Gibson did not execute this well at all. But to be realistic, the vast majority of companies don't handle such situations well.
 
Decisions are typically made entirely at the upper levels of management. The rank and file are rarely if ever consulted. Senior people spend their work lives in a bubble of other well-to-do associates, boardrooms and golf outings. So naturally, they look out for their pals first, setting up golden parachutes and job connections. Only after they've been assured they can still afford their country club membership do they give a second thought to how their recently laid-off secretary will buy groceries.
 
This is just how it works. I've seen the process up close more than once. It's one of the reasons I walked away from the corporate world 20 years ago and opted for self-employment. Even though taking that route has meant income insecurity, going without health insurance, dealing with business chores when I'd rather be flipping bits, taking almost no vacations, and not being able to retire. But I'd rather go three months without a paycheck than ever go through the insulting experience of being kicked to the curb like a worn-out printer while the executive who's boot print was on my butt got a bonus for his innovative leadership.
 
Here's what Gibson should have done. Gibson should have gone to Cakewalk people and asked them to develop a shutdown plan. They should have asked them what the repercussions would be for employees, business partners, IP value, and customers. That would have been the smart thing to do, because they are not a software company. When they kill a guitar model, there are no repercussions except maybe that model now becomes a collector's item.
 
So yeh, I have to agree with the majority opinion here: Gibson really screwed the pooch on this one. That doesn't mean it wasn't a logical and inevitable business decision. It doesn't mean they are all jerks (well, maybe a couple of them). It just means there is some embarrassing incompetence among their management team, which anyone could already assume given their spiraling debt. You don't have to be an MBA to know they've been making bad decisions for awhile.
 
Still, Geoff's right. There is no point in moaning about how evil Gibson is, because it won't change anything. But they won't shut down the forum because of it. I doubt those executives are even aware of all this disgust and hatred being vented. They're all out on the golf course schmoozing their way to their next job.