It seems pretty simple to me - I mean - for a year plus, platinum has been 150 a year (I've used sonar since producer 7) - for the core - just like any other program thats evolving from version to version.   
 
Lets say in 10 years no one uses daws anymore - and cakewalk develops another tool to suit the needs of the market... and splat is no longer relevant....no one can predict that. Meanwhile we've all used splat for 10 years.  So instead of paying the yearly rate we've taken advantage of this program for the 10 years. After two years of being in the program you've already reached a positive balance (financially) as opposed to the subscription model.
 
I look at it as an incentive for cakewalk to devote some of their energy INTO creating great add ons.  In my article - for example - I mentioned that I use the rapture pro a lot - that's an add on cakewalk product.  
 
Here's what I know - Cakewalk has built itself on being a "Brave" company, and has built itself in a grass roots community manner.   This is actually the MAIN reason myself - like many of its users, have zero hesitation in becoming grateful customers.   With a program like this - there is a HUGE incentive - when choosing between DAW's, to buy in for life, and explore further and further into the world of sound design and music production.   Many music producers become very capable in 1 daw and platform, and stick with it.  For example - the guy who just did mission impossible 5 did the whole score in sonar 8.  I think its a great example of a Win Win scenario!

John T
I'll give it one last go.
 
What will Platinum offer that Professional doesn't, going forward, given that all Platinum-only features to date, are precisely the things that Cakewalk are describing as non-core?
 
Talking about the value of the lifetime membership is not an answer to this question.

I don't think *anyone* can answer that question specifically at this point. What I have surmised from the state of things and from keeping up with a fair chunk of the whirlwind here over the past few days (often with a lot of head-shaking), with an emphasis on what I've read from the bakers themselves, and from Craig, is as follows. 
 
1. They are still offering 3 tiers of the program for sale at the moment, but only Platinum has a lifetime option, and that's not even an option right now - if you renew or upgrade to Platinum right now, until the end of August, it's the lifetime deal. But the other tiers are still available, which means that there is a clear implication that there will continue to be a difference between these 3 tiers. If they change that on Sept 1, that will be a pretty major bait-and-switch, and many people will be justifiably very angry about it. They have said clearly that this is not the intention. But that's different from a concrete list of features that will differentiate the tiers. 
 
2. Going forward, after the lifetime offers expire (if in fact they do) on Sept 1, there will be no difference between the updates for monthly or yearly Platinum members and lifetime members. That much at least is a clear commitment from them, and again, to go back on that would invite major backlash. 
 
3. As you've noted, at the moment, everything on the Coming Soon list applies to all three tiers. This does seem to be a problem, as it confuses the value proposition, and this seems to be precisely what you are concerned about, which I understand. If you look at that list, it kind of screams out, why do I need the top tier again, especially if I already 'own' all the legacy bundlewear that makes it worthwhile? The fly-out EQ is great and all, but... 
 
4. There have been relatively vague statements from CW that there will absolutely continue to be differentiating features between the three tiers in the future, *in addition* to extra-cost things along the lines of the products that currently are available for add-on purchase and not bundled into Platinum... but again, none of them are on the pending list and nothing specific has been said about what they might be. Craig has pointed out that they are unlikely to give away their whole strategy including every feature and product on the development playlist, which makes sense, but isn't much help if you're trying to make a decision about it. Moreover, it seems (and Craig has posted about this too) that there is some Blue Sky level thinking and planning going on over there just now, so it may well be that the reason they're not posting anything more specific is because they simply don't know yet. Hopefully the need to rein in some of the confusion here will convince them of the need to give something more specific soon. 
 
5. So buying into Lifetime right now (which I have already done) is simply an act of faith that CW will figure all this out and continue to deliver value to each tier of their customer base, including Lifers. To me, the value they've provided over the past year and a half since the big change to rolling updates, justifies this faith - but others' mileage may value. 
 
Of course none of this helps you, if money is tight and you're on the fence and looking for a concrete reason to make a tough decision. I wish I could help with that, but at the end of the day, you pays your money and you takes your chances...

John T
As is to be generally expected when making such a move, the first thing that happened is my income dropped considerably, and has slowly started to crawl back up over a couple of years of building up the business. So yes, while the lifetime thing would make a lot of sense if I had £150 lying around, I just don't. Am still very much in a bootstrapping just-about-scraping-by phase. Which is nobody else's concern, of course.
 
Surely you can see, where the confusion arises. It's been said several times by Cakewalk that Platinum going forward will be more core stuff and add ons will be generally outside of that.
 
Now, going through the rolling updates page, there are about five things that were Platinum only. Drum Replacer, Vocal Synch, Lounge Lizard, Strum, and a couple of other odds and ends.
 
These are exactly the kind of things that seem to be deemed non-core. Which is fine, except, as I keep saying, it looks like the Platinum monthly deal offers nothing that the Professional doesn't, going by what Cakewalk reps have said.
 
I'm not accusing anyone of a rip off or anything, I just think this hasn't been thought through. In my position, why would I not just switch to Professional for the cheaper price?

Thanks I understand. Just keep in mind that if you switch to professional today on a monthly plan without completing 12 months you will lose drum replace and any platinum exclusives. 
To clarify this HAS been through through. You can't expect us to know exact details of what is happening one year from now. Not even we know exactly what features will be shipped beyond a one year time frame.
At this time we have no plans of discontinuing professional or artist. So we will continue to distinguish them going forward as new features are developed. I can't give you details on that since they dont exist :)

Apologies, wrong post.

