Anderton
 
 
Perhaps Cakewalk could add a rental option in the future where you don't own the software, but that's another layer of complexity for something that, at least by survey and forum indications, doesn't appeal to most users.

I would be fascinated to see the numbers on how this "membership model" polled in your surveys as compared to the "ownership model." The forum response when the pending move to subscription was inferred from the surveys sent to (a subset of ?) Cakewalk's email list seemed to be pretty negative. Now all is changed, the usual get behind Cakewalk crowd seems to think this is the greatest idea since the smartphone. To some extent this may be a collective sigh of relief that you did not go the rental route. To say that this is a better deal for Cakewalk customers than the Adobe system is not saying much. Undeniably it is better. But how many of your current customers wanted this change?

brconflict
 I just more firmly believe the Membership pricing is a bit steep, even for me.

So this

brconflict
Subscription for Platinum isn't ideal, for me (far too expensive--$24.99 would have been right-priced....

is no longer the case. As the current subscription rate for the next two years is less than $24.99/mo at $14.99 for the first year with a $19.99/mo renewal for the second year.

MachineClaw
I will not be upgrading Sonar any longer - that is my intention at this point based on this subscription model.
 
I will not pay a company for bug fixes and empty speculative promises that may or may not be resolved at a later time.
 
this subscription model is great for Cakewalk funding and stability as a profitable company - but not so for me as a user.

Read the FAQ. This is not solely a subscription model. As of now you can still get full upgrades as you always have. It is just a conceptual difference and how the product is delivered. You will still be able to pay one price and fully own a complete version comprised of one years worth of enhancements.
 
It's a little confusing but seriously... after going through all the material I'm telling you that this actually works out much better for the end user than the old model. It may start to suck after this year is over but as of right now we, the users, are kind of making off like bandits.

It's a little confusing but seriously... after going through all the material I'm telling you that this actually works out much better for the end user than the old model. It may start to suck after this year is over but as of right now we, the users, are kind of making off like bandits.

 
I don't think anyone is out to screw us though (on purpose anyway).
I bet if things were looking dodgy after a year or so (like there aren't enough new features ready) - we'll be able to get a "discount membership" or something like that. That would be easy to implement.

So do you need an Internet connection to continue to use Sonar. How would they know when you paid off? Seems like an internet connection is required.. can someone shed some light on this? Thanks John

djjhart@aol.com
So do you need an Internet connection to continue to use Sonar. How would they know when you paid off? Seems like an internet connection is required.. can someone shed some light on this? Thanks John

The is an authentication method for computers not on the internet. It would require having some internet access somewhere to send the authentication request and receive the authentication file to load into SONAR. Using the monthly plan would require using that authentication method or the Command Center connected via the internet each month to prevent SONAR from going into demo mode.

200bpm
This looks ok, but I suspect the generous upgrade options will be phased out over time. 
 
I can't prove it, but I suspect people with older versions better jump now into the new subscription pricing.  Cakewalk has always been good honoring OLD versions of software towards upgrades, but too much is changing to make me feel like that will be true moving forward.

In all fairness, the idea that any Cakewalk product would be available for a cheap upgrade price beyond any particular date was always a major gamble. Nothing in law or the usual custom in business would support that assumption, and those of us who took the chance of skipping a version were always at risk of being forced to pay full price when we did decided to jump back in. The cheap upgrades were an effective enticement, not an act of charity or an entitlement. Your relationship to Cakewalk, be you fanboy or critic, was and always has been that of seller to customer. The emotional attachment many forum contributors have to the company is understandable. For the most part (the nontransferable license being a glaring exception) the company has been sensitive to the customers and to a sense of fairness. If your confidence that this will continue has not been shaken by this new marketing strategy, good for you. But I am with you that planning on an upgrade at a later date for a good price from an old version is more of a gamble than it has ever been.

There's 15 pages of comments here so it may be answered somewhere in the thread already.
 
I'm a Sonar Producer user.  Like quite a few of us, I have the full version of Addictive Drums 2.
 
In getting Sonar Platinum would I skip the install of the Addictive Drums installer, and would I still get the 3 Addictive Drums packs to choose from (on top of the ones I already have).

I think the new model is very clever.  I'm still using Adobe CS5 because I don't want to go full subscription but this method kind of gives you the benefits of the subscription model (support, updates) without the drawbacks (you get to keep your software if you want to stop paying.)
 
Personally I always upgrade when the new version comes out so it won't make a big difference for me.
 
