jeff oliver
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.

 
 
You make a very well reasoned point Jeff. I suspect the resounding answer you will get after such protracted discussion around this issue will be that all platinum updates, including lifetime, are the same, which I realise doesn't  fully address your concern.
 
One thing that has been clarified is that new features and functionality will continue to be added and included  as part of the core updates. It will not just be bug fixes.
 
FWIW, Cakewalk has a very long history of doing the right thing by it's users, and I believe we can trust them to do the same here. That of course may may do little to waylay your concern:)

I now see the error in my assumptions. I have deleted the offending comments.
 
I also, again, apologize to jb101 for acting a fool in my response to him.

Deleted post for terrible inaccuracies on my part.
 
I was wrong. Dead wrong.

All good - nothing to see here!

Deleted post to avoid mis-representation of what the future holds for SONAR Platinum.
 
My thinking was skewed and it was dead wrong.

"None of these are particularly becoming of a "host"."
 
Is bapu a host again?

Post deleted = all is well:)

 
Note that's even in their FAQ at http://www.cakewalk.com/June-2016#SONAR4Life :

Will the content be different in Lifetime Updates?

The content you receive in an update will be the same whether you're signed up for Lifetime Updates or an annual/monthly SONAR Rolling Updates membership.

 
PS: What I do think will happen, and this is just a personal opinion, is that going forward there will be less and less extras added to Platinum and in the end the difference between Artist, Professional and Platinum will disappear. Pricing will then also be less than what Platinum has today and the Lifetime deal will have been devaluated, although it will still be more profitable than sticking with yearly (at the then reduced fee). Just my guess of course.

For what it's worth, I seem to have understood this stuff the same way as Rocsee70 (is 70 a reference to your birth year by chance? I'm a '70 boy myself!). But as Bapu points out, time will tell... 
 
 

My apologies for my schoolyard (playground?) rant.
 
It was based on the incorrect assumption that Bapu was still a Forum Host.  I did not realise that he no longer was.
 
Either way, I am sorry for the tone of my post.