New Sonar model tech ?s regarding downloads, updates, etc...

 
Now that more clarity could be expected on the new Sonar subscription/dynamic updates model, could someone please throw some light upon the following that I am trying to know about since this new purchase model came to being :
 
1. Is Sonar Platinum an update option to X3 Producer, meaning a small update download and install ? Or is it a completely new executable which will require me to download few GBs ? Is there a DVDs box option ?
 
2. In case its a new executable, can we assume this will be once and for all, meaning all feature additions and upgrades / updates in the future will be patches and small downloads ? OR will there continue to be full executable upgrades of 4 to 5 GB files to be downloaded again or boxes purchased (as it used to be previously with new version upgrades) ?
 
3. Will new feature updates be of modular type, that is, I could choose and download what I wish, which in turn means they will not be of cumulative nature ? Or will they be sequential and conditional, meaning, I get an update only if I have a previous one ?
 
4. I would assume bug fixes and basic enhancements to be cumulative though, as they used to be previously, that is, like X3e would include everything from X3a to X3d as well. True ?
 
5. How will the bug fix patch updates and builds be named and tracked (like previously they used to be X3a, X3b......X3e with a build number) ?
 
6. If I wait, skip, hop and jump for a while, lets say for another year or two and then go for an upgrade, I presume I will still get everything that would have cumulatively been packaged within Sonar at that time, its just that I get it later than others who would go for it say, right now or anytime before me. As an example, assuming I upgrade to this new purchase model only after two years, I would have every new feature that exists in the current new Sonar such as Rematrix solo, mix recall, vocal sync, etc. and those that would be developed in the next two years, such as drum replacer, quick fx, onscreen keyboard, etc., etc., etc.... Is my presumption correct ?
 
7. I presume that even if I don't upgrade right now, I of course won't get the new Sonar, but I will still continue getting updates to my Sonar X3e Producer and bug fixes and tech support. Am I presuming right ?
 
Any and all answers to above will be appreciated. Will be happy if Willy, Andrew, Noel could chip in.
 
Best Regards...
An ardent Sonar lover and user but still quite confused about this new purchase model... 

CakeAlexS
Have you seen the stickies at the top? It's a massive thread and a lot of this has already been discussed a lot of times now.
You will get many answers there...
 
Cheers

 
Alex,
 
I appreciate you directing me to the stickies and massive threads. I did go through a lot of them and even posted and got answers to some other questions. But with due respect to everyone who put in a lot into those threads, I just couldn't figure out specific answers to some of my questions. I just need specific feedback to my specific questions in my first post of this thread, that's all I am looking for at the moment. Some could possibly come from users but some possibly only from the cake bakers. Please chip in specifically to my above queries, they are important for me in my decision tree for prospective upgrade purchase...cheers....
 

ramscapri
 
Now that more clarity could be expected on the new Sonar subscription/dynamic updates model, could someone please throw some light upon the following that I am trying to know about since this new purchase model came to being :
 
1. Is Sonar Platinum an update option to X3 Producer, meaning a small update download and install ? Or is it a completely new executable which will require me to download few GBs ?

 
Yes. But the download process is very different with the Cakewalk Command Center as you can download bits and pieces at a time.
 

Is there a DVDs box option ?

 
Yes, for a nominal fee you can get physical media.

2. In case its a new executable, can we assume this will be once and for all, meaning all feature additions and upgrades / updates in the future will be patches and small downloads ?

 
I think that's the idea.

3. Will new feature updates be of modular type, that is, I could choose and download what I wish, which in turn means they will not be of cumulative nature ? Or will they be sequential and conditional, meaning, I get an update only if I have a previous one ?

4. I would assume bug fixes and basic enhancements to be cumulative though, as they used to be previously, that is, like X3e would include everything from X3a to X3d as well. True ?

 
The FAQ covers all of this.

5. How will the bug fix patch updates and builds be named and tracked (like previously they used to be X3a, X3b......X3e with a build number) ?

 
I don't know. Build number maybe?
 

6. If I wait, skip, hop and jump for a while, lets say for another year or two and then go for an upgrade, I presume I will still get everything that would have cumulatively been packaged within Sonar at that time, its just that I get it later than others who would go for it say, right now or anytime before me. As an example, assuming I upgrade to this new purchase model only after two years, I would have every new feature that exists in the current new Sonar such as Rematrix solo, mix recall, vocal sync, etc. and those that would be developed in the next two years, such as drum replacer, quick fx, onscreen keyboard, etc., etc., etc.... Is my presumption correct ?

 
I assume the price of upgrading would likely increase the longer you wait. For example with other software it typically costs more to upgrade from a V1.0 to a V9.0 than from a V8.0 to a V9.0. But the FAQ may help answer some related questions. You won't get content the members received, only program features.
 

7. I presume that even if I don't upgrade right now, I of course won't get the new Sonar, but I will still continue getting updates to my Sonar X3e Producer and bug fixes and tech support. Am I presuming right ?

 
I don't know about support, but bug fixes stop being made for products that are no longer being sold. For example there were no bug fixes to X1 after X2 appeared.
 

An ardent Sonar lover and user but still quite confused about this new purchase model... 

 

Paul P
3. You can't pick and choose which options you want.

This is true, but I think he may have meant whether he could skip over updates, install them later, postpone if he was working on a project, etc. That he can do.

In three years time there maybe a single function that replaces both VocalSync and the drum replacer.  In which case you would get the new feature, but not VocalSync or Drum replacer.

Hey Mr Anderton according to support DVDs are not available or planned to be so?
I'm guessing one of you is wrong but which? :)

As an example. With this release there was a plugin called ReMatrix that formed part of that release. Just like with TH2 Sonar before if you don't buy the version which contained it you missed out on it. This will be the same in the future.

If you didn't have a member ship at the time a bit of non program additional content was included you won't get that.

If you had X2 you would still have VVocal to use in X3 or Sonar Platinum today. If you didn't have a previous version that included VVocal no access as it was deprecated at X2.