John

lawajava
 
I'm a Sonar Producer user.  Like quite a few of us, I have the full version of Addictive Drums 2.
 
In getting Sonar Platinum would I skip the install of the Addictive Drums installer, and would I still get the 3 Addictive Drums packs to choose from (on top of the ones I already have).

Platinum subscribers get this http://www.xlnaudio.com/p...bundle/producer_bundle
I am sure the XLN installer knows you already have AD2 and will only install the ADPaks, MIDIPacks and Kitpiece Paks you order from them.

Beepster
 
 
Read the FAQ. This is not solely a subscription model. As of now you can still get full upgrades as you always have. It is just a conceptual difference and how the product is delivered. You will still be able to pay one price and fully own a complete version comprised of one years worth of enhancements.
 
It's a little confusing but seriously... after going through all the material I'm telling you that this actually works out much better for the end user than the old model. It may start to suck after this year is over but as of right now we, the users, are kind of making off like bandits.

I accept your analysis, but the hidden premise is that every end user was committed to upgrading on the first date it became available at the introductory price for an upgrade. Under those circumstances he would essentially be billed for an approximately one year support contract, and various new and old features, effectively as though he had paid the same price for a new version. All of the new features may or may not presently be disclosed, so he may get more than he bargained for. The choice for this year is tilted toward an upgrade membership for such people, if only because it will probably entitle them to a low cost upgrade membership next year, when some feature they consider worth owning may show up.

I don't  think it's  so much the cakewalk faithful  thinking this idea is so wonderful as it is them not assuming the worse. I have some reservations because I am naturally cynical of any claims of doing things for benefit of customer. I also am aware that it was very clear that most wanted no part of a subscription model even if it is being introduced at what seems to be a more benevolent model than the Adobe one. At the same time, no matter how you slice it, the worst that can happen is one tries this model for a year and ends up with the same upgrade they would have paid for anyway and can weigh options on competitors at that time.   It just seems too early to go straight to doom and gloom.

Please forgive me if these questions have already been answered. 
 
When does the Intro Offer expire?
https://www.cakewalk.com/Products/SONAR/Versions
is there a Free demo version to help me decide if I should move to Sonar 2015 (AKA X4) from my Current X3.
 
Is there a user’s manual for Sonar 2015?

slartabartfast

Beepster
 
 
Read the FAQ. This is not solely a subscription model. As of now you can still get full upgrades as you always have. It is just a conceptual difference and how the product is delivered. You will still be able to pay one price and fully own a complete version comprised of one years worth of enhancements.
 
It's a little confusing but seriously... after going through all the material I'm telling you that this actually works out much better for the end user than the old model. It may start to suck after this year is over but as of right now we, the users, are kind of making off like bandits.

I accept your analysis, but the hidden premise is that every end user was committed to upgrading on the first date it became available at the introductory price for an upgrade. Under those circumstances he would essentially be billed for an approximately one year support contract, and various new and old features, effectively as though he had paid the same price for a new version. All of the new features may or may not presently be disclosed, so he may get more than he bargained for. The choice for this year is tilted toward an upgrade membership for such people, if only because it will probably entitle them to a low cost upgrade membership next year, when some feature they consider worth owning may show up.

Yup, it does get a little screwy conceptually after this first year and will be trust based so the Bakers will have to haul butt to convince people to stay onboard. I think for the skeptics (which I am) it would be a matter of paying for this year's membership/full upgrade, letting it lapse to see what comes down the pipe in the first few months to see what tickles our fancy and if we think the next upgrade is worth it then hop on. Now this hasn't been clear yet (and I've asked a few times) but when you let your full year membership lapse then sign on for another full year a few months later you would get those lapsed months updates as WELL as the next 12 months worth of updates. So that still (if it is truly cumulative) ends up being a better deal than the yearly release model... IF we end up getting the same level of content and enhancements we have come to expect from the yearly release model. That is yet to be seen BUT I truly get the impression that the Bakers themselves do this for the love of the product first and the paycheck (perhaps a very close) second. They want us to like it and want us to have a good product... which then ultimately would result in a larger paycheck too so hey, we get artistic AND free market principles working for us.
 
IDK... I'm not worried about what the Bakers do because I think they'll always produce cool stuff for us. It's the boys at the top saying yay or nay to their development efforts that worries me. Considering it is Gibson though and the fact that Craig has their ear I think we are in good hands.
 
I may be just be suffering another bout of my nihilistic optimism though (which is a very confusing state to be in). As I said.... only time will tell.
 
Now wasn't I going to go do something else?