Chucke I do absolutely know what you mean, even my own son said "Don't upgrade" it's a Scam!!! He's coming from the Gaming Industry, different I know but they spend hundreds of millions on the development and we spend $59.99 USD. On a game, but the developers are thinking about DLC, more and more money then if you find out if you bought the whole package it would have cost like $90.00 Now the same is $150.00 and it doesn't include something else? So Gamers are stuck with Sub Par Standards, crashes so on, which is why "Steam" offers a return policy "under 2hr game play". I understand software programming, I'm an engineer also.

And have a great weekend as well!

Mike.

I was an early adopter of lifetime updates. My reason for getting is quite simple I have been buying Sonar Platinum and before that Producer updates each year. So this in the short and long term will save me money. At the same time I was concerned by some posters that just didn't have the cash to swing it within the deadline. Now that issue is gone for the short term. Its a relief for me to know all that want the lifetime deal will be able to get it. 
 
I think CW extended it for the above reasons. I think they did the right thing. Even though the more cynical will no doubt see a conspiracy in it. I also think CW took that into account and did it anyway. That to me is real class.  
 
I suppose those that see a glass half full vs half empty will understand.

mettelus
Less than anticipated would be a guess. To answer the question more directly, no, Cakewalk would not share such a thing.

Unless you work for them your answer is speculation. 

Hi Noel, thanks for the response! I didn't want to sound skeptical as many believe the "Subscription Model" is purely for continue money making but I know software development is expensive, some in the multi-million range. Many think "it's to good to be true" Lifetime Upgrades for a one time payment! People just want "Absolute transparency & clarity" Most companies have a definitive Cut-off and that's it! Sonar is an awesome program (9-10yrs now) I'll continue to use it and hope Cakewalk grows in the years to come, "keep up with the incredible work".

Thank you!

Mike.

Noel Borthwick [Cakewalk]
We value the support from loyal users like you and everyone has a choice. We're definitely not forcing anything down anyone's throat.

When Cakewalk declares (as you did) that the lifetime updates will ONLY be available till aug 31, it is sort of forcing things.  Now or never, that was the deal (which you changed very recently after several of us had bought in).
 
I would never have purchased the upgrade now (for full price), only 6 months after I upgraded to Platinum, if I'd known I could wait till December.  I've now in effect loaned you my money for 6 months, hence the money grab accusation.
 
I will appreciate the refund of my loan.
 

I'm almost positive when the deal first came out, it was stated that it would go to $199 after Aug 31.  I'm not going to go back and be legalistic and try to prove it, but that's what I had in my head all along. 
 
so...nothing new, move along...

Paul P
I will appreciate the refund of my loan.

 
Just FYI, as a recovering ediholic (I spent too many years in publishing), a loan is "an amount of money that is given to someone for a period of time with a promise that it will be paid back." There was never any promise that it would be paid back, so the $199 was a purchase - "the action of buying something [a product or service]." If you don't want to purchase Lifetime Updates, perhaps Cakewalk can give you a refund, with the option to buy yearly memberships instead. If you don't decide to renew after one year, you won't have lost anything.
 
I understand it would be very helpful to know the future and budget accordingly, however by buying when you did, you locked in Lifetime Updates no matter what happened in the future. Obviously those who paid $99 were smart to lock in that price when they did. I think what you did was prudent, even though you regret doing it now.
 
 

Ya they are grabbing some money, but in exchange they are giving you unlimited updates for LIFE !! That's one heck of a bargain. Since I bought in, I've already received a bunch of updates...and they are going to keep on coming for the foreseeable future.

The deal which ran until August 31, was a special pro-rated discounted price, and that deal expired - it had pricing that ran as low as $99 for some folks.  That deal is gone.
 
They decided to allow folks to continue to pick up Lifetime Updates for Platinum, from September 1st through December 31st, at a fixed price of $199.  The $199 is STILL a discounted price for Lifetime Updates, but the $99 or $149 prices are no longer available.
 
For essentially the cost of one year's maintenance, through the end of the year folks can lock in to receive all future updates for Sonar Platinum.
 
It's not a loan, a scam, nobody got ripped off or snookered, or anything else.  Folks were offered a deal with the potential for picking up the updates for forever as cheaply as $99 - and that multi-tiered discounted pricing offer has expired.  The lifetime updates are with a now one price for all cost of $199 for the same perpetual updates offer that runs through the end of this year.  That's it.  Even the $199 cost is a really good deal.
 
The lifetimes updates is also completely optional.  
 
Bob Bone
 

By the way, since Sonar Platinum came out, in addition to added functionality, they have published over ONE THOUSAND bug fixes, SO FAR, and they have and will continue to provide updates monthly.
 
(upper case added only for emphasis)
 
Bob Bone