Rocsee70
 
EDIT: here's another example why the current membership model with 3 tiers is creating all sorts of issues : http://forum.cakewalk.com/219-m3430478.aspx

In the OP of the linked thread above, the link for the $49.99 opens to sort of a blank page for me. Seems that it should be a cakewalk store page but appears blank to me. Are you folks seeing any content there ?
 
Also, the second link for the $168.99 which goes to the audiodeluxe page shows up as $199 for me. Whats the catch here ?
 
Honestly, I really did not understand what the deal is here.
 
 

When I switch over to Lifetime model, can I go back at any time to the normal Platinum membership?
 

 
What, simply start paying more money for the hell of it?
 
Why on earth would you even consider it? I might be missing the point (as usual) but once you've paid for lifetime I can think of no reasonable scenario why you would want to revert to annual.
If you just want to give money away, I'll give you my Paypal details 

mdages
Oh man, as more I read on this new lifetime model, as more I get confused. Btw, english isn't my native language and translating all your stuff makes it more harder to understand.
 ....

CW have been clear about this for a while now. There will be no difference between lifetime platinum upates and non-lifetime platinum updates. They will be the same. The only difference between lifetime and non-lifetime, is exactly that. One is time-unlimited. End of story. The amount of confusion here (not just you, and not just non-native English speakers either, so don't feel bad, lots of people have been confused) around the term 'core updates' has been mindblowing. CW just needed to be clear that they will still, as they always have done, make and sell products that are not included in Platinum. Current examples are Rapture Pro, Concrete Limiter, and so on. But the actual updates will be the same for all Platinum members. So there would be no reason to start paying for Platinum again because there is no difference between lifetime and non-lifetime except that one you pay for once and never again, and the other you keep paying for. 
 

I probably wont be around by 2037  so I guess  I will have to make  a will and will my  beloved Sonar Platinum. LOL

fitzj
I probably wont be around by 2037 so I guess  I will have to make  a will and will my  beloved Sonar Platinum. LOL

SONAR licenses are non-transferable.
 
But I know you know that.

Post deleted due to misunderstanding.

bapu

subtlearts

bapu
 
Caveat:
 
Annual Platinum users will likely get 3rd Party add-on product s that life timers will not.
 
Not always 100% exact but close enough that (almost) anyone should be able to understand that.

What are you basing this on? To me it directly contradicts what Andrew and others from CW have expressly stated, which is that updates for lifetime members and annual/monthly Platinum members will be identical. Of course I don't have a crystal ball to say what will happen and what won't, but to me if that were the case I would feel we had been lied to. I probably wouldn't cry in my beer about it, but it would explicitly contradict the terms under which I accepted the offer. 

I'm basing it on statements by Andrew and Noel (which I may have misunderstood) that some 3rd party ad-ons may not be given to life timers but *may* be included in the annual members. They used the term "costly".
 
I believe I have read every post in all of the bulky threads about this and I recall this being addressed in that way by CW staffers. And, I have been wrong before.
 

And I think you are AGAIN.

How many ways can Cake staff comment that there is NO difference between what lifetime updates and annual updates members receive?

Unless, as a forum host, you are privy to something that we are not, they have made this very clear. Repeatedly.

You keep spreading this dis-information, on several threads. I am sure that this is not helping Cakewalk's case..

Unless, as I say, you are in on some secret ploy by Cakewalk that is contradicting what Cake staff are saying.

I am surprised that a "forum host" would behave this way.

Either you are accusing Cake staff of lying, letting some secret, dastardly plan out of the bag, or are clueless.

None of these are particularly becoming of a "host".

Cake have stated time and time again, there will be NO difference between what lifetime members receive, and what yearly/month time members receive.

Whichever, WELL DONE.

scook
I do no see a host quoted in your post.

My bad, as the youth have it.
 
I was under the impression that Ed was a host.
 
Thank you for correcting the important part of my post.

 
 
 

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]
All Platinum owners get the same updates and features. If you are an active member, the updates will be the same as the lifetime. Only difference is lifetime means you get all future updates to SONAR. Artist and Professional are still under membership and lifetime updates are exclusive to Platinum.

 

PiBoy
Is the Mac version included?

Yes - the one membership covers both platforms.

I've tried to read as much as I could about this as to understand exactly where CW is heading. I've been a platinum user from early on and have paid upfront for two years. I believe I understand where this is going but I'm an easy going person so I won't say something that would be speculation.
 
I only have one question. Will I receive the same level of content that a "already" paid for this year until it runs out in February? That is the question for me. A company can change directions as they see fit for whatever reason. I just need to know that the trust that I gave CW in paying upfront earlier this year has not been forgotten.
 
So, in the past I understood the difference in some items being paid add-ons and others coming without cost. IF this is no different then of course the lifetime deal is great for those with the extra money. Some very smart people here but I'm just a common sense type. Many people have said they would be more than happy to pay yearly for what we have been receiving, me included.
 
But if the lifetime membership is only fixes and enhancements it would be more understandable to most users. It comes off as if CW is using their words carefully. Why would a company NOT take my money if I'm happy with what I receive in return? Just a layman type question. I know CW said it wanted to "reward" its faithful members. I hope that's the case. If its just a business move then I can deal with that too, that's what companies do. I just want CW to honor the deal already agreed to before moving on to yet another great deal. Thanks to you all for the help and insight over the years.