For those who don't like the changes.....   don't implement them.  Its easy!  Most of us love the changes and the new capabilities but if you want stability in look feel and features, just don't upgrade.  If you loved 8.5 for example. go back to it.  Personally the new stuff is WAY more powerful than anything that came before and I can do way more stuff with way less steps now than before, especially when it comes to getting the over sound of a mix but again, for those that think the new changes are inconvenient or robbing your productivity... don't upgrade.

MGC59
I must admit that Sonar 8.5 was my most productive phase especially for Midi editing. As xxrich stated: things that used to take one click now take several (Midi Plugins for example...5 steps to open!)

 
First of all, this is definitely a valid topic, and Sharke's response is spot on.
 
Anyway re MIDI plug-ins, if the browser is open, click on the PlugIns tab, click on MIDI FX, then just drag the FX into the FX rack. Much of SONAR has added a drag-and-drop capability that wasn't there before, which can be helpful. 
 
Generally, I find that SONAR does things for a reason, although any reasons may not be obvious because I don't think Cakewalk has provided enough information on optimizing workflow. To me, learning new features is an investment...I spend X amount of time learning new protocols, but these save me 10X time overall. I think what we need more than a feature or interface freeze is better, shorter instructional materials on how to get the most out of SONAR's changes.

xxrich
Fair enough.  We'll see if it resonates with anyone else.  My intent is to keep the product from killing itself:-)
 

Thats nonsense. Sonar 8.5 was eons ago. Good bad or indifferent its over! You might as well propose a move back to Pro Audio. We are in the Skylight era. Get over it.
 
The premise is absurd. We have moved on. Its time you catch up.    

Come on John, act like a grown up. There are more polite ways to get your point across. Be the bigger man here.

As a user since PA, I agree that while the overall learning curve was steep to skylight, the "common" or "main" operations are pretty easy to master and did not take all that long to become ingrained. 

I certainly feel the errant key press pain.  I almost never use the console views since I mix out of the box but I find accidental key presses opening it constantly and while it is easy enough to close, it destroys workflow when it also changes where the multidock is or in an ffort to get back where you were, you accidentally close everything else you had open.

It is the more esoteric and deeper functions like the midi effects and those dang take lanes that are the real learning curve.  I guess take lanes are a useful tool for some but I am so fast with just comping the old fashioned way that to me it is only an unnecessary thing that while I can shut it off, I don't always remember to and so again, workflow frustrations.  My templates for new stuff seem to give me no issues as I have set it all the way I like it, but working on pre-update projects, (especially pre take-lane projects) just get under my skin when I have to remember to reset everything to the state I like it before I can work effeciently.

Still, software evolves and to get increased power and quality, we adapt.  I'd love the same power and functionality of the new version in the 8.5 interface as I worked with it so long, but I am learning the Skylight almost as well so I am sure a major overhaul and new interface to learn must surely be on the way.

I'm currently trying to learn z3ta+2 and Rapture Pro in a power user fashion and it is just a muddy mess in my brain.  The matrix is powerful but you can create brain spaghetti in an hurry.

Glancing through this thread, I think users who don't like change and/or have trouble with inadvertent keystrokes will want to do some or all of the following:
 
1a. Re-bind F7-F10 (and their Ctrl-modified counterparts) to their pre-X1 functions.
1b. Same as above for any other bindings that don't work as expected.
2. Bind 0-9 keys to functions other than calling up their respective screensets or to "Do Nothing".
3a. Bind any other keys for functions you don't use to the "Do Nothing" function.
3b. Give thanks the Bakers for having already effectively done this for the 'O' key.
4. Take regular snapshots of your current mix so you can easily restore inadvertent changes to mute/solo states etc.
5. Smack yourself in the forehead and say "D'oh!" every time you try to type characters into a field without putting it in edit mode first.
6a. Become a dog person; a dog might lie down on your sustain pedal or step on a stompbox once in a while, but is not likely to walk across your keyboard.
6b. Take said dog for a walk whenever you feel frustrated by SONAR (or anything else computer-related). You'll both feel better.

Hi. And you can always come here to check for help, if / when needed. There is always someone here willing to lend a hand, if asked nicely
All the best.

MGC59
My cat walked across my keyboard in the middle of a mixing session. So many things went sideways that for a few minutes I wasn't even sure I was in Sonar! A magic button returning things to a previous state would have helped immensely! Not wanting to lose my work I had to spend a considerable amount of time researching and restoring things back to the way they were.
 
I am not a key stroke guy...habitually I like to click on things. I have been around since the Sonar 3 days.
 
I totally feel xxrich's pain.
 
There are a so many added features and extras that make me want to keep upgrading (other reasons being a changing hardware necessity)
 
I must admit that Sonar 8.5 was my most productive phase especially for Midi editing. As xxrich stated: things that used to take one click now take several (Midi Plugins for example...5 steps to open!)
 
The Sonar X and Platinum phase has been trying for me, to say the least. At the moment I am back to Ipswich because of constant crashes in Kingston. Many sessions end after a crash or a feature not responding or performing like they should.
 
I understand that plugins can cause these issues, but the number of these little issues has increased and my productivity and enjoyment levels have dropped.
 
I too long for the old day.....

CTRL-Z

I would like to think you are aware of the undo function? You can even see in the menu what you're undoing. If it's not undoable then it's likely related to the screen layout (I've hit screenshot shortcuts accidentally before and it's like whoa...). These things are trivial and can be fixed easily. Bottom line is you're not going to lose any work from the cat walking across the keys unless it hits quit and then "no" when asked to save...

Btw most apps have the potential for frustration caused by errant key presses. Every now and then I will be typing a long post in Chrome and will accidentally hit whatever shortcut closes the tab. At least Sonar would have asked me to save first. It's pretty hard to keep your cool in those circumstances.

And my iPhone! Good God. Sometimes I will be typing and the keyboard will suddenly disappear and before I get a chance to react I've hit "send" and posted in the middle of a sentence. Software has a long ways to go before it's totally frustration free, especially for kak-handed doofuses like myself.

Errant keys are an "easy fix"; I disable almost every one of them.
BUT, I pulled my hair out a few times finding out which ones were an "issue"
"A", hate that one! Can I just disable Audio Snap altogether??? Maybe SIGN IN BLOOD to get it to start?
Where's Theodore Bikel when you need him?
I STILL get the occasional "Sonar is generating audio transients..." when starting a project; WHAT?
The numbers (screensets) OHH what a blister that was, blew my screen to Hades more than once...
I feel your pain Rich, but go backward; NEVA!
 
T