan

Yup,Paypal would be acceptable but would they then add on the charges
Paypal add for the transaction?

According to my Bank,Switch cards are supposed to be
accepted in the USA, but I have yet to find anyone there who takes them.

Alan

ORIGINAL: asimmd

As long as $99 does not equate to £99,all wil be well.

I remember the hassle last year regarding the difference in
UK and US pricing.

Being a download, there shouldn't be any difference,or so I thought.

A quick visit to the Shop soon proved me wrong.

We will see.

Alan

Alan,

The Euro and GBP pricing has not been set yet. Those will be set closer to the release date and will be determined by current exchange rates and other factors regarding our distribution agreements in Europe. Unless the dollar gets much stronger in the coming months I doubt it will be £99.

Since so many are speculating and making bold claims, I thought I would chime in on the subject.

Do you recall just recently Cakewalk was looking for beta testers for a 'new' DAW. I am thinking that this is the last of SONAR. That the next thing will be this new DAW. Linking those two announcements together (testers for a new DAW and this next upgrade/update), that and the events leading to Project5's demise (P5v2 to P5v2.5), I believe SONAR is taking a similar route. Also consider the new contenders to the DAW market, Presonus with what is it, "Project One?", oh no, "Studio One" and Propellerheads with "Record". OK, that might be a stretch, but give it some thought.

Anyhow, I think no matter what Cakewalk is doing now, be it marketing and trolling for new customers, or giving users (new and longtime users alike, didn't want to use the word "old") bang for the buck, a new version or update is always a welcomed event. CW has not let us down with new features and plug-ins that get better and better. Sure, faults will exsist, but CW has always been stead fast to improve their products and make us, their customers, happy. I agree with those who say, "they can call it whatever..." I am still interested. So I don't mind investing in a company that puts so much into their offerings, even is just a sales transaction. Think about how complex and capable SONAR is at this point. I often wonder what else can they put in this thing? And yet, every year there is something new for us. That's pretty cool.

Well, that's just my take on it.

Kind regards,


tecknot

edited to mention new contenders (an afterthought, but was my initial inspiration for this post).

P.S. I've got my share of Roland gear too!

Hi Carl

Thanks for your responses - very much appreciated.

Based on CW's track record, I actually have no doubt I will be very pleased with the next " version " be it bug fixes, new features or a combination of the two.

Also, in fairness, I had let my " views " about the " VS " range get a tad out of hand and it was far from balanced or cool from my end, so my apologies for my "self-righteous grumpiness ".

Looking forward to 8.X or whatever it will be.

All the best,
Timboe

PS: On a positive and brighter note, we were working on a project the other day with the following:-

- 8.3.1 X64
- 7 Dim Pro x64 instances
- over 25 differnet midi tracks triggering the Dim Pro instances
- ridiculous numbers of x64 EFX - over 35 used in total [ revs, comps, eq's, multiband, modulators etc... ]
- several '00's of MB of loaded sounds
- all tracking, live-input-monitoring, recording etc.... done at 88.2 / 24 bit / 32 samples = effective reported latency of 0.4ms <- not a typo
- over 5 hours of non-stop use
- All run in Win 7 RC X64
- Project never skipped a beat - no glitchs - no dropouts - no pops - no clicks etc
- CPU Meter never got above %18
- Layla 3G 8.2 ASIO Driver
[ This Studio B DAW is a 4.2gig Core i7 ]

Try doing the above in the " C " program or the " R " progam and see how far you get - I've tried and I know you cant !

We forget just how advanced and stable something like Sonar 8.3.1 is so then we end up ****ing about the small irrelevant stuff.

If I can do the above with 8.3.1 X64, bring on 8.X because it will only make things even better !!

ORIGINAL: asimmd

Cakewalk Marketing quote;The Euro and GBP pricing has not been set yet.

I don't understand,if the product is a download,and the US price has already been set at $99
why does it not follow that the UK or even the world price would be $99 in equivalent currency.

Alan

Alan,

We have distribution arrangements with Roland outside the US that factor into our pricing for some markets regardless as to wether the product being sold into the market is being shipped or being downloaded. I believe the other factor that weighs into the equation is VAT.

"Because it's neither one or the other, perhaps we should refer to it as an 'upgate'. "

Thank you for this.

J