Lifetime updates vs Yearly Membership payment.

Lets clarify what extras are. You buy Platinum it comes with a lot of Pro Channel modules. However it does not come with Concrete Limiter that is an extra. The real problem is the term core program. This implies no extras just what is coded for that version. I believe that if you have life time updates and it is for Platinum  all extras that would normally come with Platinum will also be included. Otherwise CW would be offering a different version that couldn't be called Platinum. 
 
This this my understanding. 
 
The things included are listed in the version comparison. 

No.  What you get now with Platinum you will still get under life time membership. Keep in mind this offer is only for some CW users and for a very limited time. 

For a limited time, we're offering Lifetime Updates for SONAR Platinum. That means...

• No more paying for future upgrades, updates, or renewals
• Always have access to the latest fixes and enchancements
• Continue to enjoy all the content included in our Rolling Updates

I must say, I agree that this is all very unclear.
 
It's been said that there is to be no difference between the lifetime updates and the monnthly / annual updates. OK, get that.
 
It's also been said that some kinds of things that would previously have been in rolling updates now won't be. Cakewalk cited Drum Replacer as an example of something that would probably have been a paid for add on if the new model had been running at the time.
 
OK, so that's all fine. And is cool if you're on the lifetime updates.
 
However, if you don't go for the lifetime update deal, they've basically just said "we are planning to reduce what you get for your monthly / annual payment".
 
Not saying I think that turns it into a bad deal or anything; the thing is still remarkably cheap no matter how you slice it. But, you know, that has just happened.

John
The last part of the above is the part that matter here. I read that to mean no change. 

I see what you mean John! On the other hand, somewhere in one of the seemingly endless announcement threads, drum replacer and vocal sync were used by someone from Cakewalk as an example of the type of feature that would probably be an add-on extra under the new scheme, hence my confusion. My love of life will not allow me to plumb the depths of those particular threads to find it though:)
 
The long and the short of it is that all I need to know is that platinum inclusions, reduced or not, are the same under all plans. That would seem to be the case. Posts saying that you can continue with the current, all inclusive yearly payment model appear to be incorrect. Makes sense - imagine the uproar at splitting the content for different plans! 

John T
 
It's also been said that some kinds of things that would previously have been in rolling updates now won't be. Cakewalk cited Drum Replacer as an example of something that would probably have been a paid for add on if the new model had been running at the time.
 

Can't see where that was said. Even if it was, I guess it was cited as merely an example. Things like Drum replacer, Vocal sync, and all the various integrated stuff in Sonar becoming payable would be the biggest disaster. I really don't think that was ever the intent of Cakewalk. Someone from Cakewalk, please correct me if I am wrong.
 
 

John
John and Bruce lets hope CW will clearly this soon. I see both of you have good logical reasoning. I don't believe it is your fault here and is due to CW not explaining this well at all.
 
In fact I have my own doubts too. We shall see.  

For sure. I don't think there's any malice or trickery at work. I think there are just some details that haven't been fully worked out. Or if they have, they haven't been fully communicated.

I agree guys  - no intention to mislead at all. Just a few details yet to rise above the noise.

John
Keep in mind this offer is only for some CW users and for a very limited time. 

Not sure what you mean with 'offer' but the fact is that when you enter or renew Platinum today, you will get lifetime updates. There is currently no way to buy a 1 year renewal. I would also not know why you would want that, since almost all upgrade/buy options have exactly the same price. The only exception is if you already have Platinum and are not eligible for the $99 offer, it will cost you $199 while the old price for 1 year was $149.
 
 
It has been stated by Cakewalk reps in another thread that there is NO difference between monthly or lifetime membership when it comes to content. The confusion came from Cakewalk using the term 'core' just to clarify that you would not automatically get stuff that you didn't get in the past either (e.g. Z3ta+ 2). From what they said, they don't plan to limit what you get in the future either. We'll have to wait and see though whether Platinum will still get goodies that Professional or Artist are not getting...
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

scook
For reference here is Noel's post http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3418919
 

Thanks Scook. That seems to agree with what I wrote. I also think some of this is still undecided. Or it may appear to be.  

John T
I must say, I agree that this is all very unclear.
 
It's been said that there is to be no difference between the lifetime updates and the monnthly / annual updates. OK, get that.
 
It's also been said that some kinds of things that would previously have been in rolling updates now won't be. Cakewalk cited Drum Replacer as an example of something that would probably have been a paid for add on if the new model had been running at the time.
 
OK, so that's all fine. And is cool if you're on the lifetime updates.
 
However, if you don't go for the lifetime update deal, they've basically just said "we are planning to reduce what you get for your monthly / annual payment".
 
Not saying I think that turns it into a bad deal or anything; the thing is still remarkably cheap no matter how you slice it. But, you know, that has just happened.

Well they didn't offer Rapture Pro as part of the package and that was "rolled out" during the subscription model.
 
I think Cake is smart enough to know that it will have to continue to include the occasional special feature (drum replacer, vocal sync) as part of the package to catch the eye of more new users.  I'd expect them to pick and choose a little bit, just like they did with Rapture Pro.....where they gave us Rapture Session instead and Pro as a paid add on if you so choose.  
 
 

Rocsee70
Not sure what you mean with 'offer' but the fact is that when you enter or renew Platinum today, you will get lifetime updates. There is currently no way to buy a 1 year renewal. I would also not know why you would want that, since almost all upgrade/buy options have exactly the same price. The only exception is if you already have Platinum and are not eligible for the $99 offer, it will cost you $199 while the old price for 1 year was $149.
 
It has been stated by Cakewalk reps in another thread that there is NO difference between monthly or lifetime membership when it comes to content. The confusion came from Cakewalk using the term 'core' just to clarify that you would not automatically get stuff that you didn't get in the past either (e.g. Z3ta+ 2). From what they said, they don't plan to limit what you get in the future either. We'll have to wait and see though whether Platinum will still get goodies that Professional or Artist are not getting...

I don't know if z3ta is the best example, Noel specifically mentioned Drum Replacer & VocalSync as examples. These are features we did automatically get in the past with Platinum, but wouldn't if they had been developed in the new model.
 
My guess is that after August 31, Sonar Platinum simply becomes Sonar Lifetime. The price point & upgrade path being the same, but the difference between instead being subscription length rather than content amount. This way everyone is getting the same monthly content and can pick & choose which premium add-ons they want to purchase.

Brian Walton
... If they update all 3 with great new features, I'm all for it.  It will add value to all 3.  

Agreed.

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.

 
Andrew has laid my question to rest in another thread. Lifetime updates are identical to yearly subscription. It is a no brainer - there is certainly no incentive to stay on a yearly plan. Seems an awesome deal whether you get a discount or not.