Kylotan
It could have just been a link at the bottom of the existing start dialog that said, "New updates available! Click here to launch the Cakewalk Control Center" and that would cover 95% of it. "No need to check email or the web for your monthly updates anymore."... I don't, that's what CCC is for. Stick a link to that in the main app, flag it up when something new is available, done.

Well, there you're making an argument not against the feature, but as to how much time and effort should have been expended on it. 
 
And that's fair enough, except that none of us end users have any idea about how much time and effort was expended on it. *
 
* Please nobody bore us with "well, as a developer" arguments.
 
 
 

Beepster
so maybe a "Connect to Cake News" button would be nice when I do feel like looking at what's up.

 
I think that's the point of having to click on the notifications button to see the notifications, but we'll find out for sure in a few days. In any event I don't think the notifications are "pushed" to you given that you have to choose to see them.
 

It just occurred to me...shouldn't we be debating the Start Screen's merits or lack thereof after it's actually been introduced and people have had a chance to use it?
 
I know, I know...that's crazy talk.

Well, where's the fun in that?  

There is one thing that is related to this theme. If Sonar crashes, it doesn't remember open project. I mean when I start it again, the recent list is not updated, so if there has been new, or "saved as" project, Sonar forget it, and I must find it to open again. I don't know if it will be addressed with this start screen update (probably not), but for me this small improvement could be significant.

Anderton
It just occurred to me...shouldn't we be debating the Start Screen's merits or lack thereof after it's actually been introduced and people have had a chance to use it?
 
I know, I know...that's crazy talk.

I still want a finish button.

Anderton

Beepster
so maybe a "Connect to Cake News" button would be nice when I do feel like looking at what's up.

 
I think that's the point of having to click on the notifications button to see the notifications, but we'll find out for sure in a few days. In any event I don't think the notifications are "pushed" to you given that you have to choose to see them.
 

Yeah, I just figured maybe this topic had been covered already. I'll save the histrionics until after I see what the official release says (and user reaction). I never install right away anyway so I can wait.
 
I really do hope they allow it to be fully disabled though (no reaching out to home base at all) or as you said only reaches out when told to do so (instead of gathering stuff without being prompted in anticipation of serving it up). The latter would actually be ideal and very respectful to the customers on Cakewalk's part. In fact if it is off by default and requires me to go out of my way to click a button to activate it I'd probably be ten times more likely to use it simply because they showed me the courtesy most other software companies refused to these days.
 
Essentially... convenient but not FORCED. Pique my curiosity but let ME take the action. Put the newspaper rack in my lobby so I can snag one on my way in/out the door instead of trying to cram it through the mailslot.
 
Knowaddimean?
 
Whatevs. I'm sure they dealt with all this because they know how freaky and angsty some of us are about these things. They proved that by allowing offline installs and more recently by making missed monthly downloads available in our accounts.
 
Cheers.

Anderton
It just occurred to me...shouldn't we be debating the Start Screen's merits or lack thereof after it's actually been introduced and people have had a chance to use it?
 
I know, I know...that's crazy talk.

 
OK - GO!!

I can't use it because of Scandinaian / Norwegian letters like æÆ øØ åÅ! The shortcut is messed up so it can't go to the right file to open it.
 
OmeDrive screen capture of the startscreen with Norwegian letters.
http://1drv.ms/1NVegS8

John T

Kylotan
It could have just been a link at the bottom of the existing start dialog that said, "New updates available! Click here to launch the Cakewalk Control Center" and that would cover 95% of it. "No need to check email or the web for your monthly updates anymore."... I don't, that's what CCC is for. Stick a link to that in the main app, flag it up when something new is available, done.

Well, there you're making an argument not against the feature, but as to how much time and effort should have been expended on it.

 
No, I was making an argument against justifying the whole new start dialog on the basis of 'users need notifications'.
 
I'm in favour of a new Start Dialog, if only it were to do anything useful for me. I made my suggestions in the past, so maybe they'll make it in at some point, who knows.